SKI TIP: Improve your skiing with COUNTER
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- čas přidán 21. 08. 2024
- Hi
In this weeks video we will look at how pointing your ski poles uphill instead of pointing them straight backwards will help you stay balanced over your outside ski and keep your ski tails from washing out at the end of each turn. It will also vastly improve your balance and give you confident at skiing on very steep terrain.
reg
Tom
Hi, Tom. Another job well done. What struck me about you're skiing demonstration was not where your poles were, but it also was a good demonstration of stepping up onto your uphill ski early to start the turn. That's the money move that many beginners and intermediates have a hard time grokking.
True story. When I was a ski tech at Stein Eriksen Sport at Deer Valley, I met a well heeled gentleman in the shop. He was about my age. In his 60s. We had a rapport right off the bat. He had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and was trying to determine if it was too late to take up skiing. He'd skied before but considered himself a beginner.
He was taking lessons, but said he'd like to ski with me, and I'm always up for skiing. So a few days later we went skiing. He was better than he thought he was. He had a nicely composed stem Christie going, and had no problem linking turns.
All that was missing was the early step up onto the uphill or outside ski. Since he was taking private lessons, I was hesitant to offer any ski advice, and he hadn't asked for any ski advice. But the situation begged for it.
So I told him I was going to give him one ski tip, and only one. I showed him the early step and demonstrated it skiing slowly, then at normal speed. He grokked it immediately. Right off the bat, his stem was gone and his turns got nice and round, and he was skiing faster. And he had a smile on his face that lit up the slope.
After one more run he had to go. We'd only skied 3 runs, but before he left, he reached in his pocket and said he had something for me. It was five crispy $100 bills. Like I said, the early step up is the Money Move.
The money was nice, but that's not what I'm about. I'm about the Joy of Skiing, and sharing the Joy. Joy is the highest accomplishment of a human being, and sometimes hard to come by. But Skiing always delivers.
The money is long gone, but remembering that Million Dollar Smile on my new friend's face still brings me Joy to this very day.
Thanks for sharing such a wonderful story TR. It is indeed the money move and now I know why hahahaaa. Money is long gone but that only goes to show that skiing is not about the money. Its about the joy.
I need to make a new video of the money move. Stepping to the uphill ski. I kind of like talking about the uphill and downhill ski even if we are supposed to talk about inside and outside skis. Anyway, the uphill ski move is difficult as we need to step onto the Little Toe Edge of it and it causes a balance issue. Same as skiing on one ski. I think many would benefit from this kind of instruction.
Your videos are always spot-on and deliver the technical points clearly with demonstrations. They are the best technically-illustrated ones on the youtube channels. I learned a great deal on carving from your videos. Thank you!!!
Wow, thank you! And thanks for watching. Cheers, Tom
Uu my favourite ski buddy is back
Hi Vlad, yes, Im back :)
I agree with you completely ... and the music is just super ... !!!
Good to hear, thank you for watching and glad you liked the music :)
I really hope that I'll finally be able to go skiing this year, probably what I missed the most during the pandemic, booked two entire weeks to Austria for the winter holiday
Wow, lets hope your ski holiday works out. Where are you going if I may ask?
@@Triggerboy62 To Schladming, Flachau, Zauchensee. The area is really worth a visit, there's lots of variety, amazing slopes, they're pretty wide so the snow quality is really good throughout the day
@@fagyu7502 never actually skied there. I would like to go to the alps for a month and just visit different areas. As of now we always go to the same places... kind of good and bad. Have fun, that area is supposed to be amazing.
This video changed my ski.thank you so much
Wow! Thanks for nice comment :)
Very interesting point of you about the counter. My take from this video is that if I counter with my upper body (countering a little at the hips is merely a consequence) I'm gonna find my lower hand at the right point to tap the snow with the pole touch.
Yes, good conclusion. I should make a video on how to plant the pole but as a general rule, plant the pole more in the fall line than straight ahead. That comes automatically if you follow my ski tip in this video. Good luck :)
@@Triggerboy62 So proud of your acknowledgement!
Subtle and great tips in almost every video cheers!
Much appreciated!
another example of excellent didactics ... no mnemonics, clear message ... it hits the target for me
Super glad you liked it and thanks for watching :)
Thanks for the nice video, very helpful.
You are welcome!
Yes. good advice(tip) but it lacks relaxation. To relax the hands need to be relaxed, so make hands wide to feel the relax and find the best position.
Relaxed is important. We often tend to forget that as ski instructors and we stiffen up in positions. Thanks and thanks for watching. Happy Holidays, T
@Triggerboy62 Thank you too. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I have already watched over a dozen videos on the channel. Everyone is very helpful. Your approach to learning to ski is very impressive.
