This is a great description of some key parts of the Telemark stance. So many Telemark videos get great comments but the skiers are just going hard, fast and low, too low. They end up locked. Admittedly they’re doing what they do well, but not great Telemark. The points raised in this video are key to keeping the pressure and control on both feet. Slight movements can change this significantly. Even when Josh is demoing the front leg you can see how it changes the rear leg. The front knee explanation is spot on. Once you can see the front toe then the weight is on the heel and things work v differently from there. Equally, the hips can’t go above or behind the heel, for the same reason. The rear knee also can’t go behind the hip or lower than the rear heel, you lose pressure on the rear ski. If the rear heel comes to high, then again rear ski pressure is lost, but also steering ability reduces. The fore aft split is interesting, as although we need to move the feet apart, oddly, we’re also trying to pull them together at the same time, in order to maintain the separation that Josh explains. Just throwing the rear foot backward results in poor rear ski performance. And finally, centre of mass should be between the front and rear feet. Off season, I used to use a skateboard wobble board, (used along the board, rather than across it) to help work on feeling and managing the pressures are built up. Great video Josh, thanks
¡Yes! Great minds think alike. Really helpful to practice the tele lunge when accelerating / decelerating… I do all the time on the airport tram and challenge myself to not use the handrails. Although it focuses mostly on downhill foot, it is great for the deeper lunge with a 75-mm rig. Next time you see a jabroni fall on the tram, it was probably me.😊
Josh! Thank you for bringing technique videos!!! Especially for those of us who can’t shell out big money for lessons or who don’t have instructors in our area. Grow the turn! The community needs this! 🙏🏻
Thanks for explaining this. I took a few lessons as a teenager and then I was on my own. I’ll be practicing the stance all summer when I work out, doing my dumbbell “tele” lunges.
I’m making the switch this next season. I’ve been looking for how to videos cause all my money is going to gear. Shout out to you for this!! I’m looking forward to future videos to learn more!!!
I’m also doing the switch! Not sure which bindings to get. K2 wayback 106 and scarpa tx pro. I’m 90 percent resort but I want to do backcountry. So meidjo 3.0 or 22 designs or bishop. It’s a tough decision
The 1-boot fore/aft standard is just a good approximation, otherwise if I had size 9.5 instead of size 11.5, my stance would be shorter. I feel comfortably balanced fore/aft somewhere between 8 and 11 inches it seems . What does not seem to vary is sinking but not lunging and flexing the front knee to cover the toe of the front boot. Also I think the exact fore/aft distance varies naturally depending on how low you generally ski; you naturally spread more going lower.
Happy to help! Thanks for checking out the vid and let me know how things are feeling once you are making turns and can try any adjustments out. - Madsen
Thanks for the vid. I keep a smaller gap between the toe of my back foot and the heel in the front working to keep my weight more over the back foot. More "sink down" over the back foot rather than move the rear foot back. Keep 'em coming!
I always think of sinking BETWEEN my feet rather than striding forward or sliding back either foot. If you think of sinking between, I think you are quite likely to have a balanced stance, smoother transitions, and your foot spread will probably reach an “appropriate” distance as a by-product of proper weighting.
in perfect off piste conditions, if the knees stay close, lead changes can be made maintaining equal pressure on each foot and you can make super short radius turns, just floating and not bouncing turns at all
Does this apply to newer 75mm gear as well? I’ve noticed the NTN folks are generally in a more compact stance than the older duck bill dudes. Am just learning on a 75mm setup so would appreciate any guidance :)
Starting to roll with appointment only in the next 2 weeks. Hit up customerservice@freeheellife.com to connect on times. I'm looking at starting to do some shop hours in September this year which is earlier for us than usual. Hope to see you soon. Cheers - Madsen
reminds me of these guys practicing their stances at the gas station. Can't wait to watch the rest of the series! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KJ0Z8GOGnS0.htmlm24s
That's a perfect description (and visual) of the stance for sure. Always fun to look back on all that work Dickie and his NATO crew did -- inspiring to say the least. Hope you are well dude. Cheers, Madsen
