Individual Review CARV

[textrovert]

CARV just posted a video with Tom that again shows this "raw data" overlay with video. So it's still there, but not released.

 

[Steve]

That's a good video and a good description of his frontside heavy/backside heavy concepts without ever using the terms.

However it is very misleading from a Carv marketing point of view. Putting "raw data" on the screen doesn't cut it.

 

[LiquidFeet]

CARV just posted a video with Tom that again shows this "raw data" overlay with video. So it's still there, but not released.

Excellent video. If you watch closely, he's closing his hips to pull the feet forward, then opening them back up to allow the feet to move back. He isn't opening and closing his knees. This pulling forward, the scooping of the skis forward, is primarily an action at the hip... iliops and biceps femoris for the forward pull, glutes for the pull-back, which happens when the skis are light and thus feels almost automatic.

Here hip joints are open. Knees are medium, ankles are closed.

Below, the hip joints are closing, knees are still medium, and ankles are a more open than before.
Knees look about the same in both images. So this ski stroking is not due to knee work.


The pressure on the ski tails opens up the ankles as the skis are scooped forward. That pressure forces his achilles and calf back against the spine of the boot.

If you watch the pattern the skis make on the snow beneath him, it's a sideways figure eight. As the skis move "around the corners" of that figure 8, he's pulling them forward from back behind him. He pulls the feet back when the skis move through the middle part of the 8. This scoop is definitely not passive. This is Bob Barnes' infinity move.

 

[TheArchitect]

I found that video to be more clear than the one(s) on the paid site.

 

[Noodler]

Excellent video. If you watch closely, he's closing his hips to pull the feet forward, then opening them back up to allow the feet to move back. He isn't opening and closing his knees. This pulling forward, the scooping of the skis forward, is primarily an action at the hip... iliops and biceps femoris for the forward pull, glutes for the pull-back, which happens when the skis are light and thus feels almost automatic.

Here hip joints are open. Knees are medium, ankles are closed. View attachment 123202

Below, the hip joints are closing, knees are still medium, and ankles are a more open than before.
Knees look about the same in both images. So this ski stroking is not due to knee work.
View attachment 123203

The pressure on the ski tails opens up the ankles as the skis are scooped forward. That pressure forces his achilles and calf back against the spine of the boot.

If you watch the pattern the skis make on the snow beneath him, it's a sideways figure eight. As the skis move "around the corners" of that figure 8, he's pulling them forward from back behind him. He pulls the feet back when the skis move through the middle part of the 8. This scoop is definitely not passive. This is Bob Barnes' infinity move.

I watched the video. Clearly this is one way to do it, but for me I find the approach to be more complicated than what I think about during a ski turn. I prefer to manage my fore/aft pressure to equally apply the forces across the length of the ski throughout all phases of the turn. Most call this skiing "centered", but make no mistake that in order to ski "centered" you must actively manage your fore/aft position through the methods I have previously discussed. In order to cleanly carve a turn from beginning to end you must avoid being overly levered forward or aft at the wrong time. When that happens the skis will generally pivot instead of carve on edge. I just don't like to try to time the change of pressure across the length of the skis and I view this as a more advanced way to ski a turn to potentially tweak more performance.

 

[TheArchitect]

This is probably a question for the Ski School forum but does anyone have a suggestion for working on rolling my feet? I'm assuming side slips but are there other good ones that can be done while skiing the trail instead of stopping in an area? Carv suggests this is an area I need to improve and I've had feedback from someone on the slope as well.

 

[LiquidFeet]

This is probably a question for the Ski School forum but does anyone have a suggestion for working on rolling my feet? I'm assuming side slips but are there other good ones that can be done while skiing the trail instead of stopping in an area? Carv suggests this is an area I need to improve and I've had feedback from someone on the slope as well.

On a nearly flat cat-track, put both hands behind your back with poles sorta dragging. Set skis parallel with a comfortable stance width. Stand tall, tilted a little forward at the ankles, and go. Tip both skis to the left with your feet. Tip them to the right. Keep your torso upright. Don't do anything else with your body. This is an isolation exercise for tipping.

