Personal ski videos

[tball]

Nope

it’s probably just the camera angle but it appears you have a lot more uphill/inside ski lead on your left footers.

Thanks, I've never given any thought to tip lead and wasn't sure if it's good or bad.

Should I think about pulling my uphill/inside ski back a bit, as suggested here?

 

[tball]

That looks like fun but surely skiing with a selfie stick upsets your balance somewhat?
I will say what I see, not because I'm an expert (I'm definitely not) but because I'd like to learn. With your left turns it looks like your outside ski (on your right foot) is wobbling around a fair bit. Wouldn't that indicate excessive weight on the inside ski?

No doubt that skiing without poles makes balance more difficult. The selfie stick might add to that a little bit, but it's mostly the lack of poles. I think it's good for your skiing to do occasionally and, of course, post a video!

I really don't notice my ski wobbling while skiing. It looks much more disturbing on video than it feels. Some wider and longer skis for those conditions would probably help. Those are Navigator 80s in a 172. After many miles, I've come to enjoy short and narrow in most conditions unless there's a ton of new. Took a while to get there.

 

[tball]

'No need to be too kind' - this is the right approach, ditch the ego, the true way to learn even if you later test & reject any advice.

Flat light conditions of your VDO makes it difficult to do a proper MA but -
You demonstrate excellent balance & dynamic stance, core skills for skiing
The middle of the VDO clip - you show good lower/upper body separation - work on developing this even more
No poles but hands elbows must always be in front with light sure pole action - I assume you do this

Only areas for improvement -
1 - Work on greater range of flexion/extension for absorption/snow contact, esp in your ankles.
Adjust your boots for lowest flex, try one notch looser on the top cuff buckle, a little looser in the booster strap while maintaining shin/tongue contact
2 - Work on foot discipline, narrower stance. What master instructors like Johnathan Ballou psia 4, who is an excellent bump skier, do - on the hard pack he has a 'natural' wide stance - in the bumps he takes a narrow stance. There is function to this - all slalom skiers put their feet together to run a rapid flush - try wedlens with both a wide and narrow stance, feel which is more agile.
3- Edge to scrub/control scrub speed in the bumps, never to arc. You may be not scrubbing your edges enough. Work on ROUNDER scrubbed turns - you seem to like to run the zip line - instead, work more of the sides of the gutter and the shoulders of the bumps for your turns. When age injury or illness hits you, all that's left is technique, you CANNOT run the zip line forever.
4 - In soft bumps, work in a few top to tops, airplane turns - more tools in the box the better

And ski with intent, drill, drill - yeah bit nerdy but it leads to fun, it is fun, a beautiful sport

Work with a good bump skier/instructor (real time MA & feedback are key) like -
Julie Ray at Mary Jane - ex world jr freestyle champion, she knows what shes doing - not crazy about her typical bump spclst use of short poles & narrow hand/arm position & shuffling feet but she is a master
Or if youre up Canada way -
In the West work with Tobin Leopky, csia 4 + snowboard instructor, the next generation master instructor - and THE master of the bumps & steep & deep - he knows how to rip.
Or Canada East work with J F Beaulieu, csia 4, a master of the classic instructor bump skiing

Very few of us can come close to skiing like these masters but they are great aspirational models - note elements of my suggestions to you in their skiing

Julie Ray

J Ballou

T Leopky - skiing kinda pretty instructor style, but he can rip the bumps & the steep & deep, will teach you how

J F Beauliou - if you listen to him too much with his entrancing french accent, your head will explode & your skiing will go to shit - he is a master instructor

GL

Wow, thanks for giving so much thought to your suggestions! Very much appreciated... still digesting.

Since you mentioned bumps a bunch, would you mind looking at another video of me skiing a pure bump Mary Jane-style bump run? That's the closest we've got at Copper. I'm curious if any of your suggestions for what I should work on for bumps change based on this:

 

[4ster]

Thanks, I've never given any thought to tip lead and wasn't sure if it's good or bad.

Should I think about pulling my uphill/inside ski back a bit, as suggested here?

