marcel hirscher the skiing compact transition king

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[@andreaskriegner7983]

Very interesting video, this and the last one. Easy to understand and easy on the eyes with some smooth editing. I also appreciate the time you take in the comments etc. every video. Hirscher truely mastered this hill, he was amazing to watch and i miss his skiing on the worldcup. There are some high level skiers but no one comes quite close technnique wise. I remember Hirscher using extremely low transitions in parallel GS events and generelly, it being a part of setting him apart from the rest, doing it so consistently and contributing to his superior speed and balance.

[@lembergguy]

I personally miss in the discussion the following: a compact transition includes actually 2 mini-phases: 1. leg retraction (stance leg gets relaxed, then knees get sucked up to the chin); 2. feet pull-back to re-center the body and push the heels behind the hips. The 2nd mini-phase gets forgotten. In detail: when a turn is finished the feet are in front of the upper body -> shortening the stance leg , sucking it upwards results in the tip of the ski being raised, and the skier is in a back seat (as also Hirscher is for a moment). But then he aggresively pulls his feet back, like a mini-dolphin turn, and this results in his upper body being put in front of the hips/feet again. He does not push the upper body forward but he pulls the feet back, the result being that the upper body goes in front (in relation to the feet/hips) and he starts a new turn with pressure on the tip. This is often forgotten by those who critisize compact transition as being prone to back seat-ing. And yes, it is, if one forgets the 2nd part of the story.

[@clarkevanmeter2676]

Harald Harb saw this very clearly a long time ago and incorporated it into PMTS, giving credit to Hirscher.

[@dj_617]

Did Harald ever gave credit to anyone else but himself?

[@AtomicB-zq2cw]

Oh please! Harv and PMTS is nothing more than a description of what others are doing and what has been coached literally decades before pmts ever existed. None of these movements have ever been a secret in the first place. To listen to Harb, you are supposed to think he invented everything. He is nothing more than a ski pro who, somewhat, successfully marketed a dev program. Yet, as we see, no one is looking to continue it beyond Harb which days everything you need to know.

[@user-rn4vc7vt7o]

@@dj_617 well, in fairness, he did invent skiing.

[@XPlatinumxXxDesignsX]

I always love watching your analysis! Please do more!

[@AkatarawaJapan]

Fantastic analysis and production. Thanks.

[@Landwy1]

I'm an old guy that has kept up with modern technique such as a compact transition. What I can't do is more than about 10 high quality turns in a row that have a compact transition. If you imitate Marcel's technique properly, you notice two things; namely that your tips will come off the ground, and secondly your stomach and thigh muscles will have a hell-of-a workout. This technique has the most validity in an "open slalom" type race course. An open slalom is somewhere between a slalom and giant slalom race course that NASTAR uses because most everyone can get down it. You have to be really quick to us this transition in a tight slalom course. This is not part of an expert skiers toolbox for conditions such as crud. Nonetheless, when you master this technique you will feel like Marcel if you find a perfectly groomed trail at the beginning of the day. Note that Hirscher can still do this on a race course where the starting position for winning the first run is thirtieth, and accounting for forerunners, he would be skiing in the same spot AFTER 35 racers have already gone down.

[@anninadebiasi912]

Very interesting video.Marcel Hirscher is my favourite skier, I'd love to watch more videos about him!

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

there will be more :)

[@santii.4619]

Superb!. Thank you for sharing this Reilly! Your editing and comments definitely make such a huge difference, and in a way just prove Marcel is from another planet.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

You're so welcome! Super stoked you enjoy the content!

[@harrymcfadden]

Brilliant analysis mate. This has summarised something I have been thinking about for a wile but could not put it into words very well, thank you. A great message that will help with many peoples understanding

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

thanks harry 😊

[@pumori2]

Fascinating analysis Thank you. I have been commenting on the thrust forward that he makes into an edge and then comes off

[@SansibarRacing]

Wow this is a fantastic analysis, thanks a lot! Especially liked your comment about the upper body rising ever so slightly in the transition, because I totally agree - it looks a bit like an extend to release move, but it isn't. From the super low race turn with high edge angles there is simply not enough space below the body to "just tuck". The legs need some space to cross under, and that's why the upper body has to rise a bit. Also you can clearly see that prior to the transition the upper body already "falls" in the new direction which is a totally cool sensation to me when skiing (when you get it right).

