Customer Reviews

Breakthrough On Skis III, The New Skis [VHS]

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Lito Tejeda-Flores is by far the most intelligent, rational and non-irritating teacher of skiing to intermediates. Especially if you only ski a week or two a year, and can't seem to make progress to your satisfaction, he will change all that. His book, "Breakthrough on Skis," is a starting point. His first two videos are indispensable companions to it and lay out a very simple strategy for the graceful, less tiring, and ultimately addictively satisfying realization of skiing as it should be. If you currently make windshield-wiper turns, wobble like a weeble, and proceed through bumps at low speeed all the while wondering not if but when you'll fall, take heart: they are solveable problems, you will see immediate improvement. Most worthy: you will see what you are trying to do, and the mystery will be replaced by the simple need to develop some new tools and then to enjoyably practice them for the rest of your life. BUT, the fact is that the new skis, which are hugely better than the olds ones, don't change technique very much at all. They are simply easier to ski well on. Sorry, but if you own older skis you must throw them away, demo entry level "shaped skis," and eventually buy a pair. Plan to demo this winter--a different brand each day. They will be shorter in length than previous--probably about as long as you are tall. That's all there is to it, in reality. For a strong intermediate guy start with the equivalet of K24-brand skiis. For Women, the Rossis that are the most popular rentals. The skiis will turn much more easily than you are used to. If they chatter or are unstable when you go fast, you need to upgrade to the next skills level of demos. The implication of these remarks is that Lito's new tape is the least necessary. All his ideas are promulgated in the earlier tapes. Alas, this one seems an advertisement for them, and it advocates the techniques of Harold Harb, who's in it. But Harb's elegant observation--that whatever you do to your unweighed ski, the weighted ski will follow--is really only a tip. You need the entire Tejeda-Flores course to change your skiing style and life. All in all, this tape is by no means essential. Lito seems to have been Aspenized, there is an advertising quality that is absolutely out of character from the easlier work. By the way, Lito's book and the first two tapes make an excellent present for anyone you know who would like to be a better skiier. I have watched them both 100 times and never gotten tired. I'm not a ski instructor. You can buy thenm all for the price of one lesson at Vail. And remember, nobody can teach you this stuff--you have to teach yourself. Only when you have a question can anybody help you. Good luck. Tejeda-Flores is the master. And he skids his turns a little, which is hope or solace for us all.

Within the opening frames of this relaxing but engrossing video, one is transported to both a new manner of teaching as well as just great basic instruction. This video acts a great teaching tool for everyone from green circle to double black diamond. You can review portions of the instruction all season and learn excellent technique over and over again.

I bought this video first and found the first five minutes of the video useful. But then I got got the first of the series and found it to be just incredible (I will be rating that video five stars). This video is first of all...boring. I almost fell asleep drinking a glass of wine about halfway through. I just found this video to be a mapping of the techniques in I & II to the shaped skiis. Basically, the techniques Tito speaks of don't change from I & II but he stresses that the shaped ski is more responsive than the older skiis. Don't waste your money on this one. I recommend the first in the series if you want to ski the groomed slopes and the second for bumps and powder.

I've been skiing now for nearly 10 years and during this time I've had many ski instructors with different styles of teaching but nothing compares to the information prodived by this DVD. Lito goes straight to the point and tells you exactly what you need to know from early weight shift to correct body position for the various runs from easy blues to serious off piste.

Within a day or two of practicing his techniques I found myself carving more arcs and in more control of my skis. Which face it, is the real reason we all wanted to ski in the first place. Not only am I in more control but for once I feel like I am progressing out of the intermediate rut. This DVD gives lots of freeze frames and easy to understand instruction which you can practice the minute you hit the slopes.

I found the DVD so useful I ended up buying his book as well which gives you even more insight into the different techniques from small radius arcs to mogul runs. Thus I had to go for another ski holiday which I've just returned from and boy does this book complement the DVD. I'm more of a visual learner myself and reckoned that the book wouldn't add any more additional information but I can safely say that I was wrong.

The total running time for this DVD is just under 60 mins and he does repeat himself alot but this just proves to concrete how important some of the core aspects of his ski technique are.

Anyway I highly recommend this DVD and believe me you won't be dissappointed!

As this was filmed after the advent of shaped skis this is the best of Lito Tejada-Flores videos to buy. His graceful moves down the slopes at Aspen will inspire you.

If you are trying to be a better intermediate skier watch this video every day and memorize the pictures. Then when you go down the slopes think of Lito and his wife and try to emulate them.

Practise, watch, practise, watch, ... - over and over again. Every time I watch it I see something new. I must have watched it at least 15 times and the words get a bit tedious - but I'm never bored with the skiing technique.

I'd get all three if you can afford it, but if you only get one, this is the most comprehensive and its not necessary to have the earlier videos to appreciate this one.

This DVD is excellent. The points can be practiced and lead to clear improvement and more enjoyment of skiing. The instruction is private lesson quality. The author does not overwhelm you with details. The lessons learned apply to all levels of skiing. A great purchase for those looking to bump up from intermediate to expert but also really good for beginners and children

After watching the movie twice. I can safely say I would have rather simply purchased the first two. This movie makes many refrences to the first and second movies but fails to really provide any extra instructional details. The book however is a great read.

I really love this DVD as well as the first one in the series. I've had them for several years and I watch them so often I fear I'll wear them out. While they were made in the late 1990's when the skiing style was a bit different, anyone can see that most of his principles transfer quite nicely into what skiers do now on the much wider skis. Because in the first video he skis with skis close together doesn't mean the turning and practice principles are all that different. And this 3rd video was obviously made when the new shaped, wider skis first arrived so you do see a bit of a change in how he skis. I absorbed an incredible amount from both videos.

One thing that sets Lito's DVDs apart is the stunning photography, which is incredibly well filmed and head and shoulders above any other ski instruction video I've seen....and I've seen and bought quite a few. On Lito's DVDs most of the skiing is shown at a slightly slowed down video speed so that you can easily observe exactly what he is demonstrating or explaining. All the other videos I've seen from other instructors are shown at normal speed where people ski extremely fast, with the result that you can't really see exactly what they are doing.

When ski season starts each year, I begin watching these videos over and over, little bits of them before every ski day. Then each time I ski, something inevitably pops into my head that I remember from the video....tips, techniques, practice drills...and I work on that particular thing. I've also had a lot of "ah-ha" moments when I've figured something out that I realize came from a point I absorbed from one of Lito's videos. I've taken lessons, but I can honestly say that cumulatively, I've learned far more from Litos #1 and #3 DVDs. When I feel ready to do moguls, I'll get that video as well. Some people may find it hard to believe that you could learn much about skiing from sitting and watching videos, but I completely disagree. There are a lot of things to learn and absorb from each DVD, which is why it's useful to watch it a great many times.

Okay...I'm not a fantastic skiier, but watching this dvd before skiing last year totally improved my skills. I wish I had seen this years ago before my bad habits began!!! Also, relaxing and beautiful, almost hypnotic. Buy it!

I watched all the video in the series. This is very similar to the first video in the series but instead of older skis he is using the new shaped skis that make carving and turning much easier. This is more of a recap of the previous videos but will also stand alone and be just as worthwhile as a teaching tool. You will get a lot of excellent information and be skiing better after just one viewing. The approach to skiing is very mellow, the scenery and music in the video are very beautiful and quite relaxing. The skills and techniques are amazingly simple to master and your skiing should improve considerably. When you hit the mountains you will incorporate the techniques from the video and be sking better from the get-go. It's an awesome feeling to gently glide down even the more difficult slopes.