 Poster: A snowHead
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laundryman,
LOL...!!
My thoughts exactly..
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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For me the only colour of any ski run is white - okay, this year maybe brown ! It's all snow, what works on Blue works on Red works on Black....maybe a bit faster....
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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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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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laundryman, I normally abbreviate it to "Believe" - much easier 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pollittcl wrote: |
I used to pretend I was an aeroplane:
...
(the aeroplane was originally part of an exercise to help me get my shoulders parallel to the slope, and to head more down the fall line - you had to be there, I think!) |
Worked for me too (although possibly not on icy steeps)! That was the one excercise that stopped me skiing as if I was sitting on the lav. Threw in a bit of slinky hip swinging to get some angulation going too. The "wheee..." was of course the most important bit though. So what if you looked like an @r$e - it was also great fun!
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pollittcl,
A similar thing to the banana principle, I presume. Fire Engines/cheeky worked for us (don't ask!)
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The problem with ice is turning - you won´t fall over if you go straight. So simply say to yourself: "turns are for girls". Works 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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Caspar, banana principle? I haven't come across that one, yet! 
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pollittcl,
Like your aeroplane, simply an idea to keep your shoulders parallel with the slope by making yourself the shape of a banana - you could probably combine the two to come up with a bananaplane
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I find the best thing to do when you are scared is to point your shoulders down the mountain, and then force yourself to ski an aggressive line down the fall line. Soon you find that it's not so bad as you thought and you start to enjoy it. Also never stop to think about it at the top, wait until you're at the bottom.
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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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Kramer, good advice and it's more than psychological I think. One of the problems a lot of us get is an instinctive vertigo which means when a slope challenges us we tend to lean back instinctively.
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ise,
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One of the problems a lot of us get is an instinctive vertigo which means when a slope challenges us we tend to lean back instinctively
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Thats my problem, how the hell do you get over this involuntary reaction or Im destined to be forever wussy?
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You know it makes sense.
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GrahamN, so that's three of us who do the aeroplane thing then. I thought I was the mad one! I also use Chemical Brothers "Hey boys......" Gets you started!
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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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Frosty the Snowman, concentrate hard on each turn - don't let those pesky instincts get a chance. Each turn make sure you move/unweight (depending on turn type) forward and down the hill.
Scary at first, because you don't think your skis will have time to come round and catch you, but exhilarating when you find out that they do.
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Poster: A snowHead
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marc gledhill, well yes obviously, but, what you're trying to do with lessons and practice is, to an extent, create new instincts and re-wire your reactions. Easier said than done of course and harder with each year of age and doing it wrong 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Falling over on the first turn should get you down.... And entertain your friends.
I ended up on the World Cup downhill run at St Anton last year, just after the race. All very wide, gentle & open for the first bit. The ice was easy as the gradient was so gentle. Then we got to the bit called 'the Icefall' - sheet ice & a stupid gradient. Me & my friend went for 2 different techniques - I side slipped down the whole bit (had to be talked down part of it by an Austrain girl) & managed to stay on my feet. My friend did one turn & did the rest of it on her bum. We both got down - but neither of us in possession of our dignity.... 
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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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ise, yep, it is obvious. But people tend to concentrate for a few good turns only - then they relax, their concentration goes and they get a bit lazy.
Next thing you know, you're getting your weight back and leaning into the slope. Turns start to skid, or not be completed properly and control is lost.
Or so I'm told
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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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sazza42, That's what I call technique. I recognise it! 
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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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sazza42, nothing wrong with a spot of side slipping! You could do that 90% of the way and put in one turn at the bottom of the steep section (doesn't matter if it goes wrong), then two if you're feeling more confident next time round, etc.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Frosty the Snowman, I find the way to get over your instinctive reaction is to concentrate on one aspect of your skiing rather than all of them. Instead of trying to do everything at once, just think about one thing, the rest will follow. It depends on your level, but a good start is to think about your stance, getting your shins pushing over the front of your boots. For me, I find that if I concentrate on turning my shoulders down the hill, and almost exaggerating my reach for my pole plants, then the rest seems to fall in place naturally.
The second way to overcome your natural instinctive reaction is to force yourself to ski steeper and steeper terrain, you find that your point of reference for what is actually steep changes by itself, and so you don't get scared anymore.
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Watching 75% of the people who attempted this slope accelerating past me on their bums/heads/backs put me off attempting any turns at all!!! Thankfully it didn't put me off skiing at all...