[@DirtRoadie]

It must be noted that a "position" is neither in nor out of balance when the skier is essentially unweighted or floating - not being supported against gravity. That is very commonly the case in the transition between turns. Also, the concepts of "forward" and "backward" are only related to a particular frame of reference. That which gives the appearance of being "backward" (relation of body CG to support point/feet across the fall line) during a transition quickly becomes balanced inclination of the next turn. All that is changing is the frame of reference as the skis change orientation.

[@davidodonnell8742]

slick analysis & killer beats to treat!

[@fuxay]

Great job. Keep them coming 😉

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

Thanks, Fuxay

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

Keep up great work Reilly 🤙

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

Thanks Josh 😊

[@georgeskassir6117]

Thank you very much for this great analysis.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

My pleasure!

[@danielrossi5971]

this is extremely clear and i guess if you dont see or understand what is presented in this video you might be a snowboarder.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

haha yeah, but I encourage snowboarders to watch this too... If they want 🤷‍♂️

[@johnklaus9111]

Really good analysis! 😊

[@paullorenz6389]

Nice one Reilly 👍

[@bertvanhoofstat7700]

I will up my squat game and when I'm able to do 30 reps with 100kg , I will go to the mountains and ski like Marcel. It better be winter!

[@JavierBarra]

Marcel is from another planet. For humans it is very easy to end back in the apex of the turn if you are so flexed during the transition... Awesome video, as always. Let's practice this winter.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

Yes he is from another planet... and I totally agree if most people skied like him they would explode, he took this new way of line manipulation to a new level, and is on the extreme side... there are people who could utilise his tactics to a lesser degree though. He defies all ski technique "rules".

[@williamspostoronnim9845]

Хиршер демонстрирует великолепное владение равновесием. Он не боится принять в фазе перехода, по сути, заднюю стойку, о чем наш русский комментатор Андреев неоднократно говорил: "Хиршер работает с пяточки!" Hirscher demonstrates excellent balance. He is not afraid to take in the transition phase, in fact, a back stance, as our Russian commentator Andreev repeatedly said: "Hirscher works from the heel!"

[@jamesgarcia9123]

thanks! reily! marcl gets so low'! amazing he doesnt twsit a bit', at every super fast turn! peace

[@licurgius]

Great analysis, again!

[@darrensmith9143]

Excellent video thank you.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@roy87345]

Super cool and helpful

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sorenwolff4954]

Super strong counter through later phase of turn that keeps Marcel in balance and able to pressure the front of the ski through finish.

[@RonaldDuncan-Boris]

The power is all on the back of the ski at the end of the turn, this is what generates the acceleration and allows a racer to ski faster making turns than someone just going straight.

[@Saladicious_]

Skiing like this is so incredibly hard because youre basically squatting the whole time + putting more pressure

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

yep... ski racing is incredibly hard on the body... it's why they are worn out at the bottom of a 1 minute GS and legs giving out and heart rate through the roof. It is super athletic and lots of forces are being dealt with. It is a gnarly sport. If it was easy on the body everyone would be doing it. Hirscher was just the best but also i have no doubt was on the special sauce which allowed him to ski like this too.

[@hichamishome]

Great commentary on the video and great insight! Just wanted to add that the center of mass rises with compact transition just not as much as during the extension transition so the skier does not waste momentum on lifting his body against gravity!

[@jch8864]

Très bien la vidéo

[@RonaldDuncan-Boris]

I remember Pirmin Zurbriggen doing this in the 1980 World Junior Championships at Madonna di Campiglio. He then went on to dominate Super G with this technique.

[@davidbeazer9799]

Eye opening! I've got stuff to work on!!

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

thanks for watching

[@maxjenkins5865]

Apart from Marcel’s super human athleticism and skill, it’s interesting how hyper specific his boot set up was. I heard an Atomic boot tech say that marcel set his cuff at 18 degrees, then added a forward lean shim, plus a spoiler, then you have to factor in how muscular his calf is. Would you say that you set your boots up in a manner that is conducive for compact transitions? Obviously you perform both transitions perfectly, but it seems like you (and Paul) very much prefer both and compact and cross under transitions. Also I believe at least at one point, Paul used both a heel lift and two spoilers. Thanks!

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

yes you have to set your boot up perfectly to do it... and that is really interesting you have said that about Marcel, as it looks that way with his boot set by how he skis, you can do moves like this and get away with it. I could never tell with grainy video of hirscher but just suspected his set up might be something extreme like you mentioned. I change my boot set up a lot depending on what I need to do so I will switch out set ups for what I am skiing... You need to be really dialed in boot set up and binging set up for a lower transition.

