If I'm skiing for myself nothing goes through my mind. No conscious thought. Sometimes it's almost as if I forget to breathe.
If people are following me a million things go through my mind: how steep, how fast, what's the snow, how much time until coffee, lesson planning, group management, etc, etc.
Exactly this. My favourite thing about sports like skiing is not thinking, just being.
Of course there are times where you have to think about the route, or are trying to feel the snow out at the top of something... But as soon I commit and start skiing not just making turns/working my way in, it's just about being and doing, no thinking.
Yes, this - just relax and go with the flow.
Asked SWMBO - ' where's he gone ? where's he taking me ? he told me this will be ok, its supposed to flatten eventually ' - were the sort of comments I got
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Bennyboy1 wrote:
“Stop lifting your toes up in your boots”
“Get off your inside ski”
“Don’t stack it...please don’t stack it”
Ditto
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?
I’m going to do this slope concentrating on control and technique and kee the speed down...wheeeeeeee
do people really focus so much thought on technique while skiing? genuine question. My answer was supposed to be humourous, , but it is pretty much what goes on in my head as I ski. Although there is the addition that mrsthecramps introduced to our whole skiing philosophy. Keep thinking "ice cream van". Why?
What's written on the back of an ice cream van?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@thecramps,
Quote:
do people really focus so much thought on technique while skiing?
Yes. But it doesn't often lead to any improvement.
After all it is free
After all it is free
thecramps wrote:
What's written on the back of an ice cream van?
Ice cold slush? 99 Flake?
Children crossing?
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.
So many people THINKING while skiing!
Thinking about technique, while not my thing, are at least understandable.
Thinking about non-ski related thing? That’s almost...sad
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Mind that child!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
"Well, the visibility's a bit rubbish, but it's a LOT warmer skiing in this hazmat suit...
TREEE!"
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.
If it's bumpy, steep or icy or some combination of all three then I'll just be concentrating on the snow (and quite possibly also thinking 'how on earth is this a blue?'). If it's easy skiing then I might be thinking about the scenery, other skiers, my technique, anything completely random that pops into my head.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
“Stop sitting back”
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
oo am i carving, look look two tracks behind me, dam it they're not mine.......still just sliding and skidding
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Sort those arms out.....
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Quite frequently I think "how is it actually possible for us to ski? Like how exactly can we be coordinated enough to just think about going over there, and somehow our brain turns that into a series of muscle movements, balance adjustments, reactions to the ground underneath us, and yet somehow all of that just happens as if by magic, at 30mph, on a surface we're not really designed to operate on, at 1,000m above sea level. How exactly is all that happening? And why doesn't it go wrong far more often than this?"
Then I think how little things would have to change for that not to be possible any more. A small change in temperature, a small increase in the amount of fog and cloud, the mountain being a bit steeper or not steep enough here or there, and suddenly it wouldn't be a viable ski resort. Quite amazing really that we're able to ski at all.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Digger the dinosaur wrote:
Quite frequently I think "how is it actually possible for us to ski? Like how exactly can we be coordinated enough to just think about going over there, and somehow our brain turns that into a series of muscle movements, balance adjustments, reactions to the ground underneath us, and yet somehow all of that just happens as if by magic, at 30mph, on a surface we're not really designed to operate on, at 1,000m above sea level. How exactly is all that happening? And why doesn't it go wrong far more often than this?"
In fact, given the complexities of driving a car, not to mention flying a plane, you'd be more justified thinking "how is it possible to get there" as soon as you step out the front door of your house.
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?
I often have music in my head too. Never have head phones or anything, just music in my head. Like the voices.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Generally a couple of things
WTF are all these skiers going to be on the slope in the next 5 seconds - I'm like a one man flight radar calculating all their paths
Jeez, this frozen mank looks really tricky will I make the turn
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.
Where shall I make the turn after next?
Which bar shall I stop at next?
Vin Chaud or beer?
Which lift next?
Which piste after that?
Spag Bol or Lasagne for lunch?
That was a bit steep/icy I must uncurl my toes
Last run? or just one more?
That's about it, I save putting the world to right until the Apres
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quite often, I'm following hubby and thinking "poo-poo, where is he"
and if its somewhere that you need to "let go" to avoid pole-punting then its "one more turn..." and "man up"
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Often, and ideally, nothing. Might be the best part.
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.
