This will be a forum for rec.skiing.alpine Participants. I hope it will evolve to a point where anyone can FTP a Video and anyone can do a D&C. Initially, I will try to 'host' this, but ultimately WE can host this somewhere like Anglefire or Geocities. Comprende? I would like to think WE could keep the 'spirit' of RSA and be both 'Instructional' and 'Funny'.
So for the time being, send your animated gifs and/or your D&C's to me here at My E-Mail Address and I will put them up at this site.

I will do the necessary editing. So its not completely free, BUT it will be, if this catches on.

Realize at the Get Go, that I am NOT a Techie Guy, one finger typing, and all that.

So lets see what we have so far.

Remember, this is an 'OPEN' Forum. You can critique a Critique. Lets keep it Fun and Instructional

Nice Extension and Flexion, ie movement in the Vertical plane. Good pivoting and use of edging throughout the turn.
What do I detect ?
Not advancing the basket throughout the radius of the turn.
SKILL: Timeing and Co-Ordination.
EXERCISE: Plant pole during the Initiation Phase of the next turn and remember to advance the basket with the radius of the turn.
Lets Try it Scott. Feel the difference ?

Our first submission comes from Kneale Brownson who seems seriously concerned with TB's form and his Skiing.

Gotta say, Bob, that while The Budda has that commonly nagging problem of forgetting to keep BOTH hands in view (or, at least, in front of the vast bump that's the source of his title of TWO Budda), I think his pole plant at the TOP of his crossover from one turn to the next is perfect timing (almost as pretty as his smile). The thing I'd chide him for, timing wise, is delayed pointing of the new inside knee (or inside foot little toe) toward the turn he's entering. You can see the appearance of a wedged shape in the alignment of his skis just after that perfectly timed pole plant. That results from failing to engage the inside foot of the new turn in the turning process until after the crossover and pole plant. I'd advise him to think about trying to roll the new inside foot onto its little toe simultaneous to his engagement of the outside foot's inside edge. In the pictures, he's doing it sequentially. This could help The Prophet change some really nice turns into really great ones (especially if he could look past his big belly and hands toward the bottom of the hill--or the backside of the babe a couple turns ahead. Keep smilin', Kneale

Our next critique comes fromErik Leonard aka. Throckmorten
Who submits:

I agree with Kneale, but I can see where bob would think it was a timing issue. To me Buddha looks stiff and somewhat hesitant. I think the lack of progressive foot/knee through the transition of the turn is part of the problem. I think Kneale's comments were particularly helpful in this regard as Buddha's feet should really flow from one trun to another. That is, start the new turn from the belly (middle/fall line) of the old turn. The inside knee and little toe are excellent physical cues for this. Step-Roll turns would also be good. However I was to adress a different aspect of Buddha's skiing. As I said before, he looks stiff. He's also a tall guy. When I look at his flexion/extension through the turn I notice that the ankle of his outside is flexed as he finishes the turn. This causes his ski to hesitate and throw up a bit of snow. As he crosses the fall line he stands up and straightens his ankle. I would like to see this movement be more progressive, i.e. slowed down so that the flexing and extending is spread through the whole turn. So what I would do is have Buddha lower his center of mass 1 cm (~1/2 inch) in his 'normal' stance, from there I would have him extend his new outside leg laterally as he began his turn (possibly getting more edge earlier). He needs to hold that leg out there (i.e. resist the turning forces) until he completes the turn (heads back across the hill) and returns to his 'normal' stance. The key is to feel the skis carve and keep the weighting movement smooth and progressive.

I asked my C.S.I.A. Level 3 Ski School Director for his comments and Jim Andersonkindly obliged by way of telling me a few things to watch for in the bargin. BTW, Two Budda has seen these comments and shrugged; saying, Vail:Where no lessons are worth taking.

