| JAPANESE → |
 The another one, B-tele |
| What is B-tele? |
| This is a systematization of my skiing techniques (Ishikida, ←known as telehiro in YouTube videos) into a method. |
| What is B? |
| It is B in contrast to A. It is just a symbol or name for distinction. |
| So what is that A? |
| So far, everyone except me is A. In other words, we call regular telemark A tele. |
| What is the difference between A and B in simple terms? |
| I guess it comes down to whether it’s based on the telemark position (or stance). With A, they’re probably working on the telemark position first. The short-term goal there is just getting that position stable. After that, the idea is to bring it into turns?that becomes the telemark turn.But with the B method, there isn’t even a telemark position to begin with. No word for it, so no curriculum either. When you watch the video it might look like telemark turns, but really it’s just the result of braking alternately with free heels.It might be clearer if you look at the icons. Here’s the diagram below. The A icon is telemark, right? And this one is the B icon. |
| Even if the B icon says Telemark... |
| Exactly. That’s why I split it into B. To keep it organized, just imagine A goes into the A folder and B goes into the B folder. The contents of the A folder and the B folder never overlap. They don’t mix at all. Hmm. |
| Even though it's the same telemark? |
| Yes, even though the equipment is the same... On the other hand, alpine skis and A-folder telemark skis go well together and overlap. And as expected, alpine skis and B-folder telemark skis don't overlap at all !! |
| Is that so? |
| That's right. |
| Is B okay? |
| Well, who knows, right? But the video is reality. I mean, the skier in the video is actually skiing like this?“See?” I don’t think there’s anything more direct than that. And on top of that, it’s all organized into a proper method. |
| What is B's goal? |
| So basically, the idea is to become me in the video. You can pretty much copy my skiing?style, gear, even the conditions?and then everyone can start putting their own spin on it. The classroom sessions are there to help you get a feel for the steps, the terminology, and how it’s different from A. |
| We understand B's goal, but what is A's goal? |
| If I were to put it simply, I’d say it’s “doing telemark turns with free-heel gear.” In the beginning, the telemark turns are more like acting them out, but after practicing enough, you reach a point where you can move naturally?and that’s the goal. After that, it’s fine to change gear or try different conditions, as long as you can still do the telemark turn. That’s what A is. In other words, doing the telemark turn is both the purpose and the goal?at least that’s my take on it. |
| By the way, is it possible for you to teach me how to ski A? |
| I’m really good at it! I spent about 15 years out of my 25-year career as an instructor working within A. Totally trivial, but I’m really good at copying other schools’ instructors too (haha). Definitely something we can do in a private lesson. |
| Is it possible to ski B-tele with NNNBC, XPLORE, or soft leather boots? |
| You can do it. That’s basically what B is for. Now, this kind of gear is indeed free-heel, but in downhill skiing, that alone is too weak to really take advantage of. What makes it useful is that it has low-cut boots. Low-cut boots let your ankles move. And when your ankles can move, you can apply “chu♪.” Once you can control “chu♪,” it’s like entering another world?totally versatile! I’ll leave the details of that to the illustrations, videos, and lessons. |
| I use NTN. Can I take the course? |
| Since it’s classroom stuff, that doesn’t really matter! Joking aside, I think skiing NTN with B is pretty tough. Reason one: it’s hard to lift your heels, so it’s difficult to get the B icon position. Plus, the high-cut boots make it harder to move your ankles?meaning it’s tricky to use “CHU♪.” That’s why, in my case, I often end up going downhill in walk mode… but honestly, that’s not the best way to use the gear. I think NTN has its own skiing style and environment to really bring out its strengths. We’ll cover that in lessons on the slopes, so please sign up for a private lesson slot. |
| What about the B-tele for carving turns? |
| It’s possible to cut just the top sheet of a stack of three and make a single track. With Alpine or A-tele, you end up cutting through all three sheets. |
| What about steep slopes? |
|
On steep slopes, what really becomes crucial is brake control. Where do you apply the brake? You do it firmly on the outer edge of the uphill ski. The key is to be able to control the grip there in any way you want?that’s what brake control is. Generally, people doing A-tele take the telemark position, so they can’t really control the uphill ski. The force point of the uphill ski is at the toes, and on steep slopes, the downhill and uphill skis aren’t parallel. So that’s a problem. That’s why you often hear people say telemark is better on mellow slopes?not because it’s telemark, but because it’s A-tele. If your goal is just to turn, then sticking to slopes that are easy to turn on and being satisfied?that’s perfectly reasonable. You could say the same about someone enjoying carving turns on alpine skis. I personally think skiing is all about handling steep slopes. This is where B-tele comes in: compared to alpine, free-heel gear gives you better control, you can ski with a soft touch, and you can even spin instead of just turning. A and B just don’t mix, and that’s exactly why we keep them in separate folders. |
| Is the school a classroom? |
| We start with classroom sessions. From the 2025 season, it’s 2 slots for 4 hours each (until 2024, it was 3 slots for 4.5 hours). Every year we try to make it more efficient and shorten it where possible. The sessions focus on “conversation” using a whiteboard, and taking notes, recording, or filming is not allowed. |
| What is the content of the two classrooms? |
|
One slot covers the overview, and the other is for mastering “chu♪.” Ideally, we’d like to spend 3?4 hours per slot, but we try to fit it into 2 hours by doing things like providing feedback online. The order of attendance should start with the overview. As I mentioned earlier, the A folder and B folder don’t overlap at all. So whether you’re a 30-year veteran or a first-year, in B you’re starting from zero. Since everyone starts from zero anyway, we actually recommend it even for skilled skiers or instructors. Having separate folders means I won’t touch your existing skiing at all. So feel free to join with confidence. |
| What is the outdoor class like? |
|
Starting in the 2025 season, we’re adding an “Outdoor” session! By moving some of the classroom content online, we were able to compress the old 3-slot sessions into 2 slots. The freed-up slot will be used for the Outdoor session. On flat snow, we’ll introduce two basic exercises you can do with your skis on. For lessons while riding the lifts, please sign up for a private lesson slot. You’re also allowed to film additional footage, and as long as it’s within the time frame, you can even upload it to YouTube. |
| How much does it cost? |
|
The B-tele basic course includes 2 classroom sessions (2 hours each) and 1 Outdoor session. The cost is 10,000 yen per person per session, or 16,000 yen for 2 people per session. No lift ticket is required for the basic course. The classroom sessions can be taken even when there’s no snow, and weekdays are welcome, not just weekends. For winter availability, please check the private lesson schedule page. Accommodation is available year-round at 12,000 yen per night with two meals (tax excluded). Lunch costs 1,200?1,500 yen. Discounted lift tickets are available. Evening ski talks are free of charge. You can bring your own alcohol. Cold beer is 500 yen, and chilled white wine is 2,000 yen, to be shared among those who drink it. To apply or inquire, please contact us by email. |
| One last word ! |
| That’s way too cheap for what you get… |
| Here are the supplementary materials and columns. → |
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