 Poster: A snowHead
|
fatbob, I think that is probably what I will do, it is interesting though to have got a final answer on should I always face down the hill, and the 'up and down' issue. I got on well with Greg  He seemed to teach the same sort of things that I have done in the past with Inside Out. Lots of things on one leg, weight onto the uphill (what will be the outside ski of the turn) early, he used 'bicycling' as a concept too (something I have got on well with seeing in my mind's eye, since first doing it with Spyderman years ago at MK). At the moment I am probably a bit lessoned out. I think I probably need some general skiing on my own with a mind on what I have been taught before I get any more lessons. However, I am pleased that at least I have some good points (although it wasn't my best skiing in the videos) and maybe it will all just 'gel' in it's own time. Perhaps I am too ambitious - I just don't think I look like a skier with 10-12 weeks under my belt yet, but then I guess I didn't start skiing at the age of 3 like my kids did.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Does that book have any different drills to the current BASI manual? unfortunately the preview on amazon only has the first 10 pages!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
fatbob,
| Quote: |
if it is with the IO boys in which case you'll be spending all your energy trying to persuade them not to make you do anything too nasty.
|
Ah, how true that is!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| skimottaret wrote: |
| And remember to stretch your most important muscle group for skiing before you go for your next slide... |
Just sounds all wrong to me...probably not to a certain snowHead, though 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| Quote: |
Quote:
do you hold poles horizontal or vertical?
holding your poles vertically between your legs could be a tad hazardous....
|
Especially if you weren't paying attention to which end the points were!!
Seriously I can see how it might prevent stemming. There must be a movement apart with the legs for it to happen at all. The thing with it is that I was completely unaware that I was doing it. Obviously I can't feel me doing it, I think if I could feel it I could stop it. Something that stopped the legs from moving like that pole drill would leave turning down to pressure, whether that would be enough to turn if the movement was sufficiently limited that you couldn't steer your foot around the turn I don't know. |
In my view you're stemming because you need to considering how you ski (which is well in control, and fine to me as long as you enjoy your time).
To stop stemming you will need to learn another way to make the skis turn, so don't focus on the stemming at all: once you develop the new skill it will disappear!
I have seen some great advice, and some things that I wouldn't think are too useful at this time...
I'd focus on getting a rhythm (without traverses) going first: This will help quite a bit as it is much easier to transition from one turn to the other then it is to start over every turn... You'll appreciate yourself a lot more in videos too if you manage this :sh:
Find terrain you're comfortable on doing this, like you ski on in the second video, then gradually move to steeper.
The next step to me is adding flexing-extending: This will be aided by a good rhythm and rhythm helps the feel of flexing-extending.
Then I'd work on poles... The latest info I get from the Austrian system is poles are more used as an aid to stabilise the transition (most unstable moment in skiing) rather then the more traditional 'signal' to go into transition... I'd like to hear the ideas from BASI instructors on that 
Only then I'd start focusing on pressure buildup throughout the turn...
Don't try to work on all at once... 1 or 2 at a time tops: If instructing I wouldn't give you the above list in one go!
Good luck!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Quote: |
And remember to stretch your most important muscle group for skiing before you go for your next slide...
|
The right arm glass lifting muscles......Yes?
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Ronald, I'd say that they are different terms for the same thing:
The pole plant signals the start of the transition as it helps get your body into the correct position for the tranisition. This body position in turn helps to stabilise the transistion.
Megamum, as has been mentioned ensure you enjoy your skiing. When you do want to focus on improvement focus on one thing at a time, which is what drills force you to do. Trying to 'fix' everything at once is impossible!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
I wonder if the cameraman is more used to working with dogs? He sounds like Barbara Woodhouse.
As far as you are skiing, do the same as you are doing but do it at least 3 times quicker. Maybe you need to do a week of ESF "follow me" lessons.  . Failing that ski around with some other skiers who like blues and reds but ski quickly without giving you loads of stupid commentary all the time, talk about confidence draining.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| Quote: |
I wonder if the cameraman is more used to working with dogs? He sounds like Barbara Woodhouse
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| he used 'bicycling' as a concept too (something I have got on well with seeing in my mind's eye, since first doing it with Spyderman years ago at MK). |
You can't reach the pedals from back there!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Megamum, in the nicest possible way, with all my sincere friendship, .... STOP! 
