I want to learn "this" and am not sure what to call it: - Page 2

So how do you feel you ski?

I think you are just thinking you'd like to improve to the level of others that appear to ski old school.
Make friends with the people as you get on the lift, since eventually an instructor might be able to help you, in many ways. They might point things out to yopu of skiers you observe on the ride up and occaissionally they will ski with you since they have free time, retired on a day off no students whatever. They'll offer you just what you need and no more. An actual lesson will overload your circuits(mine atleast) but that's me. I still know there is room for imrovement.
I suggest not trying too much. Skiing is a fluidic thing in a cold environment, naturally. Start the day figuring out everything and then let youself ski after that with a lot less thinking of the mechanics. i.e. ski ahead of you, with a desire to focus you attentions downhill, plan the turns so you can ski staight between them. Weight change can be thought of as pointing your toe in either direction and the ski can take it's intended radius, I think shaped skis turn on their own, almost..
After a while of thinking of your toes warm -up and ski thru lunch to avoid the crowds and thenlet them tell you it's last chair and cruise that last run right. v. varmit

lift lines

maybe about the snow
Patience was developed back when ski lifts were slower and some how I skied the wrong place and stood in lift lines not knowing any better.
My first turns were earned at a golf couse on a basic economy package starter set when I turned 5 for probably $10, then recycled to some other kid with a pair of white galaxies that didn't find too much use at college since I'm perpetually poor, it's only money anyway and x-country seemed to work fine at the college I attended The skis sere the last thing to go before since I needed some money to re-unite with the folks.
Many years later my first owner bought skis were straight and haven't been tuned since I visited Reno/Tahoe. tHAT TRIP PAID FOR ITSELF, with money for a decent chain saw and some new shaped skis & boots.
Life has been better, although I could've cared about a few things and been successful and ambitious except I prefer to live to ski the next mountain another day. v. varmit

Probably not as equally weighted as you might think. The snow in those pics makes a big difference, and in both cases it was very soft and fresh.

I'll look forward to a video if you find one! If you're coming out here this season, I'd be happy to take a few lift rides with you...

Here is a racer, Marlies Schild of Austria skiing in a narrow stance but still with independent control of each ski.

...Ott

Oldschool

Harward Tiger, carwing in close retro stance:

http://ski.topeverything.com/default...nt&ID=C8D04452

Rick,

You make me laugh, if HH only knew! Good one.

Harvard Tiger,
The old style skis from a garage sale are the best for what you want. Don't use the old bindings. If that isn't cool for you, look for a shaped ski that has a long radius shape (21m or so), or maybe twin tips for park or pipe skiing. They have less side cut.

As for instruction, look for an older Austrian or French instructor. They will know the older feet together technique. If that fails, contact HH (just kidding).

RW

>>>As for instruction, look for an older Austrian or French instructor. They will know the older feet together technique. If that fails, contact HH (just kidding).<<<

Ron, Harb doesn't ski that width stance, the very close stance that I/we used to ski in the olden days. I hope he doesn't mind me quoting him here, but what he said about his own stance width sure must have surprised some on realskier who thought when he talked about wide stance being not functional that he skid narrower than what he said. It sure surprised me.

Many of us old leftovers from straight skiing ski narrower than that, me included. We discovered that 4-6 inches for most was workable without having to force the stance width.

John Mason has often in the past said that stance width should be where your legs would dangle if you hung from an overhead bar. (I like my bar to be solid on the ground so when I dangle I can stay somewhat in balance.)

And the instructors I hob-nob with all winter pretty much ignore mentioning stance width unless it interferes with skiing. Advanced skiers find their own.

Quoting Harald Harb>>>My normal stance with is six to eight inches, which is about the width of my pelvis between the heads of the femoral balls. Many instructors tell people to stand shoulder width, this is too wide, as it exaggerates the horizontal distance beyond parallel vertical leg stance, (foot width relative to hips).<<<<

And I think he is dead on with that statement, so I don't think the differences in PMTS and PSIA teaching hang on stance width unless one or the other forces it into something contrived.

....Ott

Ott,

I don't think anyone is arguing with that. That seems to be the most functional stance for most skiers. Harvard Tiger wants to learn the "feet together" technique which as you know, is something quite different.

RW

Wow! That was a GREAT video! I'm psyched!

Was it my video you ment.... if yes, thanks . Also check out my retro lesson in other thread.

I remember when I was younger, my dad taught me how to ski for the most part, so it was pretty much old school, carving was just becoming popular. I had a pair of dynastar 4x4 juniors and I got it down so I could probably hold a piece of cardboard between my knees while skiing. I thought I was so cool. Then I took a lesson, first run instructor was like just ski down this the best you can. So i go off skis perfect together, the other kids were like woah that's sweet. The instructor was like, woah I'm going to teach you how to carve, put your fists between your knees...

Anyway, it's pretty cool and you can teach yourself it takes mostly edge control. Try things like stop on the hill, put feet together, start sliding sideways down hill with shoulders facing ski tips then rotate body down fall line and you'll stop.
Or do 'whirlybirds', experiment with edging with your inside edges alternating until you can edge your way to continuous 360 spins on the snow moving downhill, well i usually get going too fast after about 4 or 5 spins. (or dizzy)

Every now and then I 'regress' to my older method, honestly not as much fun as ripping high speed turns with shaped skis but you feel pretty cool doing it.