What a difference a year makes. Last year, the temperature at the start of the second day of the PSIA-C Mini-Academy was a minus 32 degrees Fahrenheit. This year it was 28 above zero. A sixty-degree difference! This has been a great snow year around Minneapolis and St. Paul; finally the cold broke at the perfect time.

This year’s coaches were again Scott Mathers from Alta, Utah and Shawn Smith from Copper Mountain, Colorado. It is such a pleasure to have these guest coaches return to the academy.

This year I skied with Shawn for the two days. Shawn is the ski school director at Copper Mountain and is one of the coaches for PSIA’s Demonstration Team. This is the third time in four years I have had the pleasure to spend at least one full day with Shawn. The message he presents is similar, yet it has evolved with experience. Each time I walk away renewed in my understanding of better skiing.

I wrote of my last time with Shawn in the Central Line two years ago. Experience and practice with previous year’s learning, and renewal with this year’s message, is worth repeating. Hopefully the repetition will be useful for those who have followed my writings. For those who are reading for the first time, welcome! Most tell me they need to read my articles several times for most of the meaning to sink in. Well, I had to repeat most of the exercises many times for the meaning to sink in. When I revisit the tasks later, more meaning occurs.

When writing a report of one’s experiences with another’s presentation, it becomes difficult to paint an unbiased report without embellishment. Hopefully Shawn and you will overlook this. I have found Shawn’s presentation to cover a lot of technical skiing ground. I hope these articles accurately convey his intended thoughts.

He mentioned that much of this presentation was based on tasks that he guided the new demonstration team through, for four days at the beginning of the 96-97 season, during their team training. What an opportunity for us!

Shawn wanted to give us some useful definitions of terms we use daily, some that you will not find in any of PSIA’s manuals. The two days with Shawn are centered about his definition of “balance”. He defines being in balance as: having the ability to have a positive, selective, affect, on any skill, with either leg, while still turning. This is a powerful, working definition of being in balance. During the next two days he would do things with us, to make us get in balance, to selectively affect the skills, with either leg, while still turning.

Shawn repeated how the Canadians’ view motion and movement. A train going down the tracks is in motion. If you are walking in the train, you have movement and motion. Standing still in the train, you have only motion. We often ski like this. We may be in motion on top of our skis, yet show almost no movement. Such as static straight run or turn. Having movement is when we are making adjustments or refinements that affect the quality of our motion or keep us in balance. Movement to positively affect our motion was another (unexpressed) theme for the two days. It was amazing to many of us, how subtle, yet difficult it was to maintain some of these important adjusting movements.

Shawn’s presentation would cover six ingredients in detail, yet they would blend in together from one to another. Those six ingredients are:
1. Stance and balance. He would use these terms somewhat interchangeably, relating your stance as your display of your balance.
2. Being able to perform edge release and edge engagement out of one (connected) movement.
3. Developing counter verses a counter move.
4. The concept of weight redistribution rather than weight transfer.
5. Maintaining a strong inside half of our body while turning.
6. Maintaining upper body discipline and pole use.
I will further define these as they came up naturally during the two days.

Eventually on day two, Shawn will introduce us to “the move”. Everything prior to that time on day one and two will prepare us for “the move”. “The move” summarizes the integration of these six ingredients. Let’s begin.

Our first task was to shuffle with both feet during an entire run of open parallel turns on easy blue terrain. These were small and not too fast of a shuffling pace. “At what point is it hard to continue to shuffle both feet continuously and still keep turning?” For some it was at the end of the turn, others the transition or even in the middle. It did not matter where; just note where it was for you.

We repeated the task, constant shuffle and continual turning. Most of us found a few points where we could not keep the shuffle going and still being able to keep on turning, without interruption. Shawn did note that a few were shuffling and turning on a very flat, skidded ski. So we repeated the shuffling and turning task on edged skis for all.

