Telemark Lessons- the seven flaws part 1

[@averyc5827]

I am a snowboarder it’s 2:47 am, this video was released 5 years ago, and I’m here watching this for some reason.

[@Absolutetelemark]

Avery Cordova thanks it’s never too late... to start tele

[@mrsmartypants_1]

Avery Cordova: I’m a dedicated extremely good alpine downhill skier. I love speed, moguls, deep pow and the power and grace I can apply to my craft. I’ll never be good at telemarking due to my first love but there is something really cool about it. Linking fine S shaped turns down a slope with about 3” of pow on top of smooth hardpack (the easiest and only snow conditions I’m at all competent in) is a feeling of extreme pleasure. Probably like hitting that perfect glassy wave surfing at a beautiful break on a drop dead gorgeous sunny day - an hour before sunset. In tow with a gorgeous lithe athletic bikini girl plying her trade on the wave in front of you. Ha ha. ‘Tis true.

[@MrFg1980]

Because Telemark is the purest form of travel over snow... You're home.

[@explorermike19]

I still Telemark with leather lace-up boots and three-pin bindings on true skinny skis. Balance and technique are absolutely critical. Old-school gear will not assist much in Telemark turning. So, this video is very helpful.

[@Absolutetelemark]

Thanks for sharing!

[@jeffpettus5264]

Can't wait for parts 2-7. I've been trying to get this right for 40 years. I'm better in the back country than at ski areas.If fact I thing area skiing sets me back, it's just to easy to slip your turns on hard snow.

[@telestix6606]

Great video, I have been teleing for 20 years and this is amazing, I have known for a long time that driving my front knee was the key but this really explained why. I look forward to working on this and see the other parts

[@evaodland7349]

amazing historical footage of early free heel alpine skiing...

[@mattweston1994]

I've never done telemark skiing before but this semester I'll get to try it with a school program, hopefully I can remember your advice when I go, this seems really helpful.

[@Absolutetelemark]

Great, Enjoy the journey!!!

[@explorermike19]

Super! Thank you for posting these tips for better Telemark turns!

[@Absolutetelemark]

My pleasure! That for the kind words

[@Beli4l]

great skiing, great explanation. keep up the good work!

[@christopherphillipskeates3379]

every time i watch this video rene it is unbeleivable what you have created ..thanks

[@PeteGiuliani]

You are on the right track with recommending skiers use a scissoring movement to create lead change. Regardless of whether a skier pulls the lead foot back, slides the trailing foot forward, or uses a scissoring of the feet to create lead change, what really matters is 1) that the feet move through successive lead changes in a progressive , flowing, rhythmic manner and 2) that the skier is in dynamic (energetic), stacked balance when the feet pass each other. Which lead change movement a skier uses is based on the skier's intention, the terrain, and the snow conditions. Great skiing allows a skier to use a variety of techniques to accomplish the task at hand including retracting the lead ski, extending the trailing ski, and scissoring the feet to create lead change. All are valid approaches, so it's a disservice to skiers to teach them that they should not use one particular movement. Better to focus on the positive movements that great skiers use than focus on the perceived "flaws" of less experienced skiers.

[@Absolutetelemark]

+PeteGiuliani Great comment. Thanks What are the positive movement you would recommand? Cheers

[@PeteGiuliani]

Thanks for asking. Try stepping, shuffling, hopping, gliding in various conditions and terrain. Learn the fundamentals of classic xc and skate, then apply them to the telemark turn , i.e. striding, retraction or scissoring initiation. Experiment with different turn shapes, sizes and intensities and encourage progressive guided movements, but also teach to the extremes such as stem telemarks, all to develop versatility... facebook.com/Pete-Giuliani-Telemark-and-Alpine-Ski-Coach-1533176226907468/

[@timcoleman9820]

I just love watching good skiers and trying to think what I do in that situation. I've definitely become more proficient and confident as I now can attack broken crud and mogully terrain. I think its because I'm a lot fitter, a lot more balanced and relaxed as I read the terrain. I've still got a long way to go but enjoying the learning curve.

