after years of old skool parallel skiing we are trying to get some carving done. We bought the great video of Klaus Maier and practiced al lot on the slopes. We are trying tot give lessons to eachother, but now we are stuck at the same level. Hopefully we are going to ski in february again (although I lost my job due to the crisis) and hope to make some improvements again. Can you please help me by analysing this video shot in Les Menuires last year (in the grey jacket). I know there is a lot to be done, but we really don't know what to improve first in the next step.
Many thanks in advance and have a good ski.
Ton, the Netherlands
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
ton, I am as far from expert as you could hope to meet BUT, my only thought is that you rush the start of your turn.
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, for hate you should substitute "am so envious of"
What a great video stewart woodward.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ton, Turns are different shape left from right, thus pressure applied at different times. “Still” shows standing on heels, so project forward onto balls of feet and this should bring the hips forward and sort pressure as well. Apart from that about 6/7 grade skiing; have lesson with pro who suits to encourage you to be more dynamic.
I am not technically savvy enough to appraise anyones abilities on skis! However nice video, lovely view and good to just hear mountain noises rather than music dubbed in.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Given that you have had the balls to upload a video I'm sure you will soon be overwhelmed by conflicting advice!
So I'll get in there with my 2 cents, if you want to learn perfect carving (i.e. no skidding at all) go back to a girly, wide blue run, get down low and stay low (this will make your legs move looser from side to side) then practice softly turning by just pressing on your big toe, then with your knees a little, then your hips.
Once you can do completely smooth turns like that (you will easily be able to feel it) you can start adding extending your body between the turns. straightening your legs like that will force the ski flat on the slope and if you are leaning forward at all will make them drift towards the fall line (straight down the hill) let that happen until just before the fall line and then re-engage your big toe and all the other jazz you just practiced and you can carve out of the turn.
This whole process makes the turn tighter, which is what you are looking for to carve on a red run without doing mach 2! drift in, carve out!
Edit: (sorry, that's the opposite way to what you're doing at the moment)
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 14-12-12 15:39; edited 1 time in total
After all it is free
After all it is free
Wow aren't those kids great (in a skiing, not Saville sense!). I wish I had learnt to ski at their age.
They didn't seem too concerned about the apparently dead skier on the piste at about 1.19 !!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
ton,
Quote:
trying to get some carving done
Yep, choose an easier slope to practice on.
Carving = No skid, which means that your speed isn't going to be reduced (very much) by each turn. The nice thing about carving is that it's easy to see if you are achieving it by checking your tracks, although the 'feel' is a big give-away once you find it.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
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zellmaniac wrote:
They didn't seem too concerned about the apparently dead skier on the piste at about 1.19 !!
I think was Franz Clammer from the other thread
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
ton,
There seems to be a messianic drive towards carving. Carving is great,however the old steered turns are still a valuable tool. Your skiing looks pretty good to me - so enjoy what you have achieved and build a foundation of basic skills. Carving will then be easily achievable.
I would highly recommend Fastman's videos (yourskicoach.com). He builds up your basic skills in balance and edging etc. I've only started his course but have already seen quite an improvement to my skiing (and there is plenty of room for improvement!) . It's certainly a cost effective route to improvement in the light of your job situation. I just wish I had more time on the snow to practice!!!
Oh and I agree that you seem to be on your heels on the screen shot in your posting.
Good luck
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 14-12-12 15:52; edited 1 time in total
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.
ton, honestly, hire a decent instructor for a day, will make a lot of difference and leave you with some drills you can then practice on your own....
Greg
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
Girly blue's +3 umm...I think?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
its good to see how the kids are developing their skills in an uncomplicated way,
Ton, are you attempting to carve there on the video? don't take this the wrong way but there's a lot not right if thats your aim, however nothing that you wouldnt be able to grasp pretty quickly if you were pointed in the right direction. You need a lesson
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Thank all for your advice. I am hiding under my couch right now.
I was indeed trying to carve here. Only for fun. I still enjoy skiing in all possible ways but never too old to tearn something new. The best thing to do wil be to take some lessons as many of you advice, but first I wil return to the blue slopes, sit deeper to be more flexible and lean more foreward. AsI think of it, I seldom see people carve on steeper slopes. Is the position of my arms right this way?
When I see those kids it can't be difficult at all;-) so we'll continue struggeling.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
By the way what does blue+3 mean ???
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Don't beat yourselves up, they are the kids of two brilliant skiers/instructors (Phil Smith and Emma Carrick-Anderson). And they make me sick!
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?
ton, seriously mate, once you've had some instruction you'll be well on your way, it's just that input from someone who will give you the nudge in the right direction. Once you're carving you'll know you're carving and it feels great
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ton, It means I agree with the other 2 posters that suggest easier terrain.
Find a slope that you can stand at the top of and say.... "do I have the nerve to straight line this all the way to the bottom?" If the answer is yes...then this is the kind of slope you want to be learning to carve on, free of fear or rushed movements.
Btw, the kids could carve at less than 10 mph if they wanted to on their 6mtr radius skis!
ton, I am no instructor - far from it - but my view would be that your basic position is pretty good but what's holding you back is that you're too static.
