Anyone here always ski on one foot like Lito Flores?

[speedster]

Lito's videos (now available on YouTube) were my first introduction to skiing, and I still ski using those principles. I got Harald Harb's books too (PMTS), but thought they made me think too much on the slopes unlike Lito's method that made it all seem so natural so I gave it up right away. But, as a recreational skier, I rarely, if ever, see skiers going down the mountain on exclusively one foot. So I'm curious if he's influenced other, more advanced skiers than me on here as well.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

My memory of Lito's breakthrough video someone loaned me maybe 20 years ago was that he twisted his pelvis a lot to turn his skis. I remember not being impressed. Can't look at it on the tube now because you have to download the whole thing instead of just opening it.

 

[Plai]

I've watched Lito's three films (and read one of his books) and don't remember the one foot reference. Can you provide a more accurate reference? Much of what I remember is pressure control, foot fore/aft movement, a little edging, and mostly line choice. I like his relaxed approach to moguls, and have gravitated towards it.

That said, HH for carving at speed works well (for me). But, I'm a recreational skier....

 

[speedster]

My memory of Lito's breakthrough video someone loaned me maybe 20 years ago was that he twisted his pelvis a lot to turn his skis. I remember not being impressed. Can't look at it on the tube now because you have to download the whole thing instead of just opening it.

I don't believe that's true -- at least I don't see the pelvis twisting on either his video #1 which is a beginner/introduction video or #3 which focuses on carving with shaped skis. When I learned from it, I just focused on the foot like he does in the videos, and everything else just followed from there.

What do you mean by you have to download the whole thing on YouTube? You can google his videos, and should be able to play them on YouTube.

 

[speedster]

I've watched Lito's three films (and read one of his books) and don't remember the one foot reference. Can you provide a more accurate reference? Much of what I remember is pressure control, foot fore/aft movement, a little edging, and mostly line choice. I like his relaxed approach to moguls, and have gravitated towards it.

That said, HH for carving at speed works well (for me). But, I'm a recreational skier....

In videos #1 and #3, he stressed on putting all your weight on one ski at a time when turning -- the outside ski. All the weight on one to the extent that you can lift your inside ski off the ground when making those turns. Video #2 is the one with moguls and powder.

 

[skier]

Mogul skiing technique is very similar, weight shift to the outside ski. Also many alpine racers past and present shift most of their weight to the outside ski.

 

[speedster]

Mogul skiing technique is very similar, weight shift to the outside ski. Also many alpine racers past and present shift most of their weight to the outside ski.

Oh, good to know! Why don't most recreational skiers do this?

 

[Plai]

In videos #1 and #3, he stressed on putting all your weight on one ski at a time when turning -- the outside ski. All the weight on one to the extent that you can lift your inside ski off the ground when making those turns. Video #2 is the one with moguls and powder.

That's not one foot skiing. Both feet are on the ground/snow. It's about weight distribution. The outside foot carries the most weight during a turn. The weight distribution ebbs and flows depending on where in the turn.
Most active skiers ski 90/10% weight distribution in my estimatation with active carving. Here the centrifugal forces allow that. I'll argue that getting to 100% weight on one foot is pretty difficult until one gets to higher speeds.

So, what's the source of your question? Or, why do you ask this question?

 

[Steve]

Lito and HH stress 100% weight on the outside ski. Contemporary ski technique allows for more weight on the inside ski, athough skiing is definitely an outside ski dominant sport. It depends on what you're doing, and you definitely don't want a lot of weight on the inside ski, but 100% all the time is either "old school" or PMTS.

 

[Dwight]

We ski on one ski all the time. Take the other ski actually off.

Ski like Litto? I don't ski on sticks anymore so I use my edges on the inside and outside ski.

 

[Plai]

Why don't most recreational skiers do this?

Most recreational skiers are "casual skiers". They "turn the skis", or are "tail pushers". It's more defensive, takes less trust in the skis, and appears to be less effort. Could also be an education thing. It's easy to see someone carving, but until you experience it, it's hard to "learn" what to do on your own.

 

[Tricia]

I was never very good at doing drills on one ski let alone always skiing on one ski.

 

[Wendy]

I was never very good at doing drills on one ski let alone always skiing on one ski.

Me too. I think it is physically impossible for me to do so. I gave up worrying about it.

 

[Dave Petersen]

Lito's videos (now available on YouTube) were my first introduction to skiing, and I still ski using those principles. I got Harald Harb's books too (PMTS), but thought they made me think too much on the slopes unlike Lito's method that made it all seem so natural so I gave it up right away. But, as a recreational skier, I rarely, if ever, see skiers going down the mountain on exclusively one foot. So I'm curious if he's influenced other, more advanced skiers than me on here as well.

I know exactly what you mean -- the lifting of the inside foot off the snow ever so slightly. Not a drill but an actual way of skiing. I purchased his videos and skied that way back then, but have progressed to the current thinking on ski turns.

Skis were straighter back then . That technique worked on groomed slopes, but not so much in deeper snow.

 

[speedster]

I purchased his videos and skied that way back then, but have progressed to the current thinking on ski turns.

What do you feel are the fundamental differences between his ideas and the current thinking? I guess I don't know what current thinking means as I've not taken ski lessons.

Also, what did that change/transition/progression do for you that his techniques didn't? Just curious.

 

[jimmy]

@Tricia I bet you could ski on one ski if you wanted too until it is time to go the other way. I’m confused why someone would want to ski on one ski except in an exercise or tactically or because it’s fun. I teach skiers to use both skis, two footed skiing.

 

[Dave Petersen]

What do you feel are the fundamental differences between his ideas and the current thinking? I guess I don't know what current thinking means as I've not taken ski lessons.

Also, what did that change/transition/progression do for you that his techniques didn't? Just curious.

Now it is more about equal edging of the skis (little toe edge and big toe edge, and working the shape of the ski). ...And not just barely lifting the inside ski off the snow -- skimming it along so your skis look parallel.

 

[cosmoliu]

Back in the day I watched Lito's videos too many times to count. I could probably recite the dialog for a given segment even now. IIRC, Lito's reason for weighting the outside ski exclusively was so that it would bend. Less than 100% on that ski and neither ski would bend into the turn. Modern ski design, between the side cut and modern materials allowing for longitudinal flex while maintaining side to side stiffness, has rendered that particular requirement moot. Which is not to say, as Steve mentioned above, that the majority of the weight should not still be on the outside ski.

Edit: Lito's last video was on the new fangled shaped skis. I believe he adapted that 100% rule to fit.

 

[BLspruce2]

I loved his videos for his obvious love of skiing he exuded. His technique can be critiqued but he states how you ski is how you express yourself. Now the videos are a bit old school but still charming. Current technique has evolved but skiers still weight the outside ski. I think current skis that are shorter and curvier make it easier so you don't need so much weight on the outside ski. I loved the ethereal music he used too.

 

[Viking9]

I hope I’m not being to obvious but it’s called independent leg action and when I’m watching the best skiers link short radius slalom turns 90% of them are using ILA.
Now of course if you switch the run to a blue green groomer then of course a lot of people don’t have to use ILA the good skier can lay down some beautiful railroad tracks but of course as most of you know if you link short turns that technique doesn’t travel very well.