Browsing around the internet I stumbled on this short piece that is relevant to a recent discussion about heading as part of the training process for dwarf apple trees. It is the most succinct explanation of first year management I found.

I grow mostly semi dwarf trees and several varieties, apple, pear, peach, etc, so I do not think I am going to train my trees this way. most likely close to the tradtional training method.

Don't think that because I often don't flood in transplants that I underestimate the need for water, especially for establishing trees- on any root stock.

Redsun, I don't think that this is very different from training a tree to a basic central leader besides leaving a greater number of branches. Upper branches still need to be cycled in and out and excessive diametered branches need removal.

Tall spindle seems to be the actual method of choice as far as Cornell is concerned, but initial training is not all that different there either. The final shape is simply more a rectangle and a bit taller and thinner, I believe.

Isn't that one of the reasons for using mm111 roots with a dwarf interstem?

The tall spindle trains trees to grow taller, due to the limited orchard space or high density. The dwarf trees can reach mature size very quickly, due to early large tree size and fertilization. Then heavy summer pruning comes to place. Then branches (no scaffolds are trained) are pruned to renew new fruiting wood. In some sense, this is like grape vine renewing. You cut off the old wood and grow new wood to set fruits.

The traditional central leader, or modified central leader, trains major scaffolds which are kept for life. Trees are allowed to grow wider, then central leader topped at some time to keep the height. Pruning is not that so aggressive.