[@rinohunter6190]

Sittin in the back seat is the smooth-speed secret to getting the hips out of the way during transition. Unfortunately Coaches teach the opposite.

[@mementometallum571]

Try a Bode Miller analysis, man. It could be fun...

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

Ok 😂

[@mementometallum571]

@@ReillyMcGlashan and a Ted Ligety glory days to. Man, that lean angle...

[@RSG3NH]

Great stuff, as always.... The hard part here as coaches, is that nobody (PSIA, USSA, etc) has clearly defined the differences in the types of transitions that have emerged. I have used 2 variations to describe it, in the absence of formal doctrine to refer to; (1) "Cross Under vs Cross Over"; defining the relationships between the COM & Base of Support, on the lateral plane. (2) "Retraction" vs "Extension"; which is focused on the movement patterns, on the vertical plane. With this video, I would say that your "Compact" is a 3rd way to describe a "Retraction"/"Cross Under", but assessed in the fore-aft plane. As we know, transitions are zones, not points.... so if we are looking at a movement pattern in time, we need to look at the X, Y, & Z axis. Wow..... I have been looking at my notes on this for almost 5-years, and just realized that I was only describing it in 2D.

[@nickkwasniak5867]

hey Reilly, the moment of transition is clearly described and demonstrated. This specifically fits an athlete with Hirscher's physiology, it would be good to examine how an athlete moves from the "hips back" low position during transition to a "stacked" platform (6:25 on the vid is a good example) prior to applying impulse/pressure. This move (becoming stacked over the outside ski) is critical to being successful with a low transition.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

That will be explained next week.

[@nickkwasniak5867]

@@ReillyMcGlashan looking forward to it, BTW just watched your video on Hansi Hinterseer, a master of creativity nice work there.

[@RVick-ws1xu]

Great lucidity, looking forward to the next video. Interested in seeing the hip alignment at the turn's apex. I've always considered "down unweighting" or retraction a faster method for changing edges or transition. Comments regarding previous icons suggest a preliminary evolution. Also, do the new sidecuts permit this compact transition more readily than possible on "straight" skis? In other words the back weighted ski will still turn/carve despite being in the back seat whereas a traditional sidecut would demand more forward extension.

[@jeremyclayton6426]

Deceptive , from a compact transition I would say it is much more difficult to put the pressure on the ski tips than with a “rising “ transition . Looks Deceptively easy with Marcel , from experience it is brutally difficult in slalom conditions .

[@Jkiedis]

I Think you have to go for the angle and not for the early pressure. If you stay low in transition, you’ll be in closed chain what is better position for the very important tipping movements of the feet (eversion and inversion). Then you can go for the pressure ... nice debate over here

[@alfredreisenberger2298]

Cheers for that! If I do what Marcel does, will I be able to win Word Cup races? ;-)

[@soufianDEMOS]

Impressive analysis. Could you post a video about stivoting ? Shall junior ski racers focus on keeping ski/snow contact or consider stivoting instead ? Thanks

[@garylajoie8597]

Great stuff as always Reilly....watching the best in the world is the way to go! It is all Physics when it comes to so many sports and especially ski racing. Marcel has the right body mechanics to pull off the physics that longer and leaner athletes cannot do. There is one other athlete out on the World Cup that pulls off the same physics with such compact transitions and power. You would think they are out of the same mold.......and HER name is Alice Robinson! Warner Nickerson did a great on snow interview with her that is well worth watching. Enjoy! It's on KZbin and called: THE MOST POWERFUL TURN IN SKI RACING - Kickin' It with Alice Robinson

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

Yes Alice is definitely the only other person coming close to this technique. I watched that video Warner made and it is great. Warner is a great personality and I like his videos a lot.

[@doctornrsfnly]

Yes, its also anatomy. Marcel probably has shorter femurs and torso which allows him to keep that ridiculous power out of the turn while staying balanced all the way through in spite of his hips being behind that Center line... I would expect that taller skiiers (Like me!) would never be able to make those transitions quickly enough to be both powerful and comfortable AND fast enough to be competitive- This is where the more traditional upright transitions would come in... Super video- very educational!😊😊

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

@@doctornrsfnly yes I think his dimensions play well for him. He is also a super athlete and has great feeling for his edges... Always knows the right time to balance against the forces... Taller skiers with longer levers than Hirscher will not be able to utilise the same combination and timing of these movements. They will have to use different amounts and different timings of them.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

@@doctornrsfnly everyone is very diverse in their body and should always ski to their personal limits from their dimensions.

