Then this one is me last Wednesday - there were many icy patches, a bunch of moguls and some weird carved out paths, so I'm going slower and more tentatively - I think with the dodgy terrain, this probably shows my weaknesses better:
I think it's safe to say link 2 is my worst current form, and the playlist is basically as good as I get at the moment.
I'm attempting pole-planting occasionally, but that doesn't come very naturally and requires too much concentration so I forget most of the time. I'm still working on that.
I can see some alarming knock-kneed-ness and my skis are not parallel so much of the time, that is what I can see needs work; not sure how to tackle those other than practice. Other faults I'm not so aware of.
Any advice would be gratefully received
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
STyler, that's what you need - there is a good amount of footage in the last You tube link, your DH must have got frozen!! I bet loads of our resident instructors will take a look and you will get the feedback you need. As I suggested in your other thread I've never seen video footage fail to get feedback yet on SH's
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 don't know how long it's been between first and last videos but I would say you're making very good progress.
1 thing that might help is to stop looking at your ski tips - look ahead/down the hill and you will find it makes you stand taller and more relaxed. You look quite nervous and I find a good remedy for that is to take a deep breath at the top and smile.
STyler, the best advice I can give you is to look at my thread and DONT DO WHAT I DID IMHO self tuition only works if you have a blueprint to work to and can get honestly assessed. Otherwise it just prolongs the time it takes to get to wharever standard you aspire to.
you appear to have the makings of a good skier. Have you had any actual lessons with a qualified Instructor?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
At the beginning of most of your turns you are pushing your outside ski sideways. This is very pronounced in the first video (from Pragelato) and still apparent in the later videos from CFe, although less obvious. You are also "in the backseat" too much of the time (which is related to pushing your outside ski sideways at the start of the turn). Both of those problems could become habits which are tough to break if you keep on reinforcing those movements through practice. Rather than pushing the ski sideways I think you need to be more focused on standing on it (by extending your leg) at the start of the turn. This will probably address your fore/aft balance as well.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Thanks for this everyone!
So a bit of background since I forgot to include it.
I first had a beginner's lesson (it went as far as plough turns) and I then went on the trip to Pregelato.
I then attempted to progress my skiing myself, but fell 30 minutes into my next ski trip and bust my leg up badly.
This February, I spent my ski trip "figuring out" parallel turns. I had it quite well, but couldn't take it up anything steeper than a gentle green.
So in September this year I finally bit the bullet and got myself another lesson in my local-ski slope. the instructor fixed/improved my weight distribution (used drills to have my leaning more forward) and helped me with my parallel turns and introduced pole planting.
Now, I'm just trying to practice those things until they are wrote. I am fully on the instructor "bandwagon" and intend to get further lessons, but I feel I need to at least get parallel turns and pole planting to second nature before I start messing about with carving, and short turns (?? maybe this isn't the best approach??)
Rob@rar when you say I am in my backseat, does that mean my weight is still a bit too far back? I'm all for leaning forward, but it's hard to know from the inside how far is too far, or not far enough.
So going forward, I should concentrate on starting the turn with straight skis and concentrate on applying my weight to the outside ski, my weight and plough looking skis should iron out?
Thanks again, everyone!
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.
My tuppence:
Have another CFe session doing the same variety of stuff as usual but all the time work on holding your feet further back. Keep scoring yourself on how many inches back they are. Aim for at least four by the end.
(this is from the same observation as Rob's backseat comment)
Rob@rar when you say I am in my backseat, does that mean my weight is still a bit too far back? I'm all for leaning forward, but it's hard to know from the inside how far is too far, or not far enough.
Do a couple of runs and think about how your boots feel. You should feel pressure on your shin from the tongue of your boot pretty much all the time.
I'd say there's also a bit of upper body rotation going on at the turn initiation. Try to let your body follow the turn, not initiate it.
As an exercise, bring your hands up in front of you a bit more, which should help with both. Do the 'imagine you're carrying a couple of pints and don't want to spill any' thing
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.
You should be nice and centered in your boot, the calf muscle should not be pushing on the back of the cuff.
Do you find you get sore or burning thighs? That is a sign you are sitting back.
Do you recall the drills the instructor had you doing in the recent lessons?
Just stumbled across this graphic, A1 is the position you want to be in
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
Ooh, that graphic is interesting. I think I would put myself at a B1, meaning I need to push my hips forward, more.
I used to get terribly tired thighs. During the first ski trip (video 1) my thighs would be *so* exhausted after each run, the steeper the run the worse it was.
After the lesson, though I'm not feeling that any more. Not that I'm taking that to mean I think my weight problems are over
Yeah, he began with us holding our arms out in front, poles balanced on the top, and then he would watch us go down and tell us if we needed to lean further out.
Then there was another where he had us imagine a hula hoop at belly-button level, and to keep our hands at the edge of that, at a sort of 10 to 2 position.
And another tip to make sure hands are always visible in the periphery.
He did the button in the boot thing, which I've been hearing since the beginners lesson but doesn't seem to do it for me... my shins are always pressed in, but I'm starting to think I'm pushing my bum back too far...
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
STyler, I'd also say you were at B1, but rather than pushing your hips forward, try flexing your ankles and not bending at the waist...