My rule of thumb is to maintain some shin/tongue contact at all times. The idea of pulling the inside foot back at transition works for me but not everyone relates to that. Just holding the inside back a bit may be enough. In a more passive situation we are really just trying to eliminate excessive lead.
Although I think that video is likely a few years old, he does a good job of explaining the how’s & why’s.

I tend to use a combination of inside back, outside forward, or pull back at transition & slice the outside forward toward completion Tell me if you see how the tips matchup during the light phase…

 

[RoninSkier]

Wow, thanks for giving so much thought to your suggestions! Very much appreciated... still digesting.

Since you mentioned bumps a bunch, would you mind looking at another video of me skiing a pure bump Mary Jane-style bump run? That's the closest we've got at Copper. I'm curious if any of your suggestions for what I should work on for bumps change based on this:

Same points as per my prior post.

Esp try softening up your boot settings as per my suggestions - you need more flex/absorption range in your ankles. If you are in Tecnicas, IMHO they are not the best, flexible boots for skiing bumps/off piste - consider a more linear vs hard progressive flex boot, work with a good boot fitter who is also a good bump skier.
IMHO & experience - softer flexing boots & softer/smoother round flexing (no carve plate) skis enhances bump & off piste skiing.

As for foot discipline - ensure your fore feet are properly fitted in with no slop - you may have a bit too much slop in the boots - bottom 2 buckles should be buckled up firm, not as much as if you were running gates - this will help get rid of slop, help with foot discipline - unbuckle if needed riding the lift for more comfort.
Most of our turns in the bumps are smeared, edging as needed - edging primarily to scrub speed or brake - work to be lighter, more agile & variable on your edges - focus on ROUNDER smeared turns with good upper body counter to vary turn shape & speed at will.

We need be able to both rip a straight zip line and use rounder variable turns around the gutter & on the shoulders of the bumps. The 2nd approach is how we all should ski the bumps most of the time - at moderate to warp speed - review the VDOs of the masters.
You will be forced to accept the sense of this as you age or if you get hit with injuries or illness.

GL

 

[SSSdave]

Thanks, I've never given any thought to tip lead and wasn't sure if it's good or bad.

Should I think about pulling my uphill/inside ski back a bit, as suggested here?

Same here. There is more to the discusion than Josh F is focussed on. I do like his suggestion and likely have played that way. My often sloppy relaxed skiing comes mainly from what feels right internally, not formal instruction. In bumps, I often use separation of the uphill unweighted leg/boot/ski, swinging in towards the weighted downhill ski at the last phase of countering forces to improve edging bite on the opposite weighted ski. In other words, I am not as concerned about keeping my 2 skis parallel through all turns per comp moguls style that is aesthetically judged for such and rather use it as an edging mass countering mechanism regardless of how apart or stem like the result is. On short fast turns that sometimes results in my skis being in more a back and forth stem at maximum compression that is easier to bounce left right left on as long as I am well balanced over the weighted ski. In like attitude, am not too concerned of having skis in bumps rattle about losing perfect parallel tracking as long as my core upper body is calm and relaxed. In fact allowing that is part of better separation of forces that one needs to have more strength to otherwise improve.

 

[tball]

Tell me if you see how the tips matchup during the light phase…

Nice turns! Yep, I see it, thanks.

For fun, I also checked with my AI ski instructor friend for advice on tip lead. Here's what Chat GTP has to say:

 

[Prosper]

Nice turns! Yep, I see it, thanks.

For fun, I also checked with my AI ski instructor friend for advice on tip lead. Here's what Chat GTP has to say:

View attachment 198826

Who needs a ski instructor with these amazing AI responses?

 

[RoninSkier]

Again, IMHO -

Good foot discipline, a narrow stance with a quiet countered upper body + elbows/hands forward with light but sure pole plants develops and enhances good bump technique.
To 'prove' the function of a narrow feet stance to yourself, try fast SR wedlen drills in a feet together vs a shoulder width stance - which is more agile?
Very rare elite skiers can rip the bumps well in a wide vs feet together stance.
Work on foot discipline in a narrow stance in the bumps, ditto for powder (to build a platform). We must develop the proper technique for different terrain.

When skiing bumps with feet together the issue of any significant tip lead (forced or natural) becomes irrelevant..... after all, turns in the bumps are all edged smeared turns.... trying for high edge angles in bumps are irrelevant.