You NEED to stop trying to do this in your head and only do it on the snow.
There are 4 phases to learning physical skills:
1. learning what to do (Mental)
2. trying to do it (Physical)
3. doing it more of the time than you don't (Mental & Physical)
4. always doing it - automatic (Physical)
You are looping on the first two at the moment because you keep asking for new information (mental) rather than physically working it through to the end.
Next time you get to ski, pick ONE thing from an instructor you have skied with recently and work on that. ONLY THAT. You won't fix it all in one go. You must move all the way to being automatic with a skill to truly move forward.
Video analysis is excellent for that and I have to say your cameraman does an excellent job filming you - (so keep him!)
Ski/drill a few turns - internalise your experience - watch the video and compare the reality onscreen. See what works, repeat that.
Stop analyising what isn't working - look/feel for what works and seek to replicate that. Ignore the rest.
Once you have 'acquired' that skill fully, pick the next thing your instructor gave you to work on and go all the way with that.
Lessons are for filling your head with ideas of what to work on when you're not in a lesson. If you did 10 hours of that at the EoSB - you have plenty to work on. IMHO, a lot of the advice on this thread is only going to add to your confusion and frustration and, ultimately looping on Phases 1 & 2.
You paid good money to work with some of the hightest quality instructors on the planet. They've given you their feedback. Why would you want anyone else's opinion at this stage when you haven't had long to practice what you learnt?
.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
flowa, I must admit I hadn't factored in the time to practice what I learnt. I assumed that if I could do it during a lesson that it would translate to being able to do it on a slope. What I don't know is whether I was stemming in the lesson or not, all I know is what I look like in the video and I think video footage is good because I can see what I actually do look like rather than what I think I feel like. I also agree that he did do a good job with the filming though, I must admit I tend to run all my PC's with the sound switched off as a rule (so I don't disturb those watching TV) so I didn't discover the somewhat embarassing commentary until too late in the game. The other thing I guess I ought to remember is that some of that was taken at the end of what had been a hard busy week for someone that freely admits to a lack of fitness and maybe the legs were somewhat less than fresh. Perhaps I'll have to get some sneaky sessions in a dome before next year and do some private practice. It's a pity I can't come this weekend as this is my parents long weekend away and I'm holding the fort, but maybe I can get along at some other time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Megamum, you're a good sport. That's a great plan and I'll hope to see you there to help you keep your focus on what you're working on. (not add anything new)
Don't worry if you were or weren't stemming in the lesson. Deal with the reality on the day you next get to ski. Your body will have acquired a lot of what you were practicing in the lessons - don't worry it'll be there when you next get to ski.
BTW, I don't see any stemming (lifting of the back of the inside ski) in the last half a minute or so of your second video (all that I watched of it), I see the back of your inside ski on the snow sliding into parallel ready for your next turn. Perfect. (you're also linking those turns beautifully too)
To reiterate Elston and a few others on here who initially contributed - you are skiing in control. Perfect. So what if it's a slow pace?
Control is king. With skill comes speed, not the other way around. Lots of skiers ski fast and 'paper over the cracks' of their technique by doing so.
Stick with it. I think you're looking good! 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
PS: on the phases ...
If it takes thiiis long to move from 1. to 2.
Then it's thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis long from 2. to 3.
Therefore thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis long from 3. to 4.
Or something like that.
a bit like the difference in instructor levels - only it takes a lot longer to go from 1. to 2. on those and therefore every other level is pushed out relatively too 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| flowa, I must admit I hadn't factored in the time to practice what I learnt. I assumed that if I could do it during a lesson that it would translate to being able to do it on a slope. . |
Aha! Perhaps this is where you are going wrong? Lots of info on t'internet about how folk learn, but in summary once you have been taught a new skill it takes a lot of practise before you can do that new found skill naturally without thought, ie it becomes 2nd nature.
