Skiing Technique / Photo Critique Thread

[hammer]

One pic that truly illustrates your gracefulness is this one which you seemed to have inadvertantly left out:

Was that picture taken with a digital camera? The timing was just right...

 

[JimG.]

Let me preface this by saying that I know my form sucks, try not to be too harsh

I couldn't find too many action shots of me, I think I ski better than these two shots indicate, but probably not...


(Click for a larger version)


(Click for a larger version)

And here is a short video so you can really rip me apart...

http://bvibert.com/gallery/albums/Loon041005/P4100059.mov

1) Unlock your feet a bit. You ski like someone from the 60's with that "feet locked together" stance. Modern ski technology is better taken advantage of with a more athletic stance, feet a little less than shoulder width apart. This will make you a more 2 footed skier.

2) Keep your hands up and in front of you, elbows up and away from your torso. Spread those wings a bit.
This will open up your hips alot more and will unlock the power stored in your center (abdomen).

Brian, your form is far from hopeless and is actually pretty good. Just some minor tweaks that will result in big gains.

 

[bvibert]

One pic that truly illustrates your gracefulness is this one which you seemed to have inadvertantly left out:

Was that picture taken with a digital camera? The timing was just right...

Yes it was digital, I am ever so grateful that Greg had such great timing :roll:

Greg, I almost posted that one too, but I figured I'd let you embarrass me...

 

[bvibert]

1) Unlock your feet a bit. You ski like someone from the 60's with that "feet locked together" stance.

Thanks Jim, thats something that I was trying to work on last season. I think it comes from watching what I considered good skiers when I was a kid learning to ski. I always aspired to ski like them, now I'm trying to break the habit.

2) Keep your hands up and in front of you, elbows up and away from your torso. Spread those wings a bit.
This will open up your hips alot more and will unlock the power stored in your center (abdomen).

I'm aware that I drop my hands and have been trying to recitfy it, but I never heard or thought about keeping the elbows up and away. I'll have to try and watch out for that this season.

Brian, your form is far from hopeless and is actually pretty good. Just some minor tweaks that will result in big gains.

Thanks, that makes me feel better. I hope I get to take some lessons again this year and/or ski with some more knowlegable people so I can continue to get better

 

[Greg]

but I never heard or thought about keeping the elbows up and away. I'll have to try and watch out for that this season.

Here's a pic of riverc0il from that same day, Brian:



He looks to be applying the technique with his elbows that JimG. is describing. RC really is a pleasure to watch ski...

 

[Greg]

One pic that truly illustrates your gracefulness is this one which you seemed to have inadvertantly left out:

Was that picture taken with a digital camera? The timing was just right...

Here's another pic during that same "photo shoot" of riverc0il. How's this for timing:

"Air riverc0il"


Despite the crappy conditions, that sure was a fun day. Okay, back to critiquing Brian...

 

[bvibert]

Here's a pic of riverc0il from that same day, Brian:
<snip>
He looks to be applying the technique with his elbows that JimG. is describing. RC really is a pleasure to watch ski...

Thanks Greg, I guess I never really thought about it. RC sure can make those skis work, and he looks good doing it too!

Despite the crappy conditions, that sure was a fun day.

Sure was!

 

[JimG.]

but I never heard or thought about keeping the elbows up and away. I'll have to try and watch out for that this season.

Here's a pic of riverc0il from that same day, Brian:



He looks to be applying the technique with his elbows that JimG. is describing. RC really is a pleasure to watch ski...

That's exactly what I'm talking about.

Good photo Greg; nice demo Steve.

 

[bvibert]

Another 'action' shot, don't know if it tells anyone anything, but it looks like my feet are a little further apart at least

 

[Brettski]

Practice bump runs...that'll make you spread your wings...

The kids were complaining about the steep stuff at Jay last year...after taking them down mogul runs a few time...they were ripping up the corduroy...

Looks like air coils right hand is drifting bacl in the air there...hope he made the landing...