This task brought out a great stance in the group. You had to stay forward to be able to continually shuffle and turn. At any point when you got back, your skis were in motion down the slope, yet you could not move/shuffle them (movement). In other words, if there was a spot where you can not shuffle, you are likely back and can’t move. You were out of balance, because you lost the ability to make adjustments and keep turning. When you stop shuffling, you stop the movement of the body, yet the feet and skis stay in motion. You therefor tend to get back. Many of us found that the effort to move ahead, from being back, can be very difficult. There will be more tasks to help cement this effort, to move ahead.

Our next task was to ski an easy blue run, with the first third of the run shuffling through parallel turns, the middle third in open parallel without shuffling and the last third shuffling in parallel again. We were to keep both feet in continual contact with the snow. At the transition between turns, a few would step or lift the new inside ski uphill towards the new outside ski. This step of the inside, ski uphill at the transition, is usually done because the skier is too far back. They do not have the ability to steer the new inside ski’s tip directly into the new turn, keeping it connected to the snow. Their upper body is out of balance with that new inside ski at that moment in the transition between turns. Their upper body is likely too far back and/or laterally uphill. They step this inside ski uphill to compensate for this backward upper body position by moving the ski back under the upper body, rather than keeping the upper body ahead in the first place.

Looking at what happens to the new inside ski at the transition between turns is a powerful diagnostic for determining if that skier is in their best-balanced stance for turning. Does it stay on the snow and enter the turn simultaneously with the outside ski, or is it lifted or slid closer to the new outside ski at this transition? More will be discussed about topic later on day two. This topic will relate to being able to perform edge release and edge engagement out of one (connected) movement.

We moved into a series that used parallel traverses and rails. Our first task was to leave two equal and crisp lines in the snow, from a shallow traverse. “Keep both feet/skis edged, showing a good stance that you would be proud to show any friend.” Some had to use more effort to engage the uphill ski, to prevent it from being flatter than the downhill ski. Both skis were to show equal lines in the snow. Our stance was further improved with this task.

Shawn then asked us to: “traverse down the hill”, leaving two crisp lines continually in the snow, going to the left, then to the right of the run. These were linked “parallel rails” down the easy blue slope. There was to be no skidding. Even with the evolving new “shaped” skis, you have to be moving laterally over the edge to get it to track (carve) cleanly on edge.

The different lines we left in the snow from our different shaped skis caused Shawn to reflect on how we have always been dealing with different shapes and their outcomes. It was never considered unusual for a person with their given ability, height and weight to have different outcomes in their arcs when they skied an appropriate length in a slalom, GS or downhill ski. You expected the outcomes to vary. Yet the skill foundation was intact and adjusted accordingly. Soft skis and stiffer skies had different turning outcomes. We have always been dealing with different shapes and their varying outcomes. The current crop of “shaped” skies is no exception. Their resultant arcs will vary depending on the input applied to them. That input we apply is anchored on the skills concept of the American Teaching System.

This next series of tasks really helped us develop a strong inside half, one of the six ingredients Shawn wanted to cover in detail. We were asked to go from a holding two footed traverse (weight primarily on the downhill foot), to a holding traverse on the uphill ski. Leaving two parallel, crisp lines across the slope, to one crisp line of the uphill ski. Many of the first and second attempts were quite awkward. He had us statically go from a solid stance two-footed traverse, to balancing on the uphill ski, to refine our stance and balance.

When we were standing statically, in a traverse, at the side of the hill; we noted that the uphill half of our body was symmetrically ahead of our downhill half of our body. That is, our uphill foot, ski-tip, knee, hip, shoulder, hand and ear were all equally ahead of it’s downhill half. There was symmetrical alignment of both halves of our bodies. Both halves of our bodies were in balance with their respective supporting foot. If we simply transferred our weight and base of support laterally to the uphill ski, that uphill foot is now ahead of the unsupported downhill half of our body. Essentially we are out of balance with the new, singular base of support, the uphill ski. We are back; this showed by many in the group as having their uphill calves resting against the back of their boots.

To stay in balance when we move from the two footed traverse to a traverse of the uphill ski, we must not only change our base of support laterally to the uphill ski, we must move our entire uphill half of our body forward in the uphill boot, creating a greater counter. Most of us move laterally just fine, yet rarely do we move forward enough. And rarer yet, are we able to maintain this forward, balanced stance while we are changing directions.

