realskiers

Josh:

So what would be a good drill that you would suggest (either on-snow or off) that would help us get that movement?

Jim

here is the deal. I am basically a guppy in shark infested waters over here.  I do actually teach foot steering to some pretty great success not because I want to see people pivoting or skidding but because like I said in the PM to lynn that separation from hip socket is one of the most important aspects of good(to great) skiing. If you watch any top level coach, freerider , racer, bump skier or just bad ass recerational skier their hips are no moving with their skis as Lynn's are.

watching the 2 footed release drill done here i am guessing this as close the PMTS guy get to foot steering and in all honesty its very much like having someone ski a narrow lane(a very valid exercise to get separation). I know the separation in this video is being done passively or so you guys say but the separation and where is coming from is anything but passive.



the problem is in the entire PMTS rule book there is not a single drill that actually teaches that active separation. I will stand corrected if someone can steer me in the right direction because I am far from an expert on PMTS.

some drills that will help lynn acheive this separation.


basic

1000 steps with a focus on divergening steps. IE the tips point away from each other as you step. This is a great way to wake up that part of the brain and body to get the legs to start to lead us into the turn with the hip following, eventually we can even do these from a countered and angulated position.

a little less basic, but still pretty basic

silly christies. Statically learn to make a snow angel with your uphill foot. take that into a traverse and have the uphill skis pivot as you move. When I say pivot its is basically going to be flat on the snow and go from converging to diverging position. Once you have master this with both feet go ahead and take it in to medium radius turns while the inside leg does the sill christy as it goes from diverging to converging the entire way though the turn. I really like this because is really locks the hips into a place and teaches us to move each leg independently from each other. It creates active separation. once we have actively separated long enough it will become second nature or passive. Long enough could be as little as couple days with the right coach.


I know this goes against how your being taught, I also know some people will tell you even trying this will make you worse.  I personly feel I could easily 'fix" this problem. Heck I would even do for no charge. Not because what I am teaching is worthless but because I love to make people better and sometime the free lesson turn into more business.

BTW this is my first post as newly Minted PSIA-E DCL(Division Clinic Leader). Congrats to me!