You can (and I have) be taught a new skill, nail it in the lesson, then regress and have to keep re-doing the pertinent drills/practise again and again, maybe (For skiing) even going back a step onto easier slopes in order to progress
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Skiing's got to be the worst situation for learning something new hasn't it ? (If you live in a non-snowy country)
"Here, do it like this, then practice it for a couple of days, then don't do it again for eight months" - what could possibly go wrong.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| kitenski, I wanted to see the skier in my minds eye - you know, the one that is gliding effortlessly down the hill moving from edge to edge with freedom and obvious enjoyment. What do I see? Muggins has no up and down movement, a huge traverse - still! skis that still do a fish tail at the back before loads of the turns although I can't feel them doing it, no upper lower body, separation at the hips - shall I go on? There must be something that needs to click and it just won't do it. I've got fair control of my edges, there was hardly an exercise I was asked to do that I couldn't replicate as well as I felt I needed to, I can get down most 'red' things, I just don't look as though I know what I am doing - I think that's what I want to do - look as though I know what I am doing!! |
And just how much has this frustrated feeling of under-performance cost you?
Advice .......... stop early for a vin chaud, have a second, enjoy your day on the mountain. Simples.
(That's lost in translation for ......... relax, enjoy, and what ever you do don't try to intellectualise what you are doing. Daft as the book was 30 years ago, "Skiing Out of Your Mind - The Psychology of Peak Performance" was a few decades ahead of its 1988 publication date. Worth a read just to get your head around "over-thinking".)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tarquin, That's what snowdomes are for (and dryslopes if you're hardy) - not the last minute warm up but retain the progress from previous season. (or in my case limit the regression)
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Tarquin, +1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Things that helped me as a nervous skier. Note I am not an instructor-but these are things that effected my skiing either directly or indirectly and subconsciously effected an improvement. I am the sort of person who needs to know why I am doing something as it helps me to do it and carry a mental picture in my head..
1. Ages after I started to ski, I read up about how a ski turns. That was a lightbulb moment as it pointed out that modern skis with a curved sidecut will turn through an arc if you apply pressure along the edge. Ding! Taking that one step further and think about trying to start a turn by making sure that it's the front end of the edging ski that starts to grip the snow first. When people tell you that you are in the back seat, or not to lean/sit back-the reason is because, when you do, you cannot engage the leading edge of the uphill ski at the start of the turn. When you apply pressure at the front and keep it there and along the rest of the ski-IT WILL TURN-Yippee, and what's more it will grip the snow all the way through the turn including the scary downhill pointy bit nice and safely. Ta daaaa!
However, sometimes trying to apply pressure at the front for an early intermediate usually leads to the infamous "toilet seat" position. (your boobs hang over the ski, but yer bum sticks out the back!). Instead of thinking about "weight forwards" (which I always struggled to understand) try the reverse, and pull your uphill foot back under you at the start of the turn. This nifty little manoeuvre taught to me a couple of years ago really works as it gets your weight onto the uphill ski. Bingo!
And finally...another little chant to get one out of the toilet seat position...[scuse the language]..."less Sh*tting, more f**king!". The [ahem!] hip position for those 2 activities is different, and the latter is the one you want!
2. Don't be afraid about pointing the skis down the hill. Your turns are definitely not beginner zig zags, but you shouldn't worry of they point downhill for longer than they do now, after all...apply pressure to one, and they will turn back up the hill.
3. Pole planting. It doesn't seem to be taught quite to soon these days, but in fact planting your pole has the hidden effect of getting your weight up and forward (And therefore engaging the front end of the new turning ski) just at the right moment to start the turn. However, try and avoid poling directly in front of you on a traverse-otherwise it will act like a lamppost you want to swing around (you don't want to be Gene Kelly dancing with his brolly in "Singing in the Rain"), instead, pole to the side and down the fall line and not too far in front.