Tom... please don't tell me there are already snow in Finland... in North America we are still warm and leaves are just turning
As a matter of fact the resorts in the north like Levi have opened. Since a couple of years ago they have started to save snow over summer. That is how they always get the Levi Black in such good condition that early in the season. Personally I have not been skiing yet and the material Im releasing this fall is all shot last season or earlier. Thank you for watching and lets hope up coming season will be a great one :)
Great tips again!
Thanks again!
Hello,
Q : In a freeskiing context, would it be ok to rotate the hips along with the outside hand during the second phase of a medium to long carving turn?
In this scenario I wouldn't be focusing too much on early edging and rapid transition. The turns would be longer and more rounded out.
The hips would rotate to eventually square up and be alligned with the skis.
*For this question I was mainly looking at your carving segment in the last part of this video.
Thanks for your time and reply.
Thank you for the question. Note that there are no right or wrong. The reason we need to keep our hips into the turn and keep our upper body slightly rotated down in the fall line is to get better edge hold and have more control over our turn shape especially on harder snow or ice at high speed. And in gates of course. But if you are not in need of that then bringing your outside arm forward for a pole plant, bringing your hips out in the turn and squaring up to your skis is not a fault. It typically makes your outside ski tail brush out causing bad form but I see many do that. Also, squaring up is also used by many racers in situations where they do not need great edge angles.
Dont be overly concerned with this if it bothers you but if I were you I would start to explore the technique used by the pros to maybe boost your skiing, make it more interesting and fun.
Hope this helps, Reg Tom
@@Triggerboy62
Thanks for your reply. This helped me clarify certain things in my head.
Hi Tom Thxs for the video. Been working on my counter to help initiate the next turn . Poles pointing uphill is a good visual. Are you pointing at the fall line ?
Good question. The most important thing is to point the ski poles uphill (slightly) by rotating your upper body to face downhill. At the fall line your upper body should face slightly to the outside of the turn because you want your hips to be to the inside of the turn. Not really sure how that goes. Too tired to think. Ill sleep on it :)
I learn so much from all your videos . Thanks . Do you do coaching in US?
No, sorry. Not in the US. Reg, Tom
Tom; could you do a video with tips on how to get better angulation?
Thx!!
Good ide. Thanks, and thanks for watching.
Good stuff!
Thanks!
Hey Tom, great video!
I have a question: I've noticed in one of your other videoσ (the one where WC racers are warming up) that certain athletes sometimes don't counter, and instead they kind of "lead" their skis with the opposite arm (for example on a left turn their right hand and shoulder might twist a little towards the end of the turn as if to push the skis)
Can you explain a bit how that helps and when it should be preferred instead of the counter? (maybe make a video for it? :) )
Cheers!
Great observation. Check out this video and let me know what you think: czcams.com/video/xZbObpzWrgU/video.html
Also, check this video on counter, there is a technique I call 3 Way Separation: czcams.com/video/8eaBHNb7yCA/video.html
Also check out my secret move videos. Or the 3 Levels of Carving or Carve Like a Boss.
Thanks for watching and lets have a conversation about that outside hand drive at the end of the turn.
reg Tom
@@Triggerboy62 Watched the videos (also great btw :) )
So from what I gather the 3 way separation is the end goal; all turns should look like this. But in cases where this is impossible (because of speed, or because slope is very steep, or because our next turn -or gate- is closer than we would normally want it to be), I think skiing with lots of countering is the safest way to not lose control. Does that make sense, or am I missing something ?
Already on snow ?! We envy you...
Sorry, have to confess.... this video was shot last winter.... but thanks for watching and lets hope for a great season :)
Well, the demostration part looks a bit unnatural and it seems you're holding the instict of the pole planting move. ;)
Yeah, that shot was just for testing and we were gonna watch it and make a new one but never did. So I went ahead and released it anyway. Yeah, kind of ingrained the pole plant...
How about turning feet under a stable, slightly open upper body. Turning upper body against stable feet has negative impact on the skis! not it ! Lol
Thanks for watching. Not really. If you are skiing across the slope, you cannot turn the feet under a stable upper body and continue to ski straight forwards? Or? Once they are turning what you said holds true but that comes natural. And, when you are turning your feet under a stable, slightly open upper body your ski poles are also sticking out slightly uphill. Just what we wanted. I think that this is a great teaching tool as students tend to rotate with their upper body and their ski poles are windmilling all over the place.
1st comment!
Wow, thanks for watching :)
Very good master....for a moment I was afraid you were telling us to' start the turn with a counter acting movement.....It Is not so. Well done good tip
change the music video please, it is horrible
Thanks for wathing, cant change the music. But should I avoid this song in the future?