Hi Bob You asked for it so here goes! Thereis a poivot taking place & little else. Start at the feet & compare to the Demo team picture you show later. There is no steering phase - just a pivot from turn to turn. The tails of the skis wash out on every turn - why? -because the skier loads the front of his boot at the end of every turn! He should be loading the tail by applying heel pressure to have the skis carve. He has it backwards. The giveaway in detecting is twofold - 1. the tails wash out. 2.you can observe a clear view between his boots late and to the end of his turn. The boots should be partially beside each other - no daylight! To do that he has to quit leaning on the front of his boot at the end and think more about the ankle being straighter out of the boot. The other givaway is that he starts each turn by leading with the wrong hip - the downhill hip should lead the uphill at the beginning - slice the tomato! Finally his flexion & extension is not bad although through flexion he needs to steer the skis and stop the pivoting action. His elbows need to be ahead of his chest, his hands higher & you are right his basket needs to move throughout the turn to set him up properly to start the next turn. The picture is hard to see clearly but it apprears to me that rotation is involved in making these turns - he needs to practice counter rotation. His turns appear as a set of sideslips much like bracquage. Check his flexion & body position versus the Demo team individuals. Well you asked!!!!!!!!!!!! Jim

Then I tried to defend my comments
WoW Captain Technical That's a lot of stuff to digest. I really appreciate it. Now let me explain a bit. With good fle and ext, IF he were to get more foward ie at the front of the boot, through advancing the basket, and planting at the bottom of the down, to trigger the up, would he not face downhill better, be more positive with T&C and make improvement ? If you were to give me a one liner for this guy, ie something to work on, what would it be ?

So Jim came back with:
This is zee Captain Tech. at your service!!!!!! Advancing the pole basket is crucial & has a 3fold affect -1. it assists in overall flow & symmerty to the turn. 2. it assists the steering effort in the lower body by adding momentum to the turn-it flows 3.it prepares the skier & assists with timing of the next turn - the pole is in the right place for planting rather than having to jerk it forward at the last minute. Thus flow & preparation are achieved. It also assists with balance. It is a misunderstanding that the pole plant occurs from the flexed position to trigger the extension. Extension by the way is not necessarily up but rather forward on square skis or lateral forward on shaped skis.The pole plant occurs DURING extension - the extension movement has already begun in the initiation phase when the pole is planted.We do however tend to tell students to plant it as a timing device to begin the next turn which is incorrect. The pole plant is just part of the overall flow of continuous movement.Another reason to plant the pole is to allow the skier to momentarily lean on it for balance. Facing downhill is incorrect - his lower body must turn against a quiet upper body that faces more downhill rather than follow the line of the skis.- counter rotation - steering the lower body under the upper body. The pole movement will not help develop this element. TO develop the feeling of counter rotation use stop christies, hockey stops, javelin turns etc. What you try to develop is more steering & less pivot. A one liner for this guy --- Have him ski with his boots undone! Now he cannot lean on the fronts. His ankle joint will straighten or he'll fall down. His ankle at the end of the turn should have similar straightness to yours when standing in your tennis shoes awaiting the serve! So ends the lesson. Jim

A Level 3 PSIABob Jaap sent along his comments on the Prides technique.
I am re-inserting the picture here so we can follow Bob's comments better.

And yet another 'tip' from Dave Morrison, a ski friend who happens to work at the same Company I do:
Hi Bob.
David Morrison (CSIA/CASI Level II, SBC Magazine Clinic Coach)
I like TB's smile, laid back composure and the flourescent base on his boards. Seem's clear to me (also) that a babe in stretch tights is cruising just ahead of our cameras's view!! Technically speaking, I detect 2 fairly obvious points for improving his ski technique, and one BLATENTLY OBVIOUS problem!!! 3 - Hands up & foreward will improve TB's B.B.P. and therefore assist him to correct the arm & lower body movement problems (As technically detailed by JA & BJ). 2 - Ditto JA's detection/correction re: lateral position of feet (thru final 3 quadrants). 1 - The MOST OBVIOUS PROBLEM with TB: Definatly needs to ditch the poles and one of the boards!!! (Now the FUN begins TB Dude!!!! WeeeeeHaaaaa!!!!)