[@doctornrsfnly]

@@ReillyMcGlashan Excellent point! I enjoy watching Marcel (and these other super pros) ski, but only as a guide to understand the biomechanical basics. Clearly, its best to find my own way to get down the mountain while being fast, safe, balanced and having fun! Thanks again for the clear videos- Will be fun to watch World Cup skiing now!

[@loghog4392]

MH truly was the king of the compact transition. In my attempts to imitate him I have found an acute need to develop my hamstring and gluteal muscles. Think Romanian deadlift. Exiting the turns becomes a powerful riding of a pinpoint rather than the riding of a rail. Those muscles are needed to keep from succumbing to the Gs and collapsing or getting too far back and wasting time trying to pull forward and recover. His style makes a WC plug boot make a lot of sense. The sensitivity in finding that pinpoint is amazing with a boot like that but expensive, uncomfortable, limited in the amount of time that they can be worn and mentally exhausting. Of course, highly tuned race skis. At least diamond stones daily. And the right snow. I've noticed his staying compact also reduces the amount of body floundering that can come from greater extension. Watch some of the other racers in slow motion. You can literally watch the clock ticking in their more exaggerated movements. I don't think it hurts that he is only 5' 8" tall. Thanks a ton Reilly for doing this. I hope the aspiring youth etch this video on their minds and bodies. Well, that is if it works for them.

[@xWrongButtonx]

If you can find some decent quality videos of an Alberto Tomba runs (80's and 90's skiing legend, for those who don't know), you would find it interesting to do a simillar analysis. Also, Michael von Grunigen comes to my mind (my favorite gs skiier prior to Hirscher).

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

I'll check it out!

[@northernguy8860]

Marcel's transition position would be called "in the back seat" and wouldn't be recoverable for an average static turn skier. How did he get into that position? By rotating/thrusting his downhill dragging hip forward after the apex of the turn to capitalize on the lateral ski pressure. Loading up the slingshot and riding it out. A better question would be how does he get back into a forward position for the turn phase? At 2:26 you can see that even though his weight is back, his body is shifting down the fall line relative to his skis. He then drops his body down into the turn and his skis immediately engage prior to reaching the fall line.

[@georgert]

Good breakdown. For most skiers including many upper level skiers, IMO the extended transition is generally the way to go because given good ankle flexion opening the knees brings the center of mass over the feet, which allows more controlled rotation of the legs and good fore/aft balance on the skis. The compact transition is quick edge to edge, but the risk comes if the shoulders move back and the ankles open up putting the weight on the tails of the skis when you most need tip engagement. The compact transition is a great tool but requires very good balancing skills.

[@johnnybennett880]

Harsher is VERY VERY strong

[@markjones3425]

Interesting to read your perspective and your terminology. So the question is WHY does he ski this way???....A more regularly controlled/anticipated build up & release of acceleration forces generated by the ski throughout the arc of the turn enabling constant dynamic balance and anticipation throughout the run....if your feet are ahead of you at the end of the turn and you are still driving from the hip you are generating the glide AND you are 'ON' the ride, anticipating the next turn and more importantly the massive and rapid build up of pressure and thus more acceleration throughout the turn from the ski...all generated from the Imperial Ski Meister!! Bellisimo .... I miss seeing Marcel ski so Masterfully...... On an unrelated point its interesting to see the level of intensity of the skiing currently on the Mens WC ...seems much of the field is a bit toned down now the Meister isn't showing the way.....?...or is it just my old boobtube?

[@gregpetrics5669]

I definitely think the quality of gs skiing has gone down a touch.

[@briancase6180]

He skied this way because it offers multiple benefits but requires extra energy and creates more lactic acid. To ski Herscher's way, you need to be in incredible shape and train and eat to prepare for the physical effort. Benefits include very fast transition and extra margin for error because the new outside ski is in position a little faster/earlier: it starts to bend/arc very early at the top of the turn, as is desired (because his center of mass is moving mostly across the hill rather than up/down). He can complete the previous turn correctly yet be ready for the new turn without as much transition time. He gets pressure on the new outside ski early but can still manipulate it if he's too early. It's amazing but very, very tiring to ski/race this way: keeping your knees bent like that is like a continuous, 50-turn squat for one and a half minutes (or two minutes for the longer GS races!). Modern slalom is a lot like this as well. When I was learning to race, slalom skis were long and the best skiers mostly stood up. When skis got shorter, you should have noticed that the best racers kept their knees bent more and more.

