Messages posted by : pavelski
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Yes
Come early,,,never stop and leave late. Great items to remember. I often have skiers who tell me they want so much to ski powder,,,,,but then are too busy to go when +40 cm falls. Less skiers ! |
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This second "challenge" all skiers should face is using the famous POMA lift.
First let me quote a text about this instrument, "Surface Lifts Poma's first model was the Pomalift, a surface lift with a disk that skiers sit on. It has the ability to travel at high speeds because the platters are detachable from the haul rope, and because the perch is telescopic and has a pneumatic system which allows for a smooth and progressive departure. They are still sold today along with T-Bars and fixed grip platters." What this dry text does not tell you is the history of the concept of this "propulsion system by Pomagalski. He noted that going up the rope tow was more fun for the watchers, the ones looking and laughing at the skiers going up the rope tow. He also noted that the human sensory system was so evolved that the major sensory areas were not in the shoulder area but in the lower portions of the body ( as all men know). Pomagalski was one of the first to note that skiers wanted thrills, chills, and pain as a skiing experience. He designed this "poma lift" with this in mind; thrills , chills and pain! Picture this, a 3 meter tube in a J form, with a plastic disk (which you put between your legs) and the genius of Pomagalski was to have a spring above to act as a launch system. Von Braun, the famous German rocket scientist copied this design in his early V2 rockets. Keeping the famous rotating rope tow design, it was up graded to a steel upper cable. You had in effect a constantly rotation upper cable and the Poma has spring clamps which were activated by an attendant. Remember that skiers wanted chills, thrills and pain and so Poma gave all these at the very beginning of your skiing day with the launch sequence. Here is the procedure which you must master to get all three emotions. 1. slide up to launch pad 2. take hold of a J poma bar and with greatest elegance place this bar between your legs. 3. look at the grinning attendant, nod head, take a deep breath,( pray under breath), and be ready for take off. 4. Those inner thighs muscles will be key in your survival in the take off phase. It is not by chance that in the early days of skiing many expert skiers had "thunder thighs" . It was not from skiing, but a result of the many launches from the famous Pomas. 5. Depending on how you were launched,,,you may lift off for several meters. Off means off the snow surface. Do not be alarmed, since this is a mark of an excellent skier who wants a fast greater launch and more pain in the lower areas ( where plastic disc is ). 6. Pomagalski wanted skiing to be thrilling so he designed this instrument very much like a "roller coaster", so a skier had to never sit back or sit on plastic disc. The spring above steel pole made sure you never knew what would happen so it was excitement all the way up. Skiing down was boring. It takes two months and several falls, drags and ski pants to master this lift so it is best if you practice this in the summer away from the crowds. Just suspend a 4 meter metal tube that has been bent into a J. Insert a plastic disk at bottom. Practice this first with no spring. Do not where shorts. oh,,,,,,men wear that famous protector for those family jewels! The poma lift lost favor among ski resorts for three reasons. 1. Crowds began to form at the base in order to watch skiers falling, being propelled every way and ladies in very tight Bogner pants falling into awaiting arms. Sales of ski tickets went down. Many said that skliing became a "spectator sport". 2, Skiers rushed down to try the Poma lift again and again. The daily goal was to master the poma lift and not to ski. Skiing was not extreme enough. Skiers proved their "prowess" by being propelled the highest, the longest from the POma. There were even "extreme Poma" competitions in which skiers would make the most extreme moves possible, with famous moves like the triple drag 5 or the spread eagle curl. 3. The last reason is not well known . The russians and americans realized the potential launching power of this system and so very quietly they bought the rights (or copied) the concept for their space launching systems. Ski owners wanted skiers on the slopes and not in a long long line showing off their Poma launching techniques. That is why you see few Pomas now. If you do see one,,you must try a Poma. It is a unique experience ,,,,,but please first practice before. Be advised it is addictive. Remember that grinning lift attendant, I mentioned before? This job becfame the most prized job in the ski industry since you had the power of the "launch". That is you controlled how the body would be projected up,,,,up,,, and fast or faster. Soon money was passed along to this person depending on who was on the J Poma. If a certain Bogner lady came by,,,,,,3-4 males would be ready to help during the re-entry phase of the launch. Those Poma lift attendants became very rich in a season. That is why you saw the grin,,,,,( few skiers knew ,he was the owner of the ski resort) After 10 years of use in France,,,,it was noted by health authorities that there was great ( no alarming ) population decrease in all the skiing village using the Poma lift. A 2 year study was undertaken and it was found that "undue trauma" to males was the cause of this population decrease. The next year most Poma lifts were abandoned in France and that is why British skiers must sign a waiver form before using the last Pomas in France. Read this waiver form carefully since it frees the French authorities from any liability if you have reduced sexual desires and performance! ( sorry Dave,,,but these are the facts) The warning is,,,practice with care. |