Aim for more separation between lower and upper body and more leg/edge angulation - so more dynamism and activity from the legs while keeping the upper body calm and concentrating the effort there into the 'anticipation' of moving the hips and upwards across and forward at the initiation of the turn. Having your weight forwards and the skis more angled will help you carve more and skid less, although as others have said, carving on reds is fast and demanding
Lots of buzzwords there - you can tell I'm a serial punter
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ton, The others will tell you if you have faults. However, what I saw was someone skiing with a control and confidence that I can easily envy.
After all it is free
After all it is free
ton, it took me two weeks to get the basics of carving having learnt on straight ski's many moons ago.
So for my two penith i'm going to say " back to green and blue runs "
start on the easy runs,
when you have enough speed roll both ski's onto the edge
let the ski's run dont try and force it or you will rotate
continue the turn until you have come to a stop i.e uphill and look at the tracks you have left
review your tracks and ensure you have two clear sharp lines.
repeat the other way
my starter for one
its all about drills and repeating things until you get there , dont rush it jumping onto a red will make you want to slide to control the speed. and as kitenski, says, good lessons will help
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
there are useful videos from Warren Smith with carving exercises. Any time you are on a nice, gentle, freshly groomed run, try gentle carved turns and just look back to see whether your tracks are two sharp lines. Mine usually have at least a bit - sometimes a lot - of smear.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Go to U tube find "Teaching the pure carved turn" Bill Thistle, all you need to start and I need to learn how to paste to this b... website
Perhaps someone can paste it up for me.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thank you all. We are going to practice at the girlie's. We'll keep low and bend ze knees horizontaly en vertically. I hope to post our progression next year!
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Mon 17-12-12 10:59; edited 1 time in total
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.
ton, If I were you I'd practise on greens, then when that is sorted, move onto blues.
Or more importantly get a lesson
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
ton wrote:
Wel keep low and bend ze knees horizontalyl en vertilally.
"Keeping low" not a great way to approach carving, IMO, if you think that means bending your legs a lot to get down and stay down. Keeping low is likely to limit your lateral movement, make it more difficult to manage the high forces that are generated when you carve at high speed, and quite possibly push you in to the back seat.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
rob@rar, Very true, but we are just talking about getting the carving "feeling" on a blue slope here.
(Also i'm an instructor not a coach, my job is to get results quick)
I find the biggest issue (also it seems in this case) is laterally ridid LEGS forcing the ski to slide out. Staying low by bending the knees firstly allows the femur to rotate more easily introducing a bit of sideways movemt to most people's skiing while lowering the centre of gravity which means you don't have to scream down the slope to avoid standing on the inside ski (issue the second). lastly, Staying down eliminates the flattening of the ski and up-un weighting at the start of the turn which both cause the ski to slide out, ski stays locked into the snow and hey presto... Carving in 2 runs!
I just find it's easier to fix things once the victim is actually carving.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
dulcamara, if it works for you that's great. More than one way to skin a cat...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm intruiged though, what tricks do you have to stop students turning the ski and skidding like they're used to? above is essentially my go-to move, but I'm always up for trying other ways...
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
[quote="dulcamara"] then practice softly turning by just pressing on your big toe, then with your knees a little, then your hips.
What should I do with my hips then dulcamara? Lower the downhill hip in the turn to achieve a bigger angle or push my inside hip foreward? Or perhaps both at the same time?
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 17-12-12 11:51; edited 1 time in total
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?
Top question, actually it really depends on how fast you are moving, (pretty sure books are written on just that topic) As we are cruising on blue runs right now, I'm going to suggest turnng your hips SLIGHTLY (movements in carving are soft and gradual, the key to learning carving is patience) to face out of the turn, this will help balance you out at lower speeds and stop you falling inwards.
RECAP:
First press only on your outside foots big toe,
Then try pushing your inside knee towards the inside of the turn (sideways, not down), the outside one will tend to follow. Watch out here, this is when weight tends to end up on the inside foot resulting in a snowy face! keep pressing your weight on the outside big toe.
Finally, (and all sorts of purists and racers will probably shout at me for this) rotate your shoulders and hips very SLIGHTLY out of the turn. This will balance you out and line you up nicely to press on your outside ski.
Once you have got all this sorted, we can ramp up the speed a little, extend your body a little as Rob suggests then this twisting of the shoulders and hips will let your joints "stack-up" giving all sorts of power to the ski.
I would like to point out, I have no idea how your carving will evolve, so what I am doing is describing what i find works for the majority and hoping it will be ok for you too.... just have fun with it. If it's not working then there may be a deeper issue, invest in lessons, at your standard a good instructor should be able to get you carving within 1 or 2 hours!!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
ton, to be honest...there is way too much thinking...if you try to micro manage all of these thoughts on the hill it's going to be tough to self fix the fundamental issues that are preventing from feeling what you need to feel first.
dulcamara, cross post, my last comments weren't in reference to your last post...fyi
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Though i would argue, still relevant !
After all it is free
After all it is free
dulcamara, not worried about argument, that's what this place is for
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.
Thanks a lot. Also for being optimistic! I hope to practice your remarks soon. If we don't improve we will take a lesson like everybody suggests.
I will post a new video with the results.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
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ton, I have the Klaus Maier DVD and all 4 warren smith DVDs.
I much prefer the Warren Smith method of teaching the sensation of carving (I think that it is on #1 in the series).
Start by learning a carved traverse. Practice a traverse on a groomed gentle slope until you can leave two defined parallel tracks in the snow.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
I think was Franz Clammer from the other thread
