Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all, I've hit a plateau in my development and want to do more lessons. ESF does 6x2 hour individual lessons for EUR 481 (or EUR 561 in French holidays) which is a big chunk of money but is great value per hour (half the price of normal individual lessons). Or would I be better off doing say 3 lots of 2 hour lessons on alternate days with a British ski instructor? Specifically in Avoriaz.
A bit about me; I started skiing in my early 30s but for the past 5 years have tried to get at least 3 weeks each year skiing. I'm good on reds and easier blacks. Carving if not too steep. Jumping small kickers. Practicing switch. Venturing off-piste between pistes (quite badly with hilarious results). Moguls are the work of the devil at this point.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Difficult to answer without knowing how good the quality of the instructors are. The ESF option might be brilliant and great value for money, or you might end up with an instructor who is keen to spend more time guiding you around the pistes than helping you make changes to you ski skills.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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In which case you go back to ESF and demand a better instructor. Make your expectations clear upfront.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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My skiing is not dissimilar to yours, and I've have various ad-hoc instruction, with variable success.My conclusion, the instructor is far more important than the amount of time spent with them. As already suggested, if your 2 hours is mostly guiding with a few drills thrown in, then its not good value for money. I've progressed most when I've booked an instructor based on recommendations and they have broken my skiing down, before rebuilding it. You need time for the new skills to stick, so 2 hours each day sounds like a good plan.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Themasterpiece, I'm surprised at those huge prices for ESF lessons. 6 x 2 hours in high season is less than half that in some smaller resorts - and the instructors will be just as highly qualified.
However, the size of the group is also an important factor and some ESF groups are large. You can be lucky - two teenagers for whom I booked lessons a couple of winter's ago started with 3 in their class, and one dropped out after the first day (beginners class and she was clearly very unfit) leaving them with the equivalent of private lessons.
But you could also end up in a big class and it's difficult for any instructor to give enough attention to one pupil out of 12 without leaving the others hanging around feeling bored.
Get recommendations for a ski school and then I'd go for a couple of private lessons with loads of practice (not just bombing round the pistes) in between.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@pam w. The price is for individual, one on one, lessons
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@Themasterpiece, yes, sorry, I didn't notice that.
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Individual lessons every time
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I think 2 hours is best length of time for individual lesson.
Whether it's good or not depends on individual instructor. But most esf instructors have been pretty good when it comes to individual lessons.
I'm not sure 6 lessons is required. You need to practice (but need to know what you're doing wrong and so what to practice).
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Just looking at your profile, what you probably need is to ski off piste. All your technical faults you can compensate on firm (but no icy) piste will be exposed. Maybe group classes where you will be taken off piste (classe 3 esf) is worth considering
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Themasterpiece, I would always recommend having a lesson then a day off to practice and consolidate before the next one. So for example 2/3 hours Monday, Wednesday and Friday will give you plenty of input during private lessons. Another option is to take a course with like minded skiers and learn in a team environment. Most courses will take place outside of the main holiday periods so depends on when you are heading to Avoriaz.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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3 hours with Steve Angus in a private lesson progressed me more than all the group lessons I have had.
The point? Its all about the instructor.
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If you can get 6 two-hour private lessons I would say go for it. I had private instruction with ESF in the past and it was great. I had 4 half-days and in Chamonix it cost me quite a bit more (there were no offers like yours available), but it really helped me to clean up some technique issues, and I started breaking through the plateau. Also since it's only two hours a day you will have enough time to consolidate what you learned and since it's 6 days if you forget what you learned there will be time to get back to it. Just communicate clearly with your instructor about your personal goals and what you struggle with to maximise the benefit. One-on-one communication, teaching focused on you and you only is something no group class will ever be able to offer, and it makes a big difference too. You can get group lessons for less but you won't benefit as much and will spend more time just standing around instead of skiing.
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