Wheee, wheee, haha,wheeeeee, whee, wheeeeeee, wheee. again ,again.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
My head hurts, why did I finish off that bottle last night..that looks a good place for a vin chaud...where to for lunch...where to for apres...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
clarky999 wrote:
rob@rar wrote:
If I'm skiing for myself nothing goes through my mind. No conscious thought. Sometimes it's almost as if I forget to breathe.
If people are following me a million things go through my mind: how steep, how fast, what's the snow, how much time until coffee, lesson planning, group management, etc, etc.
Exactly this. My favourite thing about sports like skiing is not thinking, just being.
Of course there are times where you have to think about the route, or are trying to feel the snow out at the top of something... But as soon I commit and start skiing not just making turns/working my way in, it's just about being and doing, no thinking.
On an open piste or off piste I can get to that. If there is traffic then I am definitely doing the maths on where everyone is around me. On piste I'm generally skiing the "slow line fast" and even when you are the downhill skier you need to think ahead about where conflicts could happen, is there enough space for this speed etc.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Quote:
WTF are all these skiers going to be on the slope in the next 5 seconds - I'm like a one man flight radar calculating all their paths
yes - like @davidof, says
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
People seem to spend a lot of time on overcrowded pistes!
I think about edges and poles sometimes, but mainly I just listen to the sound of the snow.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Ugo wrote:
People seem to spend a lot of time on overcrowded pistes!
That will be the curse of being limited to holiday periods for about 15-20 years as children grow.
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?
jedster wrote:
On an open piste or off piste I can get to that. If there is traffic then I am definitely doing the maths on where everyone is around me. On piste I'm generally skiing the "slow line fast" and even when you are the downhill skier you need to think ahead about where conflicts could happen, is there enough space for this speed etc.
Is that a conscious thought process, which if you don't focus on doesn't happen? Or does it happen without you think about it?
I can catch a ball thrown to me from a distance. I don't need to calculate the physics of the trajectory, I just catch it. When skiing I don't need to think about avoiding someone in front of me by actively calculating their speed, line and a margin of error, I just avoid them. I always advocate skiing with a quiet mind. Having an internal monologue commentating on the thousand different actions which are taking place concurrently seems to me to be the quickest way to kill the flow of your skiing from turn to turn.
Some of it is conscious as in I will even "shoulder check" before I make a big arc across the piste to see where that skier I passed who was taking a more direct line has got to. In theory, I don't have to worry about that - he's uphill - but in practice I like to reduce the opportunity for him to make a mistake. I think partly this comes from incidents in the past and partly from the fact I cycle commute - trains you to actively manage risks.
edit - just reread your post, I'm really talking about the skiers I can't see. Agree with you, don't have to think about avoiding the ones I can see.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I think, with enough repetition, then the millions of calculations your brain is constantly making go from the conscious to the sub-conscious. Even glancing over your shoulder, or looking uphill before setting off become second nature. You don't actually make a conscious decision to do it, it just happens. Similar to changing gear in a car, you don't think 'foot of accelerator, foot on clutch, shift gearstick', you just change gear.
Sometimes, given certain conditions, those thought processes rise up out of the subconscious. Like on VERY busy pistes, or skiing moguls you are more aware of thinking about where your next few turns are going to be. Or, if a piece of terrain looks like a sweet spot, you make a conscious decision to aim for it (I love the feeling of an almost weightless turn on the crest of a roller at just the right speed and will make a conscious effort to aim for that).
1. Which Skiers/Boarders below me, are of a level / or are taking a line, that makes predicting what they are going to do more difficult - and thus make sure I ski accordingly?
2. Try to be aware of skiers above me who might hit me through their actions/speed....and make my actions as safe and predictable as possible.
On less crowded slopes, I enjoy working on different aspects of my skiing.....building speed, with control - and not "fighting" the mountain. For me, this happens when I can feel both skis working together/changing edges together and keeping them at the same angle.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Sometimes one then the other on the same slope, sometimes one all day one day then the other all day the next, other times one all one holiday then the other the next.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Wheeee
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.
Orange200 wrote:
Ugo wrote:
People seem to spend a lot of time on overcrowded pistes!
That will be the curse of being limited to holiday periods for about 15-20 years as children grow.
There is that but people take such random routes downslope, so you are skiing down run X and on the right someone is just completing a turn and starting to traverse across in front, then straight in front a dad with a toddler between his legs (this is a red run wtf?) then his older daughter is covering the route on the right. It is all a bit like that bike courier movie
Having an internal monologue commentating on the thousand different actions which are taking place concurrently seems to me to be the quickest way to kill the flow of your skiing from turn to turn.
Trouble is, I've got your helpful commentary sounding in my ears.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