[@andywithers592]

Spooky. Published on my birthday which was the first time I tried telemarking.... Had some lessons... loved it. Just about to buy some NTN tele gear. Hopefully it snows soon here in Switzerland. Thanks for an instructive video.

[@Absolutetelemark]

+andy withers That's is so cool Keep It up

[@erikbeier9515]

Des bons conseilles. Bon choix de filmer dans au Massif c'est la plus belles montagne dans l'Est!

[@madorlando]

Nice video Rene thank you, liked & subscribed!

[@Absolutetelemark]

Thanks

[@prefontainesi]

Merci beaucoup pour le bon clip. Great skiing. René, have you tried NTN bindings? I need new equipment, and am considering NTN, but have never tried it.... I ski a similar style as you in the moguls, I get low, I am responsive and quick skier... do you, or anyone else know if NTN allows for this style?? Thank you.

[@christopherphillipskeates1263]

thats why i speed up and had to stop telemarking and go back to downhill but now your video has chalenged me to do it again but as your say no back foot .. skeatesy

[@Absolutetelemark]

+christopher phillip skeates This is awesome. Telemark is a feeling. Once you're hooked, it's hard to go back

[@mrsmartypants_1]

Excellent. Thank you.

[@johnbrewer7221]

Great stuff! When is the next tutorial???

[@Absolutetelemark]

Thanks. Next season!!!

[@CruiserlifestyleBlogspot]

Great video Rene, I always learn something watching your videos. It looks like some of the demonstrations have the lead change taking place before coming across the fall line. I have always tried to come across the fall line before lead changing. Delayed lead changing is a great drill for this. For me, thinking moving the front ski back seems to result in a quicker lead change in the bumps, but I'm going to use your technique next time I'm out.

[@Absolutetelemark]

This timing depends on speed and/or terrain. I will almost always make the lead change before the fall line.

[@mbrunnme]

Awesome video, great skiing, and great location (Le Massif?) Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Longer more comprehensive videos are awesome for those of us who want to learn by being more analytical of our skiing. Thanks!

[@Absolutetelemark]

Yes at Le Massif, that's awesome You can check the other flaws by subscribing here: absolutetelemark.com/now

[@Johnnybarbs92]

Great video. Any more flaws? I'd love to see the rest of this series.

[@Absolutetelemark]

+John Barbadoro You can subscribe at absolutetelemark.com/now You will have a three part video where I present all the Flaws

[@christopherphillipskeates7652]

when rene starts to move your lead change forward foot forward its seems that traction between the two skis is ballanced ouit but at the same time trying to unlock the forward ski to slide forward without upsetting ballance so a careful mind set is stalking the event to take advantage when the forard foot looses traction to skate it forward with out the back foot slipping back ..skeatesy

[@christopherphillipskeates7652]

it seems you fall the way your falling to pick up the ballance again so if you fall out then lean out and fall ouit if you fall inward then lean in and fall inward to pick up the ballance again

[@christopherphillipskeates7652]

but to pick up the ballance again the scissor motion gets it reverseable eqilibrium where as the old telemak snow plow cant

[@christopherphillipskeates7652]

this is not a waiste of time learning patients to balance

[@nicolasstern7430]

Great lesson, thank you Rene! Where was it shot?

[@juliancousins]

Where is this shot please?

[@chrisskeates8816]

in tail dragger aircraft if your going to land front wheels first then dont change half way through and try to land on the tail wheel wait until there is no chance of the tail or wheels bouncing and the tail settles on the tarmac and only then pull right back on the stick and hold the tail down and if you wont to land tail wheel first hold the stick nearly all the way back and when there is no air speed and its definately stalling then pull the last bit of the stick back holding down the tail wheel until you stop so dont change either when your half way through so decide what and which way you want to do it and stick to it and practice doing one or the other but dont chance half way ... so if you want to use the old system of telemarking dont change to rene's new system half way through either drop the back foot and hold out until you stop leaveing a small bit let as you stop and settle right back on the back foot and stop as rene says it works but not as good as his split telemark so if your going to use renes system stick to it all the way and keep a little bit in reserve to get further forward on the front foot so you dont even think of useing the back foot just dont let even the slightest hint of the back foot come in so dont change half way through decide what your going to do te old systen and stick to it all ther way through or go fior the front foot and keep it there with a bit in reserve to get it further forward if your not totaly getting it to work but dont coward off and go back to the old system or disarster will come .. skeatesy 2018