[@gregpetrics5669]

Absolutely agree. I don’t think anyone’s physically capable of pulling it off at the moment.

[@markjones3425]

@@gregpetrics5669 Hi Greg, I don't agree with you saying the quality of the gs skiing has gone down. I think the intensity has gone down definitely, but not the quality, in fact I would say we are seeing more young skiers of high quality this season coming into the fore and who will be outstanding competitors very soon. Perhaps more than ever before, not just one or 2 star quality skiers but a whole field of young skies of VERY HIGH quality; technically speaking. The intensity will boil over again in a season or 2 once the normal training and race schedule has come back to a more normal way of occurring. There are numerous very high quality skiers but intensity has shifted, which really over my lifetime I have seen previously fairly regularly. Usually when a few BIG STAR skiers retire....the crop will dazzle again! Pray for snow!

[@mareado6204]

0 backseat he no loose the flex of the ankle. just realeast the pressure(no rebound to no loose speed) at the end of the turn no up you body(deep knees flex) and the skis win speed and you have this results. this speed of exit and no fase of entry turn(it just in the air a lot of time)and in the time you put pressure in the skis you are face down and in a good position(sorry for my english)

[@williamspostoronnim9845]

Переход в откровенно заднюю стойку в конце поворота ранее считался хорошим приёмом "ускорения". Даже, если не ошибаюсь, был для этого приёма такой термин "авальман" (аvalement)? youcanski.com/ru/sposoby-razgruzka-lyzh-ili-sovremennyj-avalman). Usage a frankly rear stance at the end of a turn was previously considered a good "acceleration" technique. Even if I'm not mistaken, was there such a term for this technique "аvalement".

[@rodolfodickson9500]

Always stacked at the apex

[@gregtaylor988]

An important observation of MH's transition between gates. Killy promoted 'Avalement' a kind of 'swallowing' the inertia between the gates, unwheighting his skiis by sitting back 'jetting' skis forward to bring hips behind that 90 degrees, skis flat, shoulders facing the next gate. then gathered all that inertia for his turn. Not so dissimilar.

[@billtanch8273]

How to Ski the New French Way - Georges Joubert Kay & Ward, 1967

[@pickletee]

4:30 Isn't the rise in the COM largely a lateral movement in this case, not vertical.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

yes, for sure. People in the comments of the last video were getting confused and think the COM doesn't rise in a compact transition. There will always be a rise and a fall in a high edge angle GS turn. But you are right there is more movement laterally than vertically if you are measuring distances alone.

[@RSG3NH]

@@ReillyMcGlashan, but that lateral movement occurs on an arc, which causes the COM to rise & fall, over the base of support. In the transition, a cross over occurs when the hips rise up as a function of the femur moving towards a vertical position.... thus bringing the COM over the base of support. (Yes the "Bum Line" moves forward) Is a cross under transition, the COM remains on plane (glass ceiling), while the base of support comes to the body, by retracting the feet, through the femurs moving more parallel to the hill, as you show in this video. But, if you watch the women, who are more finesse, and less muscle, their bum line does not drop anywhere near as far back as Hirscher.

[@password_xy]

If Odermatt and Hirscher were competing in the same period, who do you think could win the Giant Slalom globe?

[@paulmakinson1965]

He seems to have his CG over his heels at the transition (lifting of the tip of one ski). He has to have the pressure on the ball of his foot (head of no1 metatars) at the apex and the critical point (maximum G’s on the ski, around 2/3 of the turn) or he would lose edge pressure. That probably requires quadriceps of steel. Back in the day, Tomba used to rock back and forth like this. I think he called it the double pendulum (side to side and back and forth). I’m no expert though, I coach moguls...

[@billarmatage5858]

It is interesting note that the horizontal distance between the skis (as opposed to vertical distance) does not remain the same throughout the turn. Clearly, in transition the horizontal distance between his skis is significant while the same horizontal distance at the apex of the turn is much closer. For recreational skiers, including some of the best technical free skiers such as yourself and Paul Lorenz, the horizontal distance between the skis remains the same throughout the turn. Why the difference?

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

when you are racing you just gotta do what you gotta do to get the turn done... You see lot's of "mistakes" from skiers in the world cup but it is due to pushing the limit and adapting to do whatever it takes to stay on the line they think is the fastest. Reactions are primary and techniques are secondary.

[@trouts4444]

@@ReillyMcGlashan I like this a lot, "Reactions are primary and techniques are secondary".

