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25 of 26 found the following review helpful:
 Yep! The Secrets of expert skiing finally revealed.Sep 17, 1999
An excellent book which explained the secrets of skiing in such a precise and logical fashion. The photo sequences were also helpful in seeing whether you were on the right track. I found that the moves and excercises he used in the books were easy to learn and emulate on the ski slopes. The speed of my improvements were mind blowing and the great thing about Harold's technique is that, you can take it anywhere ie. steeps, crud, bumps. This is where other systems seem to show there flaws! The Biomechanical explanations as it relates to ski movements were also a very good addition. The alignment section, showed me that I have been on the wrong path for years and helped me choose the right equipment for my anatomy and skiing ability. You will find that because his methodolgy is so simple, you will be able to analyse and correct your movements on the slope. I hope he writes a second book on skiing steeps, crud, bumps etc... you know the tough stuff.
19 of 21 found the following review helpful:
Harald's new technique makes skiing simpleSep 17, 1999
Last fall in one of the many ski publications that come to my home, there was mention of a new book by Harald Harb. Having been in instructor clinics with Harald in the past, and being impressed by his technical mastery and outstanding skiing skills, a former PSIA National Demo team member, it made me want to read his book. What struck me most about the book, Anyone can be an Expert Skier was its utter simplicity. It was devoid of all sorts of extraneous things and reached the essence of excellence.Harb's Primary Movements Teaching System is bio-mechanically sound and thus "far more user friendly." You are using the body in a manner to take advantage of its strengths. For people who are "intermediate skiers" it was possible to get them out of their stem christies and make parallel turns, usually in one PMTS lesson. If not, they are at least able to see how to get to parallel using exercises from the PMTS. So, in conclusion, the door to enjoyable, exhilarating, addictive skiing is open. Take these comments, and read what Harald has to say
16 of 18 found the following review helpful:
The most concice learning material on true parallel skiing.Jun 01, 1999
My wife and two young sons took up skiing last season and it has very quickly become their most favorite sport, as it has been mine. I purchased Harald's book and video in an effort to help my family understand and become proficient in true parallel skiing. After reading Harald's book and watching the video, the whole family now has a much greater understanding of the correct movements and actions which are to be performed to really enjoy and improve carved parallel skiing.The chapters on pole use and alignment are excellent in that they detail in a step by step fashion how important these areas are, which are generally overlooked and/or not introduced to people who are learning how to ski. The alignment chapter also recommends particular types of ski gear for people with different lower body make-ups, eg bowlegged skiers, knock-kneed skiers etc. In summary, I believe all skier's can benefit from taking Harald's teaching methods and putting them into most enjoyable action.
20 of 24 found the following review helpful:
Up to date, effectiveDec 02, 2005
By Dan
Anyone Can Be An Expert Skier 1 is the first in a series that describes a fully modern, systematic instruction method and approach to skiing that, unlike traditional ski area teaching, takes full advantage of the most modern equipment. With a scientific understanding of the actual (bio)mechanics of skiing and clear, simple, powerful instruction, this book (and book 2) has finally brought true expert skiing within my reach.
After (too) many seasons working with traditional or mainstream PSIA instructors, some of them friends, with few results other than frustration at their obvious lack of understanding of their own sport (and a smaller bank account), I began looking at other ski teaching systems, starting with the very good Breakthrough on Skis by Lito Tejada-Flores. But when I found Harald Harb's books and videos, and his Primary Movements Teaching System, that's when my skiing really began to take off. Why? Because Harb's approach, besides displaying a great depth of knowlege of skiing dynamics, offers simple explanations of simple yet powerful movements of specific body parts, explained clearly as to their function and execution, that immediatly began to transform my skiing.
After working with the Harb material for two seasons now it is clear to me that his is the best approach, with absolutly superior results. Harb has more depth, clarity, and detail than Tejada-Flores and is FAR superior to the muddle of tradition and misunderstanding that is mainstream PSIA teaching. My skiing has gone from stuck (frustrated, pissed off) stemming my turns and being uncomfortable with any terrain that wasn't blue groomed to being totaly cool with bowls, bumps, steeps, you name it, and I'm having an absolute blast!
Skiing isn't hard. With the right movements, it can be incredibly easy. This book and DVD (and book 2) is for anyone of reasonable athletic ability who desires to learn the movements and develop the balance necessary for true expert skiing. I highly recommend it.
19 of 23 found the following review helpful:
 Keep it simpleNov 28, 2005
By Bill
"Bill"
I enjoyed reading the other reviews of Harb's book. Still, they seemed to be rather harsh critism of what I have found to be an effective technique for the right students. As a PSIA instructor I have learned that it is important to have several different approaches to find the best fit for each individual. While some respond best to 'traditional' PSIA methods others are able to quickly move to parallel using Harb's approach.
Harb shows a method that is makes skiing relatively easy by using the shape and flex of the ski to do most of the work. Most of his techniques have the same basic foundation as PSIA: pressure, rotation, edge control and balance.
Harb was an early adapter of using the shaped ski to its advantage. He presents a reasonable progression that allows a non-skier to use the ski to initiate turns almost from their first run down the hill. PSIA has adopted many of the same approaches as it has moved to take advantage of modern ski shape. The typical wedge is a carry over from the traditional ski and doesn't do much to take advantage of modern equipment.
For some skiers learning the wedge is the most effective way to safely begin their skiing experience. Unfortunately, they will have to devote some of their future skiing time to learning how to lose that same wedge. How many skiers have you watched who start every turn with at least a small wedge or finish every turn by brushing the tails of their skis out to reduce their speed. The chances are very good that neither of these skiing styles were being used by one of Harb's students.
With modern equipment skiing is actually quite easy. Its hard to learn to ski or to develop beyond the basics by reading a book. But Harb's book is a well thoughtout step-by-step approach that can be an effective supplement to good instruction. My suggestion is to find an instructor who understands and uses both PSIA and PMTS. Let that instructor help you find the steps that will work best for you.
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