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one good thought /reminder to help a 'trier' conquer icy steep reds/moderate blacks
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Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaark!
(repeat ad nauseum as required)
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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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| pollittcl wrote: |
| I used to pretend I was an aeroplane: |
Thats the one for me!!! I will definately try this one at half term - I usually spend my time swearing under my breath (well I hope no one else hears ) and telling myself off for being such a wimp!
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I find that if the edges are not biting on some steep icy stuff, it's often no big deal, as long as I am in balance, weight over the centre of the skis, and edges in as best I can. It then seems no biggy to be skidding down the ice. Almost invariably there is a little spot of powder, somewhere - that's where I make my next turn.
Of course, not slipping is always best. Even better, avoid the ice if you can.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So many have said so much .. and all wise words, of course, from
But I vote for:
Relax.
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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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"Stay in the driver's seat, not the back seat"
(Works for everyone except Mrs. A)
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A quote from the film The Matrix springs to mind, 'don't think you can do it, know you can do it'
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You know it makes sense.
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Just keep your front edges under control and pressed hard into the snow\ice. Gravity is your friend.
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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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If its steep and icy you are going down anyhow, so you may as well relax, lean forward and try to do it on your skis 
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Poster: A snowHead
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I just think "just think how much good this is doing my legs and how fulfilled I will be when I get to the end...also, it makes you appreciate your 4 course supper as well"!!!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Keep you body reasonably relaxed, complete a biggish, rounded, skidded turn (accept that you will skid, in fact you want to at this stage to lose speed instead of retaining it i.e. carving) and look for the powder or whatever powder there is and turn in it. Also your hands should always be in front of your body and make sure you flex as you complete the turn to help absorb some of the speed.
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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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There's a lot of talk about angulation and edging and stuff which might be confusing if you don't know what the ones giving advice are on about. Here's an easy way to get on your edges:
Despite all the advice to the contrary your subconsious mind will be afraid and instead of keeping your chest down the fall line and executing flowing, continuous short-swing turns you will instead traverse across the slope only turning when you have to.
So ....
Whilst traversing, stretch out your downhill arm as far down the fall line as you can. You will automatically set your edges. When you are coming to the point when you really have to turn soon, pluck up courage and look straight down the flow-line (the line you flow down, not fall down).
To turn ....
Try, try and not just glance down the fall line but turn your upper body, or at least your shoulder down to look down the flow line.
At that moment, plant the pole and make your turn, standing on your uphill ski which will soon become your downhill one.
As you come round, stretch out the new downhill arm and you will automatically angulate to set your edges.
Try it first on a gentle icy red and you'll see it works. Then use it on progressively steeper slopes.
Good luck! 
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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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hyweljenkins, Henrey Ford put it slightly more simply I think:
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If you think you can, you can: if you think you can't, you're right.
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I'm with the "talking to myself" brigade when it gets really hairy, and also the "the straighter you start, the easier it is" gang for most steeps.
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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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"When in doubt, tuck it out..." 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Besides sharp edges and confidence, the following -
extreme anticipation - by that I mean a) body faces the fall line at all times; b) pole planting further forward; c) using counter turns ( ie ending slightly up hill at end of turns ) for greater control of speed and descent.
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doogo, Our Father who art in heaven.........
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Bernard Condon,
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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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B00thy, I appreciate you wanting to use the term "flow line" c.f "fall line", but isn't there a risk that skiers could misunderstand flow line to mean the route of their skis as the skis make arcs, rather than the most gravitationally-direct movement down the mountain? I can see a number of people thinking that on steeps following the flow line means they can get away with aiming their upper body across the slope in a traverse pattern and following the route of the arcs their skis make, rather than aiming their body straight down the fall line. Or I could just be too pedantic for my own good.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Tue 15-03-05 18:06; edited 1 time in total
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Relax is the key.
In traversing one always slows down so a little fall without speed isn't a big deal. In an icy slope the risk is the failure to stop from sliding after overshooting the designated position. The skis will eventually stop unless you have deliberately smoothed the edges. Like other have said a sharp pair of edges goes a long way to conquer the icy slopes. If it has to be done have the skis serviced during skiing trip.
If I traverse to the end and couldn't turn then I shall sit on the slope, use my bum as pivot to swing the skis to the opposite side, stand up and try the next turn.
So there isn't anything to worry about. Once in confident mode the turn will come to you.
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FAQ