And finally...relax! (Yeah right!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| Tarquin wrote: |
Skiing's got to be the worst situation for learning something new hasn't it ? (If you live in a non-snowy country)
"Here, do it like this, then practice it for a couple of days, then don't do it again for eight months" - what could possibly go wrong. |
Agree with the snowdome/dryslope comments, this non snowy country is probably one of the best places to be to go and practise between trips but the majority CBA then wonder why they aren't improving as quickly as they had hoped.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Perty, might want to go for a little wander, I can feel an inner tip lead attack coming on!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
See! I can STFU . . .
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
franzClammer,
| Quote: |
Any chance of you getting to Hemel purely for a fun ski?
|
There is a good chance of doing this at some point - it's just finding the time. Re: the camera, I'll certainly budget for a remote control kit at some point I think. That might make things easier.
Masque, such restraint!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Have you tried 'J' turn drills... where you turn with both hands touching the cuff of the outside boot?
Great for seperation and getting you too feel a carving sensation.
Especially if you try to carve your turn all the way back up the hill.
I find this a great drill for people like yourself who are static and skidding their turns.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
spud, I've done J turn drills, I think with IO at HH and also with the instructor in Les Arcs, however, neither of those has been connected with touching the boot as you describe. I can visualise what it might do, but it sounds incredibly awkward to achieve. I think for the moment I'll stick with the stuff that Greg showed me, but thanks all the same for the thoughts. You too Perty.
My skiing partner always reckons I'm a drink or two away from being a skier. I know many skiers feel that you should ski stone cold sober (and for good reason - I won't drink and drive and can see why it makes good sense skiing, esp. for your insurance policy), but it is the case that I do subscribe to the notion that my skiing partner describes. An early vin chaud often helps, and I am often to be found with a hip flask of sloe gin (which is also good and sweet) about my person. Just a little nip can give me a psychological advantage without making me legless. FWIW I think all that video footage is me without alcohol in my system. What I did notice was some of the best skiing that I did was one day on a lesson coming back down pluviometre - it was in a slushy phase and very heavy at the end of a 2hr (or thereabouts) session. I had done a double lesson that day and its fair to say was doing a good impression of knackered. I ran out of energy to push/fight the snow and actually did some turns which felt top notch - they may even have carved from the ease with which I did them. I think I had got to the stage where I was too knackered to 'think'!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Unfortunatly lessons and the best instructor in the world will only take you so far. Its the hours you spend skiing that matter, so don't beat yourself up to much.
The only other thing I would add is try and ski short radius turns most of the time, so basically spend less time traverssing and more time turning.
The more you do something the better you become, and skiing is all about the turning and the control, any idiot can go fast in a straight line.
Also if your not fit enough to ski a full day without stopping for at least 6 days in a row get fitter before you next go, it will make a differance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reality check:
It wasn't that long ago that you though Resort X was the ultimate...and you were as pleased an punch to get down the blues there!
Look at that video again...it really doesn't look too bad.
There are probably loads of snowHeads who are much worse skiers (though not in their own minds!)....obviously I am not one of them though
Get a bit more rythm, try to flex/extend a bit more, plant those poles every single turn.
Rinse...repeat.
There are a lot of armchair experts...and only a few of them are actual experts.
I'm not an expert though...so you should probably ignore all of the above!
PS...I can't be bothered to read the whole thread....I assume somebody has said that you are in the back seat?
Somebody ALWAYS says "you are in the back seat"!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
rungsp, Yup, someone has, but that someone was our rob@rar so I'm inclined to think I am, but I don't think it's excessively in the back seat, although its clearly something that needs fixing.
You are indeed right about progress. There was a time when a blue terrified me. Now I'm happy to set about 99% of reds (bar those containing real proper hard moguls and those that are never pisted) and have sufficient skill to get down them (although it might not be pretty). I have come a lot further than I ever expected to and can now get around a whole resort if I pick my routes and visit other places whilst I am there. Obviously I have a tendency to impatience with my own rate of progress
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| kitenski wrote: |
Does that book have any different drills to the current BASI manual? unfortunately the preview on amazon only has the first 10 pages!! |
That's most of the book , it's a wee pocket size book A6 size and 60 pages, haven't seen the Basi manual so can't comment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
.......and from then on I did STFU lol
& has got the message aye 
I might get one myself now I don't crash as much 
hic!