[@jimlabable]

Your compare, that is not compared ))) Recreational (carving) and slalom (gs) turn. What you call compact transition (CP) is only a consequence of fast front to back transition on ski, so at the end Marsel ( as very strong athlete, he make very fast transition) has this back side posture. He feels his ski heells, speed up and straighten this turns. Sorry for mbe not good english. )))

[@eugenetulyupa]

Please, tell me the name of this song) By the way, this is a great analysis! Thank you❤

[@jbflynn4134]

How do I get back into a position where I can pressure the ski into turning?

[@janisbb6418]

just wonder what's the difference between compact transition and classic backseat?

[@magnificoas388]

hello @4:30 you say: "the center of mass CM always rises from apex to transition" that is true if you consider CM vs ground. But il you consider forces inside the skier referential the ground is not the good reference. The reference is the apparent force axis (inertial + weight) that is along your external leg. And there the CM always goes down from apex to transition because you flexes your external knee.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

in relation to your foot yes... in relation to the snow no... just depends on your reference point... But in an extension transition the outside leg does not flex at all for the transition. The inside leg (soon to be outside leg) extends to match the length of the outside leg... That is the classic "textbook" definition of this turn anyway.... But i agree with what you are saying, it all just depends on what you are referencing it to... In the case of this video it is referencing the height off the snow, not relationship to the foot.

[@KlausMair]

A ski racer always tries to stay compact if the course allows it but that does not define how he transitions. When we analyse turns we want to look at movements rather than stills. In this matter we need to understand in which direction the movement goes. If it is a forward movement or a staying back. In the Odermatt video you are defining the non-compact transition as an extension movement to change edges as shown here kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2G1dJuoZtSnprM (hips still behind feet btw) vs not extending or doing the opposite to change the edges: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b2G1dJuoZtSnprM A lot of the Hirscher stills that you show in this clip are moments that are part of an extension (actually the majority of transitions in the steeps), a movement forward, while he still manages to stay compact. The interesting question would be when is he using the one and when the other. I don’t see a battle of two technique philosophies in ski racing but two different ways of transitioning or initiating a turn that the ski racer uses among many others. Like you say it is not that one is bad and the other good, only well brain washed ski instructors would say something like that. Both have their pros and cons and are equally important.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

I think as soon as he reaches this position he starts extending down the hill and into the turn... The outside leg has to extend to meet the maximum pressure where the maximum edge angle is. There is never any one point in any turn where there is no extension or flexion happening on either leg, whether it's the inside one flexing to help create more edge angle or the outside one extending to get into a position to deal with the forces or both flexing in moguls etc. The only differences between all the micro variations between all of them are distance travelled. When both legs are fully extended at transition the COM follows a longer rainbow path into the next turn, whereas when you see Marcel with a 90 bend with the knees when both skis are flat he is just creating a smaller rainbow path, it is really just a line cutting tactic he uses. As soon as he passes through this position he is 100% extending the outside leg...but as soon as the skis are not flat anymore and tipped onto the new edges this is what I call the shaping phase, so maybe this is where we are not agreeing... In the shaping phase there has to be a fast extension (to match the turn of course). The only way I see a true extension turn happening like in my demo of the extended turn is when the outside leg from the last maximum edge angle never flexes and the inside leg starts extending until it reaches the same length as the outside leg all the way to the transition when the skis are flat. That is my textbook definition anyway but as we know skiing never really happens in a text book way. If there is any flexion of the outside leg before it reaches the transition this to me always results in a compact transition, as you can see there is a big area that I consider a "compact" transition which is why I made this video to explain. I am not trying to tell people to ski a certain way, thats the opposite of what we are trying to promote at projected productions and the opposite of what I am trying to do with my channel, we have guys from all over the world with different ways of skiing and different concepts in our instructional videos... I have no problem with all the ideas and concepts and ways to do different turns.. I personally practice all of them... some of our videos teach an extended transition and some teach a compact transition and some teach an extension retraction transition too (or what people call a crossunder, this is different to a compact transition)... The only thing I am trying to show with these analysis are different techniques used and where some can be fast and where others can be fast... If you remember from my last video I said ONE negative and ONE positive thing for "BOTH" a compact transition and a extended transition... I do not care one bit how people decide to ski, if they want to ski on their hands that is fine with me, as long as they are having fun that is I don't care. I have no vested interest in any specific technique and there is no one specific thing I teach people. Unlike some people who have a program and a method to adhere to, nothing for me is either good nor bad, it just is.

