Born again skier - advice sought!

A snowHead

Right, here goes. I’ll start with the cliff notes: I learnt to ski as a kid back in the 90s on school trips and then used to ski a few weekends during the winter in the Pyrenees when we lived in Barcelona. I was a reasonably confident skier, but stopped skiing regularly at around 13 when we moved away from Spain. Following that I did a week’s skiing in the early 00s and then one final trip in the mid 00s. Sometime between my penultimate trip and the final trip carving skis had become a thing, and when I turned up to my first lesson on the final trip sporting my old “skinny” skis the instructor looked at me like I’d turned up wearing tennis racquets! I rented some carvers and the rest of the week went well. Back then, in my early 20s I could confidently ski reds and a few blacks. Youthful confidence / indestructibility rather than technique, possibly, but we all know how it goes!

Fast forward 20 years during which time life got in the way and I didn’t look at a pair of skis. That was until this past Christmas when good ol’ Dad organised a family ski trip for his 70th. We did a week’s skiing over Christmas, where I found I really enjoyed it and you had to crowbar me off the pistes. I didn’t have lessons, this time, as I wanted to just try to get back into it and see at what level I settled. Turns out, I continued pretty much where I left off 20 years earlier. Just older and with a lesser feeling of indestructibility! I’m still confident on reds, though I didn’t attempt any blacks as most were closed due to a lack of snow and those that were open were very icy.

So here I am in my mid 40s having decided to get back into it. I’m reasonably fit as I’ve always played sports and been active, although the joints aren’t what they used to be. I’ve already been to the boot fitters and got myself a properly fitting pair of boots, as the rental ones were pish. Wife and I have booked a skiing weekend in Feb and we’ll try and get another weekend in March before the end of this season. Going forward, plan is to have a family weeklong skiing holiday, then maybe a couple of weekends or some individual skiing trips each season. As always, there’s far too many different trips in the calendar and there just isn’t enough time or money to do everything!

Well done (and thanks!) for reading this far! So what am I getting at? Well, I’d like to progress my skills to become a decent skier who can confidently ski all reasonable pistes so I can join in with any groups and not hold them up. I’m not looking at dropping down vertical quadruple (is that a thing?) blacks or anything mad like that, but I’d like to be able to enjoy the vast majority of slopes with good technique.

So what should I do? I’m sure there must be others who have done similar and come back to the game in mid-life. Is it simply a case of some lessons? I’m thinking the odd private lesson to get pointers on technique would likely help. I’ve also seen that CARV device, is it worth it? Or do I just need to practice by getting out on the slopes?

Any advice, pointers, encouragement is thoroughly appreciated!

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I did something similar after a 24? year break from skiing.
I ended up using 25 year old (skinny skis as you call them, basically a better graphic design on the old ski europe Rossignols) in one of the top french resorts.
They were good for sliding, but carvers are the only way I see it now, I think I changed to them a couple of days into the week. The difference kept me going, and I have probably had 10 ski trips since then.
You are right a lesson or two would make you more suitable to the resort, or to the type of skiing you want to do.
That combined with trial and error keeps me happy.

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Very similar backstory to me - skied maybe 5 times with mum dad and older brothers one week a year from about age 6 1980 onwards

Then two or three school trips with lessons all day (these made a huge difference).

Then a couple of uni trips.

Skinny skis taller than my height (and the longer the better as longer length signified greater ability or so we thought).

And then I stopped around 1995. Summertime holidays with pals became the norm (and I could only afford one holiday a year so…)

Started up again around 2014 when my kids were 11 and 7.

Short parabolic shaped carving skis.

Lessons revealed an old fashioned bouncy style (bend z knees) and I have worked hard on correcting that. Working skis edge to edge by rolling ankles knees etc.

Not really had a lesson for a few years but am always looking at coaching vids and stuff like that and am always practising something on the slopes.

But I never forgot the balance and general ability. Lots of side slipping practice (and falling over) as a kid really pays off.
My wife started learning aged 40 and has struggled to get over the fear factor of sliding about with planks on her feet. The kids aged 18 and 22 are now better and faster than me.

What really helped was moving from one week a year to two or even three.

I’m not sure one week a year skiers can ever really improve …

Finding a pair of skis you really like can also help as it eliminates a variable.