[@chrisskeates8816]

when rene says he nearly lost it in the trees that was because he had no ability to increase the forward foot further forward left and so the back foot took over but his experience saved him so dont go into a tree section if your last bit of increaseing front foot ability is going to run out you have to have a bit in reserve for that last forward foot ability to get the last bit of forward balance over the tough section its all about how much you can keep in reserve ...skeatesy 2018

[@chrisskeates8816]

you should increase your limits but dont kid yourself as to where in reality your limits are while your increaseing them practice makes perfect ... skeatesy 2028

[@chrisskeates8816]

watching rene is poetry in motion ... skeatesy 2018

[@chrisskeates8816]

renes power full technique in getting the forward foot going forward is just unbelieveable unbelieveable thats where its at unbelieveable ability to get that forward foot going forward so powerful ...skeatesy 2018

[@chrisskeates8816]

when you did the tree run and nearly lost ballance there must be subtle differences in how your system works under difference amounts of ice and powder something we could only get to after many yesars of useing your system i know with ski racing i never went out of the gate faster than i was going to go through the last gate or else i was asking for disarster since i would be pretending how fit i was so may be confidence is a good measure of muscle fitness for the surface your skiing ... skeatesy 2018

[@christopherphillipskeates1263]

sorry to spam but you have revolutionised skiing .. down hill skiing is a lie about to be exterminated because it dose not give you any starting influence to get into a turn and since snow powing and the terlemarking we used to do are good beginners emergency turns we needed an entry point into doing upunweighting and down unweighting direction chance by momentry weightlessness so there no such thing as a turn it is realy getting your skiis of the snow and swing your skiis to the next direction you want to go which no skiing technique up to your sissos tecnique now so all skiing up to now has been a lie telemark or downhill do not give you an entry action which you have ..believe me they will hate you for doing this as skiing is now changed for good ..thany you ..skeatesy

[@jambazz]

Fantastic explained! Any chance you will make flaws part 2-7 as well?

[@Absolutetelemark]

+Mikkel Nielsen Thank. You can subscribe at absolutetelemark.com/now You will have a three part video where I present all the Flaws

[@ekelundphoto]

absolutetelemark

[@christopherphillipskeates3227]

i found the old system of moving your foot backward is good for beginning but it has no way of slowing down or controlling your speed ...so assuming your system is better at solving this problem then in your introduction you said the conditions werent so great and you tried to get a quick to turn in to slow down as you came through the wooded section ...so was your technique on that day not holding down your speed through the forrest as slower as it should be hence you used the older system to get the quicker turn in but that old system ends up speeding up more so... so what should you have done in the wooded section in the first place may be pay more attention to your scissor method or slow down in each turn more so some where you speeded up ...

[@christopherphillipskeates3227]

did you use insufficient up and down unweighting and some how youir scissor motion tended to return on the back leg instead of ballanced between the front and back leg... so you ended up in the back seat some where just at that moment your back leg action wasnt ballanced enough to the front leg in action with the scissor motion ...some how the turn wasnt round enough even though it was a mogal type terrain ...some how you entered that one last bump and didnt absorb it enough ..then you fell inside the turn at that point forcing you to used the older system some how then your system is not failing but the bump and speed dont corelate ...you used the old habit of the old system in an emergency and you got away with it but your system needed a fail safe recovery method attatched to it so you dont go back to old habits ...but have up your sleeve a recovery method for the scissor motion like in parrelel skiing its possible to use snow plow at a last resort and thats parralllels old system... is that all thats possible or can it be anylised if the advanced system is out of wak what would be the best recovery method ..

