Messages posted by : pavelski
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The knees ...the concern of all athletes!
I thought that by developing more power in my legs I could avoid knee problems! I worked a great deal on squats with dead weights! I now realize that it is part of the solution! The other part is to know how to listen to your body! Know your limits! No amount of muscle can "hold" ligaments once they get to the "tearing" position! Power workouts are great but you must also do "stretch" type activities. That is why in-line skating, swimming, etc.. help the knee! I am now "re-building" my knees with very specific routines with supervision by sports physio-torturers who know how to get me to the limits of my pain! Now I know why serious competitors spend much time stretching! They have the bulk (pure muscle) but they must allow the anchors of these muscle fibers to be more "elastic"! My advice is to develop a "balanced" program so that you have good muscle bulk but also that flexibility so important in skiing! Trencher, you are so right about cross-training! See you on the slopes soon! Are you free to ski in 2008? I am going to past by your place next winter, you see I have found a partner who will ski with me for two months in Utah! We will have a camper truck and visit ski centers in Oregon, Utah and Colorado! |
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What can I say!!!!
Wow!!! You are really impressing me! You really are a CIA photo interpreter!!! Amazing! Great answers and all correct! I guess I will have to start making a package soon! How did you get that "old ski" identified! I suspected only old ski dinosaurs would identify that ski! Now what about that black ski to the left of the Rossi ski? What about that binding to the left of the oldest ski? Now look at that red binding to thye left of the gold center ski!!! LOOK at it carefully!!!! What ius that long thing hanging from the binding under the ski rack? Above the glass holder what is that piece! |
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Some of you know that I love to make skiers think! I also enjoy to "motivate" skiers to share ideas and experiences!
I have a great propositions for you! Think about it before you answer! I am planning a new "contest"! A very different context with a great prize!!!! Here is my wild proposition! You will set up a group of 5 skiers which will represent this site. I will "challenge" other ski sites to also set up a team! Then I will have a 10 question "test" which all skier sites must find answers! The winners will not be individuals but skier sites! Winners will have "bragging" rights for one year as the most knowledgeable site on net! I know of some sites where there are many "experts", let us show them that you are as knowledgeable as them! Think about it. Set up your team! I will wait one week before I visit ski sites and challenge them! Now if that MW helicopter tour company can really "deliver" on their promise,,,we will have great prize!!! |
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Hope you viewed all the picture on;http://www.flickr.com/photos/skitune07!
Hope you had a chance to visit ski shop. In this class 90% of information is based on Part 2 of the book, "The Athletic Skier". I will begin with a quote from this book,,, another shocker, "90% of all skiers we observe are handicapped by their boots"!! That is you and the boots are not in sync! You are not typical skiers. You want to be better skiers and great ski tuners so you now understand that not only your skis but your boots must be tuned ( modified) to allow for your "differences"! What is different in boot tuning is you just do this once" You do it correctly and then you are in ski heaven! While others are opening, closing their buckles! While others are playing around with boots in chalet,,you smile because your boots are like slippers! You have done your "adjustments" in August! Boot tuning is all geometry! In essence your ski boots ( since they are the interface foot/ski) must allow for your "strange" morphology so that the skis are perfectly flat on a flat surface. The picture on page 18 illustrates well this use of geometry! I will assume you all have orthotic soles! There is a simple diagnostic procedure you all can do in five minutes. Try it. Steps 1. Put on shorts and mark with felt pen the very center of your knee cap! 2.Put on boots and buckle them on first buckle notch1 3. Take a plumb line ( that tool which has a pointed weight and string) If you are in doubt see Pavel's wall in center , on Head skis). 4. Have someone hold string on the mark you made at your knee and while you flex forward drop weight until it is just above ski boot! Note where this weight is,,in reference to the boot mid line! All boots have a tiny line in front. The weight should be 1 cm. from line on the medial side ( inside)! If weight is lateral to this line.....you have a problem! Before you do anything,,you must adjust boot cuff to re-align knee to correct geometry! How???? Release the two side screws near ankle using an Allen key or correct tool ( if Atomic boots you have special tool). Flex boots several times and move knee towards center ( if plumb is too far laterally) or move knee outwards if plumb line is too much inward). By doing so you are moving boot cuff to adjust to your leg geometry!. While in this position get someone to tighten both ankle cant screws. DO NOT OVER-TIGHTEN. Repeat same procedure on other leg! Now walk around with boots on! Take buckles off.Walk around some more! Now repeat plumb line measurement with buckles on minimum! See if plumb is in the .5-1 cm medial ( inward) range! If so your boots are perfectly flat and will mate with skis correctly! Wait wait,,,you are not finished! Take off boots and using a file or some sharp instrument make a mark on ankle cant screws! These are now your reference marks,,to show you wear your boots shoulds be! Once in a while visually check this mark! If possible place one drop of clear nail polish on screws! Bravo! See not difficult! Now for the rest of you boot life you will not have to change this setting! That is if you physician does not change your knee geometry!!!!! In the next class we will discuss the flex adjustment and how this is vital for your skiing! I hope now you realize how important these two ankle "cant" screws are! I hope you realize that buying a boot even if for $50 is just not worth it! You will have boot problems all the time! You will pick up poor skiing positions and you will not enjoy yourself! You deserve better! Do not sell yourself short! I would rather that you buy a great USED boot than a cheap new boot! For your homework make a plumb line or just buy one! Learn to use it! Then "experiment" on your wife, girlfriend, boy friend!!! Learn by doing!!! Give me feedback since I might not have expressed myself correctly! Now you can appreciate why I want to have some pictures or videos to support my text! Once I am mobile I will get to my tuning area and make some pictures for you all! Hope this was an entertaining class! If you have a friend who is buying a pair of boots,,,take your plumb line with you to the store and try this procedure! Let me finish with another quote! "Skiing is different from all other sports- because the boot determines so much of your balance and stance" Is not skiing all about balance and stance! Not only will you be great tuners,,,you will also be great skiers!!! |
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Remember at the beginning of class how I promised that you will all be great tuners?
