switch tele technique

[ben]

hey all

 

i havent posted very much here before, but this is to any new-school tele skiers out there that might see this... i have a quick question about switch technique.

 

so far, ive only been able to tele switch by alternating the shoulder that i look over as i transition between turns. this amounts to quite a bit of effort that i could be saving if i were able to look over one shoulder the whole time. obviously, though, because of the asymmetry of this, there are some balance issues that would come up in trying to do this (for instance, making a turn to the skiers right with your head over your left shoulder): in one turn your head would be to the outside of the turn (which is the way its worked for me so far) and in another your head would be to the inside (which is the problem).

 

does anyone here keep their head over one shoulder when riding switch (alpine or tele)? since i wont be able to work it out on the mountain for awhile, id appreciate any tips you could give me...

 

thanks

-ben

[AtomicSkier]

Ah, so you finally posted?

 

I didn't get to see you that one night on your tele's, but I've heard from people about a guy going "switch on tele's on Asp"

 

as for the advice? Sorry, you know what I'm good at, and it's definatly not that

[Glenn]

The only swith tele work I have seen they look over both shoulders alternating. I'm a snowboarder, so I don't have any first hand experience.

[ben]

haha yea... that was sick, laying out those arcs on cliff that day. dennis got a nice shot for your signature. well do it again next season.

 

ben

[Justo8484]

the best way on alpine skis is what you already do, look over your outside shoulder through a turn. i couldnt really tell you if thats the best way on teles or not, but i would assume so.

[insomniac]

Yeah, If I'm trying to carve switch (which im not the greatest at yet) I have to look over my outside shoulder. Usually If im just riding though Ill look over my right, just because thats whats I'm used to. All the pros I've seen alternate their outside shoulders, but thats on alpine. I'd imagine thats what you have to do though.

[ben]

sweet guys, thanks. it does feel natural to alternate shoulders, but well see if we can work out a way to do it over just one on the hill next year. see you then...

 

ben

[insomniac]

Trust me, it's going to be harder over one shoulder. I can't imagine it would be different with tele and alpine, and I know with alpine it has never worked out well for me to just look over one shoulder. Don't start out with a bad habit.

 

 

Edit: This post wasn't meant to sound cocky or snooty or assholeish or anything like that. Sorry if it does sound that way.

Edited June 2, 2005 by insomniac

[ben]

Nah its cool, dont worry about it....

 

Ive seen one other guy tele switch since i started, and im pretty sure that he was keeping his head over one shoulder. I thought about him after id seen him and didnt know how he kept his balance on the turn where his head was looking to the inside. He was pretty sick, though... I also saw him throwing backflips off of natural features under the chair.

 

Id definitely tell someone starting out to switch shoulders as its easier and more natural this way, especially at first. But im looking to make the turns cleaner... its alot shittier to have to throw my whole upper body one way and the other between turns than it would be if i could keep it in one place, like we should do when were skiing forwards.

 

Tele lets you get down deeper in a more solid stance than alpine - especially for switch - so even though it might be hard to ski this way on alpines, i think it might be manageable on teles. The only way to know is to give it a shot.

 

ben

[zaldon]

well im a snowboarder and i sometimes ride with a forward stance and when i go switch i look under my right arm.

[Teleblat]

Ben, or should I call you Dr. Ben,,,

 

You have definitely soaked up all available knowledge from the local spirits of Tele and are forging into unique territory.

 

There are a few options. Get dizzy moving your head from side to side, keep looking back from one side in which case one of the turns will suffer for a while until you get the hang of the deal, or simply feel the terrain & don't turn your head.

 

I guess there is another option, I see that a number of the Ski Patrol snowmobiles are missing a rear view morror or two. Perhaps there may be one that has not been groomed into the hill. You may be able to mount it to a shoulder brace over your head & look up. Of course with this approach right will be left & so on,,, I think.

 

Another approach is a per

[ColoradoHigh]

Ben, or should I call you Dr. Ben,,,

 

You have definitely soaked up all available knowledge from the local spirits of Tele and are forging into unique territory.