[@christopherphillipskeates3227]

you said you werent feeling comfortable so your ballance wasnt ballanced on both legs and you didnt bend down lower enough ... when i raced motorcycles if we came unstuck the bike would go into a tank slapper and we had to get our weight right up over the petrol tank and get the weight of the back wheel and hope for the best in the shortest recovery time possible so maybe you didnt get your weight onto the front leg fast enough or you just got it there in time ...

[@christopherphillipskeates3227]

in the begiining you say...'a lead change is the moment where you transfere from one leg to the other this wil get the forward leg to lead the turn ... at the end you say ...'so i always to go and have a lead change where my leg is moving forward or at least in my head this is like a mind set that ah brings me to be more aggressive in the bumps ... when you made a mistake in the forrest in the start are you saying you didnt acrue a measure of aggression and resorted to the leg moving back and aggression is your desired method and holds the hold system together as the old system is not aggressive and dosent have any way aggression can keep you upright ...

[@christopherphillipskeates3227]

acrueing a measure of aggression tends to bend and kerl the rear of each ski upwards when on the front foot the desired bending moment to control the speed ...as opposed to the divergent bending and kerling the front of the ski upwards by being on the back foot and disaster happens ..

[@christopherphillipskeates3227]

also .... when you walk on ice and slip over what is happening there is you are moveing sideways and your forward motion is slowing down till eventualy you fall backwards with no control ...your superfluid motion of walking foaward now has become frigid and down you go and if you try to do anything you make it worse and the more you fight it the worse it gets ....but it can be controled .... by immediately freezing your whole body so you are not adding anything to the situation and you will slide contantly forward until you slow down and your side ways movement stops so you dont fall backwards and you regain your super fluid motion forward and your frigidity stops ...and all the while this is happenning you keep your head still as possible and focus so you can accurately assess if your body legs and sholdiers and head are all one if they are moving sideways instead of forward ...so you body muscle memory resumes to a muscle memory of moving forward superfluidity ...and if you practice muscle memory of freezing your whole body as you slip side ways your momentum will go forward again and just let the slip sideways happen until you go forward again just by freezing without a frigid technque ...and you dont add anything to the situation until it resumes forward again ...you cant get something for nothing here you have to give into the situation by a freeze technique ..so you go from superfluidity forward movement and muscle memory to a freeze situation muscle memory situation until the forward situation resumes and dont add anything to the situation just ride it out as you cant get something for nothing.......... nothing can work only freeze and so your whole tecnique is not frigid but superfluid ...and then freeze if some sideways movement developes holding your head as still as possible ...and ride it out until your going forward again and this is what happened to rene in the tree section....... he lost his forward superfluid movement to a sideways movement .....and he added to the situation makeing it worse instead of freezeing at the last muscle memory of super fluidity forwards to a sideways frigid movement .....and adding to it with a die hard older tecnique which only just got him out of the situation instead of a muscle memrory freeze non movement until foraward movement resumed again by not adding to the lost situation trying to get something for nothing ...

[@susanmcleanwoodburn2967]

Excellent..Thank you!

[@tmasterF]

is this filmed at cannon mtn ?

[@KayakKyle]

Looks like Le Massif in Quebec

[@jonathangourlay8974]

Not even close. Looks like le Massif.

[@KIndustries1000]

Any sign of parts 2-7? I don't see them on your channel.

[@Absolutetelemark]

You need to subscribe to my newslettre here: absolutetelemark.com/now

[@contscot]

Would it be appropriate so set a basic rule that your back knee should stay close to your forward boot when you're in the telemark position?

[@Absolutetelemark]

contscot close is subjective. I see a lot of people having their feet too close. So I will recommend at least one boot appart as a general rule. If an expert found otherwise and feel good with a tighter stance than why not. But it’s not my recommendation.

[@biggihs]

I just tried to subscribe, but I got an error. Is there a way for me to get the other 6 flaws? I just tried telemark skiing for the first time yesterday (1. jan 2018) and it was fun but I have no idea what I'm doing :D

[@tommenten2914]

You should probably modify your description of flaw #1: it is NOT moving the non lead foot back, it is in UNWEIGHTING the rear foot!