Well this class will make you realize what great tuners consider and do. You must understand that in ski tuning it is not just the ski that must be tuned, rather you must consider all the equipment used and how each component "interfaces" to create an effective whole! The famous saying, "a chain is as strong as its weakest link" is so appropriate in this context! You must see the "big" picture! Understand how boots are so vital for effective skiing. Top of the line, well tuned skis in with poor boots that are, "mis-aligned" results in poor ineffective skiing. In my opinion ski boots, ski boots selection and ski boot tuning is far more important than skis. In most cases a skier will go through 3-4 pair of skis before he/she will change boots!Some skiers will rather change girl friends than change ski boots!I know in my case changing boot is a "stressful" event and even if a company gives me "free" boots I will not change! I will spend at least three classes on this topic. Lesson 13 will be an introduction with some basic concepts. Lesson 14 will deal with basic tuning using all the options available on ski boot ( cant, flex, buckles and power strap). Lesson 15 will address more "drastic" tuning or adaptation of ski boot in order to make the boot more effective for you. Let us begin this class with a shocker!!! 90% of skier never take out liner when they buy boots! This is like buying a car and not looking under hood! That is why for your homework, I have posted on Flickr (see Ellistine's message) some pictures. I want you to look at the picture of the three liners and try to identify which is low end and which is high end! Can we agree that we are all unique. That our bodies are unique. As far as feet are concerned( for many skiers) even your right foot and left foot are different! In my case my left foot is larger, wider with a large big toe articulation! My right leg due to several injuries and "tune-ups" has a very "special" geometry! I have no choice to modify all my boots to accept these strange physical abnormalities! I am sure you also have some "unique feet"! Objectives of this class 1.Learn to identify "quality boots" 2.Learn to use all tuning options on boots 3.Learn to "adapt" boots to skier If you want to be serious tuners, then you must buy the following book; "The Athletic Skier" by Warren Witherell and David Evrard.Many of my comments , suggestions and tuning techniques are based on this book!It is the tuner's bible! No it is more,,,it is the book that makes you understand what effective skiing is without using "technical skiing jargon". You will not regret this purchase! The modern ski boot has two major functions; act as "link" between you and the skis. It is the "communication medium" for messages from the ski and messages from your brain and muscles to the ski! So when I am talking about "ski feel" it is this two way information interaction which is so vital to effective skiing! You must learn to ski with your senses! Once I skied blind (that is my eyes were blindfolded) since I wanted to experience how blind skiers do it! You learn very quickly to "trust" your senses...and even then!!! Now you can appreciate how important the boot is! Its second function is to "hold you" comfortably while you ski! In this class I will not deal with "plug" boots that are made for ski racers. I will just focus on the "on the shelf" boots you will buy! I am asked many times, "what is the best boot?" There is no best boot for all skiers. All ski boot companies have great boots ( and poor boots)! You must learn to "identify" elements of a great boot for you and elements of a cheap boot! That will be your second homework assingnent. To view the pictures I have placed on Flickr and identify the boots in terms of quality! Remember my saying, "nothing is free"!!!! Well it is so relevant for boot selection! Please do not try to save pennies by getting a "cheaper" boot and thus lose dollars in pain and "tortured vacations" I know,,,I know,,you are now asking yourself ( or muttering,,,get with it Pavel) how do I know what is a great boot for me!!! Well first you must get that book and read section two "Boots and Balance / The Suspension System" since you will understand why I am so picky about my boots! Let us look how to find that skiing mate for you! First have an open mind. Do not consider this or that boot because some instructor or racer is using that boot! Do not consider the "looks" of the boot ( color,graphics etc..) Do not even look at the price! (yet) You buy a boot for its functional properties! So if you think of 4-5 years, just divide the retail price by 5 and that is your cost for the year! Note the class title,,,,TUNING BOOTS, that means you must buy a boot that allows you to tune the boot ( ie cant, flex, buckles). It means you must consider also the boot liner and all the "adaptations" you can do! Look at all the pictures of the boots posted. try to identify the "cheaper" models! Try to make a list of characteristics of a high quality boot! Now for the selection boot procedures 1.Take liner out and place feet in boot liners. If no toe room or if too tight forget it. Look at quality of liner! Note ankle area foam! Note if foam heat sensitive! Notice how we have not yet even placed feet in boot shell yet! 90% of stores will just open boot and let you place feet in boot! If feet do not feel comfortable in liners outside boot shell,,then no point trying boots on with shell! 2.Place liner back in shell and put on boots,,,but do not buckle them up! If after 10-15 minutes pressure point appear! Change boots! Please do not accept suggestion, "wear them in or just let boot wear in" 3. Now buckle them up on lowest tension! Wait for pressure points! If none after 15 minutes,,,go to next tension level! Modern ski boots that are well fitted are like slippers!!! Really! I see that Mike is yawing,,,,and Ellistine is saying to himself,,,"I tied all those Atomic boots so I know what to look for" so let us conclude this class by asking you to; view pictures and send me comments about "cheaper" boots. Then visit shops and see if you can pick boots that you could tune! In next class we will take each tuning option on boots and discuss how to do so! Also if you can look at some low end ski boots, or better still tell me why most ski boot companies have no more "rear entry boots" (forget the rental boots)!! |
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When we are young we never think of accidents or hospitals. Why,,,,we are invincible!
