Big Picture Skiing Podcast

Tom Gellie
  • 4.3 (60)
  • Sports

Tom Gellie talks with technical skiers and industry experts from around the world. Gain insight into some of the best technical skiers and what their thoughts are on good skiing and how to achieve it. For more information and great skiing content check out Tom Gellie’s website: www.bigpictureskiing.com

  1. 6d ago

    Why Your Ski Boots Feel Wrong: 3 Angles That Matter - Phil From SkiTalk

    Have you ever wondered why your ski boots feel great in the shop but don’t quite work on the mountain? Or why your legs feel cooked by lunchtime, you struggle to find a balanced stance, or you can’t seem to get the performance you want from your skis? The answer might be hiding in your boot setup. In this episode, I sit down with Phil from SkiTalk to explore three often-overlooked aspects of ski boot geometry: binding delta, boot board ramp angle, and forward lean. We discuss what these angles actually mean, how they influence your stance and movement on skis, and why the same boot setup can work brilliantly for one skier but feel completely wrong for another. We also explore how calf size, ankle range of motion, and individual body proportions influence the forward lean that works best for you. In this episode, we cover: • What binding delta is and how it can influence your stance • Boot board ramp angle and why it matters • Forward lean: finding a setup that works with your body • How calf size and ankle mobility influence boot fit • Why a boot setup that works for someone else might not work for you • What to consider before changing your boot setup Want to improve your skiing? Big Picture Skiing is an online learning platform packed with practical video lessons to help you understand your technique, improve your skiing, and become a more independent learner. Visit https://bigpictureskiing.com/ Use code PODCAST for 25% off your membership. Enjoy the episode! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  2. Aug 25

    Alex Hackel - From Being Picked Last To 2x X Games Medalist

    I first met Alex Hackel in Austria filming a video where I taught him to improve his short turns, tracked by CARV, the digital ski coach. What struck me most was how good a learner he was — focused, determined, and genuinely humble. That’s a big part of why I wanted him on the podcast. Two-time X Games medalist Alex Hackel didn’t get here by being the most naturally talented kid on the mountain — he got here by getting rejected, picked last, and told by a coach he’d never make it pro. In this episode we go back to that moment at Sunday River, how he found the coach (Mike Hanley) who changed everything, the story behind his triple cork 1080, and how that same “figure it out and go again” mindset led him into filmmaking, freeride, co-founding his own ski company (1000 Skis), and starting a YouTube channel from scratch that’s since taken off. If you’ve ever felt written off before you even got started, this one’s for you. Get 20% off Big Picture Skiing membership with code PODCAST at bigpictureskiing.com Chapters: 00:00 Intro 00:56 Why Alex is successful in so many different ways 01:24 The Sunday River story — judged and picked last 02:52 Growing up with idiopathic short stature 04:23 What kept him from giving up 06:29 Finding support in the terrain park (meeting Curtis) 07:38 Convincing his parents to send him to Windells Academy 09:03 Meeting coach Mike Hanley 11:10 The triple cork 1080 story — a coach who believed in him first 13:00 Advice on learning bigger spins and takeoffs 16:16 Managing fear and nerves on big tricks 18:08 How airbags changed trick progression 19:04 Getting into filmmaking 21:47 What it actually takes to grow a YouTube channel 25:19 The “White Rush” video and why it stood out 30:34 Why he started his own ski company, 1000 Skis 37:41 Sleep, routine, and shifting to long-term thinking 41:17 Final words and mutual respect 42:34 Where to find Alex Hackel + 1000 Skis Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  3. Aug 16

