 Poster: A snowHead
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I had a confidence building lesson in Les Deux Alpes last year with Charlotte and am hoping to consolidate that next week by going back to a resort I am familiar with (Valmeiner) which I know has runs I can confidently ski.
Normally I ski with hubby and a friend and they are much better so I always feel I am holding them back and end up letting them go off while I ski the same piste on my own (boring!) or wait in a bar/ restaurant (also boring!)
This time it’s just me and hubby so I guess we’ll mostly ski at my pace - which he says will kill him because I put in way too many turns which he says is exhausting and he says his alternative is to wait for me or wait then catch me up and he reckons the standing around is more tiring than skiing.
I wish we could meet others so we could split up and ski with people with similar levels - we should have gone to a hotel or chalet I suppose. Not gonna meet anyone self catering 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Get a snowboard
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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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| skimummk wrote: |
This time it’s just me and hubby so I guess we’ll mostly ski at my pace - which he says will kill him because I put in way too many turns which he says is exhausting and he says his alternative is to wait for me or wait then catch me up and he reckons the standing around is more tiring than skiing.
I wish we could meet others so we could split up and ski with people with similar levels - we should have gone to a hotel or chalet I suppose. Not gonna meet anyone self catering |
Hang on, this is meant to be a confidence building trip but you're already being told it's going to 'kill' your hubby and be 'exhausting' to do it at your pace? That's going to help, you sound worried about it already!
Can you get yourself a guide/lessons every day, at least for a couple of hours, so you don't have to put up with the negativity (which really does sound exhausting!)?
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| skimummk wrote: |
I had a confidence building lesson in Les Deux Alpes last year with Charlotte and am hoping to consolidate that next week by going back to a resort I am familiar with (Valmeiner) which I know has runs I can confidently ski.
Normally I ski with hubby and a friend and they are much better so I always feel I am holding them back and end up letting them go off while I ski the same piste on my own (boring!) or wait in a bar/ restaurant (also boring!)
This time it’s just me and hubby so I guess we’ll mostly ski at my pace - which he says will kill him because I put in way too many turns which he says is exhausting and he says his alternative is to wait for me or wait then catch me up and he reckons the standing around is more tiring than skiing.
I wish we could meet others so we could split up and ski with people with similar levels - we should have gone to a hotel or chalet I suppose. Not gonna meet anyone self catering |
As a "hubby" myself, that's pretty shite behavior. He actually said that out loud to you? If I said that to my wife I'd be sleeping on the couch for a couple of weeks, at minimum.
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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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@skimummk, sounds like it's your husband is the one that needs lessons more than you. I'd be tempted to tell him how frustrating it is to have to ski with someone lacking sufficient technique to ski properly.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@skimummk, how about a bash? Loads of people of all different skills/interests to ski there. EoSB is great and there are also lessons available with really great instructors.
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@REM1, on steeper slopes it's easy to get sucked in to rushing a turn because you don't want to pick up pace, but often that means being unbalanced and poor turn shape, which actually makes it all feel less controlled and more scary. You're obviously able to ski (as you do in lessons and slopes you're not fearful of) and that skill doesn't go out the window just because things are a bit steeper, remind yourself of that and keep turns calm and smooth.
Also don't worry about skiing at your pace. Personally I enjoy skiing with different pace skiers, it gives more chance to muck about, try different things and enjoy being in the mountains.
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| Pasigal wrote: |
As a "hubby" myself, that's pretty shite behavior. He actually said that out loud to you? If I said that to my wife I'd be sleeping on the couch for a couple of weeks, at minimum. |
Oh dear, my poor hubby - don't take what I said literally, those are my words interpreting what he said, not his - he puts up with a lot - and not just while we are skiing - he actually has the patience of a saint 
I used to be able to ski reds confidently and it was me who introduced him to skiing which is why he gets frustrated because he knows if I could overcome the mental bit my technique is actually ok. Since I was good though I've had two kids, I broke my shoulder skiing and now have two new hips and the menopause to contend with (Charlotte said that hormones knock confidence and childbirth changes your alignment). Top that up with ADHD which means I have toddler meltdowns or my oppositional defiance is triggered when anyone offers "advice" because I know what to do - I just "can't" make myself do it. Imagine someone who used to be able to ski competently, even down the occasional black, sking across a piste, planning the turn, bottling the turn then having to side slip backwards to give enough space to try the turn again (when they would in the past have confidently done a kick turn) which leads me to get completely pissed off with myself!!