Practicing the two-footed traverses to the uphill ski traverse was still difficult. Many struggled with how difficult it was to move the uphill half of our bodies ahead enough to stay in balance with the uphill ski. Some would never get it. It is a very high skilled task!

Out of balance stances may show a lot of arm flailing. If the legs and ankles are locked up because the skier’s weight is back of the feet, the legs can not make fine, lateral balancing, corrective movements. In this skier, we will often see a lot of arm movement to affect balance. Moving the upper half of our body ahead, to engage the front of the boot, frees up the ankle and leg to flex and adjust for lateral balance. Shawn requested that we check out our balance with feeling our ankle and foot, and not with our eyes looking down at our feet.

Most were now starting to get this strong forward move of the inside half of our bodies. The next task would see if once we got it, we could maintain it as the turn develops! Remember Shawn’s definition of balance: as having the ability to have a positive, selective, affect, on any skill, with either leg, while still turning.

We were asked to go from a balanced and solid holding uphill ski traverse, to an uphill christy on that uphill ski. Those who were in good balance with the uphill ski and were able to maintain that ahead relationship of their body to the uphill foot while turning, were able to climb uphill during the christy. Those who were out of balance and only moved laterally, got into an edge-lock of the uphill ski. The body leaned laterally, but no turning. Those who were back in their stances, simply entered into a lateral sideslip. The tips of their skis turned uphill, yet the tip did not engage and climb uphill, they slipped laterally. Most were doing the sideslip, a few entered into an edge-lock and fewer yet climbed uphill with the christy.

The effort to maintain the upper half of the body ahead of the feet was very difficult. Those who were ahead enough were able to steer (selectively adjust the arc with steering, edging and pressure) their tips uphill, while those who were behind, steered the tips into a sideslip.

Shawn offered a tip to help keep the uphill halve of our body forward and ahead of the feet: “Keep the raised downhill ski’s tip down, gently on the snow, by moving the upper half of the body forward.” This made it a lot easier. During past sessions with Shawn he would sometimes comment that it was important to raise the uphill hip up and forward, to keep the downhill tip on the snow.

For me the sensation of moving the inside hip ahead and forward relates to sitting on different chairs. Imagine standing next to two chairs in a restaurant. One, a chair at the table you will be dining, and the other, a stool by the bar. The dining chair is lower than your hips. When you move to sit on it, you literally sit down, and move both halves of your body down, back and laterally. The barstool is higher than your hips. When you move to sit on it, you literally sit up, and move the inside halve of your body up, forward and laterally. Sitting down, you relax both halves of the body. Sitting up, you create tension on the forward, lifted side; the inside half if you are skiing.

Out of balance skiers often relax the upper body and “sit down” as they flex through the arc. Balanced skiers often keep the inside half of their upper body tensed and “sit up” (angulate) as they flex through the arc. Enough of my embellishments, let’s get back to Shawn’s presentation.

Shawn was taking us from the familiar to the unfamiliar—two footed traverses to an uphill ski traverse, then to the uphill ski uphill christy. He wanted us to accentuate the forward movement of our uphill body halve. The next series would reinforce this from another angle. He was relentless in his pursuit.

From a two footed, flat ski straight run, going directly down the fall-line; we were to do an uphill christy on both feet, continually turning, until we were facing back up the hill, to a complete stop. We were to not let our tails displace out from the line established in the straight run. The tips of the skis were to be guided ahead, into and through the arc. We went from a flat ski to a gently edged ski by moving subtly ahead. He had us repeat it, emphasizing going completely around the curve and turn uphill to a complete stop. You needed to stay forward to keep the turn going without any dead spots. If you only moved laterally, you ended up in an edge lock situation. If you dropped back, you could not climb uphill. The skis flattened and skidded when you dropped down. For most, this drop down zone occurred in the middle of the arc.

In the uphill christy, if your upper body continued to move ahead of the feet in the arc, you were able to easily continue to turn and climb uphill. To solidify this effort, Shawn had us start an uphill christy going straight down the hill, starting with most of our weight on the downhill ski. Then half way through the arc, transfer your weight forward to the uphill ski and continue the arc as far up the hill as you can. You should always be displaying a good skiing stance for all to see, regardless of which foot you are on. This raised the expectations and our performance.

