In this episode, I sit down with veteran boot fitter and former ski shop owner Lou Rosenfeld to dive into the art of customizing ski boots for the perfect fit. With years of experience, Lou shares expert insights on how the right boot adjustments can significantly enhance your skiing experience.

We debunk common misconceptions, like opting for larger boots to relieve pressure points, and explore why starting with a snug fit is key. Lou discusses essential modifications for bunions, toe length discrepancies, and heel spurs, showing how professional adjustments can boost both comfort and performance.

From reshaping the forefoot to solving calf issues, Lou explains how custom fitting can transform high-performance boots for any skier. This episode is packed with tips on achieving the perfect ski boot setup for a comfortable day on the slopes.

A big thanks to Ski West, Calgary for letting us use their Big Press for the video examples. https://www.skiwest.ca

Want to see the recording where Lou shows the modifications? Checkout the YouTube version of the podcast here https://youtu.be/VCz5NyVUqKg?si=xJbLnItXdQG7asMx

⭐️ Links:

-Contact Lou about buying a press or any questions: [email protected]

-IAESS https://iaess.org

-Big Picture Skiing Merchandise https://big-picture-skiing.myshopify.com

-Big Picture Skiing Boot Fit Guide https://bigpictureskiing.com/pages/bps-boot-guide

• ⛷️ 25% off coupon code! Want to Join the most comprehensive ski improvement platform for skiing? Big Picture Skiing? Tom curates all videos to make the learning experience as good as him coaching you in person, but at a fraction of the cost! Improve all types of ski turns making you a master of the whole mountain. And podcast listeners can claim 25% off ANY membership plan using code PODCAST making the annual deal great value and a fraction of the cost of a private lesson. Plus you can utilise the strength and mobility videos in the pre season period and off season to stay mobile and strong.

In this episode, I speak with Christian Haas, Fischer's product manager, about the complexities of ski design and construction. We explore how material combinations, thickness, and profile shape define a ski's performance, with differences between racing and rental skis. Christian discusses the Fischer RC4 CT ski (a favorite of mine), highlighting its advanced construction for stability and edge grip. We also delve into bending lines and their impact on stiffness and ski responsiveness.

Christian emphasizes the companies open mind attitude and passion for innovation. You will hear first hand about Fischer's noise technology, designed to reduce vibrations for smoother skiing at the end of the episode.

About Big Picture Skiing and Tom Gellie:

Big Picture Skiing is about sharing insights from experts in the ski industry. Helping skiers discover the missing pieces to what will help them realise their best skiing. I share these insights through a free Podcast, YouTube Channel and for those wanting to dive deeper, a video library membership containing hundreds of tutorials and lessons that solve your skiing problems. If you enjoyed this episode of the podcast please consider subscribing to help us continue to talk with other interesting guests. Or take a look at the continually growing Big Picture Skiing website https://bigpictureskiing.com/

I can offer podcast listeners 25% off any subscription using the code PODCAST at checkout.

“Big Picture Skiing offers a vast and varied video library that is on the one hand so comprehensive in its breadth and depth of information, but on the other surprisingly easy to learn from and retain given Tom and teams exceptional teaching style and well curated videos. I’ve been a member of the community for a couple of years, and have seen such drastic improvements not only in my own skiiing, but in my fundamental understanding of technique, equipment and tactics in any given terrain. For those who want to improve, have a thirst for knowledge, and quite simply for those who enjoy watching brilliant skiing demonstrations, I can’t recommend Big Picture Skiing highly enough.” Andy, New Zealand

In this episode, I chat with Sasha Rearick, former World Cup coach of the US ski team and head coach at Apex 2100. We explore Sasha’s innovative ecological approach to ski coaching, focusing on how athletes adapt their techniques based on environmental constraints. Sasha shares insights on regional skiing styles, the importance of separating movements like "counter" and "anticipation," and the value of embracing mistakes as part of the learning process. This conversation is packed with valuable lessons for both skiers and coaches looking to refine their techniques.

We discuss a drill Sasha likes to use called “Evers” Drill named after Andy Evers. This is a link to an Instagram video of that drill performed by AJ Ginnis https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8kpKbfoTIH/?igsh=MXczdTNnZDM3cXkweQ==

CHAPTERS:

00:00:00 introduction

00:02:11 What is the ecological approach to learning?

00:11:15 Degrees of freedom

00:18:15 Constraints and tasks for learning

00:28:11 The importance of mistakes in learning

00:31:35 Overcoming embarrassment

00:37:39 Upper and lower body separation

00:43:24 “Evers” Drill

In this episode, my good friend Demelza Clay takes over the hosting duties to dive into my background and experiences. We kick things off by talking about my shift from ski instructing to studying body movement, inspired by a session with Claudia. This led me to explore structural integration therapy, which I started sharing with ski instructors, and it was amazing to see their movements and performance improve.

