I like your explanation of appropriate amounts of separation and extension. My view on extension is that it should be allowed to happen throughout the course of the turn by a combination of flexing the inside leg and a natural lengthening of the outside leg in order to allow the outside ski to stay in contact with the snow, as opposed to a sudden "up" movement at the beginning of the turn. Also, it looks like you're skiing on the new Head Rally. I had a chance to demo a pair of those a few weeks ago, what's your take on them? Thanks
Hi Josh, I've been skiing for a long time. I notice you use lots of extension or up movements, and body rotation. Does that help in the soft snow? As you can see by my profile photo I extend also, but I get a wedge look between my skis, when I change edges . Is this OK? I see some of the same things going on in your turns, is this OK? People have been telling me I should get some lessons to get rid of it.. I'm sort of a learn on my own guy, what should I do?
@@gogglebro9421 More specifically, if a person finds themselves in a wedge After they have Tried To Turn Their Skis, it is because they Tried To Turn Their Skis!!! Meaning, when they started the turn, they pushed and twisted their uphill ski away from them to Make it turn, which as you said, left them on the inside ski for too long. They also twisted their upper body and hips to Make the skis turn. So, they were leaning uphill and over their uphill ski instead of standing and balancing on the outside ski, creating the wedge.
@@JB91710That's a great description you made of how a wedge can be inadvertantly created. Personally, I've seen a wedge created with or without twisting the shoulders to initiate a turn and what you describe is a typical reason for it. Unfortunately, without our seeing Jean, we can only make educated guesses and our discussion here may be interesting, but of little guidance. I was only stating what I thought was the most common element that I've observed where a wedge results. I agree with the recommendation to take a lesson with the hope that a coach can suggest a solution that may help Jean remedy the problem.
JB. Why do you view his videos and react so negatively. Don't you have something useful to do? You follow him around and make negative comments. The guy skis well and the time frame for explanation is limited on these short videos. As far as I can tell you have no clue; pedal that bike, park the cheek on a bar stool while leaning into the boot cuff. That's your mantra. Old and outdated and moreover you're relying on your boot for support and that is poor balance, one relies on one's joints and muscles for balance, just as in most every sport. ( There are exceptions, such as water skiing. ) As I have stated before, post a video otherwise you just look like a jealous malcontent. May I suggest you sign up with Harold Harb and update your technique and understanding of skiing?
My skis are almost 6' long and I weight 225'. If I slide down the hill, how exactly am I going to "Steer" my skis? Anybody want to give that a try and let me know how that works for you? When I bought my skis, I was under the impression they were designed to turn and all I had to do is face and lean down the hill and get off one foot after the other and the skis would turn. A little Hip into the turn to create more leg angle so the edges dug in more and I would be all set. I wonder if I can get a refund!
He says one thing and then like All the other RU-vid ski instructors, he demonstrates something else. All he is doing is putting his upper body back in the fall line when he wants to start the next turn. Along with the change of weight from his downhill to his uphill foot, the skis roll over and make the next turn. There is No Steering of the skis. The skis Steer your feet!
You don't understand steering as it relates to skiing. Skis steer the feet? Really? No. The feet and legs steer the skis. I suggest you take some ski classes with someone that knows skiing inside and out, for you certainly do not.
Wrong. Effective steering, or rotary, employs the lower half from the hip joints ( top of femurs) down. The focus is on the feet, ankles, lower leg or femur, or the entire leg. That’s how you steer skis. Skiing 101, which you obviously skipped.
@@Skedawg88 You are absolutely correct. That is skiing 101 in 1970 with straight skis. When Shaped Skis came out, You obviously didn't stop to THINK and realize what they needed that is different from straight skis needed. You and the rest of the skis teaching world are still on that straight ski page. Me? I decided to Think and develop my method based on modern ski design, but you go ahead and keep forcing your skis to change direction while I position my body to allow Them to turn as designed.
@@JB91710 As I stated you skipped skiing 101. You don’t understand the difference between carving and steering. Steering requires physical input, carving does not. Scarving is a blend of both.
The only way and time you can physically Steer a ski is at the beginning of a turn when the ski rolls over from the uphill edge of the new turning ski, to the flat surface or Off the edges. Then you can give your legs a twist. But, at speed, this happens in a fraction of a second. It is really the new or inside edge and a hard knee forward and your body falling down the hill that makes that ski Steer into the turn. You can't physically Steer a ski that is on an edge.