While standing tall, tilted forward at the ankles, and tipping the skis, with torso upright (not leaning side to side) and hands behind your back touching each other, target your eyes on a tree way ahead and will yourself to go straight to that tree without turning. Eyes locked on that tree, mind saying "straight-line-it to there!" In other words, set your intent to be a straight run, but tip your skis with torso upright. The eyes locked on a target way ahead helps to purge the embedded pivot that many skiers have. You want to purge that pivot, so you can feel what the tipped skis do.

How will you tip those skis? Try to use your feet alone. Not just try. Do.

Your skis will make you go a little left then a little right, while your eyes and mind are striving to get you to go straight. This should purge the pivot so your tipping is the action of the moment, all by itself. You'll be able to feel it work, if you've purged the pivot and if you aren't aft.

The hands together behind your back help you stay not-aft (counter-intuitive, but true). Let's call it centered. That will help your skis, from tip to tail, grip the snow.

You will gain speed. When the speed is too much, start making regular turns, or stop and push the reset button. Good luck, and report back.

 

[TheArchitect]

Will do, and thanks @LiquidFeet

 

[textrovert]

New (correction: old, from November 2020, but they reposted link today on social ) video from CARV on flow and edge smoothness-

 

[Mike King]

Excellent video. If you watch closely, he's closing his hips to pull the feet forward, then opening them back up to allow the feet to move back. He isn't opening and closing his knees. This pulling forward, the scooping of the skis forward, is primarily an action at the hip... iliops and biceps femoris for the forward pull, glutes for the pull-back, which happens when the skis are light and thus feels almost automatic.

Here hip joints are open. Knees are medium, ankles are closed. View attachment 123202

Below, the hip joints are closing, knees are still medium, and ankles are a more open than before.
Knees look about the same in both images. So this ski stroking is not due to knee work.
View attachment 123203

The pressure on the ski tails opens up the ankles as the skis are scooped forward. That pressure forces his achilles and calf back against the spine of the boot.

If you watch the pattern the skis make on the snow beneath him, it's a sideways figure eight. As the skis move "around the corners" of that figure 8, he's pulling them forward from back behind him. He pulls the feet back when the skis move through the middle part of the 8. This scoop is definitely not passive. This is Bob Barnes' infinity move.

There may be an effect on the feet, but that isn't the way he puts these movements together. Watch the ribcage videos to understand why.

 

[LiquidFeet]

There may be an effect on the feet, but that isn't the way he puts these movements together. Watch the ribcage videos to understand why.

Until I subscribe again, and that's not going to happen this season since it looks like I won't be skiing, I will continue to believe my eyes and what my frameshots indisputably show. I may certainly be missing stuff.

 

[Mike King]

What you can't see is what is happening with the ribcage. And because of what is happening with the ribcage, what happens down the chain is a result, rather than the mechanism, of movement. If you perform the movements the way you describe, you would wind up with a very different result. This is covered in the video.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Thanks, @Mike King. I am not subscribed, and won't at this point resubscribe, so there's that. Battle plans are only so good as they prove to be on the battlefield, and I'm not going to be on that battlefield this season. So ... I'll wait.

 

[Mike King]

Thanks, @Mike King. I am not subscribed, and won't at this point resubscribe, so there's that. Battle plans are only so good as they prove to be on the battlefield, and I'm not going to be on that battlefield this season. So ... I'll wait.

Bummer.

 

[tazdevl]

I really like the idea and live feedback but the 3mm sensors that go under the footbeds mess with my boot fit. Returning. If they come out with a V2 I’ll definitely do it again.

 

[Noodler]

I really like the idea and live feedback but the 3mm sensors that go under the footbeds mess with my boot fit. Returning. If they come out with a V2 I’ll definitely do it again.

I'm with you. If they could get this down to 1mm then I would be all in.