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Far Queue,
Thanks for information. I really did not know that in Europe there are still some rope tows. So my advice was not ill founded. I hesitated to include it in my tow procedures. What an experience . I was in Pakistan and by chance ended up in a ski resort. I could write a book about my adventures there with the; rope tow, hashish smoking cooks, pre-1960 ski boots, and yes women all in black with faces covered "skiing" down a slope! Where is Warren Miller's son ? Hope you like the next post on POMA lift ! ( I still see the attendent with a grin watching the women coming to lift ) |
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The ski lift procedures
I know,,,,I know all you great skiers will laugh at me on this one. Getting on ski lifts IS so simple to you. But to beginners it is a stressful situation and rarely do instructors take time to teach these techniques. Did you notice the term THESE ? Why the these ? That is many ways to,,,,,, It is because there are many types of lifts with various ways to approach lifts. You must observe others and adapt what will be given here. The most archaic lift ( for those who will go to exotic places like India, Lebanon, Siberia, China ( upper parts), etc,,,, Yes these still do exist,,,,,the rope tow! ( ok ok I hear the laughing back there) 99% of skiers will never have the chance to try this form of torture. It involves a rope which is lopped around a drum at top and a geared pull drum at bottom. The rope never stops, thus you must approach rope carefully, lift right elbow ( assuming rope is on right), allow rope to slide between right hip and right elbow. Place ski poles together on left arm. When you are ready , set grasp rope with both hands and be ready to be projected like a rag doll or a puppet by rope. Skiers who had done this ( there are just few now) are not sure if lift up is more exciting than ski down. Do not bend over at waist. Do not spread legs apart Do not look back at girlfriend who is yelling,,,, Try to stay on track while rope is trying to pull your arms out of the shoulder socket. One small hint. No amount of yelling, pleading or crying will stop this rope from tearing your arm off, so just let go of rope if you fall. I repeat let go of rope ! In most modern countries this form of skier torture has been banned. That id why you must go to exotic ski countries to try this form of "pleasure". It also explains why some older skiers have unusually longer arms. In the next post we will present an other "older" lift called POMA which is still used in some countries but only for expert skiers in steep avalanche regions. Women under 13 are not allowed on these types of lifts. |
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May I suggest an improvement on video.
Excellent video. I go one step more. Watch video again. Note that carrying hand. See how the gloved hand is holding the skis with thumb and index finger. I place my wrist OVER skis and use wrist as a counter weigh to balance skis on shoulders. If you pressure down with wrist ski tips will go down. PS. Ski tips must be downward to avoid you hitting skiers behind you with your ski tails! Why use this wrist action ? Well it frees your hand to carry poles ( yours and women's )! It frees your hand to carry water bottle. In short it frees your hand,,,, Of course the other hand is for,,,,,the wife, the girlfriend,,,etc,,,,, Just my way. |
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The item that no one has addressed yet is how to get into that " ski carry position" .
Once skis on shoulders that cool walk desired is easy. What I watch for to detect the good ski carrier from the great (expert) ski carrier is one special move. One trick that instantly tells me,,,,,that is "old Andy's pupil" or Dave Mac taught him/her how to carry skis. It is called that "transition move". From skis leaning on wall, on rack to ,,,on shoulders. A smooth, move, elegant and fluid that shows the one that has done it a thousand times. Yes I see the brain cells heating up,,,,searching,,,,,, No You TUBE videos of this move yet. It is a secret of the ,,,,,,,,,,, |
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Old Andy is correct about tips down position and bindings resting on shoulders near neck. If you look very carefully at high tech,,high level ski jackets they have a rip-stop (black usually) nylon material at shoulder area ( where skis should rest).
That is the function of that rip-stop nylon patch. The trick is to balance skis with shoulder as fulcrum. With this method you can carry poles and boots AND still hold that tender hand! Practice this winter this move. |
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Old Andy is correct about tips down position and bindings resting on shoulders near neck. If you look very carefully at high tech,,high level ski jackets they have a rip-stop (black usually) nylon material at shoulder area ( where skis should rest).
That is the function of that rip-stop nylon patch. The trick is to balance skis with shoulder as fulcrum. With this method you can carry poles and boots AND still hold that tender hand! Practice this winter this move. |
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