We also chat about how I started sharing content online through videos and how that has evolved over the years. Our conversation touches on the impact of timing and unique educational experiences, like my time at a Steiner school, on shaping our views in the ski industry. It's all about giving you a deeper understanding of how I blend skiing and bodywork.

Reflecting on my journey of seeking out-of-the-box learning experiences, we talk about the importance of following your curiosity and exploring different teaching methods. I share how I draw inspiration from various sources and stress the value of collaboration and continuous learning to refine my coaching techniques. Plus, I talk about my plans to create more focused instructional videos and improve my mogul skiing skills, with conversations with industry experts and launching this podcast being key parts of that.

We also discuss starting the podcast to share ideas, even though the audio quality was pretty rough at first. It's been a great way to broaden my understanding of the ski industry and appreciate diverse viewpoints. I emphasize the importance of goodwill when approaching others and how the podcast helps spread valuable information. Balancing free content with the need to generate income is a big topic, and I draw inspiration from industry leaders like Carve and those pushing technological boundaries in skiing. We even consider the idea of introducing beginner mogul runs and obstacle courses at resorts to enrich skiing experiences, encouraging skiers to embrace all aspects of skiing with intention and a focus on improvement.

Further into the discussion, we explore the benefits of skiing in varied conditions and how it can boost your skills. Mastering diverse techniques like moguls and bumps can really elevate your overall skiing. We stress the importance of ongoing learning and adaptation in skiing, trusting your body, and exploring resources like books and studies on body movement. Topics like footbeds, boot setups, and pattern recognition in skiing highlight the value of a holistic approach to skiing and making informed decisions to optimize performance.

00:00:00 Flipping the Chairs

00:01:09 A Break from Skiing

00:35:31 Shortening Video Content

00:38:35 Mogul Skiing Motivation

00:41:56 Starting the Podcast

00:51:42 The Power of Podcasts and Sharing Ideas

00:55:16 Enhancing Coaching with Technology

01:01:40 The Evolution of Online Ski Classes

01:02:37 The Importance of Mogul Skiing

01:06:19 Maximizing Skiing Enjoyment on Any Day

01:09:52 Using Legs as Shock Absorbers

01:14:10 Uncovering Hidden Insights in Skiing

01:16:06 Trusting Your Body in Skiing

01:17:27 The Importance of Ski Boot Setup

01:19:13 Recognizing Patterns in Skiing

• Want a session with Claudia Sorenson the lady who changed my life with Structural Integration: https://www.claudiasorensen.com/

• Like the Skiing Skeleton cap Tom is wearing? You can get your own here: https://big-picture-skiing.myshopify.com/

• Want access to the biggest library of ski technique videos designed to make you a better skier, click here: https://bigpictureskiing.com/

Meet Joe Dunn a former ski racer and coach turned Ski Dad and Instructor at Deer Valley Ski resort. In this podcast we learn how Joe made more progress by “watching what the best skiers did” instead of just listening to what people “told him to do”. There are some great insights into high end carving that you may not hear elsewhere and Joe shares these through his own experiences on the slopes.

For aspiring skiers and ski racers there are some great technical takeaways you can try when next on snow.

For the ski instructors and coaches there are a few important lessons around language and the words we use when coaching.

Joe and I hope you find this chat ignites a fire of curiosity around your skiing and the way you coach skiing.

You can checkout Joe’s YouTube channel here: https://youtube.com/@skidadtv

Like the Skiing Skeleton cap Tom is wearing? You can get your own here: https://big-picture-skiing.myshopify.com/

Want access to the biggest library of ski technique videos designed to make you a better skier, click here: https://bigpictureskiing.com/

All ski boots have a flex rating but what exactly does this mean for you and your skiing. In this podcast chat with expert boot fitter Brent Amsbury, we find out some important facts about boot flex. 

- What changing the bolts in the back of the boot does and why it’s possibly not the best place to make permanent changes to flex from.

- How U cuts have a better impact on the ski boot flex range.

- That you should always try and get within the right flex rating to begin with. ie dont buy a stiff boot and expect to soften it considerably. 

- How a skinny leg vs a thicker leg will alter a boots flex.

- A look at an innovative ski boot design from UPZ that takes ideas from snowboarding!

If you have enjoyed this episode please take a moment to subscribe to the channel. It helps us bring on great guests whcih in turn helps us all learn more 

If I have peaked your interest in learning to ski better check out the Big Picture Skiing video library and app. You can get a free video to see what it’s all about. 

