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- Nov 12, 2015
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I think what's hard is teaching people to give in to the mountain. Everyone wants to fight it. I know what you mean.
I think what's hard is teaching people to give in to the mountain. Everyone wants to fight it. I know what you mean.
Which transition is 'better' depends on the terrain IMO. Talking about each in a vacuum without terrain is a bit too abstract for me - I need context. I have no racing background and just a recreational skiing schlub that concentrates on skiing moguls. So I will speak to what I ski the most... For bumps, both transitions are useful. Being able to perform a compact transition will make you more versatile in the bumps. But its not the only transition that is effective.
Is this a flexed/compact or extension release (time 2:55 in video)? It looks like extension to me.
He is still flexing to absorb a 'virtual bump' and you can see the flexion and extended release when he actually starts skiing the moguls. A compact transition would result in higher speed in the moguls, which may be fine if you can handle that level of performance, but if you want to ski all day at that speed may be too much wear and tear for skiing recreationally.
I find this very useful in moguls for controlling speed. You can see this type of extension release in the 'outside bank line' where he skies the bumps pretty tall throughout.
Traversing in extended position is useful in bumps -- if you want to shift lines in the moguls at turn completion, you have flexion available to do so. Since you are already extended, it is easy to cruise over a bump and have flexion available to absorb the neighboring bump.
For bumps that suit this method, this type of skiing can be really low impact, low effort, and fun way to ski bumps.
You can see the other lines through the bumps, the "inside wall line" and "rut line" could be skied faster with a compact/flexed transition. But do you really want to ski them fast? Is the run a marathon or a sprint? If the pitch is consistent or flattening, you have the energy, sure, shred them up. If the run is getting progressively steeper and bumps larger, you are tired, and have a long way to go yet, maybe not. May be time to change the approach.
PS - Video 1 of the series is below and emphasizes the importance of the compact transition for bumps:
Before I answer, why does it look like extension
If you're inside with high edge angles, your outside leg should be straight, then it's easy to flex.Before I answer, why does it look like extension to you at 2:55?
Your point about traversing bumps extended relates back to my earlier comment about needing a push or better, an impulse when I'm too far inside with high edge angles at the finish of the turn. When that happens Im overflexed - there cannot be more flexion and the "push impulse" is a quick extension recovery move so I can flex once more to release. Once again, these are recovery moves, which like it or not IS a part of skiing rarely talked about, nor discussed or coached. Maybe thats why quite a few people say "Dont watch racers race, watch them free ski". That drives me nuts, frankly.
Take top racers, for example. You'd think they understand skiing the best. If they did, Ted and Bode would have created gazillions of little Teds and Bodes skiing at their level and would have written or co-authored tens of books on detailed biomechanics and technique, etc. Not happening, really. Why? Imho, they don't really understand what their bodies figured out. Yes, we all understand the basics, but they got good in spite of their coaching, not because of it (some of their less-known coaches I specifically exclude from this inferred deduction). Again, if the coaching made them great, we'd have a lot more like them on the WC - there's plenty of athletes around, to pick from. The Austrians seemingly have a factory somewhere, hidden in plain sight.
No doubt, they have plenty of awesome secret tactics insight and some understanding of technique and they must have had great coaches at some points, but detailed knowledge of biomechanics? Likely not - because it's not really taught around here.
Lots of extending going on in that men’s gs today at Cortina. Talking about the top people, not bibs 90+. More surprising was in the women’s parallel. You’d think not with such a short course, but no. Didn’t see much of the men’s.
I think you're looking at the overall movement pattern and drawing conclusions
What's he saying, correctly it's that the skiers outside leg is straight and then it bends in the transition, which is a dead giveaway that he's flexing to release.I think that's the point. Rather than only looking for one particular movement and drawing all your conclusions from that. Which is what you are doing.
What's he saying, correctly it's that the skiers outside leg is straight and then it bends in the transition, which is a dead giveaway that he's flexing to release
Just because the outside leg flexes doesn’t mean it causes a release. If that is all you are looking for you will be wrong in your assessment of the cause of the release That’s the problem. He attributes an effect, regardless of the cause, to a particular movement. Then he actively seeks to observe that movement to back up his argument, ignoring anything else that would point to a different conclusion.
What's he saying, correctly it's that the skiers outside leg is straight and then it bends in the transition, which is a dead giveaway that he's flexing to release.
I think that's the point. Rather than only looking for one particular movement and drawing all your conclusions from that. Which is what you are doing.
What's he saying, correctly it's that the skiers outside leg is straight and then it bends in the transition, which is a dead giveaway that he's flexing to release.
put me down in the column that can both extend to release and flex to release. Even though I am a mere mortal.
now do those simultaneously and I'll bring the popcorn
I'm really curious if Loki1 does... given the posts above...