[@chrisskeates5876]

maybe.. but his scissors dose traction control so you dont speed up so its not divergent the first time ever any one has captured this ..

[@chrisskeates5876]

but there is up unweighting and down unweighting so this defines it all a bit further by asking are you going to up unweight the rear foot or down unweight the back foot not too dificult to understand and put into practice ..well done rene

[@timothykaufman4665]

Thank you for the viedo! I have been telemarking on easy runs for the past year, but have a lot of trouble with anything more advanced. I believe some of my problems stem from me moving my back leg back to get that strong pivot. Can't wait to try out these suggested exercises and improve my technique. Thank you. ps- Is this Mount Saint Anne or Le Massif?

[@Absolutetelemark]

+Timothy Kaufman Awesome. Glad you liked it

[@BoolaBear]

Watch out for those trees.

[@kojira8090]

I’m 15 it’s 3am I have multiple test tomorrow and I am watching even tho I’m a pretty good telemark skier and I am watching a 6 year old video but yea nice video

[@JohnnyRand0m]

lol i'm 51 and doing the same thing... also wondering where parts 2-7 are...

[@rorrox21fox]

Hi, i have a doubt, can i use dynafit bindings to practice telemark? Thanks!

[@sanggiraksagati1144]

cant subscribe to your website :(

[@Absolutetelemark]

Thanks for letting me know. I'll work on that right away

[@shanemilehi]

Are you still active? I need advice

[@Absolutetelemark]

Yes, you can write: [e-mail]

[@neerajkulkarni6506]

GSP is teaching telemark skiing

[@Absolutetelemark]

haha, Yes, well not really

[@danielcwellsjr.2761]

great video but she needs to keep her knees together more :P she's letting her back leg out to far

[@i-917]

Right! And this is exactly what is this movie about.

[@jonrand6414]

Yeah i've gotta say, your a fantastic tele skier but the true beauty of tele skiing lies in how much range of movement you have. Shit make mistakes just always remember to weight each foot evenly and keep your chest parallel to the piste... also if anyone wants to ski a bay ill buy ya a beer!

[@jonrand6414]

On the real though tele skiers will always bitch about form, but screw form (as long as your skiing in an anatomical position that won't compromise your ligaments/safety!) Just go have fun that's the best way to learn.

[@tetra8909]

abasin rules

[@amaliopratti2068]

Thank you so much! It looks like Whiteface to me.... Merci! Go Habs!

[@amundekroll7490]

A telemark turn should start in the telemark position. So none of this is a classic telemark turn.

[@sloaiza81]

Your bindings are the problem. What is the point of the telly boot if you are not bending at the balls of your feet? Your bindings bend at the tip of the toes and so you can't put any pressure on the back ski. You are only turing with 1 ski. The front ski. This overworks the leg and is lot less stable. If you use bindings that let you bend at the balls of you feet, you can put pressure on the back ski so that your weight is centered, giving you more stability and allowing you to spring from turn to turn.

[@Absolutetelemark]

Equipment is not the problem. I use all kinds of bindings, from mouse trap three pin bindings to Bishop BMF's. I've skied them all. I've skied leather boots (still do) I've skied 4 buckle boots, I've skied them all. And in my experience, technic is very similar whatever the gear. Yes, you need to use the ball of the foot and this is not the subject of this video. And in all the clips, I use the ball of the foot on my rear ski. So I don't really agree with your point. This is like if you said that I need to have my shoulders square to the bottom. Yes, but that's not what I'm talking about here. Just a different topic

[@stefanr00]

2:35: '...Backleg is unweighted...' Asside from about 10% or so the backleg is supposed to be unweighted right? I think I am scissoring: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aGSqY2Wdn6ejirM

[@Absolutetelemark]

+stefanr00 Hi Stephan, great skiing. Very good rhythm. Your stance is a bit too spread to have the proper weight on your back ski. This is not too hard to solve. Try this exercise kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2KmlnqhgaiMhtE

[@stefanr00]

Hi! Thanks for the advice. I barely have any weight on the back ski because that is how I learned to telemark. I think this is easier for beginners? I will practise with your exercises. Thanks a lot!

