Harald Harb's Ski: Road to Carving, Expert Skiing: The Two footed release

[@dbntina]

I love this video and watch it constantly. I love all of Harald's videos, but this one in my opinion is the best. Everything you need in one video in 6 minutes to ski like an expert.

[@robertcabrera3989]

Just took a a one day Warren Smith bumps course. The instructor emphasized much of what Harald features in his videos including the one with the poles wrapped around your waist. The focus was on as narrow a stance as possible and little edging as shown in this video. Thanks Harald!

[@skiwhh]

Good glad it's working.

[@retobiaggi9353]

A big thank you for the videos, it has changed my skiing. I have been at it for 50 years, never had a lesson. After applying your techniques, I am now able to have full control of my speed through all the turns. What you said is true, it works in the bumps, in the crud, in the steep chutes. I needed that since we came to ski Jackson Hole, and I have to say that is a steep mountain. I was okay, but this has taken me to the next level. Loving the technique in the bumps and the trees, it gives me so much more confidence. A big thank you!!!

[@jamesdunn9714]

Simply explained, easily understood and very useful. Thanks Harold!

[@pierrepigati8704]

This video is amazing! I had seen it many years ago and it seemed to me that it was not an essential video. This video was short and it was free and so for me it could not bring miracles. In fact, I realize that if you do exactly what Harald says, you're absolutely sure to dramatically improve your skiing. With this turn you can ski almost everywhere. This turn is reliable, versatile and very relaxing !! In addition, you can improve it easily from year to year to get what Harald calls the Bulletproof short turn !

[@zipmanify]

Brilliant excercise! As Harald says this drill is not easy to master at first so persistence is essential. It's my favourite drill to practice. The linked turns (4.45) shows how mastering the slow drill leads to the type of turns we all need to master.

[@luigi2411975]

Great video and instruction!! This drill will be my main goal for the next season, I tried it already and I know it is very difficult, but I won't give up. I want this type of carved turn to be my basic turn because it gives best speed control and it works in all conditions.

[@TerryOConnor71]

Great Video Harald. As an old dog of 43 who came very late to this wonderful sport and has spent a total of 4 days on skis i've just ordered your ski essentials book and dvd. Hope it's not too complicated ;-)

[@hiapom9590]

Awesome series. And you can almost imagine Herb is Steve Carell giving you skiing tips.

[@jonathanowen3422]

BASI teaches peddling and extension. Spoilt the sensation of skiing for me and no longer a member. This seems very similar to how Warren Smith Academy teaches, much more fun falling with gravity than effectively pushing yourself downhill, glad to have found your work.

[@skiwhh]

The BASI system, is a mixed up misguided, teaching method. Even their best instructors are not examples of world class free skiing. I feel bad of British skiers getting sucked into the BASI teaching program. There are better skiers and teachers in the Australian system.

[@aviator1243]

One of the best instructional videos I have seen

[@skiwhh]

@diveratakan Always tip to the little toe edge first when you release; before applying tipping to the big toe edge.

[@antoniopetruzziello7314]

I've just started doing it (tilting the inside foot on its little toe edge) and it really feels the skis are turning themselves! But it really take a little bit of time to manage the 'new' movements of the skis. Now allow me some questions that seem pretty legit: - HOW does it allow you to ski on any kind of terrain and to improve your skiing overall? WHY does it lead to a better aggressive skiing? - What is the role o this technique (also called 'two footed release'?!) in the whole PMTS skiing system? Thanks. P.S.: you're an awesome instructor!

[@KOREANO1SKISCHOOLJSKI]

Amazing!! I respect you!! Best instruction it is good motivation for skiing exercise!

[@skiwhh]

@olafhermans Wide stance gives you stability; it does not teach balance. We teach balance and use of the ski. Balance is the most important part of skiing, without it advancement is limited.

