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Coach Than please!

Than_Bogan

By Than_Bogan
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Than_Bogan Grand Master

Than_Bogan

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Perhaps @MattP or @Horton can figure out how to properly "embed" these, but these links should at least work for those with QuickTime installed in their browser, possibly with manually resizing the window to see it all. These are fairly high res videos taken on the first set with my "new" fin settings. This includes my first successful -38 of this season.

 

It's absolutely incredible to me how much I see here that is very wrong, and to a large extent I can coach myself from these. The slightly out of control turns on 1/3/5 I think are mostly a function of the brand new settings, and I think went away later. But all the other mistakes you see are my regular ones!

 

Any and all comments are welcomed. I prefer those who see a lot of flaws to those who say "good skiing." Like everybody else, what I want to figure out is how to run MORE buoys.

 

And definitely don't feel like you need to be running similar or more buoys to have comments. We're all working on mostly the same things!!

 

-28:

http://www.threeseasonski.com/3SSC_2013/Than/D60_8748.MOV

 

(At -32 I think he only took still shots.)

 

-35:

http://www.threeseasonski.com/3SSC_2013/Than/D60_8800.MOV

 

-38:

http://www.threeseasonski.com/3SSC_2013/Than/D60_8801.MOV

 

Pitiful attempt at -39:

http://www.threeseasonski.com/3SSC_2013/Than/D60_8802.MOV

 

Alternatively, you can explore all of this yourself (including the stills) from:

http://www.threeseasonski.com/3SSC_2013/Than/index.html#

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SkiJay Veteran

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@Than_Bogan "... actually doing it is another story..." harkens back to the "keep your head and eyes level" advice you got last year. I have the same tendency to drop my head, so I took that advice personally and have been consciously trying to change it since last October! After 250+ sets of working hard on it, maybe I can keep my head level 40% of the time now. MAN old habits die hard!

 

You ski deeper than I do, Than, so it's with humility that I suggest that if you can fallow @ShaneH's excellent advice inbound, with an earlier edge change and a more tightly maintained handle outbound, 39 will be yours. It's a testament to your high level of athleticism that you can run 38's while changing edges well beyond the white water ... tangled in fishing line or weeds to boot!

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Than_Bogan Grand Master

Than_Bogan

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@ral Weeds all over handle. I only had time to strip some of them. Look closely at the trail behing me at 1. Weeds are always an issue on that end, unless the water is high in which case the backwash is hideous. I'll take the weeds any time!
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matthewbrown Rising Star

matthewbrown

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I see nothing wrong with the method @shaneh used to critique....it was clear, understandable and most importantly gave the skier a visual frame of reference rather than just a bunch of verbage strung together........pretty sure Bill Belacheck didn't play pro football
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A_B Grand Master

A_B

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Technically speaking,'if Than gets his left hip around a little more and chest up, which will engage more ski in a sacked position, I think it would help. Maybe play with getting a little higher on the boat so you can accomplish this without being rushed and body reacting in leaning out the back and then have the boat bend you forward as you head into the wake in a weak position.

 

To me, it's about tip pressure into the first wake in a powerful position. The edge change at the second wake is a result of what you did into the first wake.

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gregy Grand Master

gregy

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@Than_Bogan Seth had me square my shoulders and hips up on the gate as well as pull my handle in like Shane's partner. He also told me if I look at the boat to be turning my head to do it. Then use my hips to initiate the turn. When I did it I couldn't believe the angle I was getting through the wakes and with less effort. Maybe @shaneh or some of the better skiers could elaborate on this. It was a real revelation for me, now I've got to learn to easy up on my turns.

 

The other thing I notice was it looks like your falling back as you turn in for the gate. I looked at your 28 off and the water is breaking at the toes of your back foot. In Regina it's breaking at the toes of her front foot. Take a look and see what you think. This might help the ski carve around underneath you better so your shoulder aren't leading like Shane mentioned. I'm thinking you never let the ski finish the turn so it never fully get under you.

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LeonL Grand Master

LeonL

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@OB, I don't want to antagonize you, but I felt that you were a bit hard on @ShaneH. His coaching style may not equate to yours, but he made a genuine effort to show @Than_Bogan a comparison. I honestly can't see why you would want to bring @ShaneH's skiing ability into play here. Do as I say and not as I do is a valid coaching comment IMHO. It every athlete respnded to their coach with "lets see you do it" very few of them would advance. Please don't view this as a personal attack, just an observation put to print.
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Texas6 Veteran

Texas6

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One of the best things about BOS is that you can ask for advice and receive it in numerous ways, different styles, illustrations, etc. and you get that advice from a vast range of skiers at different levels, some pro, some may as well be pro, amateur, fifteen-offer, open rated, etc...Regardless of how well you ski, most skiers on this board have seen enough skiing to offer something valuable. If you don't feel it is valuable, you can gloss over it and move on to the next person willing to spend their time trying to help you get better. Great skiing @Than, and a great write up and illustration @Shane!
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Rico226 Contributor

Rico226

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The critical piece of the puzzle is "getting in" that optimum position out wide on the gate with body squared, with the handle low and attached (end result). We all know that is No easy task at your toughest pass. Any thoughts on what everyone is thinking in that edge out phase on the gates to maintain low handle connection, speed, stacked body position, tight line, etc before there gate turn in. Once you are out there ready to go, whatever body position you have is going to normally be maintained throughout the entire pass.
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crashman Proficient

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I can't see the pictures anymore. @shaneh can you please repost them? Pullout and glide have been the main focus of my skiing this year and I feel like it's helping me advance. Those pics are helpful even to a low level skier like me. Guys please please please don't take your ball home- your input is helpful to more skiers than you know! I do find it fascinating that someone running -38 can find room to improve- I feel like I've won a world championship when i add 1 mph at -15. At my level it would seem like you would have to have near perfect form to run -38. I see that this sport is neverending. Do we need to bring back Taelon to absorb some negative energy?
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Andre Veteran

Andre

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@Shane

I thought that your analysis with pictures was great !

Don t care if you run 41 or 15 off ,your advices were great for everyone to learn!

-Still practicing my position behind the boat like you suggested to me last week.

Hard to break old habits!!!

You took some of your personnal time to help Than and i think it s nice of you!

My ski finish in 16.95 but my ass is out of tolerance!

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estrom Rising Star

estrom

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Dang it, I didn't log in all weekend and missed your photos @ShaneH. I would love to see them if you wouldn't mind posting them again. Your thoughts on technique are usually really helpful.

 

@Than_Bogan, very cool skiing! My only observations have been mentioned already. That is 1) maybe try to drop the handle down more towards your hips when your stacked and 2) initiate edge change a little sooner as Seth talks about in his video where he's explaining getting the ski wide vs. pulling longer and following the natural path around the pylon.

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Than_Bogan Grand Master

Than_Bogan

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I truly appreciate all the help. These videos and the above advice have really made me feel like -39 could be possible for me someday.

 

I think some folks forget that having a lot wrong means advancement is still possible.

 

I still remember-like-it-were-yesterday when my new track coach at MIT saw me jump for the first time.

 

"Wow you have a really good technique. It's too bad you're not jumping a little higher."

 

What a bummer to think that 6'0" was the end of the road for me. (He was essentially right; I hit 6'1" a couple of times my senior season.)

 

But what I see in this video and read above is the opposite. It's more like "Nice -38 but just imagine where you could get if your form were better!"

 

Exciting!!

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