This helped to solidify the effort required to move your body ahead of the feet to keep the ability to adjust the arc of the turn. Shawn feels that most upper level skiers move laterally, side to side, just fine. What we fail to do is to move forward, ahead of the feet as we move laterally and we get our upper body behind the feet. For many it is the inside half of the body that is the most culpable. How many times does he have to repeat this?

Shawn went on to talk of the difference between engaging the edge verses engaging the arc. We can be out of balance and still be able to engage the edge of our skis. We must be in balance to engage the arc. Many of us have experienced high speed edge locks or rails where we were moving laterally to engage the edge, yet had little control to adjust the arc. Moving forward and laterally, you are now in a position to adjust the arc if needed with both feet. Feeling contact against the tongues of both boots at all time is a good reference if you are forward enough with each half of your body. There will be more of this reinforced on day two.

The theme of being able to engage the arc, at all times, with both skis is a short redefinition of balance: as having the ability to have a positive, selective, affect, on any skill, with either leg, while still turning. Being able to engage the arc and not just the edge had a lasting affect during the two days. For you can only engage the arc when you are in good balance. It is important to understand the differences between engaging the arc and engaging the edge before you move on.

Most of the above uphill christy tasks were focusing on our stance at the bottom half of our turns. Shawn now wanted to take a piece of our stance and start working on the upper shape (half) of our turns. We get (need) strength and discipline from our upper body. We were to do “bracquage” turns, or linked sideslips in the fall line.

Shawn asked us to: 1) get a good lateral slide slip going, 2) turn both feet simultaneously, not sequentially and 3) use a pole activity that would help the future turn, not the past turn.

During the sideslip, we were to take our entire upper body and face down the fall line. To release the edges by moving the hips, shoulders and arm up and forward: “Move the hips up and between our hands,” he asked to direct this forward movement.

To help us with our upper body positioning, Shawn had us standing on the side of a slope, with our upper body facing to the side of the slope, equal to where out ski tips were facing. He then asked us to twist our upper body and face down the fall line and to try it two ways. The first was to pull the downhill (outside) hip and shoulder back to get into this countered stance. The next was to push the uphill (inside) hip and shoulder ahead to get our counter. “Which did you like?” The group declared that pushing the inside half ahead, got us forward and felt strong. Pulling the outside half back placed us in the back seat and felt weaker.

Shawn went on to state that you want a stance with the upper body that is strong enough for the feet to turn against. Pushing the uphill (inside) half-ahead gets the (strong) body ahead of the feet.

We continued to link the pivot slips with our pole swing. Then we added some shaping. Shawn was looking to see if we continued the same pole swing from the linked slips to the more rounded turns. Most changed the pole swing during the first attempt. In the linked slips, most swung the pole basket down the fall line as they extended and steered the skis to the fall line. When they rounded the turn, many in the group swung the basket towards their ski tips, towards the side of the hill. Their upper body was getting too relaxed and began to follow the ski tips.

Shawn talked about wanting us to release (direct) our upper body to the new turn (counter), verses releasing (directing) the upper body and angles to the old turn (rotate). When you rotate or swing the basket to the tips of the skis, you release the energy stored in the upper body to the old turn and the new turn is slow to develop. He asked us to not release the shoulders to the direction the ski tips are pointing; the old turn. Rather release the ski tips to the direction the upper body (counter) is facing; the new turn. This relates to developing counter and keeping a strong inside half of the upper body.

In the linked side slips or our rounded parallel turns, if we were moving into the future turn, we would release the ski tips to the (countered) upper body. If we were moving in the past turn, we would release our upper body to the direction our skis were pointing (across the slope). Pole basket swinging into the fall-line (future) or swinging towards the ski tips (past). We would revisit this again on day two.

We finished with a static exercise on the flats before some free runs to shake it out and enjoy some of our new sensations. Stand facing forward with the tips of the skis. Then walk the tips of the skis around to one side and continue to face the upper body forward to the original direction. Feel the twisting of the upper body along the back. That is the sensation of a strong inside half of the body when countered. “Try not to forget it; ski it.”