Follow this link for your free video 👇

https://bigpictureskiing.com/zen/perpendicular

If you want to own a Skiing Skeleton hat like the one Tom is wearing or a “Skellie” t shirt you can buy it here 👇

https://big-picture-skiing.myshopify.com

Everyone loves new ski gear. But how do you know what type of ski gear is right for you? This podcast episode will help you be a little more savvy when you go through the process of testing and finding your next pair of skis. Gain insights from experienced gear reviewer Phil Pugliese, Co-founder of SkiTalk. There are some great pieces of advice in this podcast like ensuring you are considering varibales like ski tune and type of binding when you test a ski. If this discussion is helpful please leave a comment below on why.

LINKS

SkiTalk Website: https://www.skitalk.com

SkiTalk Ski Selector: https://www.skitalk.com/forums/product-reviews.120/ski-selector

SkiTalk Binding reviews: https://www.skitalk.com/forums/gear-reviews-and-comparisons.11/

👇 Would you like a free video tutorial from Big Picture Skiing that has changed the way skiers view balance when skiing? Click the link below 👇 

https://bigpictureskiing.com/zen/perpendicular

Learn some great tips and advice from Mogul and Free Ride Ski Coach, Ben Chapman. Ben shares some valuable advice on:

- setting up your ski boots to be more mogul friendly

- pursuing athleticism not only mogul technique

- skiing different lines in the bumps

- mogul specific training ideas and how to build your own mogul course. 

Links 

Ryuji Kywabara the mogul skier we mention https://www.instagram.com/ryujikuwabara?igsh=NGFlemJtdWdwY211

Video of Ryuji showing different lines 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0biU3Evz3y/?igsh=aDV6ZDV4cTJrM2kz

Guy Hetherington Mogul Tips video on YouTube 

https://youtu.be/DUlYznYkEyw?si=6dyeKFOl_gmzfG2U

You can learn to ski with me via the Big Picture Skiing app and website. Join the many others finding new skills and enjoyment from self driven learning. 7 day free trial means you can test it out risk free.

“This was the season to get better. I joined tom’s Big Picture Skiing. I made every turn with purpose and skied 99% of the time in my own. I got people to video me. Result. I had three different Instructors come up to me saying I’m skiing totally different or better. I feel totally different and I’m not done yet!”

BPS member, April 2024

https://bigpictureskiing.com

Join Tom Gellie and Lou Rosenfeld in this enlightening episode of the Big Picture Skiing Podcast, where they delve into the intricacies of ski boot selection. Discover why Lou recommends specific boot types, from beginners to seasoned experts, and the surprising benefits of opting for a "race boot." Explore the crucial role angles play in ski boot design, and how they can significantly impact your skiing technique and performance on the slopes. Plus, gain insights into the often-overlooked aspects of kids' ski boot design and the potential pitfalls of excessive ramp angle. Whether you're a novice or a seasoned pro, this episode promises valuable insights to elevate your skiing game.

Ready to take your skiing skills to new heights? Unlock exclusive online learning resources by subscribing to our YouTube channel! Check out some of our top-notch content for free by clicking the link below:

https://bigpictureskiing.com/yt/154-seethebigpicture

And hey, why not show off your love for skiing with our trendy "Skellie" T-shirt? Grab yours today at:

https://big-picture-skiing.myshopify.com/?_ab=0&_fd=0&_sc=1

Discover practical methods for finding your ideal boot alignment using everyday items in this episode. Join the conversation between master boot fitter Brent Amsbury from Park City Ski Boot and Tom Gellie of Big Picture Skiing. Gain insights into the BOA system’s effectiveness in tightening ski boots – is it a gimmick or here to stay?

Explore the Big Picture Skiing Boot Fit Guide for more details: BPS Boot Guide

Book a personalized appointment with Brent at Park City Ski Boot

💡 Elevate your skiing with Big Picture Skiing! Access 5 pieces of FREE content designed for YouTube Subscribers. Click here: See the Big Picture

There is a new instructor training and certifying body in Canada. The Professional Ski Instructors of Canada (PSIC). The organisation was founded with the goal of starting a fresh when it comes to how ski instructors are trained and certified in Canada. “Can we do things better given the modern world we live in today?”. Find out about what they do differently and how they approach training and certifying instructors.

Guests

• Mark Sedgwick
• Jeff Marks
• Guy Hetherington

Links:

PSIC https://www.psic.pro/

⛷️ Improve your skiing intermediate to expert from the comfort of your home https://bigpictureskiing.com/