Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
If it were me I'd want to see my knee driving the turn and by that I mean I'd want it more forward to bring the body with it. if that makes an sense.
It might need an instructor to quantify it in technical terms but I would want a more over the skis body shape...personally
Wear The Fox Hat - there are lots of comments one can make - so I'll try to keep the number of comments down so that you're got three things to work on.
Good things first. Stance is generally good. And knees are particularly good - you're not "A" framing much. Arm / hand position is generally in the right ballpark. Turn to turn timing is nice - you appear to be turning when you want to and you're not "shopping for turns".
Ok, improvement suggestions...
First - turn timing.
You're rushing the front half of the turn - i.e. the transition between going across the hill to the bit where your skis go straight down the hill. You can see this on the first turn skier's right.
As a principle you should spend as long going "across the hill to skis straight down the hill" as you do going from "skis straight down the hill to skis going across the hill the other way".
You can see one of the effects of the rushing at 0:18 - you wedge slightly. As a consequence you're being too "rough" on your edges and not giving them a chance to grip.
If you slow down the front bit of the turn by just a second or so then it'll give your legs more a chance to sort themselves out and the edges will get a chance to grip more.
Second - you're not a Thunderbird puppet
So why are you lifting the inside hand of the turn like it's on a piece of string? Again the first turn skier's right shows you this.
I suspect that you're doing it to get the pole out the way (yes, yes, you should be pole planting) - but more importantly, I suspect you're doing it because you seem to have a awful lot of pole there. How long are those poles - because, to me, they look a tad too long to me?
Moving your hand, moves your arm. Which throws your shoulders around more than the ought to.
It's ok (at this point) not to pole plant) - but if you've got to move the pole out of the way then you should try shorter poles.
Focus on quiet, level hands. Remember that any pole plant come from the wrist, not the arm or shoulder.
Third - hands slightly further forward
They're a bit far back. Not much - but just enough to put you in the back seat - which you can clearly see at 0:24.
Focussing on keeping your hand 15-20cm forwards and maybe 5-10 cm lower will help your overall posture.
Any feedback on my feedback would be appreciated.
Edit: should also declare that I've got no qualifications to make these comments (at the moment). Feel free to correct. I'm here to learn too.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
PhillipStanton, Agree on the good points.
Using the same point numbering:
1. To carve the first part of the turn you will need to cross over the skis a bit. I don't see very much angulation during each turn.
2. I see lifting the inside hand as being a symptom of 1. It happens at the point that the skis are being rotated.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Note to self: Never post video of oneself skiing
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Frosty the Snowman - you see me posting
No seriously, he who comments should post - so I'll try and find something...
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
PhillipStanton, Excellent, I shall load the gun
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Wear The Fox Hat, OK !
I'd agree with JT, re the fact it definitely looks like a drill and the stiffness that can come with trying to ski 'perfectly'. At any given instant I think your stance is generally good but it barely changes, at all. There is very little flex/extension or movement of the skis beneath you, which means you're not varying your pressure on the snow to help you with you're skiing. It also means if you hit a bit of crusty snow for example, especially at the start of a turn, it will throw you quite easily. Muscling your way around is also a knackering way to ski.
There is no separation between upper and lower body. The upper body is locked in place, rather than following behind the lower body.
Agree with PhillipStanton, re that inside arm, are those poles too long ?? Apart from the dodgy inside arm (due to poles) however, I think your hand position is fine, you're certainly bringing the inside one round with the turn and not leaving it up the mtn.
Your do need to commit to the turn more, by which I don't mean turn quicker, I mean both skis should be involved from the start. There is a point, as you initiate each turn, where your inside ski is contradicting your outside one. In effect it wants to carry on across the slope. This is easiest to see in the first video during your turn as you come towards the camera, at the closest point, in the first video. You're using the outside ski to initiate the turn and then bringing the inside ski into the turn.
As a drill, try practicing skiing in a very two footed way, pushing the skis forward as you initiate the turn and letting them come come back under you as you complete the turn.
Skiing moguls is great for practicing flex/extension and all round balance. Moguls are the dogs !
IMHO and with a 1001 caveats about not skiing perfectly myself.