[@KlausMair]

@@ReillyMcGlashan That's good and as you know also how we see it. I was under the impression from your Odermatt video that you think that he was skiing an old school technique as his set up does not allow for a more modern technique and a more compact transition. I believe that he did this on purpose so he could ski a faster line in the critical parts of the race. It will be interesting to see how he will do in the steeper sections of the coming races compared to others that move less.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

@@KlausMair Yes the reason I called it "old school" is just slang... The extended transition is a classical technique from straight skis, where the more direct path "compact" has been more recently adapted, they are just slang names... I could have called them "classical" and "neoclassical" or "classical" and "jazz" 🤷‍♂️

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

@@KlausMair it was just an interesting comparison between odermatt and zubcic as they clearly chose to do different things, tactics, timing of movements in the race and both skied very fast.

[@karlo407]

I prefer the green setup

[@pbandj7764]

The line perpendicular to the ski should be drawn through the center of mass of the skier and not perpendicular to the skis/slope as that is where the gravitation force is applied.

[@dj_617]

What always strikes my is how little he extends his outside ski. He stays compact all the way. In this his skiing differs a lot from e.g. Kristoffersen.

[@hichamishome]

That is needed, you can see just before flexion to transition there is extension in order not to loose momentum.

[@ryanfearnow3627]

Does this have applications for recreational skiers and secondly does he shift his body weight forward in the turn before the transition, at which time he moves to back seat? Thanks.

[@stevensegall3736]

If your goal is to make turns but then do it as fast as possible then yeah he wastes way less time in transition and you too can do some of this.

[@davidmcnaney5210]

with his position how is he able to generate forward lean in the boot?

[@Landwy1]

When skis make the turn then there is friction generated. Because there is articulation at the knees and hips the skis will slow down and the body will continue to move forward. Eventually everything catches up and the toro and legs are lined up in a more straight fashion. You can use your stomach muscles to pull your torso forward. However, at the same time the skis are moving forward as well, sod they can't catch up very easily. Therefore, the skis must dig in to create more friction and the body to catch up. An anology that is not quite true is to think of crash test footage of the car stopping when it hits a wall and the crash test dummy continues forward. Momentum slows downs for the car (skier's leg and skis) and the body (torso) continues forward. Try being in a backward skiing position going straight down the fall line and trying to pull yourself forward. It is very difficult to do. Now have your edges dig in and you will see that your torso catches up. The problem is trying to this and maintain your balance. You can see the torso catch up in a stivot turn. Another skiing maneuver that has the torso continue forward and the skis dig in is a hockey stop. Doing a really short hockey stop sometimes will have your torso coming too far forward and you actually end up doing a face plant. The trick to a short hockey stop is to dig in hard at the beginning of the pivot and then feather your angulation so the friction is not too large. In a stivot the skier knows they cannot make the next gate and will have their skis shooting down the hill and not coming across the hill to make the turn. The stivot is a high friction movement that is only necessary to make the gate. Some stivots are too frictional and momentum (i.e. velocity) is lost. A good stivot is using just enough to make the following gate. Also try not to stivot a turn that is going into the flats.

[@caanzarosinski6967]

This is only practical if you have massive strength like hirscher and short levers.

[@arizzo5187]

Question ...Do you think he's pulling his feet back in transition to keep his hips ahead of his boots ? Thanks

[@mitchel3392]

I'm not Reilly, but in my eyes: yes, Marcel is pulling his feet back in transition. This is very important since, when you are more aft in the second half of the turn, you need to get the hips in front. If one fails to do this they'll be (or at least tend to fall) in a backseat position. Getting back "up" again takes time and energy. You can't permit these kind of mistakes when going for #1.

[@arizzo5187]

@@mitchel3392 he definitely is ... not sure why this is not brought up more . because it is very important in transition either one or both feet... Maybe you can answer my question...why aren't how you use your ankles and feet discuss more since they are closed to snow

[@arizzo5187]

@@mitchel3392 thanks

[@mitchel3392]

@@arizzo5187 absolutely agree with you. I like you bring up the feet and ankles. Reilly and Paul definitely cover this often in their teachings. In the end it's where the kinetic chain starts. A lot of people tend to teach skiing from the knees and up, not really emphasizing the great angles you can achieve by just the feet and ankles itself.

[@arizzo5187]

@@mitchel3392 thanks for quick response.. I really never hear about ankles and feet ..I have heard about boot setup being ultra important ( really important).. once that done you need to know how to make it work

[@shooter7a]

Look at that alignment between upper body and legs at the fall line phase of the turn. Stop at 4:22 for instance, with the skis pointing right into the camera. No side break. That is proper strong position, stacked skiing. None of this stupid massive 45 degree angle side break we see so many internet edge angle heroes show.... I find it strange that no one talks about this. It is not about just edge angles. It is about edge angles IN A STRONG POSITION.