 

There are a few options. Get dizzy moving your head from side to side, keep looking back from one side in which case one of the turns will suffer for a while until you get the hang of the deal, or simply feel the terrain & don't turn your head.

 

I guess there is another option, I see that a number of the Ski Patrol snowmobiles are missing a rear view morror or two. Perhaps there may be one that has not been groomed into the hill. You may be able to mount it to a shoulder brace over your head & look up. Of course with this approach right will be left & so on,,, I think.

 

Another approach is a per

[Teleblat]

CURRECTAMUNDO: So, it really does not matter how old the thread is, I guess that is one of the hazards of being new to the forum.

 

As for Danger Keep banging your head against the wall. This forum is about progress, not useless degredation.

 

Although I have not been an active contributor to this lovely forum for long, I thought I'd check it out & see what the rub is.

 

I took up Tele about 22 years ago on a trip to BC because it leveled the field when I was skiing with less expereinced alper's, the standing around & waiting each run & their dedication to groomed terrain was killing me. Tele made a small mountain big again & I quickly appreciated a successful Tele turn although at first they were far and few. Having lived through leather boot Tele & skinny ski's with mega camber that tossed you like a bubber band there is much to be said about the emerging techniques made possible by modern Tele gear and twin tips. I can't recall how long ago I tossed the Alpine gear & dedicated the rest of my days to tele, but it was about a dozen years. I guess I have now dated myself, so it is 1/2 tongue in cheek that I wrote the response to Ben.

 

A little humor sprinkled in on the forum is to be enjoyed. Me thinks that some of the folks on this forum have an ax to grind or grenades to toss no matter what is said or done.

 

Free Heel is an art to be applied & explored on the trail, or in the park. Let the games begin with Ben Mark, Will & the few who have chosen to innovate & stylize via Tele.

 

If anybody out there is up for giving it a try, let one of us know. We may not lead you to the 1/2 pipe the first day on Tele gear, but we can get you gelling some turns in no time. That is after you take a few spills.

 

As for Danger: I hear both McDonalds and KFC in Stroudsburg are hiring.

[method9455]

I've had people from out west tell me that it is impossible for people to tele without powder. I wish I had a picture, not only do we have guys doing tele, but doing it switch. Thats why east coast skiers/riders are better, we are given nothing to work with and suck every last piece of fun and challenge we can out of it. Even after I move out west I'll never be a snow-snob.

 

I could see trying tele out, I hear its an insane workout too. Can you use them like cross country skis? I was thinking for backcountry access type stuff, or do they just look that way with the free heel? My impression was that it was like a more durable cross country binding slapped on an alpine ski and I wasn't sure how that worked out but I've seen some people who were really good at it so I believe it works.

[Teleblat]

I have wanted to do tele fest at Mad River Glen, but never have enough vacation time that time of year.

 

With the modern Tele gear an Alp skier can ski Alp turns immediately on Tele gear. The first few days there will be a few frightful moments getting used to the free heel.

 

tele on groom is easier than Tele in Powder. In fact Tele in Pow-Pow is 5X the challenge.

 

The best analogy for Tele turns on groom is "Walking down steps" The first thing people find is that one side's turn comes easier than the other. Off the bat it improves your Alp stanse & can clean up a bad habit you may not know you had.

 

It is a great workout & most people find that it takes a while to last all day unless you are reverting to Alp turns.

 

This subject probably deserves a new thread.

[ColoradoHigh]

so..he's contributing..

 

 

Doug, you say the same exact thing in another year old thread.

 

As for Danger: I hear both McDonalds and KFC in Stroudsburg are hiring.

 

 

What does that have to do with anything?

 

 

Welcome to PASR though.

[CaptDave]

Always neat to see the snow genuflectors do their thing.

[ski911]

I just started tele'ing last season and man, I can tell you, it is one hell of a workout! Next time you are walking down a hill, do one legged lunges all the way down. It burns. It really doesn't take long to pick it up if you are a strong alpine skier. The hardest thing is the endurance part. It definetly makes the mountain seem bigger.