I'll tell you a couple of my own faults to even things up:
1. Not enough flex/extension.
2. Too much upper body and especially arm movement.
3. I can get lazy, let my hands drift back to my hips and occassionally catch myself over rotating when I leave my inside hand up the mtn.
and finally I throw my poles around like I'm trying to win some bloody baton twirling contest.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Ok, abject failure. (Was that "click" I heard there Frosty the Snowman?)
I can't find anything reasonably current that shows me skiing - it seems to be footage of everyone else. I have, however, uploaded a couple of videos I've put together of group ski trips for your viewing pleasure:
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Nickski wrote:
I'll tell you a couple of my own faults to even things up:
1. Not enough flex/extension.
2. Too much upper body and especially arm movement.
3. I can get lazy, let my hands drift back to my hips and occassionally catch myself over rotating when I leave my inside hand up the mtn.
and finally I throw my poles around like I'm trying to win some bloody baton twirling contest.
Good idea Nickski, just to even things up.
In my case:
1. I "A" frame knees when I get lazy.
2. I have a tendency to revert to "chicken arms" when I get stressed by terrain - elbows inside the arms and close to the body.
3. My moguls are more dog's breakfast than dog's...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
PhillipStanton, nice video editing. What application do you use?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Why thank you rob@rar.org.uk.
I use Adobe Premiere for most of the editting because it's the easiest thing I've found for getting cuts bang on the beat. I do titles and final packaging in Microsoft Movie Maker.
Everything was shot using the video mode of a bog-standard digital camera, so the base quality of the footage isn't great. I've bought myself a proper video camera this year, so I'm hoping that the next creations will be better quality.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Frosty the Snowman wrote:
Note to self: Never post video of oneself skiing
Right on !!! You mean there are people on this site who have gone beyond the snowplough What u guys would make of me is too embarrassing to contemplate!
Well done foxy !!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
My, you are very brave Wear The Fox Hat! But well done for putting them up here - rest assured that if ever I have a momentary lapse of concentration and feel tempted to post one of the many vids of my skiing, I shall look back at this thread and shudder! Have you found any of the above advice helpful? Any new areas for you to work on?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Ok, in the interests of balanced reporting, I've dug out some footage. Unfortunately, it's rather old (2002) - but it's always interesting to see what other people see it your skiing.
I'm the first skier on this one (I know, "friends don't let friends wear sunglasses with a helmet"...):
MhicEasmuint - pretty d@mned good for 3rd time skiing
I like the point where someone's heading for a tree - there's real suspense - "is he gonna hit it, is he, well is he....?"
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
PhillipStanton, I like the bit where the camera doesn't know which of the faliing skiers to shoot.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Aye it was deadly craic, maybe picked it up so quick because of my no fear approach (or clean mad some people might call it). Only had lessons on my first week. On 2nd week in Les Deux Alpes had no lessons but managed all the blacks and everything alright. In Bulgaria on the 3rd time we were with an instructor and one afternoon he started to show us carving, but we thought it was boring so we just went back to doing the jumps and through the trees.
Its a great DVD to have - about 40 minutes long, some guy followed us for 2 afternoons, recoding us doing that type of stuff, and there is plenty of falls, I just took the best ones for that clip.
The very last one on that clip with the guy head first in the snow is hilarious.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Wear The Fox Hat, Really you last year?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I haven't got any footage of me skiing, but by way of confession here are some of my (many) faults:
On steep icy terrain I drag my non-planting pole - something in my brain tells me it will slow me down! It doesn't ....
While skiing fast I tend to lift my inside ski as I transition through the turn. I don't know why I do it, but I do know that it means I carve on only one ski and on ice, for instance, that leaves me with half the edge hold I'm supposed to have.
In moguls, I lose my rhythm after 8 turns unless I'm tired in which case I lose it after 2 turns. This rile appears to be set in stone.
On skinny tracks along ridges and the like I go completely back seat. This is very irritating.
Whenever I'm about to do anything that involves air, I turn into a complete pansy
Too many more to list - if I find some footage I will post it for your amusement.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
That's a female me! Worrying 
What u guys would make of me is too embarrassing to contemplate!