    The Most powerful Type of Ski Boots - Brent Amsbury

    Are your ski boots holding you back from the performance your skis are capable of? In this episode I sit down with Master Boot Fitter Brent Amsbury to break down everything you need to know about plug boots — the type of ski boot most top level technical skiers are wearing. Brent is a Master Boot Fitter at Park City Ski Boot in Park City, Utah, where he sets up plug boots for racers, instructors, and high-performance skiers. If you’re chasing higher carve scores, driving race skis, or pushing toward your highest instructor certification, this conversation will save you a lot of trial and error. We cover: • What a plug boot actually is and who it’s really for • Why they’re called “plug” boots (the internal construction explained) • Forward lean, cuff height, and why these boots feel so much more powerful • Ramp angle adjustability and why most racers reduce it • The thick sole and torsional rigidity that sets plug boots apart • Why plug boots are a “project in a box” — not a boot you just heat mold and go • The best time of year to buy (and why waiting until the season starts is a mistake) • Pricing, and how to get into a great plug boot for a fraction of retail • Longevity — how many days you can actually get out of one • Brand-by-brand differences: Lange/Rossignol, Head, Atomic, Fischer, Nordica/Technica, Dalbello • Fitting advice for wide, low-arch, or fleshy feet • How to choose your flex (110 vs 130 vs 140+) • How manufacturers actually create different flex ratings • Junior and shorter-cuff options • Why heated socks or boot heaters are non-negotiable in these boots • Why the pain isn’t mandatory — proper fitting makes these boots comfortable • DIY boot work vs. working with a fitter ⛷️ Enjoyed this podcast? Frustrated with staying at the same level of skiing for the past few years? To change your skiing you need a systematic approach that covers all aspects of skiing. That’s exactly why I built my learning platform, Big Picture Skiing. It’s not this YouTube channel, it’s where skiers go to find more than just tips. If you are ready to finally take your skiing to the next level go to www.bigpictureskiing.com Podcast listeners get 20% off using code PODCAST. So why wait when you could be getting started today. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 1:54 What is a plug boot & who's it for 4:23 Why it's called a "plug" boot 5:33 Forward lean, cuff height & power vs. freeride boots 7:01 Ramp angle & boot board adjustability 8:05 Thick sole, torsional rigidity & weight 9:45 Plastic type & retail price ($1,000-$1,300) 10:26 It's a "project in a box" 12:53 Checking flatness out of the box 13:32 Cuff canting, liners & fine-tuning 15:42 Best time of year to buy 17:18 Pricing & buying older/discounted models 20:21 Lifespan, durability & upgrading liners 21:06 Brand differences (Lange, Rossignol, Head, Atomic, Fischer, Nordica, Technica, Dalbello) 25:01 Fitting for low arch or wider feet 27:04 Grinding, shaping & sizing tips 28:56 Choosing your flex (110 vs 130 vs 140+) 30:15 How flex ratings are actually made 31:50 Junior & shorter-cuff options 32:44 Wrap-up: which route to take 33:19 Heated socks & boot heaters 34:16 Plug boots don't have to be painful 35:03 DIY boot work vs. going to a fitter 36:26 Find Brent / Park City Ski Boot 37:17 Leave your local boot fitter recommendation 38:19 Outro Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  4. Jun 12

    Learn to ski a mogul line with Geri Tumbasz

    If moguls intimidate you this episode is going to change that. You’ll learn a clear, repeatable method for going from avoiding bumps entirely to skiing 60 in a row with control and actually enjoying it. Expect practical handholds: how to control your speed and direction, why “just get small and absorb” quietly sabotages most people, and the mindset shift that turns a scary bump field into a series of solvable problems. My guest is Geri Tumbasz — Hungarian-born, Austria-based, and one of the most highly certified ski coaches in the world. What makes him the right person for this is that he wasn’t a natural at moguls either. He struggled, got frustrated, went looking for answers, and reverse-engineered a progression that now gets terrified skiers skiing bump lines in a single camp. Here’s what we cover: ✅ The full beginner-to-confident progression — wedge-parallel turns in a corridor, then building a real mogul line with gates ✅ Why you find the round line before the direct line (and how that kills the fear) ✅ The “just get small and absorb” myth — and what to do instead ✅ The heel-up / hamstring-as-a-hinge move for releasing your tail in steep zipper lines ✅ Where pole-plant timing actually wins you control ✅ The mindset shift: hunting for the solution instead of staring at the problem ✅ Geri’s bouncy low transition and where his style comes from ✅ The ideas he stole from Japanese and Korean technical skiers ✅ Why he deliberately overdoes a movement to find its limits ✅ How telemark transformed his feel for pressure and dorsiflexion in alpine skiing ⛷️ Geri’s online Mogul course (founder/lifetime access offer mentioned in the episode): https://www.snowsportsgeri.com/offers/m7hSgEVq/checkout 🌐 Geri’s Ski Camps: www.snowsportsgeri.com 🏕️ Geri’s Cold Candy ski school: www.cold-candy.com For everything I do on carving, short turns, body prep, mobility and mogul skiing, it’s all in one place: 👉 https://bigpictureskiing.com (use code PODCAST for 20% off any membership) 🎿 Ski camps with me: https://skicoachcollective.com ⏱️ Chapters: 00:00 Intro – why moguls scare people 01:20 How Geri became the go-to mogul coach 05:30 Where the progression starts: the wedge & corridor drill 13:00 Moving from groomers into real bumps 15:00 The "get small and absorb" myth 16:20 Finding the round line before the direct line 21:30 Reading the line & looking for solutions, not problems 25:00 Steep, long bumps and over-skied lines 32:15 The steep rut line: the heel-up hamstring release 40:30 Pole plant: timing, prep & targeting the next bump 45:40 What he learned from World Cup mogul skiers 51:40 Mogul waves: the easy way in 54:50 Who the camps are for & "booking your line" 57:15 Moguls and your knees 01:00:45 What makes Geri tick: the low position & overdoing movements 01:09:00 Japanese & Korean inspiration + favourite drills 01:14:30 Telemark: what it taught him about alpine skiing 01:24:15 How to ski with Geri – camps & course 01:29:20 Wrap-up 🎧 Also on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 👍 Enjoyed it? Subscribe and tell me — what trips you up most in the bumps? Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  5. May 16