A couple of years ago in Les Sybelles we had skied from St Sorlin D'Arves to La Touissiere and were on the way back, but we HAD to do a red as a lift was closed due to high winds, and although I did get down it I did so many turns I was completely knackered, so when I hit a bit of ice on an easy blue in Le Corbier I started skiing like a beginner - I was back to snowplough which at my age and with two false hips is not good news, son stayed with me, hubby and friend had to ski back to St Sorlin and he then had to pick up the car and drive back to Le Corbier on treachorous roads to collect us because we missed the connecting lifts between resorts and a snowstorm came in. It was horrendous - I'm sure putting on the snow chains in the storm was the highlight of his night!
He's not the only one to comment on how difficult it is to follow me - they say I will suddenly turn so its difficult to anticipate what the f I am going to do - and the sound of skis/snowboard and shadows freak me out (sensory issues)- and as my husband he gets the brunt of my angst (I recognise that I am much less arsey to my friend or my son - my son is very chilled and my friend is very good at "leading" like an instructor rather than telling me what to do).
All that being said, after my lesson last year and the discovery that if I ski with my headband headphones on I can concentrate on the skiing not the surrounding noise I am hopeful that going back to somewhere I've been could be the answer because by the end of the last week I was getting my mojo back and we will be able to spend longer breaks next year as we are retiring. If its not OK? well, we have one more ski holiday booked for March (at my favourite area - Grand Massif) and then I'll hang up my ski boots for good. I should probably have stopped skiing years ago, but I think its another of my "mental health" issues that I won't give up!
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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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Thanks to everyone who’s took the time to offer advice and guidance I really appreciate it.
Some really helpful tips and advice. I can side slip and plough to get through difficult sections. But I can’t jump turn or hockey stop. I’m 39 now and this will be my fifth trip.
I confessed to my friends how I was feeling and that I’d written this asking for advice. They have suggested we all ski the Idalp beginners slope on the first day. Then I can either repeat those blues or book lessons depending on how I feel. Just talking about it has taken some of the pressure off!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Also thanks to those for sharing their ski fears!!!
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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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You don’t need an instructor you need a psychologist. All of those are mind issues, you need someone who can understand how your mind is working now and how you can redirect it when necessary. Understanding the problem is already part of the solution. Good luck!
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REM, please do come back to the post when you return and let us know how you got on.
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You know it makes sense.
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@skimummk, fairy nuff! Hope you have a lovely and calm trip!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Orange200 wrote: |
| You don’t need an instructor you need a psychologist. All of those are mind issues, you need someone who can understand how your mind is working now and how you can redirect it when necessary. Understanding the problem is already part of the solution. Good luck! |
I think you are right - its all in my mind. This will be the first year I have some meds to help with the ADHD so will be interesting to see if they make any difference.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| REM1 wrote: |
Thanks to everyone who’s took the time to offer advice and guidance I really appreciate it.
Some really helpful tips and advice. I can side slip and plough to get through difficult sections. But I can’t jump turn or hockey stop. I’m 39 now and this will be my fifth trip.
I confessed to my friends how I was feeling and that I’d written this asking for advice. They have suggested we all ski the Idalp beginners slope on the first day. Then I can either repeat those blues or book lessons depending on how I feel. Just talking about it has taken some of the pressure off! |
Fifth trip is nothing really - look at how I feel and I've been skiing for more than 35yrs!
I find it really helps if you have someone in your group who can pick a good route down, and do nice easy turns at a reasonable pace you can follow. I suspect that is why a lot of ski school is "follow the leader" so that you get the muscle memory.
I'm going to practice my hockey stop and kick turn to see if knowing I can do them might help psychologically even if I never use them.
Also - check your kit - it really helped last year when Charlotte suggested getting shorter skis with a narrower "waist" (not sure the terminology but I think they turn easier?) I always thought longer the skis more they grip - and as I had my own 185 GS skis in the 80s I have never trusted short carvers to hold on ice. I was skiing 169/170 which too me seemed really short - but dropping to a 160 was an eye opener.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Longer skis give stability at speed - hence downhillers have longer skis.
