For he’s a jolly good Fellows

Chris Fellows skied the ski on Tuesday, and talks the talk in his new book “Total Skiing.” (Photo: Wolf)

Last Tuesday, I got the opportunity to ski alongside Ski Magazine contributor and PSIA-W board member, Chris Fellows. A group of nine (mostly ski instructors and coaches) slid around Mammoth Mountain as Chris Fellows dissected our skiing and gave us some detailed pointers. Fellows offered up the clinic in honor of his new book, “Total Skiing,” which in a gross understatement is a comprehensive and thorough self-help book for skiers. After a few turns, it became apparent to me that shredding with Fellows is a bit like skiing with Robocop, hence his amazing attention to detail and his seek and destroy approach to skiing. His excitement for the sport is evident not just on the slopes but even more so in his book. Besides covering almost every possible aspect of the sport, what really differentiates the book from other guides is Fellows’ pyramid approach to skier diagnosis. This targeted take at skiing allows athletes to focus on their weaknesses and accurately decide what aspect of their skiing needs the most attention (functional movement, fitness, technique or tactics).  A large portion of the book is dedicated to dry land training and mobility exercises, “If you can’t do it in the gym, you can’t do it on the slopes,” proclaimed Fellows. Once you’ve diagnosed your skiing profile, “Total Skiing” provides a holistic step-by-step action plan to up your game. With plenty of pictures and diagrams, the book is remarkably scrupulous and is a must read for every self-diagnosed “greatest skier in the world.”