 Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, I think it's probably best if I'm above the kids, because although I may not be best skilled to literally pick them up, I am their mother if they are hurt or in tears and need reassurance and I also have the most first aid training. At least if I am above its easier for me to drop down to them than it is to climb back up. That said on the last few hols if anyone has ended up on their backside it has to be admitted that it's been me 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Butterfly, well done, excellent progress.
Goes to show how skiing is as much a 'head game' as it is technical 
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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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I like skiing on my own, I am the lest confident out of my regular skiing friends and I skied on my own a lot to start with. Always being the last down gets a bit depressing. I still enjoy skiing on my own even though I can now ski (and enjoy) 75% of what my friends are skiing, there's something very relaxing about skiing exactly at your own speed and choosing where to go and like pam w, says there are always plenty of people around to help. Megamum, if you ever have the time and money you should do a weeks tuition, something like Inspired to Ski. Being in a group of skiers all at my ability and who were really keen to learn was a revelation for me and a huge confidence boost.
oh and I'm pleased to hear about the lemonade and ginger ale 
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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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Butterfly, thanks for sharing that video and the story of your endeavours to improve. They convey the great progress you've made and some really good elements of skiing are on display.
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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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david@mediacopy, slikedges, thanks. Oh yes there is a large "head" component and gently acquiring a good technical base provides positive psychological messages as well as a firm physical foundation on which to build.
Note to self: get some less baggy salopettes before submitting to film again!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Butterfly wrote: |
| . However my sense of achievement, my total enjoyment of it and the love of the mountains makes it so very worth doing. |
Loved that video, like that attitude 
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Butterfly, It is simply so much fun just being out there. Well done lass and keep on learning. Oh... baggies make you look gnarly
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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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Very interesting reading all these posts. I'll tell you about my timid to confident journey......
My sons wanted to learn to ski on the plastic slope here in Edinburgh in 1983 when they were young. They started having lessons and my husband and I thought it looked fun so we had 1 adult lesson and learned to snowplough. The boys progressed quickly but we were in mid/late 30s and didn't progress so quickly. I was terrified of going on the chairlift and always fell as I got off. My sister-in-law came to visit and had a lesson. I saw the instructor putting the group on the chairlift and thought 'Oh dear she will fall when she gets off' so rushed across and jumped on the chair with her - to save her. I was so concerned for her safety I forgot to be frightened and conquered chairlifts! I remember skiing in Scotland mid 80s and wondering how a friend managed to snowplough so quickly as I was still very cautious. My husband and sons would be standing at the bottom of a run waiting for me to get down saying 'Turn mother, turn' but I was terrified on moguls and steeps. My husband and I signed up for a course at the plastic slope to train as Ski Leaders so we could help with school skiing (we were both teachers but now retired). We had lessons for 2 hours every week in term-time for 2 years and qualified as Ski Leaders in 1989. We had our first family ski holiday in Flaine in 1988. That changed all our lives. We were hooked. My husband and I got involved in school skiing teaching pupils each week and running trips abraod, schools races, Snowsport Scotland committees, ran ski buses for our local ski club, got involved in Freestyle skiing, trained as freestyle ski judges and now in retirement we both judge world cup mogul skiing. Both sons competed in world cup, the oldest as a snowboard racer and the younger as a mogul skier. They are now retired from competition and instruct in France.
Since I retired we have managed 7 weeks skiing abroad each winter and yes I can now confidently ski anywhere I want to go. Learning to judge the best skiers in the world has made me aware of what I should be doing - but the body doesn't always do what the brain tells it to do! My only regret is that I didn't learn to ski as a youngster.
So anyone who is nervous - with good instruction, patience and perseverance, you can become confident.
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fatbob, back to your original question.
As an adult starter (I don't think that this problem affects little kids in quite the same way) I have a bit of experience of different instuctors.
One of the biggest things an instructor has to do is to get the trust of the learner. Without that the learner will not do what they're being asked to do and won't progress. Some instructors are very good at identifying with the learner (instructors who also learned late (teenager upwards) are generally more sympathetic, as are those who've come back to skiing after a major scare and have had to rebuild their own confidence, some people are generally just more empathic). Unfortunately we're all different and who I trust may not be the same as who you trust.
The group dynamics are also important. Personally I enjoy group lessons (I know that a lot of people don't, but they work for me). A couple of years ago I was shifted between two groups. One was a really friendly group who were all on first name terms by the end of day one, were constantly looking out for each other and were out to learn and enjoy ourselves. The other (not actually technically better) group were only interested in going as far and as fast as they could. I ended up falling and when I got up they were nowhere to be seen. I was left at the top of a pair of unfamiliar runs with no idea which route they had taken. Fortunately I was a short distance from a lift station and had a 'phone signal. Needless to say when I was given the choice of which group to ski with the next day I went with the former.
I've also skied with a group with a classic nervous skier in it who was technically very good but didn't want to do anything steeper than a blue. She knew what she was comfortable with and didn't want to do any more. I quite respected her for that. She wasn't going to try and ski anything she didn't think she'd enjoy. The instructor accepted her position and didn't try to convince her (too hard) to push herself beyond her self-imposed limits.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| JustJill wrote: |
fatbob, back to your original question. ....
One of the biggest things an instructor has to do is to get the trust of the learner. .....
The group dynamics are also important. Personally I enjoy group lessons ... really friendly group ... constantly looking out for each other and were out to learn and enjoy ourselves. The other ... only interested in going as far and as fast as they could.
I've also skied with a group with a classic nervous skier in it who was technically very good but didn't want to do anything steeper than a blue. She knew what she was comfortable with and didn't want to do any more. I quite respected her for that. She wasn't going to try and ski anything she didn't think she'd enjoy. The instructor accepted her position and didn't try to convince her (too hard) to push herself beyond her self-imposed limits. |
Some really good points.
The first instructor who I learned to trust (Easiski gained that trust from me within one lesson. I learned that if she tells me to do something, she is certain I have the skill to do it. The problem for me is remembering that when things seem challenging. I also know that if I can't get myself together enough to do it, she will usually find an alternative route to the same goal and I will achieve it sooner or later.
I enjoy group lessons too, but only in the right group. That is so important. I prefer to be in the upper part of the group's ability range because I am likely to make less rapid onward progress and I hate the feeling I am holding everyone up and dread the thought of being abandoned as happened to you. I have been the "weakest link" in a group where my presence was clearly resented by one person. The negative vibes were very impairing and decreased my fragile confidence to the point that after a fall I stopped early and let them get on with it.
As for the person with self-imposed limits - I am in two minds. Part of me wants to ski like that - seeking a feeling of total confidence and good skiing within comfort zone. However I know I need someone I trust to push me beyond it as when I go back to the comfort zone the progress I've made suddenly becomes very apparent.
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