You need more waist width for flotation for off piste.
If you want a nice turny piste ski, you need neither of these.
It's true to say if you have the wrong equipment is going to hinder not help.
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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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| Layne wrote: |
Longer skis give stability at speed - hence downhillers have longer skis.
You need more waist width for flotation for off piste.
If you want a nice turny piste ski, you need neither of these.
It's true to say if you have the wrong equipment is going to hinder not help. |
So I don't need speed and I never go off piste and I do big wide turns - I'm skiing mainly blues and the occasional easy (wide) red. I think I used to need the length just to get "up the other side" on some runs cos I was very overweight but I've lost 3 or 4 stones since then. I'm sure I won't have much choice as I've only booked "Red" skis and we are picking up on a Sunday, but I'll try and explain in my basic french what type of skier I am and hopefully get something suitable. Charlotte said to avoid "Lady" skis - presumably because I am still quite big (5'9 and 85kgs)
My biggest need is confidence that if I hit ice I won't fall as I worry about damaging my metal hips - and I suspect that is a lot more to do with ensuring I have my weight on the right ski rather than the ski itself.
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@skimummk, Sorry to hear all that. I took what you said literally!
That said, I totally understand the psychological issues involved in sport. My wife ultimately could not overcome the mental side of alpine skiing and hence gave it up. She was never able to commit to the fall line.
Skiing seems to bring out mental issues in a way other sports don't. Not quite sure why that is. I guess it's partly the fact that the financial stakes are so high that if you're not improving, or feel like you're a drag on your friends, it feels like it's a waste of everyone's money. And as we age, the consequences of falling are more acute. I'm on way to a THR later this year, so this Christmas I didn't ski any ungroomed blacks because I didn't want to mess up my hip even more. We'll see how I get on after the replacement...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| skimummk wrote: |
| I think I used to need the length just to get "up the other side" |
This is partly where having some confidence with speed comes in, especially in poor vis. The irony of skiing on blues/flatter terrain is that often you need to let yourself go even more than on steeper slopes.
| skimummk wrote: |
| I'm sure I won't have much choice as I've only booked "Red" skis and we are picking up on a Sunday, but I'll try and explain in my basic french what type of skier I am and hopefully get something suitable. Charlotte said to avoid "Lady" skis - presumably because I am still quite big (5'9 and 85kgs) |
I would certainly lay it all out to them - in terms of your physical condition and what you are going to ski - and let them decide. And if they don't feel good ask them to try something else. I think my wife has mens skis - certainly has in the past.
| skimummk wrote: |
| My biggest need is confidence that if I hit ice I won't fall as I worry about damaging my metal hips - and I suspect that is a lot more to do with ensuring I have my weight on the right ski rather than the ski itself. |
Only racers like an icy piste. Funnily enough my 16yo daughter asked on our holiday last week how we deal with ice. You don't is the answer - well, to the extent that it's largely about staying upright until you get off it. Solace can often be often be found at the edge of the piste or on bumps but that itself can require good control/technique.
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| skimummk wrote: |
I'm going to practice my hockey stop and kick turn to see if knowing I can do them might help psychologically even if I never use them.
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I told my instructor in Canada that after 40 years I was still lacking confidence in various situations. He worked on my hockey stop. I thought it was a waste of time but he totally transformed me. Fear is usually from being out of control; once I realized I could stay in control, on bumps or steeps, my mind was free to react calmly to the situation. Hugely recommended.
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On one of my earlier ski trips my more experienced mate go me to straight line a reasonable steep but quiet and wide piste for as long as possible and then do a hard stop. To get comfortable with speed and being able to hard stop. We did it a few times over the course of a few days. I think it helped/was a good thing to do.
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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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Update.
Ischgl was great fun if not a roaring success! I booked a three hour lesson for my first afternoon to work on confidence. And thanks to a recommendation I asked for shorter skis at the hire shop - great tip! The first morning I emptied my head of all thoughts (scarily easy) and skied well with my friends. I met Roland in the afternoon and we worked on technique for an hour and I was surprised when he said I had some. Then we went down a really steep red and I wasn’t phased! We then played tig for an hour so I could gain confidence going faster. He was marvellous and just exactly what I needed. I felt very emotional at the end of the lesson.
