Telemark Technique

[Harry M]

Okay, well I found a video of one on the techniques that I used. It is so critical for steeps and bumps. You roll from the inside edges to the outside edges before the lead change. It's so fast. I don't consider it getting "weight on the rear foot" before you cross the fall line. It's more rolling onto the outside edge as you're finishing one turn in order to initiate the next turn. There's no stepping forward. Once you've rolled onto the outside edge and entered the next turn, you pull the forward foot back. Lightning-fast lead changes.

You carve the entire way through the turn, no skidding, no jumping up and unweighting to switch leads. The write-up in the video even calls it "stepping back into the turn."

Starting at 5:08 was the way I skied tele.
I learned this from a woman instructor at Santa Fe back about 30 years ago.

[Harry M]

In order to learn how to transition to the outside edge, and ski on the outside edge, you practice this:

[Harry M]

Is this old information?

[Montana St Alum]

Is this old information?

It may have been proposed some time ago, but I think it is current as a technique. Dostie seems pretty "tuned in" on this sort of stuff, and this only came out 2 years ago.

[Harry M]

It may have been proposed some time ago, but I think it is current as a technique. Dostie seems pretty "tuned in" on this sort of stuff, and this only came out 2 years ago.

Interesting. I learned this technique during the 1993-1994 season, and have been skiing this way ever since. I have a lot more to say about it, if there is any interest.

[Montana St Alum]

It may have been proposed some time ago, but I think it is current as a technique. Dostie seems pretty "tuned in" on this sort of stuff, and this only came out 2 years ago.

Interesting. I learned this technique during the 1993-1994 season, and have been skiing this way ever since. I have a lot more to say about it, if there is any interest.

I'd be interested. This last summer I had a medical event/condition/curse that would make it hard for me to usefully try it. Sadly!
I expect there would be interest from others as well.

[Harry M]

I'd be interested. This last summer I had a medical event/condition/curse that would make it hard for me to usefully try it. Sadly!

Sorry! I ran too many trail ultras back in the day, and recently had a knee replacement. The surgery didn't end well, and I am toast now. So I feel for ya.

So I'll tell you what my instructor taught me.

First, you gotta be in the driver's seat, not the back seat. Pelvis forward. To learn what I mean by "pelvis forward," start downhill on a gentle slope and shuffle your feet. Turn left and right, shuffling the entire way through the turns.

If you're in the back seat, you won't be able to shuffle through the turn. You'll get stuck and have to wedge or snowplow through the turn. Then you'll be able to start shuffling again once you're through the turn. The steeper the slope, the more this effect is exaggerated. If your pelvis is forward, then you'll be able to shuffle all the way through the turns. Think "pelvis thrust."

The second step is learning to transition to the outside edge and ski on the "outside edge."

What do I mean "outside edge?" Just to define terms, think of this: You're in a tele turn to the right. Your right edges are the "inside edges" and your left edges are the "outside edges."

Practice this technique [Exercise - No Lead Change] to learn to roll onto and turn on the "outside edges." Obviously when you roll into the "outside edges" they become the "inside edges," so the wording can get confusing. But if you watch this video you 'll get the idea. Practice until you're very comfortable with rolling from edge to edge while keeping the same ski forward. Remember to carve on the "outside edges" and not skid.



The third step is learning how to transition from one turn to the next.

When you're finishing a turn and you're getting ready to start the next turn, roll onto the "outside edges" and initiate a turn in the new direction -- on the outside edges (which then become the inside edges). As soon as you approach the fall line (or when ever it feels right to you), pull your forward ski back. This is a lightning-fast lead change.

Pass down and across the fall line, then immediately start a turn the other way. Your goal is to stay in the fall line, instead of doing the typical tele traverse perpendicular to the fall line.

You should stay in contact with the slope and carve your way down the fall line, riding on your edges. No need for jumping up, exaggerated unweighting, skidding your rear ski, or any other bull.

So.... how do you control your speed if you're barreling down the fall line?

Pole plants and knee/body position.

There is point in the turn, right before you roll onto your outside edges, when you have the opportunity to throw in an extra tilt on your inside edges. Kinda like a dynamic hockey stop brake. To do this, roll your knees slightly uphill for a second and get yourself more on edge, slow down, and then roll onto the outside edges.