The groups’ skiing was definitely strong and energized. Day two would cement our learning.

The second day will be detailed in our next issue of the Center Line, in an article titled “MAKING “THE MOVE””. You may want to clip this article and review it when the next newsletter article arrives. Day two built on day one, the review will start you out at the best place to get the most out of day two. Day one helped prepare us for “the move”. On day two, some of us would actually make “the move”.

Attendance at the Mini-Academy is always limited to those lucky few who sign up well in advance. We hope to see you there in 98. Signing up well before Christmas allows us to add another coach and allows all that want to participate a spot. Signing up later leaves a waiting list and disappointment for some.

1997 PSIA-C MINI-ACADEMY REPORT
Part Two:
MAKING “THE MOVE”

This article details the second day of PSIA-C’s Mini-Academy with Shawn Smith. Shawn reviewed his definition of balance: as having the ability to have a positive, selective, affect, on any skill, with either leg, while still turning. He also reviewed the six ingredients he was covering during the two days. Those six ingredients are:
1. Stance and balance. He uses these terms somewhat interchangeably, relating your stance as your display of your balance.
2. Being able to perform edge release and edge engagement out of one (connected) movement.
3. Developing counter verses a counter move.
4. The concept of weight redistribution rather than weight transfer.
5. Maintaining a strong inside half of our body while turning.
6. Maintaining upper body discipline and pole use.
Though he separated the six ingredients to identify the highlights of his presentation, they overlapped consistently.