I love that trail at Loon...man you just cranck it up and launch...nice rolling terrain...it's defefinetly a begginer intermediate run, so you got watch out for people. One good thing is there are no blindspots the whole way

What the name of that trail again?

 

[JimG.]

Another 'action' shot, don't know if it tells anyone anything, but it looks like my feet are a little further apart at least

It tells me you need to keep your hands up and your elbows out; the space between your feet looks like a result of your downhill ski skidding out.

You look a little bit uncomfortable there.

 

[bvibert]

It tells me you need to keep your hands up and your elbows out; the space between your feet looks like a result of your downhill ski skidding out.

You look a little bit uncomfortable there.

I think you're right about the feet being apart, IIRC I stumbled just a bit right before that. I probably was a little uncomfortable if I was trying to recover from a stumble. That picture was taken on my last run of the year in some pretty heavy corn (which I don't ski well in). I remember my legs were shot before I even started that day from trying to follow Steve around Cannon the day before, and we didn't even hit any hard stuff... :roll:

Thanks for your input Jim!

Anyone else daring enough to have their pics critiqued?

 

[Brettski]

Got a lot of gear on for corn snow...also when it gets to wet and heavy, go ski in the shade...see it over there in the right of the picture...

 

[riverc0il]

in reference to greg's pictures on page one of this thread:

it may just be the camera angle, but in the second picture you seem to be pole planting with your hand turned out a bit to the side. i always try to reach for the next bumps with my pole as straight as possible (i.e. hand driving down the hill towards the next bump, reaching out for the bump, then bringing it to me, etc.). my poles kinda go all over the place depending upon my line but i always try reaching forward for the next plant. then again, it could just be a bad camera angle but that's something that stood out. third pic looks pretty sweet!

 

[riverc0il]

Looks like air coils right hand is drifting bacl in the air there...hope he made the landing...

the small image makes it look a little deceiving, both arms are definitely out in front. that landing was definitely stuck.

trailboss was showing some good technique at the beast AZ day:
http://www.alpinezone.com/albums/album40/Dsc05913.jpg
http://www.alpinezone.com/albums/album40/Dsc05948.jpg

greg did an amazing job of capturing my favorite picture taken of me in action that day as well. the angulation is a bit exagerated, but i always feel a lot of power in control when those legs kick out just right, really able to hit the sweet spot on a ski and then it's just all ahhhhhh's:
http://www.alpinezone.com/albums/album40/Dsc05935.jpg

this thread is quickly turning into a disection of the beast AZ day, lol.

 

[skibum1321]

http://forums.alpinezone.com/module...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php

Here's a pic of me in the woods at Smuggs. I couldn't get the embedded image to work and I figured the big pic would be better anyway. Fire away...

 

[Greg]

Looks like air coils right hand is drifting bacl in the air there...hope he made the landing...

the small image makes it look a little deceiving, both arms are definitely out in front. that landing was definitely stuck.

It was and that thumbnail is clickable...

 

[tree_skier]

After watching the video the biggest thing is turn shape. Your turn shape is a J it needs to be more rounded. To do this you need to get your feet apart a little more but more important to move your hips over and downhill,of your feet, at the start of the turn. That is now happening at the midpoint or later.

Let me preface this by saying that I know my form sucks, try not to be too harsh

I couldn't find too many action shots of me, I think I ski better than these two shots indicate, but probably not...


(Click for a larger version)


(Click for a larger version)

And here is a short video so you can really rip me apart...

http://bvibert.com/gallery/albums/Loon041005/P4100059.mov

 

[dmc]

So how about this PIC of me from 1989...?? :lol:

I ski a LOT differently now...
Those were wham, bam, slam days

 

[Greg]

So how about this PIC of me from 1989...?? :lol:

I ski a LOT differently now...
Those were wham, bam, slam days

I'm not sure how you got your legs to bend that way... :lol: You look to be having fun though. 8)