[@vincec3590]

Hi Reilley REALLY like your videos & technique analysis but I think you need to re-phrase your distinction for the extension transition. After looking at the the recent GS race video almost no one actually gets the back of their bum ahead of the back of the boots like you show in the green figures. Even the back of Odermatt's bum is almost always behind the back of his boot regardless to how much he extends. I think the better line would be from the back of the boot to the front of the hips, or the crease made in the angle of the upper body and the upper thighs.

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

yes i realise this, but this is the technical term when you hear instructors talk about "with the perfect transition, the hips should always be inline with or ahead of the heels of your feet" ... With my idea of compact, all racers pass through some sort of variation of this.

[@nickreaderphoto]

@@ReillyMcGlashan I take it the green skier in the video shows what it would look like if kids actually did what their coach said "get your hips forward." whereas luckily kids don't listen to the coach. They learn more from watching and following their coach. 'Myth busting' can be a full time job in the ski world. It can be a hard sell, but someone's got to do it. Good work Reilly. I saw you in Tux a few weeks back, I wish i had chance to say Hi.

[@2drsdan]

KISS keep it simple. Hirscher NEVER leaves the chair. Always sitting in the chair as you show time and again with the little red chair inserted in the vid. Try it, I bet you're so tired after 3 runs that you quit for the day. Get down and stay down, never leave your chair. Don't stand up.

[@mementometallum571]

I was used to pray at every turn :D sometimes it was incredible to see him tsay on his feet with that hip and pelvis "sitting" position. I think only Bode Miller was lower with his ass and further back with the shoulders. But Bode was out of science....

[@konulia7823]

i find it more natural, aerodynamic, stable and comes with less snow friction (back seat), but exhausting that why he finished with a traditional transitions.

[@wallstreetoneil]

wow - that's crazy - it only requires average leg strength to be able to hold a sitting position while skiing gates on a Worldcup course 😂

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

lucky at transition when you have no "perceived" weight it is not so important. You are just in a place of suspension.

[@LyubomyrSemkiv]

in fact it is not, the moment when a skier makes a release, the body (and especially quads) experiences significant eccentric load which is known to have more stress/damage on muscles then concentric contractions, making this type of skiing significantly more demanding.

[@robertof9806]

Súper Marcel! The gs race in Adelboden was awesome: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nnLRfaprgJh-rZI

[@zipperboy2008]

Remember he can squat 500lbs...

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

the way he skis i wouldnt be surprised if he could do more 😂

[@Benzknees]

Shame, he could have been quite a good skier if he wasn’t so much in the back seat.

[@m.bird.]

💙

[@ReillyMcGlashan]

😂

[@juniorjohnson9509]

Funny, but that was called "down unweighting" back in the '60's when it was invented.

[@inquistive]

No, down unweighting is something different.

[@trouts4444]

Where is the down part? He's rising from the bottom of the turn into transition and only goes down again in prep for entering the next turn.

[@grizzkid795]

I think "down unweighting" is the same as retraction of the legs, as opposed to extention, which is "up unweighting". There are some other terms to explain the same thing, as instructors need to reinvent in order to charge more for lessons or sell a book.

[@juniorjohnson9509]

@@grizzkid795 Yes, retracting the legs to pull weight off of the skis is the same thing as down "unweighting".

[@trouts4444]

@@grizzkid795 Junior Johnson is right, they are the same. Ski language is very frustrating. There is no standardized usage. Coaches, youtube video people and forum posters all have their own take. Their explanations are generally horrible and confusing but to them perfect. You just have to learn a ton and fill in for what they are getting at. You are right about reinvention with new words to make people think they invented the new secret orange. Gillie and Harold Harb are good examples. One of the best places to get tuned in is Mountsnowracing. Google that on youtube and look at the race and training slalom and GS runs. The coach talks through them with slow motion and stop action. You have to watch many to get a sound base as corrections differ. Sometimes the coach give more detail than others but it's worth the plodding through many of them. They are 3 to several minutes. With the visual and explanations you'll get to understand a bunch. Sound race technique applies to all all mountain carvers and much to tail slippers. No nonsense, all beef.

[@codyheiner3636]

Honestly so painful to watch the video pausing for 10 seconds and writing the same thing on the screen every 1 second of skiing. Like I get it...