A spring training ski and a competition or high score ski

[Horton]

At the end of this season, after skiing on a Connelly Prophecy for a while I pulled my 07 Radar MPD out for a few sets. As I expected it took me 3 tries to run my opening pass but once I adjusted, I found the MPD working better than I ever remembered. Within a few sets, I had a golden pass that may have been the best 6 buoys of my life. This got me thinking that a ski can drive a skier to change habits (Stange, Darwin, Holloway all deserve partial credit for planting this idea).

 

Ridding a ski that rides higher in the water and decelerates less (a“fast ski") allows a skier to be less technical and still attain width. I think that when I train on the Radar or another “Fast ski I am not forced to control the handle as much as on the Connelly Prophecy or HO A1.

 

On the A1, I missed a number of 38s last summer because at 4 ball I was way ahead and said to myself, “just relax and cruise the last two balls" On a ski like the MPD this would have worked beautifully but on the A1 I found myself suddenly inside the next ball. I would argue that because I have skied on Radars more then anything else in the last two years I have learned to expect that I can relax and run the pass if I am in the rhythm. In other words I think the MPD taught me a bad habit.

 

The same is true for the Connelly Prophecy. When I first started to ski on the Prophecy I felt like I wanted more width on my heel side (on side). In only a few rides I adjusted my technique and found more than ample width. If I relax on the Prophecy as much as I can on MPD I will not get around the next ball.

 

The handle control that I had to practice on the Prophecy and A1 substantially improved the way I rode the MPD. The MPD will work pretty well with average handle control but works even better with lots of handle control. The same analysis can be made for numerous other facets of skiing. I think I picked up a bad habit on my heel side turn (on side) from skiing on the Prophecy and RS-1. Skiing on the A1 would certainly force me to work on that mess. Every ski has a strong point, I can see the argument for changing brands every time you change skis to keep your style from becoming stagnate. Maybe a spring training ski and a competition ski.

[skibug]

Maybe it parallels the &muscle confusion&theory of weight lifting; where by you do not train in a traditional routine so the muscles stay stimulated. You do various reps and sets with different movements to stimulate growth. I can see the same idea with skiing. I am not saying to changes skis every set; but, much like working out, when you plateau, after spending considerable time in the same routine, you need to change to get the muscles to react. Or maybe like cross training; but with multiple skis. It is an interesting concept.

[Director Darwin]

John - good thoughts!  The reason I stayed on Goode's so long (until this year) was each time I jumped on another brand, I would work hard to get to the same level I was on whatever Goode I was riding.  Upon reaching that level, I would jump back on my Goode and find that I skied much better. I think having a ski in the garage that is possibly harder to ski on - challenges you technically -  is not such a bad idea.  It will make you a better skier and make those tough passes come easier when you transition back to your normal ride.

[ForrestGump]

 

I've been considering doing something like this in the spring. I had thought of buying a Senate C in place of my RS1 and slowing the boat speed down.

 

[Horton]

 

JD,

 

I am pretty sure we agree since your comments were among those that got me thinking about this but, for me harder to ski on is not exactly the words I would use. On the RS-1 and to some extent the Prophecy, my heel side turns are so brainless that I stopped doing the right things as I got the the apex. When I got on an MPD or A1 I had to rethink what I was doing. Maybe another way to talk about all of this is that if a ski does something extra well it can allow the skier to slack off on that skill.

[Director Darwin]

 

Basically what I was attempting to convey.  I'm coming off a week's vacation and college football overload - not thinking clearly.

 

[skidawg]

I spent a year on a super stiff F-1. Great ski, but it takes strength and technical prowess.  when I switched to something more forgiving, my average jumped up (not top score).  I was able to run more bouys on average with more mistakes.  I think the idea of a tune up ski is a very good idea. Like training for a bike race with a heavy set of rims and tires (come race day put on the super light aero wheels).

[MrJones]

 

I haven't been skiing for a month or two so I am a bit behind on my ski site web cruising. I just came across this thread and think it is interesting. I started one a couple of months ago about & what do you want from your ski" which kind of went along the same lines.

 

 

My thoughts came (as with John) from riding the Prophecy. It took me about 2 months to get used the requirements of the prophecy and get to the level where I thought I should be. I realized that it would not let me get away with some of the things I did on my Goode. (Namely poor handle control).

 

 

The idea I was trying to develop in the previous thread was "do you want a ski that would give you absolute max performance, or one that might be more forgiving? Thinking about this thread I must clarify that a bit. It might not be the ski design that would hold you back from your max, but rather that the more forgiving ski might allow you to & get away with a technique flaw in training rather than fix it which would allow you (not the ski) to run more buoys. (Yes, quite a run on sentence)

So... Ski will really help your consistency and get you to 2 ball at x pass very frequently, but you can't seem to get past it. Ski is more demanding and if you make a mistake it may punish you by only achieving 5 buoys at the pass before x, but your technique becomes better and you find that now you are running 3-4-5 at that hard pass. The question is will this plan work an/or can you stick with the plan.

 

Any thoughts???

sj

[Horton]

If you have three skis and each requires one specific skill be done very well and is otherwise forgiving, I would guess that rotating every 3 to 6 months would build all three skills and build a better skier. It is perhaps a fanciful and impractical idea. . . . or is it?

 

Using my example above, the MPD let me ski pretty well without great handle control but does require a bit of front foot pressure. The MPD teaches front foot pressure and but when I went to the Prophecy I had to work the handle. If I were smart I would have kept what I learned on the MPD and add it to what I learned on the Prophecy. Then when I go to an A1 and look for that freak speed you get when you really get forward at the wakes on that ski. I would have a portfolio of new skills. If only I was smart enough to not just adjust to what ever ski I am on.

 

Impractical? Yes I think so but it is interesting.

[Horton]

By the way I really hope the general readers and all the unregistered folks who pass though here enjoy this kind of topic. Stuff like this is why I do this.

[ForrestGump]

John, I love topics like this. There's no where else on the net where you can have this cross section of skiers discussing things like this. The average skier can learn a ton just by reading what some of you guys throw out.

[Old MS Accout]

Tynan tries other skis but he cant get off the X5.

I tried for years to get off the Monza and after the first set on many new skis I was always bright eyed and happy. But ski it 4 sets and they all sucked. I think I could take any of the top skis, put a few weeks into it and ski to my average daily, but there are alway 1 or 2 things that I dont like about skis that keep me going back to old faithful.

When I skied the 9800 at the test, I was in love. I bought one the next spring and never found that feeling. I loved the MPD after I skied on it a few times and that was enough to get me to try the RS1 this summer. The RS1 got me off the Monza and I think it is a very stable, predictable ski to ride.

[Horton]

bump

[Horton]

Today after over 3 weeks skiing on the EP Stiletto I went back to my modern ski ( Denali C75 ). As expected the first few passes were awkward. My gate pull out was all wrong and the exit of On Side was super odd. By the third pass things felt good and then I went on to run one of the best 38s of my life.

 

How can this be? My theory is the same as it was 11 years ago when I started this thread the first time. The EP made me be calmer into the first wake, extra patient at apex and it forced me to be taller into apex. With these new habits everything clicked better than usual on my superior ski.