THE PRIMARY MOVEMENTS TEACHING SYSTEM

Harald R. HARB, Diana ROGERS and Robert A. HINTERMEISTER

Harb Ski Systems, Dumont, CO, USA

INTRODUCTION

The Primary Movements Teaching System^TM (PMTS), is a recently developed direct parallel method for teaching Alpine skiing. It is based on effective and efficient use of modern ski design through applied biomechanics and motor learning. It emphasizes balance and small, efficient movements that start at the feet causing release of the ski, weight transfer, and edging. All skiers learn the fundamental movements used by experts and refine them with experience, continually reinforcing the basic movements. Maneuvers such as the wedge, wedge turn, and wedge-Christie, taught in traditional teaching systems (TTS) but not used in expert skiing, are not taught in the PMTS. As a more efficient method of skiing, there are implications for reduced fatigue, joint stress, and injury. Corresponding with the goal of most skiers, the PMTS goal is to provide quick, easy progress to efficient, fun-filled parallel skiing.

METHODS

The PMTS emphasizes balance and small movements of the feet that work their way up the kinetic chain causing the center of mass (CM) to move laterally inside the arc of the turning skis. This puts the skier in a strong, balanced position to use the ski and resist the centrifugal and gravitational forces that are present during the turn. Improved balance allows the skier to maintain a narrow stance and provides the option of using one or both skis for support depending on what the circumstances dictate. With a narrow base of support, small movements at the feet can effect substantial directional changes in the CM. These movements can be executed with sensitive control for the desired turning result.

Ski release and weight transfer occur by lightening and tipping the previous stance foot to the little-toe side. These movements initiate and control turning. Lightening the outside stance foot (relative to the turn center) at the end of a turn is done by relaxing the quadriceps and adductors that are resisting the inertial forces, and contracting the hamstrings. This results in leg flexion and weight transfer to the opposite leg. Simultaneously relaxing the everters, that keep the stance ski rolled onto its big-toe edge during the turn, releases the ski by flattening it. These movements work with inertial forces and result in a smooth, efficient transition as the outside stance foot of the last turn becomes the inside free foot of the new turn.

Edging of the new stance ski is caused by actively tipping the inside, free foot in the direction of the new turn. This subtle inversion of the free foot causes passive external rotation of the femur, and displacement of the skier’s CM into the turn. The resulting body inclination engages the inside edge of the stance ski and starts it turning.

The movements utilized in the PMTS also provide unlimited entry points for skiers who have learned through TTS. Refined movements creating the release, transfer, and engagement prevent and replace the inefficient movements in a skier’s repertoire.

RESULTS

In three seasons, over 70,000 skiers of all abilities have learned using the PMTS. The PMTS has been tremendously successful with beginners learning to ski parallel, and with existing skiers achieving their desired improvements quickly and easily.

Our results are primarily qualitative, based on observations by instructors and students. Those with previous lesson experience often give feedback from a comparative perspective. The criteria instructors use to judge the method include the students’ control of speed and direction, ability to link turns, parallel relationship of skis while turning or stopping, ability to negotiate varied terrain, and enthusiasm and feedback. Experienced instructors find that most students progress faster with the PMTS, and that previous plateaus in progress are easily surmounted. Feedback indicates that students comprehend the PMTS more easily than TTS, and readily understand the progression for improvement.

Progress with the PMTS method is fast. Within a two-hour lesson, about 65% of beginning students are able to link parallel turns on easy terrain, with about one-third of these linking parallel turns on intermediate terrain by the end of their first day of skiing. Another 30% link turns with a slight wedge entry (like a traditional wedge-Christie) and the remaining 5% are generally able to stop, but have difficulty linking turns.

Student criteria for evaluating lessons include enjoyment, perception of effort, stress, or pain, control, ability to negotiate terrain, and improvement in technique and balance. Skiers who compare PMTS and TTS lessons are overwhelmingly positive about their PMTS experience, citing the ease of turning and quick improvement. Many skiers, often those with compromised knee joints, cite the reduction in pain they experience during and after skiing.

DISCUSSION

The PMTS results in rapid, enjoyable skiing progress with less effort than traditional technique. Skiers of all ages and abilities learn faster by reinforcing and refining fundamental, effective movements. It works especially well with shaped skis, and is also effective with traditional skis. Even neophyte instructors, with little training, are successful with the PMTS because the movements result in predictable outcomes.

The PMTS differs from traditional teaching systems in many ways. The PMTS continually develops balance and a corresponding narrow base of support. As a result, the CM can be readily displaced inside the turn arc with small, controllable movements. In contrast, TTS rely on the stability of the wedge, but that leaves the CM aligned between widely separated feet and requires large lateral displacements that can be difficult to modulate.

The PMTS focus of tipping the free foot initiates turning without the active leg rotation that is advocated in TTS. The resulting edge engagement of the passive stance ski is more efficient than active steering. Additionally, active rotation of the lower leg often leads to skidding of the skis and can result in increased torques about the knee.

Other movement contrasts include the PMTS release that is accomplished by giving in to inertial forces. TTS’s do not initially emphasize a release and resist inertial forces to accomplish weight transfer. Also, the abrupt change in movement pattern between the wedge-Christie and parallel maneuvers of TTS’s causes a plateau in progress for many skiers because it contradicts previously ingrained movement patterns. The PMTS accelerates the learning curve by teaching and refining the fundamental movements that lead directly to parallel. An expert skier with a PMTS foundation typically skis in a more refined and efficient manner (like World Cup technique) than a TTS product.

Theoretically, efficient movements and the lack of active lower extremity rotation used in the PMTS may explain the feedback from many skiers who experience reduced fatigue, joint stress, and pain. Reduced energy expenditure is likely for initiating movements that arise from the small muscles that control inversion of the foot, in comparison to the large muscles responsible for rotation about the hip. These characteristics of the PMTS suggest the potential for reduced injuries in PMTS skiers.

REFERENCES

Harb, H.R. (1997). Anyone can be an Expert Skier. Harb Ski Systems, Dumont, CO, USA.

Harb, H.R., Rogers, D., Hintermeister, R.A. and Peterson, K. (1998). Primary Movements Teaching System Instructor Manual. Harb Ski Systems, Dumont, CO, USA.

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"PMTS", "Primary Movements", and "Primary Movements Teaching System" are trademarks of Harb Ski Systems, Inc.
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