I have thought about the Pipau week to really knock my technique into shape.

I have carv 2.0 and it’s fun but I’m not sure it’s really a tool to perfect technique (caveat is I have only played with it off and on for a week skiing with a mixed group - not yet used it with much structure or focus).

Since my return to the slopes in 2014 I have done a subsequent 19 weeks.

Am still only an experienced intermediate. But hope I can still improve and keep going until I’m a lot older.

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Definitely get onto a bash

and do some lessons, and just find similar ability Snowheads to ski with

Weekend trips look at short transfer resorts. Flying to Lyon can be good if flight times and prices, car hire better.

Nordics have some night skiing, which can extend the slope time you get out of a trip. Oslo winter park for instance is a reasonably well priced trip and close to the city/ airport. All terrain open all day plus until 10pm I think.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@Cardo Also, look at ski schools like TDC in Val d'Isere / Tignes ( I think also Meribel and Courchevel). They run development clinics over 3 mornings or afternoons. That might fit in nicely with one of your shorter trips and be a good way to build skills with small group lessons over a few days.

I think you have a specific (not special!) need, moving to a new technique. I’d suggest looking for an older private instructor who knows what 90s technique is and knows some tips on how to convert quickly from old to new. I might be talking horlicks and every 20 year old instructor learns this as standard. A thought.

I like the idea of coaching vids, especially for the theory, but I just can’t link them to my time on snow, I forget everything.

Good luck!

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@Cardo, apart from the PiPAU, the EoSB or the PreSB have a range of lessons, from groups to private lessons and clinics (with excellent instructors) plus plenty of people, so lots of small groups you could join in with to vlovk up the milage.

You know it makes sense.

I did a similar thing. Learned to ski, on old school skis on a plastic slope, at school. Then didn't ski again till I was about 40.

First actual holiday on snow, I signed up for the never skied before group lessons. They ended up bumping me through the groups pretty quick to a group of similar level.

I'd say just go do some group lessons. They'll bump you up or down groups to begin with, you'll meet some people, learn some skills and probably find the best spots in the resort as the instructors always know where to go. Some folks prefer private lessons but I'm tight and actually prefer learning in a group.

I'm never going to be great on 1 or 2 weeks a year but I really like being in the mountains and really like learning physical skills so I always do lessons and just try and learn something each time.

If you're happy to just ski around and you feel confident then maybe that's good enough. You'll probably know yourself if you're happy with that. For me the learning is as much fun as anything else so that's part of the attraction.

I'm Def going to do the PIPAL at some point too. I do sometimes think I should have found something cheaper to get into, like a crack habit, but when the snow's good and the sky's blue it's pretty special.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Some good advice, and I think @boarder2020, in particular makes some good points. Being realistic about expectations is important, improvement will take time, and generally you'll spend half of each holiday getting back to the level you were at the previous year.

One thing that works well for some people is to book a couple of hours of 1-2-1 instruction for day 2 or three of the week, such that you'll have got your ski legs back but will also have enough time to work on stuff. Ideally two sessions a day or two apart, so you can get feedback on how well you're managing to adapt to new skills and will come away with a definite feeling of having achieved a step forward.

Psychology is at least as important as practice, you need to believe that you can advance, but you don't need to spend all week in ski school lessons to do so. Taking that route one can become a little disillusioned, and most likely simply won't be having as much fun, conceivably may not get the feeling of progression to the same degree. Focus on the fun, 'cos if you're not enjoying the lessons you won't learn anything.

A snowHead

@Cardo, In summary, you need an older patient instructor who is used to teaching your demographic. Probably a couple of days private lessons or 3 to 4 mornings leaving you to prcatice in the afternoons. It will be about revising the building blocks and getting some tips for improvement. You will be amazed at how much you learn and can improve. I can think of one or two here in Flachau who could help. Cool

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

My recommendation is to get some private lessons ... spaced out over your trip. Two hours 1:1 is, in my opinion, better than a week in a group. Book, say, three 2-hour sessions over a week and you'll really progress. However, on the expectations thing, if you want to improve materially you will need to do a minimum of 2 weeks/year and, ideally, more. The lessons tell you what to do but then you need time to practice. You can more easily achieve that by taking long weekends rather than weeks; four days skiing for only two days leave.

Help!!

Born again skier - advice sought!

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