Releasing: The Secret Method to Start a Turn

This month we'll share with you some skiing inspiration from the great man himself - Harald Harb.

After which, there is a five-minute homework exercise.

Yes, that's right a little ski homework that will improve your skiing today.

Some simple exercises you can do, in front of your computer, to take your skiing to the next level!

This extract is written by Harald Harb, President of PMTS.org and a PMTS trainer, for his subscribers to the PMTS.org newsletter. www.harbskisystem.com

It was written with an assumed knowledge of Harb's Direct Parallel Primary Movements Teaching System (PMTS).

I have given this just the lightest of edits for those of you who haven't immersed yourself fully in the Direct Parallel skiing system.

And don't forget to try our five-minute Phantom Move exercise to getting you skiing better today, at then end of this eZine!

From the onset, my initiative to write ski articles and books came from my desire to make sense of skiing movements and terminology.

I saw too many complicated words and concepts bantered about in discussions of skiing technique.

In many ways, elaborate terminology opens up the opportunity for misinterpretation rather then developing clarity and easy understanding.

In discussing PMTS Direct Parallel technique, we often describe actions.

For example: changing edges finishes one turn and begins the next turn.

In the process of changing edges we release the edges, change balance and re-engage the edges.

This simple description of the transition between turns can be summarized as "RTE" - release (edges), transfer (balance) and engage (new edges).

Sometimes it's necessary to be more detailed about how the turn transition is made.

It's important to realize there is more than one way to effect the transition.

The challenge, then, is to determine how many ways are there to change edges and to describe them without becoming complicated and overly technical.

Can we use regular language, avoiding jargon, so that any skier can understand and learn the required actions?

Limiting Movements Revealed!

I watch skiers on the slopes of Colorado, in Canada, and in Europe - skiers from all around the world.

These skiers share a similarity.

Most skiers change edges with a stem, which is a move from one inside or big-toe edge to the other.

The stem is an entry-level edge change.

Skiers who use this method must push one ski away from the other in order to shift their weight and balance onto the new big-toe edge for the upcoming turn.

Essentially, this method uses only two edges of the skis - the two inside edges.

In the stem, the skier moves one ski to the side to transfer weight onto that ski.

How to ski parallel

In contrast, when we change edges in parallel skiing, the body moves from one side of the skis to the other, moving over the skis.

The skis stay under the body and don't move to the side unless the skier pushes them sideways, while parallel. A phrase I use to convey the efficient movement pattern is, "edges are born under the body, not to the side".

In other words, tip the skis on and off edge while they are under your hips.

The simplest way to ski parallel is…. In Direct Parallel technique, we have the tried and true "Phantom Move".

The phantom move combines lifting (or lightening) and tilting the old outside or downhill ski near the end of a turn.

The lightening of the old outside ski takes away the base of support, thereby transferring balance and weight to the other ski.

The tipping of the free foot to its little-toe-edge (which was the old outside / downhill ski which is now light from lifting) helps to move the body toward the new turn and also helps to change edges.

The forces created through the motion of skiing also respond to the change in the base of support. These forces help to move the body into the new turn.

This is an example of one way to perform the transition from turn to turn.

Although the Phantom Move sounds simple enough and thousands of skiers have enjoyed the immediate benefits of performing it, not everyone is doing it correctly.

Fortunately, even an incorrect phantom move yields positive results. Harald Harb is President of PMTS.org and a PMTS trainer

Learn The Five Minute Phantom Move

If you would like to improve your skiing and in particular your parallel turn, then try this phantom move exercise - RIGHT NOW!

That's right, the time to improve your skiing is today, this minute. The mountains are piling up with snow, and you have to be ready for them. So lets get started!

Firstly stand up and get excited about your skiing. Recall a time where you were skiing well. Replay a film / video of it in your mind. Remember how it felt.

What you were saying to yourself? What moves did you make? How were you breathing? Lets get into a skiing frame of mind!

So are you standing!

Jazzed, excited about the prospect of skiing?

I hope so, you know I can tell if you are still sitting down. I am watching you!

So jump up and get into ski mode and we can have a lot of fun.

For those already standing great job, so far!

Next, while standing with your hands out for balance, like you are ready to pole plant, pick up one foot so it is five centimetres (two inches) off the ground.

Next reverse it.

Try lifting the other foot! Great.

How long could you hold your foot off the ground for? I got bored after two minutes? Can you beat two minutes? Let me know!

Try the exercise again with your eyes closed. How long did you last?

Next, try the same exercise but this time lift your foot higher. 30 centimetres (a foot) off the ground.

How long can you balance for?
Are you maintaining your skiing position?

Guess what you have now created a FREE FOOT and you are half way to understanding the Phantom Move.

Which is your free foot?

The one that is lifted off the ground. The 'lifted / light foot' is now FREE to move. Hence the name!

Tip The Free-Foot To Create Parallel Skiing

This time, lets build on the last exercise by adding one more move. While standing in a skiing position, hands out for balance. Pick up one foot and begin tipping the FREE FOOT (light one) to its little-toe-side.

The more you tip the free foot to the little toe side, the more you will show the base / bottom of your free foot to your stance leg.

Note: Be ready to put your free-foot down to regain balance! What happened? Did you 'fall' to the same side your little-toe-edge was tipped to.

I HOPE SO!

If you didn't, try picking up your free foot higher and tipping it over to its little-toe-edge side MORE! What happened? Did you 'fall' in towards the side you are tipping your little toe side? I HOPE SO!

To make things even more interesting, this time try lifting and tipping the free foot continuously.

That is, lift your free-foot higher and higher while tipping your free foot to its little-toe-edge more and more, WHILE RESISTING 'FALLING' IN THE DIRECTION WHICH YOU ARE TIPPING!

Did you notice if you keep lifting and tipping your free foot, eventually your upper body will move in the direction of your free-foot little toe side?

This is the phantom move and the building block of a successful parallel turn.

The more you play with it, the more you will develop your balance on one foot, your tipping movements and the feel of allowing your upper body to move in the direction of your little-toe-edge side.

Points to remember are:

1) Use this move for smooth parallel transitions from one turn to the next.
2) You don't always have to lift your free-foot, in fact lifting is learning, lightening builds expert skiing.
3) Actively counterbalancing with your upper body against falling toward your little-toe-edge side builds your expert skiing balance.
4) Remember when Harald said "edges are born under the body, not to the side", well this exercise of lightening / tipping / resisting / then allowing your body to 'fall' inside the turn is a very efficient way to keep your edges under you while parallel skiing.

Article brought to you by ex-ski coach now peak performance life coach Peter Stone from www.peak-performance-coaching.com.au. Visit us for free resources on how to live a rich and fulfilling life with all the energy, time and money you need to do what you want!