[@GeroLubovnik]

FWIW- Lateral body position (where your center of mass is located between your skis) is critical here to unlock the feet to permit the tipping and release of the edges. If this was explained here I missed it. If you look at 3:26 you will see Harald move his hips slightly downhill to allow the feet to release the edges. Nothing wrong with this and probably and affectation of a static demonstration. I have found that when completing a turn I want to try to get my hips (my center) as close to that position as possible to that position at the end of a turn so that my upper body (and center) requires the least amount of adjustment/movement for the quickest, most responsive edge release and reengagement. ( Position, of course will modified for momentum and centripetal force.) This optimal lateral body position not only unlocks the feet to allow the tipping as Harald describes but creates additional rotational torque (sorry for the tech talk) to also allow for easier steering for his "brushed carved turns". Just turning the upper body (zipper) alone isn't what creates the power and Harald addresses this with hand position. I'm not contradicting what Harald is saying here. I am simply pointing out why some of his things work and approaching it from a different point of view. Just to be clear, I think Harald has one of the best systems out there. And even though my personal approach is a bit different conceptually I think he offers a no bull direct approach to skiing which is generally lacking in the ski instruction biz. Also, really important is ALIGNMENT and proper foot support. Harald is big on this and I can't stress this more.

[@skiwhh]

I agree that the Cg is best located close to the center and then it's easier to move into the arc and release the skis. We address this in our publications in detail and also in more aggressive turns with more speed, as the turns develop. Thanks for your post.

[@skiwhh]

Remember this is an exercise and the idea is not to push your Cg anywhere, use gravity to release a flat ski. It is well understood that forceful movements do create unbalanced skiing, especially at low speeds. And that is the whole idea behind this exercise to reduce your forceful movements while instead finding gravity and balance. HH

[@GeroLubovnik]

Absolutely. Couldn't agree more.

[@skiwhh]

You may have an alignment issue with your boots or try to tip off the old stance big toe edge (downhill ski) onto the little toe edge to being the tipping toward the new angles. You can visit my web site and look through the free on line instruction; to see some photos and movements that explain and demonstrate this. harbskisystems

[@skiwhh]

@diveratakan Think of it as, not simultaneous, you have to start tipping with the old stance ski edge, off the holding downhill edge. This will create a simultaneous look! Skiing movements aren't really simultaneous, although it looks like it is and many teach it, although it's incorrect.

[@Osnosis]

Oh yes! Harald is right...again. There are subtle sequences that appear simultaneous to the viewer. For KZbin learning, Harald and Lito are the best.

[@Shadowdown666]

I just can't wait for practice!

[@danbirch8939]

Awesome instructional, Harald! I’m just starting, I tend to separate my knees a lot more than you are, I think for balance or slowing down help:( I think my skis might be a little too long, so I’m going to try some shorter ones. Any other ideas on how to keep the knees closer? I am really trying...

[@Osnosis]

The important concept is understanding the difference between separation in the horizontal vs. vertical plane. Try standing sideways on stairs, one leg a step higher. Your feet are separated in the vertical plane, but there should be only 2-4” of separation between your inner thighs.

[@skiwhh]

@olafhermans It only feels good because you may never have felt what you can do with balance, rather than stability. With a balanced stance, the energy from the turns goes way up and the ski gives you a better arc. Wide stance, makes the skis drag, because the center of mass is too far inside and your line of force is not going to the outside ski.

[@skiwhh]

This is really easy to fix, you have to flex the leg more. If you don't there is weight on that ski, and the LTE is catching. Without weight on it it won't catch. Check out my "Phantom Move" video on You Tube it will show you how. Thanks, Harald

[@skiwhh]

@dbntina Thank you, we are committed to producing and educating skiers with the best materials. Have a look at the "PMTS Form" and our web site for further information. Also I have 24 videos up on KZbin check them out.

[@iainpat62]

As a pretty ordinary skier I am looking forward to trying this out on my holiday soon. I would like to know though at what point during these slow short turns does your weight cross the skis and whether this is a gradual or quick process.

[@famattjr]

Very good. 2-footed release is often mentioned, and is the name of a drill but not really defined (and I have read all books & seen all the DVDs.) Is it fair to say that the TFR is both skis releasing & tipping at once as opposed to the Phantom and SP where the downhill releases first?