[@oby3000]

stefanr00 I can put all my weight on the back foot while even lifting the front ski. u just balance on toes. but generally you keep less on back than front. in the beginning I would have all on front. now I alter weight as needed and alternate between a tele turn and parallel turn when I start to tire. also I found you can ski while sitting on ur heel to rest but not stop

[@christopherphillipskeates9979]

seems to me beginners can use your 'scissor technique' to go straight down the hill in any snow ..and dont need the brain washing we are used to ..not useing turning as the main theme we are used to .. and let the turning become the advanced learning later with a natural up and down unwaiting ..so you are qualified under your school with being tarnished by ..bygone era tyechniques that let no where .. skeatesy

[@HugeJohn51]

What if I’m already awesome?

[@Absolutetelemark]

But you are :)

[@chrisskeates5876]

i call your system traction control .. rene

[@chrisskeates5876]

if you are unweighting the back foot we should then be asking if you are up unweighting or down unweighting ..

[@chrisskeates5876]

you have revolutionised skiing

[@chrisskeates5876]

when we dropped the foot back and lent down to our knees ..we were told thats how it was done ..since it was invented by telemark finland bloke who invented it back in the 50's ...and we put all our weight on the lead foot and ballanced on it because the rear foot was back and kicked in a bit so the tip of the ski was pointing at the binding of the other foot ...and in ruff tree stuff we lifted the whole position so the ski was completely of the snow so we thought thats all was too it ...but it did keep getting faster and faster because of the spread and the light back foot ...so thats what it was but your saying 'rene that to get the weight on both feet the stance has to be closer together ..and not so wide apart which lifts the back leg ...so i think your saying bring the back foot closer enough so the weight equals out ...and if the back foot is still not enough weight on it then keep bringing the back foot up closer ...then use your scissor stance if you finaly get both feet equal weight... but that also means the front foot is actualy slightly back so the back foot dosent come parrallel ...but remains back but the front foot slightly is back compared to the original telemark because the front foot took all the strain ...and the back foot just went back as far as poosible till your knee was on the ski and pointing to the inside binding of the front foot ...and the front foot was straight down taking all the loading ...and then use up unweighting and down unweighting and the back foot just steared it all ...but dose speed up ..........so by the front foot slightly back to allow the back foot come forward and equalize compaired to the old telemark stance ...the pressure and thats close enough together in a scissor position ...but not any closer or you are parrallel skiing ...and the front foot and back foot are directly bellow equal pressure ....so your saying the scissor motion wide enough to still have equal pressure.... until the rear foot starts to loose pressure ....but a little forward but the front foot must slightly go back or else you need to be together parrallel skiing ..skeatesy

[@chrisskeates5876]

if your front foot goes too far forward then the back foot position pressure may be too much ...so you get it happening in reverse ...so you have no control of the front foot being too light ...and the back foot too heavy contry to the original telemark being too much in the front seat...skeatesy

[@chrisskeates5876]

it looks like you need to crouch and bend the knees ...and even use your hips like parrallel skiing but only move the leg below the knees in a scissor action so the knees almost stay together ...so the lower leg and ankles do all the work so your stance is to do with your lower leg area not widening your whole leg up to the groin ..skeatesy

[@GrumpyOldMan9]

Why would anyone try to learn this?

[@go2cloudbase]

Because we are not all "GrumpyOldMan" :)

[@shepherd-c8b]

That's a fair question--why bother? It's trickier to learn than Alpine technique. But I gotta say, telemark feels amazing once you start to get it. It uses more of your body and puts you in closer proximity to the snow, resulting in a more compelling ride even on gentle slopes and at slow speeds.

[@jonathangourlay8974]

Because your wife is a permanent intermediate and you even the playing field so you can enjoy skiing on the same terrain.

[@jonathangourlay8974]

Or, you are about to turn 60 and need to figure out a fun way to slow down AND stay in shape.