Hello Pugski.com members! I have had some requests for my book, Brilliant Skiing, Every Day. I'm flattered and pleased that there are members who would like to read it. I have only a couple of copies left, but I'm going to make the e-copy available for anyone who wishes to have it. Therefore, I have sent it to @Tricia with permission to post it to whomever wants it.
However I would like to clarify a few points in the book, since it's aged a bit.
1. Sports Diamond. I truly believe that the model of the Sports Diamond is as valid as it was the day I published it. I use it every day, without even thinking about it, and hope you can, too. Each corner or resource contains many aspects, but each also has a most fundamental aspect.
- Power is the realm of technique, physical condition, and equipment. The most fundamental aspect of Power is dynamic and resilient alignment.
- Purpose is the realm of tactics, strategy, and goals. Its most fundamental aspect is the creation and maintenance of a platform created in the snow for the ski (or snowboard) to travel on.
- Touch is the magic, containing such ideas as joy, rhythm, flow, and emotion. Its most fundamental aspect is awareness.
- Will is about commitment, choice, action, courage, and sustainability. Its most fundamental aspect is the idea of committing to action even if you know you may fail.
- Power: Technique changes over the years because of progress in knowledge and understanding, but it also has a way of staying the same. However, I would change some of the technical stuff. I would make changes that are primarily based on the direction that technique has gone. I predicted, for example, that the skis were about to go into a major shift with their construction and shape. That definitely happened, and I would surely add some pieces in that arena, but things didn't change as much as I originally imagined. In fact, I have continued to ski on narrower skis. At the moment, my skis are 65 and 67 mm underfoot, and I love the way they perform. I would make exceptions in really deep and really heavy snow, but not as much as one might think. I'm not impressed with the super-wide and big rocker skis. But my kids are -- and they ski better than me, so ... whatever.
- Book appearance: We would have to shoot all the photos again because the clothing is outdated.
- Sponsors: A lot of that has changed, so you can ignore the sponsor page. I'm now on Blizzard skis and Tecnica boots. (I love that stuff.)
- My home: I still work at the Ski & Snowboard Schools of Aspen Snowmass and I'm very grateful to be able to do so.
- PSIA: I'm very impressed with the direction and talent in Professional Ski Instructors of America, and I'm also grateful for this organization.
- My life: I still teach in Aspen Snowmass for four months each season, but you can come visit me in the Vosges Mountains in France during the rest of the year.
Weems