You are encouraged to reread the previous article, “PREPARING FOR “THE MOVE””, highlighting day one of the Mini-Academy in the last issue of the Central Line. That refamiliarization will increase your understanding of this article, for the two days built on each other.
Shawn feels that open parallel is really the foundation of the American Teaching System (ATS). We bring skiers up to it and they evolve from it. It is a goal of skiing for many of the general public. It is easily recognizable and elegant. Open parallel shows all the skills and components of ATS. The typical diagram that shows the progression from wedge turn, to wedge christy, to open parallel, to dynamic parallel; shows equal spacing between the evolving turns. This can lead the observer to imply that there is equal time and equal skill ability to jump between the different levels.
Shawn feels that the skill ability and time spent from wedge turn, to wedge christys, to open parallel; are not that great. Yet the increased skill ability and time involved to advance from open parallel, to dynamic parallel, is significantly greater. We would spend a lot of time working on the components of open parallel. That’s what we started on the first day and would continue on this, the second day.
After a few warm-up runs, we revisited a similar task that we did on the previous day. Standing with weight equally distributed on both feet, we started straight down the fall-line, then did a complete narrowly arced (not edged locked) uphill christy, until we came to a stop, facing straight up the hill. When you finished, check your stance as you stand up at the finish. If your were able to keep your hips moving forward/ahead through arc, as you turned up hill; you were able to simply stand straight up at the finish with a single movement. If you did not keep this continual forward effort with your hips, they were behind your feet at the finish. Then in order to stand up, when you were facing up the hill, you first had to make a deliberate forward move; then stand up. Two moves or one?
If you were able to just stand up at the end, you were continuing to move forward while turning and did not have to do it as a separate movement at the end. This end is much like the finish of our turns. Do we release our edges and engage the next ones with one continuous and connected movement, or do we do this with several disconnected movements?
We were now going to work on the concept of weight redistribution. We did some high speed parallel rails, leaving two equal parallel tracks, with both skis, in the snow. With some, the inside ski’s track was flat or skidded. This was often due to having the inside ski too far ahead. These skiers were asked to bring the inside ski back a bit to get it underneath the body, so they were able to adjust and engage its edge. Remember the definition of being in balance and being able to make adjustments. There was still a tip lead, but it was reduced.
We are too used to being locked on to the outside edge—on it, but unable to adjust its arc. We were reminded of the previous day’s efforts to engage the arc verses engaging the edge.
Weight transfer is often thought and taught as a total foot-to-foot transfer of your weight. Having your weight equal between your feet can be thought of as being at one end of the spectrum, with (total) weight transfer as being at the other end of the spectrum. Weight redistribution might be thought as being somewhere between these extremes.
To help us see the value of weight redistribution, we repeated the parallel, equally tracked rails. From a straight run, with weight being equally distributed between both feet, start your rails and go from equal distribution to dominant weight distribution, back to equal and then to dominant, as you changes edges and the direction of your rails. But never total weight transfer. Always leave two parallel tracks in the snow with both skis.
The key to this is in how quickly the change to dominance develops. If you pick up the inside ski, you did a weight transfer. Keep the inside ski connected to the snow and on edge, leaving a railed mark, you did a weight redistribution.
I asked Shawn to comment on when he feels he is performing at his highest skiing level; whether he is in a race course or free skiing on very hard snow, does he try to avoid a weight transfer (total weight to the outside ski)? He replied that he feels he is performing at his highest level with weight redistribution, therefor the inside ski can always be subtly adjusted. It may be subtly weighted, directly under the inside half of his upper body and possibly with a slightly less tip lead than if there was a weight transfer.
Shawn asked the group if sometimes when we are skiing parallel turns, that the outside ski tracks forward on an edge lock? This can happen if we forget the second part of weight redistribution; the fore/aft component. We have to redistribute our weight forward as well as side-to-side, to engage the tips without railing the outside ski straight. There are two components of weight redistribution: the lateral component and the fore/aft component.
Returning to the parallel rails, he asked us to “Walk the body forward and to the inside of the ski tips.” It’s not a large move, to move forward and laterally, to feel the tips engage in the rails. He asked us to feel the tips engage, “Both tips!”
Next, we were asked to bring the rails around, well out of the fall line. To feel both tips engage with the rails as you make “the move”. Move far enough forward, to release both edges from the past turn and engage both edges of the new turn, with one movement, forward and laterally.
We were reminded to keep the upper body disciplined, not too relaxed and shoulders level with the slope. He asked us to avoid the upper body “counter move” at the start of the turn. Shawn wanted us to ski into the countered position, not to add any extra counter by facing the upper body to the outside of the turn, at the turn entry.
As an aside, I asked Shawn to comment a bit more on this counter move, for it appeared that many of the world cup racers were using it several years ago and it is still seen in GS by some. He mentioned that many of the national teams have abandoned it for now, this early countering of the upper body to the outside of the turn at the entry phase. It does not appear to result in a fast turn with today’s equipment and present abilities. Maybe it will return at a later time, if the courses are set differently or as equipment evolves.
While the upper body is making this counter move, there is nothing stable for the feet to turn against, until the upper body stops the counter move. With a strong upper body facing forward, down the fall line, there is a stable upper body for the feet to turn against it. This appears to result in a faster time through the course.