Again watch the masters on my prior post VDOs and this one.
And yes, most of us do need a good bump instructor, a performance based one - the real time interaction between student & instructor/coach is key. Or you will waste time & money embedding crap technique.

 

[tball]

We need be able to both rip a straight zip line and use rounder variable turns around the gutter & on the shoulders of the bumps. The 2nd approach is how we all should ski the bumps most of the time - at moderate to warp speed - review the VDOs of the masters.
You will be forced to accept the sense of this as you age or if you get hit with injuries or illness.

Thanks again for your suggestions. Chat GTP agrees about the zipper line and getting old.

Since I'm not smart, sane, or intelligent, I will ignore the advice as long as possible. Maybe I'll hack that bumpsforbummers site to correct the misinformation they are feeding the AI beast.

You mentioned illness or injury. I know a thing or two about that. I'm ten months out from open heart surgery. The top-to-bottom bump run I posted above, Mine Dump 12,000 ft at Copper, was proving the point to myself I'm getting it back. Still, a ways to go for top-to-bottom Pali, but with the fantastic snowpack I have a chance.

I do like to think I can also make slower and rounder turns in the bumps when I want to. I'll put up a video in a bit.

 

[tball]

Here's me trying to be a good parent and demonstrate responsible, rounder, slower turns, at least when the kid is behind me. And I have poles! The crazy top-down view is the best I can reframe the 360 video with the helmet mount:



That's the same 360 video as this, where I had the software track my kid instead of me:



It's the same ski run as the wind-blown video I posted above. The wind works magic on that run.

 

[Mike King]

Here's me trying to be a good parent and demonstrate responsible, rounder, slower turns, at least when the kid is behind me. And I have poles! The crazy top-down view is the best I can reframe the 360 video with the helmet mount:



That's the same 360 video as this, where I had the software track my kid instead of me:



It's the same ski run as the wind-blown video I posted above. The wind works magic on that run.

you need a unicorn mount.

 

[RoninSkier]

Rounder turns dont mean slower. It leads to better control, more options, so you can go slow or rip.
Ditto for having other options - staying right in the gutter - or going top to top. Just more options for control. Not necessarily to go slow.

As long as you can, are having fun, keep going.

GL

 

[no edge]

From a while ago. Steepness doesn't come through on video. For this that know it is silver skis, groomed at Park City:
As well.
Tear it apart.

Nice skiing in the bumps... plus other.

 

[no edge]

Oh, what the heck, I'll play. Working on short turns with @Erik Timmerman last year just before covid shutdown, so I never got to practice. (And judging from how my short turns felt on my one outing this year -- I need the practice. Sorry Erik!)

Nice skiing Kevin, it's been years since I have seen you ski. Improvement!

 

[KevinF]

Nice skiing Kevin, it's been years since I have seen you ski. Improvement!

Thanks! Got some boot issues resolved this year, so I think I'm skiing even better now. I don't have any updated video though.

 

[no edge]

Thanks! Got some boot issues resolved this year, so I think I'm skiing even better now. I don't have any updated video though.

Good video

 

[Smear]

From today's backcountry tour with Mrs Smear. Nice to do something just the two of us without kids. I think last time was last easter...


I see lot's of grotesque shoulder rotation, excessive tip lead and up motion, and A-framing, but hey I was having fun in the sun ☀

 

[Bad Bob]

From today's backcountry tour with Mrs Smear. Nice to do something just the two of us without kids. I think last time was last easter...


I see lot's of grotesque shoulder rotation, excessive tip lead and up motion, and A-framing, but hey I was having fun in the sun ☀

If you aren't having fun you're doing it wrong!

 

[Smear]

More fun in the sun ☀ , this time at the ski area.
Somehow managed to bruise the lower (12th) rib at the same spot at the hill a few days later. One of those that are not connected to the sternum. Slow body twisting fall, not high impact, but still hurts like hell, so not looking promising for the rest of the season.

I'm used to breaking ribs, have done that 6 times in the last 15 years including one in the last month. That's usually uncomplicated, hurts for 4-6 weeks but have been able to continue skiing/biking almost like normal. More unsure about this one, feels different...