 

[TheArchitect]

On a nearly flat cat-track, put both hands behind your back with poles sorta dragging. Set skis parallel with a comfortable stance width. Stand tall, tilted a little forward at the ankles, and go. Tip both skis to the left with your feet. Tip them to the right. Keep your torso upright. Don't do anything else with your body. This is an isolation exercise for tipping.

While standing tall, tilted forward at the ankles, and tipping the skis, with torso upright (not leaning side to side) and hands behind your back touching each other, target your eyes on a tree way ahead and will yourself to go straight to that tree without turning. Eyes locked on that tree, mind saying "straight-line-it to there!" In other words, set your intent to be a straight run, but tip your skis with torso upright. The eyes locked on a target way ahead helps to purge the embedded pivot that many skiers have. You want to purge that pivot, so you can feel what the tipped skis do.

How will you tip those skis? Try to use your feet alone. Not just try. Do.

Your skis will make you go a little left then a little right, while your eyes and mind are striving to get you to go straight. This should purge the pivot so your tipping is the action of the moment, all by itself. You'll be able to feel it work, if you've purged the pivot and if you aren't aft.

The hands together behind your back help you stay not-aft (counter-intuitive, but true). Let's call it centered. That will help your skis, from tip to tail, grip the snow.

You will gain speed. When the speed is too much, start making regular turns, or stop and push the reset button. Good luck, and report back.

I tried this and will need to keep doing it to get the hang of it. One thing that was apparent from the start is that I have an easier time tipping my feet to the left than to the right.

I spent the whole day focusing on only using my feet to make the turns. By the end of the day it felt more natural but I have a lot of bad habits to unlearn.

 

[LiquidFeet]

I tried this and will need to keep doing it to get the hang of it. One thing that was apparent from the start is that I have an easier time tipping my feet to the left than to the right.

I spent the whole day focusing on only using my feet to make the turns. By the end of the day it felt more natural but I have a lot of bad habits to unlearn.

Good job! Keep working at this thing. It will help you feel what tipped skis can do.

When a friend first had me do this drill, I kept falling over. I simply could not balance with hands behind body while tipping both feet left-right. It took me a while to get my upper body under control. Evidently I was leaning sideways, or something.

Then once I could do it on a cattrack, just coming off the lift, I'd gain too much speed for comfort and had to abort with a hockey stop, not knowing what else to do. Eventually I was able to morph into skidded turns without the hockey stop by bringing my hands forward and doing my "normal" turns. Later, much later, years later, I am now able to start a carved run on something a bit steepish with this straight run, just tipping the feet, and morph the "little wigglies" that movement pattern produces (pencil-thin lines in the snow) into round carved turns.

It's a drill that keeps on giving.

 

[TheArchitect]

Good job! Keep working at this thing. It will help you feel what tipped skis can do.

When a friend first had me do this drill, I kept falling over. I simply could not balance with hands behind body while tipping both feet left-right. It took me a while to get my upper body under control. Evidently I was leaning sideways, or something.

Then once I could do it on a cattrack, just coming off the lift, I'd gain too much speed for comfort and had to abort with a hockey stop, not knowing what else to do. Eventually I was able to morph into skidded turns without the hockey stop by bringing my hands forward and doing my "normal" turns. Later, much later, years later, I am now able to start a carved run on something a bit steepish with this straight run, just tipping the feet, and morph the "little wigglies" that movement pattern produces (pencil-thin lines in the snow) into round carved turns.

It's a drill that keeps on giving.

I definitely will continue on it. I don't think my skiing is bad as it is but if I can correct my technical flaws and make it more efficient I'll be a very happy man.

 

[Bienski]

As long as you are into trying things, here is an option that might allow you to focus on feet tipping and removes a bit of the upper body balance issue. Everything else being the same as described by Liquid Feet, except, place your hands on your knees, forearms on thighs and give it a go. If that work, hands on mid-thighs, elbows tucked in at the waist. What you are trying to do is isolate and stabilize the upper body. And then to upright etc. etc. Best done without poles. Just another option. It worked for me and a few other people I know.

If enough spaghetti is thrown at the wall, some of it will stick when it is ready.