James Uninformed? "Friction vs. direction" What does That mean? Those are Just fancy names with No Meaning. "Instead of edging only add some twisting of the feet and legs." What you are referring to is what comes naturally to students in the beginning when they stand more upright instead of being hard on an edge. You do NOT teach people what they will Naturally do. You do not Teach steering. You teach them how the ski is designed to turn and what you need to do to Allow it to turn. You teach them how to balance on one arch in a traverse and how the ski will turn itself through a tight snowplow until they have the confidence to Let the inside ski move right in next to the weighted ski. When they make turns in the beginning, the skis will be much flatter so the skis will slide through the turn. It is them leaning forward on the tip of the ski that will pull the ski around Not you working your ass off to Twist them. Do you Twist in your seat when you steer a car? No! The car is designed to turn. So is a ski when you balance on the arch. You TEACH the student to understand why the ski will turn not teach them how to Force it to turn. Uniformed? Me? I started teaching 50 years ago this winter. I started developing My teaching method in the early 70's which is based on how I ski which is Technically Correct and put what I do into EZY to understand words and analogies. NO ONE in the World Does That! Give yourself a chance to understand what I say or you can Just mimic what your favorite instructor shows you. But be Honest about your choice, don't try to convince me they are right because they aren't even talking about skiing! The picture next to my name was taken in 1971 when I was 20 years old. I have only gotten better. I was the ski Poster for a major ski area throughout the 70's. They don't Give that away. Instead of Following what the PSIA said, I used my own head and figured out that what they taught, didn't Teach, it just made the students Physically throw their skis around. So that's when I developed my method that I have modified throughout the years as equipment and grooming evolved. Once a student understands and can perform carved turns, THEN, they can do anything they want. Until that day, all they will be doing is Mimicking what the instructor shows them. There is a Massive difference between Showing someone and Teaching them!
James Dunn How in the world do you see The word "Friction" as meaning "Steering"? Who's the genius who thought that up to impress who? It is childish and unprofessional to take a simple explanation and turn it into a code to make students think you are Cool or that skiing is High Tech. Tell me Precisely How you steer a ski that is on edge. You could twist your body into a knot and you will not break the ski lose. Show me One technically correct skier that is steering their skis. Obviously you Can Physically Steer your skis if you stand up straight or use a pronounced Up motion, (I know, I should be saying "Extension" so I would Fit In better but I would rather communicate effectively when I teach.), but why TEACH someone to ski incorrectly rather than train their minds to position their body's and balance on their skis so they can Carve a turn and ski technically correct?. Then, they can slide all they want or do 360's but you do NOT teach Wrong JUST to have the students See SOME results and think you are a Hero. FOSTER comes to mind!
@@jamesdunn9714 Every time someone Loses a debate with me I get , "I'm not here to argue, Good day to you sir." "Of course you can STEER a ski that's on edge. Instead of edging only add some twisting of the feet and legs. Friction vs. direction." Again, "You TEACH how to ski Technically Correct." The student won't be able to edge the ski hard enough to carve because they are standing too erect and following their skis rather than keeping their upper body in the fall line. Their skis are too flat. If you teach them correctly, they will be Trying to position their bodies Correctly to Allow the ski to turn but their skis will do a lot of sliding. It comes naturally, you don't teach it. Once they have gotten it through their heads How To Ski Correctly, they can slide around and twist their feet all they want. I do when I ski! Most of the time I slide my skis until I Want to carve. BUT, I do NOT STEER or TWIST my feet to start a turn. I step on the uphill ski, it rolls over, but I do not thrust my hip into the turn to get on a hard edge. I just stand more erect and the tips will grab and the ski will slide around On It's Own! It FEELS like you are twisting your feet because your feet are Being Twisted BY THE SKI, NOT, the other way around! If you are twisting, you are working too hard. In heavy snow, moguls or steeper slopes, Sure you can unload the skis and twist your feet but you Teach that when that part of their training arrives, NOT when you are teaching them the basics. You didn't read my method that covers that, did you?
@@jamesdunn9714 Let's look at this from the Student's point of view which should be what Every teaching method is Based On and ISN"T! When you tell a student to stand on their Left foot and twist it, what are they going to do? They will either; 1. Stay on their Right foot and Push the tail of the Left foot around. 2. They will stand on their Left foot and twist their upper body around. 3. They will twist the unweighted Left foot and Then step on it and we all know, that is not the most efficient way to Allow a ski to turn and you will only have to UN-TEACH it in the future!. Those are your three choices and none are the correct way to help a ski turn. You can Like Foster's videos all you want but they Do Not Teach people how to ski correctly.