    Practice won’t make you better. But deliberate practice will!

    Mark Sedgwick finished this winter as #1 on the CARV global leaderboard  for short turns, with a Ski IQ of 180 — the highest recorded this season.  In this episode, I sit down with Mark to find out exactly how he got there. Mark is an Australian-born ski professional who started at age 10 and never  looked back. He's worked through the APSI, CSIA, and Austrian instructor  systems, raced in Europe, ran ski resorts, and now plays a senior role in  the PSIC (Professional Ski Instructors of Canada) — including integrating  CARV data into Level 4 certification exams. This is one of the most practical, data-rich ski improvement conversations  I've had on the show. We cover: → The difference between play, purposeful practice, and deliberate practice → Why just trying harder keeps you stuck at the same score → The #1 and #2 metrics that drive short turn Ski IQ → Mark's philosophy: make something exist before you make it better → Turn-by-turn breakdowns of parallel, carving, short turns, and moguls → Why function before form is reshaping how ski instructors are trained → A live coaching session using my real CARV data → How Mark used AI to reverse-engineer the CARV scoring algorithm → The future of CARV: stivets, one-ski skiing, and community features Whether you're a recreational skier trying to level up or a ski professional  looking for a new lens on performance, this conversation is packed with  actionable insights. —————————————————————————— 🎿 FREE SKIING VIDEO Get a premium level Big Picture Skiing Tutorial here: https://bigpictureskiing.com/get/perpendicular 📱 DOWNLOAD CARV Try CARV for yourself: https://getcarv.com 🌐 BIG PICTURE SKIING Website: https://bigpictureskiing.com —————————————————————————— ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 How Mark Hit Ski IQ 180 3:15 Meet Mark Sedgwick 5:14 From Aussie Kid to Ski Pro 7:52 The Austrian Influence 12:56 Why Most Practice Doesn't Work 23:55 The Ugly Skiing Breakthrough 32:39 Function Over Form 37:12 Style Still Matters 45:50 Make It Exist, Then Make It Better 54:48 How to Improve Your Parallel Score 1:04:45 Parallel — The Most Overlooked Turn Type 1:13:42 Carving: The Metrics That Actually Matter 1:27:44 Ski Sharpening & The Pole Secret 1:31:25 Short Turns — How to Break Your Ceiling 1:45:43 Moguls, Tempo & Keeping the Joy Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  6. May 8

    Turn Shape First and When you Can Push on your skis with Tom Gellie and Demelza Clay