Perhaps try it in front of a mirror at home without ski boots on and concentrate on the ankle flex...
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
So, more of a bend at the ankles and knees?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
STyler wrote:
So, more of a bend at the ankles and knees?
yes but not too much at the knees...otherwise you end up at C1....
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Rather than think about 'a position' perhaps thinking about the movements you make as your turn would be better? I usually see people who have poor fore/aft balance improve when they start to make more effective movements at the start of the turn and during the turn.
There is often a focus on hand carriage when fore/aft balance is being discussed. I don't think it's a major factor. Mostly changing the arm position does little to fore/aft balance, and it makes it worse as often as it makes it better. Think about from the feet up, not from the shoulders down when you are trying to develop effective movement patterns.
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?
rob@rar, to use our secret code is this a situation where 'tap, stand' would help?
Megamum, might do. First though, focus on making an extension movement at the start of the turn.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
There is a lot going on here so it's hard to give concise advice. But I would say
A) imagine you are a goal keeper for a penalty. Or a tennis player receiving a serve. You will stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, weight balanced over the middle of your feet, arms away from your body and slightly forward, head up to look at the ball. When you are skiing you should adopt the same basic stance. Think of yourself as an athlete.
b) learning skiing needs space which isn't always available indoors.. A drill I would recommend is J-turns. I.e. pick up a bit of speed and do one turn which you keep going until you are facing uphill and come to a stop. Let the inside knee roll over towards the snow. But you need plenty of room and not too many other people around to do this drill. But it's a good exercise because you can really concentrate on turn quality. You are not going to make another turn and you know that you will stop. So you can work purely on the mechanics of the turn.
c) work on finding and using your edges by doing side slips.
d) be pleased with yourself. There is progress and that's great!
STyler, The best advice I can give you is to get as many lessons as you can afford as early as possible/ Then you can build on a solid foundation.
Otherwise, it can take years to get rid of bad habits. It's sooo much more fun if you can ski reasonably well.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
ALQ, +100 and some more - honestly, consistent lessons is the best way forward. See if there's a package of 10 lessons going at your local ( if there is one?) indoor facility, these are normally fair value and considerably better value than the odd one lesson here and there as you'd be following a taught 'progression'. You'd also get to know others in the class - so perhaps more socially enjoyable too. We all get stuck sometimes just struggling to accomplish the next level - upto that point, take standard group lessons in a persistent manner - that's key and if you don't 'get it' please, please, please ask for help, ask for another demo etc. I'm not talking about hogging the lesson, if you need additional practice at something or other, then outside of the lessons go back to the slope and practice again and again so not to get left behind in lessons.
Not all instructors take the same pride in getting the best out of their clients, that's a fact of life. Not all instructors are great communicators nor do they all have the same level of student assessment and even more sadly, sometimes their enthusiasm to sort out their clients problems is lacking too. Worst of all is when their 'fix-it' tool kit is a bit bare through minimal experience. Unfortunately, when a ski instructor has all the talents to sort you out (skiing wise !) thoroughly, it's often the case their way up the BASI ladder, probably working privately and charging accordingly. Bitter me, no no no - ha. Having moaned on a bit - i still advise my first 3 to 4 line above. I feel whatever the good advice you receive here from friendly snowheads, actually feeling it on snow under your feet is the very best and perhaps only way forward. Good luck - but it isn't luck at all really, it's persistent good tuition and persistent good disciplined practice - Ha, good luck again!
After all it is free
After all it is free
+1 to the lessons.
STyler,
CFe still have the lessons on offer at half price, plus the third Tuesday of each month in the morning is ladies only coaching which may work out even cheaper and also allow you to meet other skiers some who are regulars.
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.
@STyler, I think I'd go with the lessons suggested by ALQ and Tim Heeney. You really need the interaction. I learned to ski way back and then went for years without lessons. Then about four years ago I took some off-piste lessons because I'd got a bit bored with the piste. I spent the first lesson relearning to ski properly. It made an amazing difference and taught me that piste skiing is great fun done properly. I talked my brother into having some too and he's really benefitted. The main thing, though, was that they could look at what I was doing, make a suggestion, watch me do it, feedback, watch and so on until I could turn their explanation into my movement.
If you keep going you'll get better but I think you'll reach a limit where you won't be appreciating everything that you could be doing.
I know it's really expensive but try to look at it as an investment. I accept @Tim Heeney point about the variability of teaching but I've come across some really experienced instructors locally (annoyingly, the two I'm thinking of are snowboarders). And there are some really good youngsters who have that empathy that will make them great instructors one day and pretty decent now.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thanks everyone.
I agree, I've only gotten so far practicing and a month later, I've pretty much hit the ceiling. I reckon I could tidy up a *bit*, but it would take me ages.
So I've got a Video Analysis, Carving and then Short Turns lesson coming up at CFe. Not sure if I'm ready for the latter two, but I think I will learn much anyway, and I can stick another video analysis session on at the end, and keep going round and round. I think it's worth the money if I can get more from my ski holidays
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
IMHO self tuition only works if you have a blueprint to work to and can get honestly assessed. Otherwise it just prolongs the time it takes to get to wharever standard you aspire to.