The second day we skied over to Switzerland and did more blues in Ischgl. Then on the third day, I fell and badly sprained my knee going very slowly. My ski didn’t pop off and turned my knee. But despite this it was an amazing trip.
I really liked Ischgl, the views were stunning and the lifts were great - I remembered to download everyday and what the carnage from the gondola. The queue in the morning was a good half an hour which was annoying but also exciting.
Still hobbling about on my knee, but hoping it will bend more in another week! Thank you to everyone, you definitely contributed the successful parts of my trip. And when the knee heals I can plan our next family trip.
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Not sure how to post a pic - which is probably a good thing as I am wearing an all in one suit. And a knee that looks like a pancake is also not a good look!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@REM1,
Good luck with your knee.
Glad you enjoyed the lessons, downloading definitely the right thing to do in Ischgl unless you finish very early or stay in one of the restaurants till kicking out time.
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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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@REM1, glad you enjoyed the trip! Get your knee looked at and hope you heal quickly so you can start plotting the next trip. 
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Amazing. You were terrified of injuring yourself. Changed your outlook, positively went on the trip, DID injure yourself and cut the trip short … and now you’re eager to get back!
That’s what I was talking about with mind games. Excellent!
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You know it makes sense.
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| REM1 wrote: |
Update.
Ischgl was great fun if not a roaring success! I booked a three hour lesson for my first afternoon to work on confidence. And thanks to a recommendation I asked for shorter skis at the hire shop - great tip! The first morning I emptied my head of all thoughts (scarily easy) and skied well with my friends. I met Roland in the afternoon and we worked on technique for an hour and I was surprised when he said I had some. Then we went down a really steep red and I wasn’t phased! We then played tig for an hour so I could gain confidence going faster. He was marvellous and just exactly what I needed. I felt very emotional at the end of the lesson.
The second day we skied over to Switzerland and did more blues in Ischgl. Then on the third day, I fell and badly sprained my knee going very slowly. My ski didn’t pop off and turned my knee. But despite this it was an amazing trip.
I really liked Ischgl, the views were stunning and the lifts were great - I remembered to download everyday and what the carnage from the gondola. The queue in the morning was a good half an hour which was annoying but also exciting.
Still hobbling about on my knee, but hoping it will bend more in another week! Thank you to everyone, you definitely contributed the successful parts of my trip. And when the knee heals I can plan our next family trip. |
Great to hear. My trip to France wasn't quite so great psychologically - I didn't crack the speed element - we took the opposite approach of building up gently and I still didn't really get over my mental block of fast skiers coming to close, but I had no freak out moments. Then on 2nd last day came to a blue I should have been able to do easily, but I side slipped down because the really strong winds rattled me (think vertical winds and hardly any visibility). So, on the last day we decided rather than plan for me to ski back from Valloire to Valmeneir which involved going down the slope I'd side slipped hubby would go back and get the car and I'd download to Valloire - this worked really well, I didn't spend the whole day thinking about the return journey and we just split at the top of Valloire which also meant he got to do an hour or so of "fast" skiing, whereas most of the week he was pootling along with me.
So, we have another trip on 3rd March to Morillon - plan was to get a ski lesson there but couldn't get a lesson as both ski schools are fully booked on the Monday/Tuesday and I wanted it at the beginning of the week, so my alternative plan is to go to the Snozone to the "ladies coaching" and see if they can give me any tips - obviously its not steep and not long enough to get up any speed, but I thought maybe I can practice getting out of "I'm stuck on the edge of the piste facing the wrong way and can't bring myself to point straight down so that I can turn" moments and a bit of technique coaching won't go amiss.
I asked for "shorter" skis was given 149 (I'm 5'9) which were OK, but possible a little bit too short - what size did you use @REM1? and what height are you?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@REM1 really glad you had a successful trip! Please do get your knee checked, get an MRI and some physio/ S&C so you can get back to the slopes soon!
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FAQ
It (and the Oxalys) are positioned such that it's straightforward for people to meet up, drop someone off while they loop around, etc.