    Another season done. And like always, by the time the lifts close Demelza and I find ourselves deep in conversation about what we actually learned out there — not just what we taught, but what shifted in our own thinking. This episode is that conversation. We each had a big coaching theme this season that we kept coming back to with clients, and in this one we unpack both of them — plus a few other things that came up along the way. We get into turn shape and why it’s the foundation everything else is built on, ankle and knee mechanics and where they actually belong in the turn, the push vs pull debate and what’s really happening with pressure, why a “stable upper body” is honestly an optical illusion, and what it means to unfreeze — and why loose is actually stable. There’s also a moment where Demelza highsides herself at about 3 feet in the air at Hintertux while I’m watching from the bottom. That one’s worth it alone. If you’re a skier who wants to understand the why behind good technique, this one’s for you. Interested in joining Tom’s upcoming Deep Dive Webinars? See below 📅 Big Picture Skiing upcoming webinars → https://bigpictureskiing.com/programs/deep-dive-3 Want to join a ski camps with Tom, Demelza and Jason? Checkout 🎿 Ski camps with Tom & Demelza → https://www.skicoachcollective.com Want a free deep dive on a concept that will improve linking of your ski turns? 🎥 Free video → https://bigpictureskiing.com/get/perpendicular Chapters: 00:00:00 Introduction to Skiing Insights 00:01:13 Exploring Turn Shape 00:02:53 Coaching Themes for the Season 00:06:55 Understanding Turn Dynamics 00:08:38 The Joy of Speed in Skiing 00:12:14 Engaging Advanced Skiers 00:17:04 The Push-Pull Concept 00:28:28 Balancing Between Techniques 00:31:35 The Importance of Timing 00:38:05 Skiing for Fun vs. Competition 00:46:21 Reflecting on Personal Growth 00:59:23 Enhancing Skiing Techniques 01:06:37 The Journey of Unfreezing Movements 01:16:01 Preparing for Future Topics 01:28:52 Conclusion and Future Conversations Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  7. Mar 2

    Tips To Make Your Ski Boots Fit Better - With Brent Amsbury

    Most skiers only think about their boots when something hurts. In this episode, I sit down with expert boot fitter Brent Armsbury to unpack the art and science of ski boot fitting — and why every skier should take more ownership of their setup. We talk about the mindset shift from “my boots don’t feel right” to actively experimenting and giving better feedback. Brent shares the most common issues he sees in the shop, why feeling disconnected from your boots doesn’t always mean you need a new pair, and how small adjustments can restore performance. We cover practical, mid-season tweaks including: • Padding and shimming the liner tongue and shin area • Using simple materials like neoprene, foam and even duct tape to fill voids • Spoilers, heel lifts and forward lean experiments • How to self diagnose fit issues starting from the front of the boot The big takeaway: boot fitting is collaborative. The more you understand and experiment, the better the outcome. If you want to go deeper on technique, equipment setup and skiing performance, check out the Big Picture Skiing learning platform. https://bigpictureskiing.com/ Podcast listeners can use the code PODCAST to take 20% off. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

  8. 12/18/2025

    A Deep Dive On Ski Bindings - Phil Pugliese and Tom Gellie

    Ski bindings are one of the most important — and least understood — parts of our equipment. In this episode, I talk with Phil Pugliese from SkiTalk.com to better understand how ski bindings work, where they came from, and how they balance performance with safety. Phil has spent decades reviewing and testing ski equipment, and his depth of knowledge really shows. We cover the evolution of bindings, the role of elasticity, DIN settings, race vs recreational designs, GripWalk compatibility, and why understanding your equipment matters more than most skiers realise. This conversation helped me make more informed decisions about bindings for myself and my family, and it’s one I think any skier who enjoys learning about their craft will appreciate. Want to see the bindings Phil is talking about check the YouTube version of the podcast https://youtu.be/JalwwxcNvts Want to improve your skiing further? Check out Big Picture Skiing, my online coaching platform with a huge library of in-depth ski technique and equipment videos designed to help you ski better — and enjoy it more. Podcast listeners get a 25% off Discount Code. Use code PODCAST when you checkout Learn more at bigpictureskiing.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

See All (101)

4.3
out of 5
60 Ratings

About

Tom Gellie talks with technical skiers and industry experts from around the world. Gain insight into some of the best technical skiers and what their thoughts are on good skiing and how to achieve it. For more information and great skiing content check out Tom Gellie’s website: www.bigpictureskiing.com

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Gellie
  • Years Active
    2015 - 2026
  • Episodes
    101
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All Rights reserved
  • Show Website
    Big Picture Skiing Podcast

You Might Also Like