But it does happen and so if you want to avoid "visiting" hospitals here is a site that you should all visit! You see often I first begin to teach beginners ( and not so beginners) how to fall! Often they are insulted initially since of course we all know how to fall! When I tell them there is a right way to fall and a wrong way to fall some do listen! Many an ACL was torn because a skier did not learn how to fall! Visit this site. View the total artificial knee replacement! That will motivate you to practice your falls! It is like insurance. You do not want the event to occur, but when it does you are "covered"! Let your fall be a happy one! Visit:ttp://www.sportsknee.com/sports.htm |
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Once you apply first layer, you allow it to cool and harden!
You take off some in order to make it smooth and I pass a nylon brush once or twice. Here is the secret to getting the second layer on. You realize that if you hold the iron too long in one spot the first layer will melt and mix with second application. You must apply just enough new wax to cover ski, yet not too much to create convex ski base! Do it fast and do not stay in one spot AT ANY TIME! The first time you do this ,,it will be a mess! Soon you will learn how to apply this second coat so that it sticks to previous coat but does not "build up"! Again a scrap off wax just to make surface smooth! Hope this helps! Pavel |
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Have you noticed patterns in this class?
Look over the previous classes. Seems the number three comes up often! Three possible angles on vertical ski edges (1,2,3 degrees) Three types of waxes Three layers in your sandwich. If you can just remember those values, then the "complex" issue of ski tuning becomes relatively easy! In this class we will consider what happens when there are "extreme" variations in temperature or snow conditions. Typically this happens in Spring skiing or in high altitude skiing! It is in such conditions that you will have to "consider" when you will ski and where you will ski! The three rule still apply but now you have to be more subtle. Let me illustrate with a typical late March condition where I ski! Here is the context; -15 night temperature groomed runs ( but frozen) with high water content. 10 AM +2C temperature and slopes are "soft" 2PM +10C temperature and snow is "mush" with "cement" like qualities. How do you wax and structure? I do not mind sacrificing some early morning ski glide so that I get very best skiing from 12 - 4 PM. That means large groovy structuring and soft +1to +10 wax IN THE INITIAL base layer! That is the first wax layer! I let this layer set for three hours. The I lay another wax layer ( of harder wax -10C range) over this first layer). I do my structuring with nylon brush ( mid type grooves) on this last layer! Think what I have done! Like an onion I have created layers of structures and waxes. Starting from base let us work up. 1. On base large, wide grooves for late day skiing 2. First wax layer is of the +10 type which will "appear" in the afternoon. 3. On top of that I have a thin layer of hard -12C wax for early morning skiing! 4. On top of this hard wax I have a series of medium grooves for that hard snow full of water! Here is what happens. In the early morning the hard water saturated groomed slopes wears away my top coat wax layer! By 12 PM this hard -12C layer is gone and now I am skiing on the other wax layer which is softer with wider grooves! I get best performance all day! So now you have a dual wax layered sandwich! Did you notice that I did not speak about edge sharpening! In spring skiing you do not have to focus so much on very sharp edges! If you have done your daily check of the dings,,,,you will not need to have those razor sharp edges! If you remembered what I said at beginning of class, I also mentioned that you should consider where you will ski when preparing your skis! If you ski in very large, high altitude ski resort in the Spring, there is often two zones. What I mean by that is the bottom by 11 AM is becoming very "slushy" with melted snow! The upper bowls often ( even more if protected from sun) are still winter conditions! I happen to like to ski the upper sections of major ski resorts! I rarely "come down" to base area until 5PM! So I tune my skis with this in mind! You can now appreciate how tuning your skis for your needs will give you so much more pleasure! Once one of your friends tries your skis,,they will never give them back to you! While others will be "cursing" that soft sticky snow,,,you will be flying by like a eagle! Did any of you watch your wax solidifying on your skis? What did you see? For your homework view the Flickr site photos of the boot liners. Identify which liner is high end and which is low end! Next class will be on how to tune your boots for your needs! |
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