[@skiwhh]

Next step is the Practice 9 video, flexing.

[@ghentsy1]

right now i lack rhythm and still take long turns. awesome tips i can use. thanks! btw, i luv your background music? what's the title and who're the musicians? ;)

[@skiwhh]

@olafhermans To bad your students don't get the benefit of balance and efficient movements that we get with our "Essentials of Skiing" , PMTS system, used in the new world. In Europe, you are still thinking you are current, when in fact, you are actually the old school teachers, of old school techniques. Wide stance is old school ,have you not watched World Cup slalom? My students don't do GS Super G or Downhill.

[@olafhermans]

nice explanation... in Europe we never teach students to keep theor skis that close to eachother; it's pretty old school and makes the exercise more difficult than with a wider spread... still tthumbs up for clear instruction

[@salsaaudi]

I tried your metods recently and it worked well on less steep slopes but when the slopes were steep or the snow was bumpy or during the end of the deay, things did not work well. When I tried to focus on tipping the inner toe towards the snow, I missed some times the balance as I loose concentration on the stance ski. Sometimes concentrating on the lightning and tipping of the inner ski, lead to I missed the balance on the stance ski and ended up in the "back seat" of the ski boot.. Any tips?

[@nancyomalley8863]

What length skis are you using?

[@NinaC547]

When I try to release to the LTE flat it tends to trip a lot. So... if I'm releasing to turn left by flattening my left leg to the LTE first(this was one footed release)... my ski will get caught in the snow and I fall over, lol. Any solutions?

[@salsaaudi]

I have tried your methods but faced some difficulties when the snow was messy, bumpy or icey. When I combined your methods with the up and down movements before tipping the inner ski (previous stance ski) and then moving side wards (across the fallline) towards the snow made things much easier. Am I doing things correctly?

[@MrBizneser]

Very good - очень хорошо.

[@johngreenwood4573]

Hi Harald, you talk a lot about a wide stance not being beneficial to skiing, can you confirm if you mean the vertical distance or the horizontal distance between the feet? Shortening of the inside leg to increase edge angle gives the impression of a wide stance but as you know the distance between legs dose not increase.

[@williamtaylor5193]

+john greenwood He means horizontal width/distance is not beneficial. At the widest part of the turn, the inside leg is flexed while the outside leg is more extended, but the feet remain close together in a vertical plane.

[@olafhermans]

@skiwhh we must me doing something wrong then ; on snow it feels good though ;-)

[@hiroshiasada4007]

I believe the two footed release is the same as the weighted release. Correct?

[@skiwhh]

Actually not, two footed release is 50/50 weighted.

[@hiroshiasada4007]

Let me try again: 1) Two footed release: the stance ski weighted (mostly) at the beginning of the turn --> lightening the stance ski --> 50/50 weighted when skis directing the fall line --> tilt the now old stance ski to the little toe edge --> new stance ski weighted mostly at the end of the turn; 2) Weighted release: the stance ski weighted from the beginning of the turn to the end of the turn until the new stance ski takes over. Weighted release is more advanced. Is this correct?

[@skiwhh]

Please go to the PMTS forum for complete explanations.

[@bernardmuller3241]

[@chaletulyssezermatt3159]

Looks good and so easy but it isn't :-)

[@skiwhh]

Ski wide stance ski ugly!

[@HaraldHarb]

One of the keys to success and balance in skiing was thrown out by the ski teaching world 20 years ago and has handicapped skiers ever since. A wide stance is unproductive for learning and making short turns. A wide stance locks up your learning, and leans you toward the inside ski, a wide stance makes it difficult to transfer weight without extending. A wide stance makes it much harder to tip both skis equally, numerous disadvantages make a wide stance un-functional, not an advantage. Tradition Ski Teaching uses a wide stance because they teach a snow plow. The PMTS system, is Direct Parallel, it doesn't need a wide stance. Use a narrow stance to learn and become a balanced skier. If you want to be an elegant skier, use what gives you connecting movements generated by PMTS Direct Parallel.

[@staniurem3458]