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Old May 27th 04, 04:58 PM
foot2foot
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Default Time Machine, 1930's -The Pure Stem


"Kneale Brownson" wrote in message

The subject line doesn't tell me whether it's YOUR version of
teachings from the 1930s or exact explanations from someone who was
there in the 1930s, Foot. So I have to assume from what you add that
it's your interpretation of your understanding of what someone else
wrote out with more understanding.


As usual, you assume/invent a lot.

There's no way you maintain equal weighting on skis unequally
displaced with regard to the fall line. If one ski is pointing
straight down the fall line and the other is placed at an angle to
that and you stand on them equally, the one pointing down the fall
line will travel faster.



Hmm, sounds like the PSIA wedge to me, "flatten the inside ski"....

But, just to re-emphasize, *it's from the 1930's Kneale*.

A "braking wedge" implies equal displacement from a midline.


Ah, I dunno. You have an interesting point about the ski straight
down the hill. This PSIA wedge thing is just nonsense.

Direct quote:

"Slide the intended outside ski, which is now unweighted, uphill
to the widest possible stemming angle. Keep the knees as close
together as possible and press the heels firmly outwards.

As you begin to turn downhill gradually bring the inside shoulder
backwards and upwards and the outside shoulder forwards and
downwards. At the moment when you are facing straight downhill
your shoulders should be square to the slope and level with each
other, so that your weight is borne equally by both feet, your skis
should not, as is generally supposed, be in the snow-plough
position but with your inside ski pointing straight down the slope
and your oustide ski at an angle with it.

As you begin to face the opposite direction you must bring your
outside shoulder forward and down and your inside shoulder
backwards and upwards, this will automatically transfer most
of your weight ;to the outside foot. You are thus preparing to
resume the normal traversing position."

Like I said Kneale, ask him.

I'm not angry about anything related to skiing. I AM mad about
skiing, though :~).


Oh.

Unlike the Lunns, I have no great favor for
turning the joys of skiing into competitive activies. Your beginners
might get down the hill faster,


They learn faster. I'm glad you admit it, but Kneale if you
take longer than necessary to teach someone how to ski
just so you can get more lessons out of them, you're doing
nothing better than stealing from them.

especially if they always point one
ski down the fall line.


More nonsense. It's from the 1930's Kneale.

But they won't have any more fun than my
beginners.


Yes they will, they'll be able to ski. You are the perfect
example of the use of the "just make sure they have fun"
line to justify ineffective, egotistical, self serving, antiquated
teaching methods and goals.

By the way, Foot, how many beginners have you taught?


In the thousands. Not as many as you. In fact you may well
be underestimating your total.

Since I started teaching skiing in 1970, I've probably averaged a
beginner lesson a day (anywhere from four to 12 students) for half of
my average 100 days a season skiing. Maybe 10,000 beginners over my
career?


Well, you've certainly made a mess of them. By the end of
that period of time, around 80 to 90 percent of the people
who took a ski lesson never returned to the mountain. This,
using exactly the system you advocate.

The interesting thing is, you can't deny, like others who to
use the older systems to teach skiing, that my students will
learn faster.

BTW, my "problems with the PSIA exams" are as follows:
I ski more like a racer than I do a PSIA instructor. I carve
instead of skid, and I crossover instead of flex and extend
'foreagonally". Also, I really suck in the bumps.

I have a lack of flexion and extension which permeates every
aspect of my skiing. I really need and want an up unweight and
I still don't quite have it. Can't deny it. In fact, the last exam I
took was, fun and informative.

One day though, I will have those issues solved and I will
learn whether or not this whole thing is just one big bunch of
BS or not. I already know, however, that the implementation
of the PSIA wedge as a task in the exams is without a doubt a
pure bunch of BS.




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