[Grog]

Skier C is skiing pretty darn well for a second year telemarker. That being said, I would like to see him close up his stance a bit, that back leg tends to drag from time to time. I would also like to see more upper body angulation. The old "knee touch" exercise might help with this.

[barkleydog]

Pretty darn good for as long as he's been tele skiing. I agree with closing the stance and staying a little more over the skis. There might have been just a slight bit of poodling about midway down the hill. I would also like to see more articulation at the hips keeping the shoulders down the fall line but that will no doubt come with more practice.
Barks

[Jr.M]

I'll have to second those comments above. Very good effort in basics.

With points mentioned skier C should be able to get the skis carve the arc a bit better and have a better snow control for different types of turning radiuses. Also remember to work that "banana" allready mentioned..
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Jr.M
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Läskikymppi Freeride Team

[Grant]

Looking good, skier C.

You might want to try and practice quicker turns to get to the next level. Pick a spot down the hill (next lift tower, etc) and try and do as many turns as you can. This will teach you to have quicker feet, weighting/unweighting, and not getting stuck in the "tele position" as you seem to do around the turns.

Remember - it's a dance, not a stance (who came up with that, anyway?)

I wish I had your balance in my 2nd year.
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I don't trust to nothing, but I know it comes out right.

[Justin]

Your right turn seems to have a very tight stance. The left turn, however, has your trailing foot a way back (poodle factor).

[Kokotele]

[skihound]

nice turns

the skier's hand position could use a bit of work, many have said much about hand position and pole plants.

I like Frog Giggin' the best.

described to me as; one hand holds the "gig" ready to stab the frog and in the other a flashlight to see him. this is a fun way to remember good hand position and strong pole plants

the only thing is I have yet to see frogs on the snow, but I gig anyway

cheers

[dana]

A little static, a bit of "assume the position" and wait going on. Not bad, but converting the stance into a dance will be more fun.

The pole plants are a bit abrupt, almost an afterthought, but timed reasonably well.

The worst thing techically is that whole body lean into the turn, diving with the upper body to initiate, and letting his shouders follow square to the direction of motion rather than across the fall-line. Almost never do we see the hip inside the turn with a good straight upper body. It need s a bit more of the "C" shape with hip inside for edge angle, less flop-over leaning. You get more edge angle power & control for less energy expended that way.

Not letting that hand fall behind after the pole plant and bending sideways at the hip as the turn progresses rather than leaning over to start the turn will result in a better-balanced more athletic position better able to react to anything "interesting" terrain features that might come up. Tap and extend, or even punch that hand forward, don't let your elbow, let alone your hand get behind your torso after the pole plant.

In longer radius turns like that it's easy to get lazy and let your upper body follow your ski tips rather than the average direction down the fall line, but try to keep the shoulders more square across the hill, and let the skis come around on their own rather than diving the upper body to drag 'em along. It'll feel better, and be in better control without burning more energy than the leaning-in technique demonstrated in the vidi.

Pretty smooth-cruising otherwise though- almost meditative in rhythm!

[Edited to add] On second viewing- subtler (and not such a big deal), there seems to be a tendency to load up the tail of the lead ski just prior to the transition. While through most of the turn the lead ski knee is roughly over the toe indicating at least some sweet-spot pressure, toward the end there's a brief tail-loaded edge set. This tends to delay the initiation of the the carve until well after the transition- it'll be smoother/cleaner/more-solid if you concentrate on keeping some weight on the balls of both feet throughout the turn & transition, no matter where in the sequence you are. When you feel the heel loading up on the lead ski, suck that ski back a bit to stay on the sweet spot. Any time it's tail-loaded it'll tend to straighten & squirt forward.

[OnBendedKnee]

Ohhh... I'm seasick... where's that damned Bonine?

How about a stabilized lens or at least a stable cameraman?
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[dana]

[kr00necker]

Is that Welch Village in MN? If so, you should go to Afton and talk to Charlie, he runs the tele program there, great guy and great teacher. Tell him Jeff sent you, I used to teach there with him, he is like Yoda.

As far as tips are concerned: I would like to see you are a steeper run so you have to be more aggresive

I see your turns are banked, by that I mean your spine is parallel with your legs. Try to keep your spine perp to the slope. If you keep your back straight, then your skis will swing beneath you like a pendulum. This is good becaue your transitions between turns will be easier cause you do not have to move your whole body, just your legs.

Hands should be out front where you can see them try not to drop them after a pole touch. This helps most on steeper terrain, it helps keep your weight forward, which make turn initiation much much easier.

I would make sure you can feel your shins pressuring the touge of your ski boots, especially your lead shin. This also puts your weight more forward and makes turn initiation easier. Not to mistake this with weighting your front ski too much, 50/50 weighting should still be maintained.

Give us another video on something where you are challenged

[OnBendedKnee]

[genuflector]

Thanks Skier C - You look like what I look like tele-ing on video. I will apply the comments above to myself. For what its worth I've been at it a lot longer than you, so well done.

[dana]

[telebelly]

Good stuff really. C has a solid platform to progress upon. Pretty much what others said, more upper lower body separation. In the video you bank and shoulders are square to the ski. Hands up a little higher and forward, bend sideways at the waist ie keep the torso straight up while the legs angulate and keep the shoulders facing downhill. I like to counter rotate to remind myself to do this. Sort of think of leading the turn with the inside shoulder. It seems to get my hips in a better position to pressure the rear ski well.
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