He asked us to remember the mambo. The feet do not really start to turn until the upper body twisting is stopped and blocked at its twisted limit. That is when there is a stable upper body for the feet to change direction against, when its motion is stopped, not while it is actively twisting.
Let’s get back to our skiing. Remember making “the move” in the rails—to release both edges and engage both tips. One movement to release and engage. One weight redistribution forward and lateral movement. We were asked to now do this in open stance parallel with a pole swing. Feel yourself move forward to release both edges and engage both tips with one connected movement; skis feet upper body and pole swing. Shall I repeat it again? This is “the move”.
Shawn directed his movement analysis towards watching both feet and ski tips. Did they both release and steer together from turn to turn; or did the inside ski lift up and move closer to the outside ski, to get it under the body at the transition from turn to turn? This lifted, or change in open stance width of the inside ski, relates to releasing the edges and engaging the tips with several unconnected movements. With one more efficient movement, “the move”, the inside ski is not lifted, nor is the width of the wide track varied at the turn initiation. This was also covered on day one.
Haven’t we all seen or experienced a turn where the wide track develops wider at the control and finish of the turn, only to have the new inside ski lift or drift towards the new outside ski at the turn initiation and entry? One connected, forward/lateral movement, to release and engage the edges; or several unconnected, up, maybe even up and back, lateral and forward movements. I have a hunch that many of the education staff will be keenly watching for this, since it is so easily obvious. The key is watching what happens with the inside ski, its tip and its movement at the turn transition.
Returning to the parallel turns, go from equal weight to dominant weight, equal weight to dominant weight… as the linking turns develop. Don’t use the pole. He wants well connected turns; turns that are very tip active verses tail active. With tip active turns, the tips engage the arc and the entire ski follows the tip through the arc. With tail active turns, the tail pushes to the outside of the arc and does not follow the tip through the arc. Tip active turns are characteristic of one movement to release and engage the edges through the tips— the forward/lateral movement.
Now add a pole swing that will compliment “the move”. We had to revisit the linked parallel pivot slips from the previous day to do this. We were to create movement patterns to turn both feet at the same time (simultaneous leg action) with a pole swing that moves us into the future turn. He wanted us to turn both tips under a stable upper body as you linked the parallel slips. Keep the upper body disciplined and stable, for the feet to turn against in the parallel slips. There was to be no christying out of the fall-line. We were to stay in a narrow corridor with the upper body disciplined, stable and always facing down the hill as the ski simultaneously turned against the upper body. The pole basket begins to swing forward as the extension and the steering of the tips, to the new slip, develops. The forward movement of the basked generally last as long as the extension phase develops, it touches somewhere near when the tips are directly in the fall-line.
Shawn offered a few tips to accomplish this easier. Most of us were rising and only steering the tips to the fall-line during the rising motion. We would then complete the steering of the skis across the fall-line to the slipping phase as we flexed. He suggested we try to steer the skis all the way around (180 degrees), while we were moving to get tall and then only flex to accentuate the drift (slip). What a powerful and controlled feeling this gave us. It was significantly easier to be more tip active and we were able to steer both tips simultaneously, completely across from one side to the other with this activity. The flexing then only accentuated the finishing drift.
He then advised us that when we settle (flex), to settle against the front (tongues) of both boots, not the backs of both boots. And when we extended to steer both tips around, to stay connected against the tongues of both boots. Swinging the basket of the pole closer to the snow allowed some to stay against the tongues of both boots easier during the extension. When the basket is raised up away from the snow, the extension is often too vertical and not enough forward and lateral. This results in loosing connection to the tongues of both boots. You loose “the move”, to release and engage both edges with one connected movement.
Next we were to add shape to the pivot with a pole swing to the new turn. We were to settle into the boot tongues to accentuate the shape. A bit more to the inside corners of the tongues to further accentuate the shape and carve.
For the last two days, Shawn felt he was talking about the ingredients that make a good open stance parallel turn on any terrain. If we are accurate at the upper half of the turn, the bottom half will take care of itself. Most of what we did focused on the turn entry. He felt he coached us by taking a few exercises and doing them (exercises) differently verses doing a lot of different exercises.
His six ingredients were at times isolated to affect our learning, yet they are integrated thoroughly with each other.
1. Stance and balance.
2. Being able to perform edge release and edge engagement out of one (connected) movement.
3. Developing counter verses a counter move.
4. The concept of weight redistribution rather than weight transfer.
5. Maintaining a strong inside half of our body while turning.
6. Maintaining upper body discipline and pole use.
For me, “the move” summarized the efficient, integrated blending of all of the six ingredients. All of the ingredients help me to make “the move”.

By now, if you haven’t gotten what “the move” is, I’ll try to summarize. It’s being able to perform edge release and edge engagement out of one (connected) movement. That movement is a forward/lateral weight redistribution from turn to turn. Maintaining upper body discipline and pole use helps us develop counter. Maintaining a strong inside half of our body while turning helps us maintain the counter and maintain the forward/lateral weight redistribution. All of this can only happen if our stance and balance is more forward for the majority of us. For that is where we began on day one, with developing a more forward, future orientated stance and balance.

I hope this article was not too confusing. I still find it a challenge to describe in words, accurately what we did while skiing.

Attendance at the Mini-Academy is always limited to those lucky few who sign up well in advance. We hope to see you there in 98. Signing up well before Christmas allows us to add another coach and allows all that want to participate a spot. Signing up later leaves a waiting list and disappointment for some.