I also use my pole plant to assist in this maneuver. The pole plant is the period at the end of sentence, announcing "I'm done with this turn." Convention says that you keep your shoulders square to the fall line, and that's good advice, but I reach across my body slightly with my outside arm to wind up my body slightly in getting more on edge. Shoulders stay square down the fall line. Then I "open up" (throw that outside arm out to the outside) and plant my pole. The pole plant signals the roll onto the outside edges.

[fisheater]

Interesting Harry, it seems like something to experiment with between rides on the chair. I have plenty to clean up!

[Montana St Alum]

I'd be interested. This last summer I had a medical event/condition/curse that would make it hard for me to usefully try it. Sadly!

Sorry! I ran too many trail ultras back in the day, and recently had a knee replacement. The surgery didn't end well, and I am toast now. So I feel for ya.

So I'll tell you what my instructor taught me.

First, you gotta be in the driver's seat, not the back seat. Pelvis forward. To learn what I mean by "pelvis forward," start downhill on a gentle slope and shuffle your feet. Turn left and right, shuffling the entire way through the turns.

If you're in the back seat, you won't be able to shuffle through the turn. You'll get stuck and have to wedge or snowplow through the turn. Then you'll be able to start shuffling again once you're through the turn. The steeper the slope, the more this effect is exaggerated. If your pelvis is forward, then you'll be able to shuffle all the way through the turns. Think "pelvis thrust."

The second step is learning to transition to the outside edge and ski on the "outside edge."

What do I mean "outside edge?" Just to define terms, think of this: You're in a tele turn to the right. Your right edges are the "inside edges" and your left edges are the "outside edges."

Practice this technique [Exercise - No Lead Change] to learn to roll onto and turn on the "outside edges." Obviously when you roll into the "outside edges" they become the "inside edges," so the wording can get confusing. But if you watch this video you 'll get the idea. Practice until you're very comfortable with rolling from edge to edge while keeping the same ski forward.



The third step is learning how to transition from one turn to the next.

When you're finishing a turn and you're getting ready to start the next turn, roll onto the "outside edges" and initiate a turn in the new direction -- on the outside edges (which then become the inside edges). As soon as you approach the fall line (or when ever it feels right to you), pull your forward ski back.

Pass down and cross the fall line, then immediately start a turn the other way. Your goal is to stay in the fall line, instead of doing the typical tele traverse perpendicular to the fall line.

You should stay in contact with the slope and carve your way down the fall line, riding on your edges. No need for jumping up, exaggerated unweighting, skidding your rear ski, or any other bull.

So.... how do you control your speed if you're barreling down the fall line?

Pole plants and knee/body position.

There is point in the turn, right before you roll onto your outside edges, when you have the opportunity to throw in an extra tilt on your inside edges. Kinda like a dynamic hockey stop brake. To do this, roll your knees slightly uphill for a second and get yourself more on edge, slow down, and then roll onto the outside edges.

I also use my pole plant to assist in this maneuver. The pole plant is the period at the end of sentence, announcing "I'm done with this turn." Convention says that you keep your shoulders square to the fall line, and that's good advice, but I reach across my body slightly with my outside arm to wind up my body slightly in getting more on edge. Shoulders stay square down the fall line. Then I "open up" (throw that outside arm out to the outside) and plant my pole. The pole plant signals the roll onto the outside edges.

Yep. Don't get in the backseat and the pole plant is king.
Sorry about your status. I developed an autoimmune condition that has attacked and degraded my vision. Can't drive, but I've been out 7 days skiing so far this year.
Because of the loss of vision, my depth perception is off. The result is that I'm getting intimidated in easy bumps and allowing myself to get into the back - well - trunk! But my pole plant remains unaffected! I just love getting old! I get to learn how to ski. Again!

[Krummholz]

@Montana St Alum

Bumps? Wasn’t it lift your toes to keep you from sitting. Or was it to keep your shin against your boots? I hated bumps to many things to remember at the same time. Worse than big toe, little toe and holdng a beach ball or an orange.
L
O
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Give me a 2 mile run, and a pair of 200+ GS skis on a Wednesday.