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Rossendale dry slope. Apparently I can't ski after all.

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
After getting fed up of sitting in traffic jams and near death experiences on the M62 to chill factor.e I decided to give rossendale a try. What a shocker! I can't seem to ski any more:-( Luckily had the slope completely to myself for first hour. Had a few tumbles! I could get down but it's not pretty. Don't know whether to go back or not. Spent most of my time in the 'back seat' and my thighs are killing me. Not had that on snow for ages. What am I doing wrong? The top slightly bumpy section has me all over the place but then I can carve the flatter lower section? I'm confused :-/
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Whitty, why not book a private lesson on the slope? I wouldn't be surprised if it is phsycological ie you aren't trusting the surface.
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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?
@Whitty, own skis ? Not that one can reasonably blame kit!
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I used their skis. Didn't want to use the racetigers as I've read dry slope isn't kind to skis. After I'd had a couple of tumbles I could feel myself sitting in the back seat due to confidence being knocked. The guy who gave me the skis told me to keep my weight over the skis? Not quite sure what he meant. I need to go back and conquer it as it's bugging me how bad I was so I think a lesson on the differences from real snow affect technique.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:

The guy who gave me the skis told me to keep my weight over the skis? Not quite sure what he meant.

I guess he meant stand on the skis, not lean on your boots. ie, your stance should be the way it would be if you were skiing with loose boots.

Dry slopes do find all your faults - haven't been on one for ages but recognise your description. I don't think the technique is any different but snow is more forgiving. A bit like thinking you can sail in a big stable cruiser then getting in a tippy dinghy.
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@pam w, do you mean no forward pressure? ie, no shin pressure?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Whitty, well, I hesitate to talk about the rationale for "boots undone" exercises, not being an instructor. But I've been on the receiving end of them and they are valuable, if slightly dodgy.

I am a beginner cross country skier, where you have no boots to lean on. You absolutely have to stand on the skis, which are narrow, have no metal edges, and to which you are tenuously attached by your toes. I find it very difficult, being rather lazily accustomed, like lots of downhill skiers, to leaning on my boots. On the front of the boots but also sometimes on the sides and the back. They hold you up.

The young hot shot local skiers in the Saturday "Ski Club" are often put on cross country skis to give them much finer and more subtle balance. I can quite see why.

I am getting better at XC skiing but have a very long way to go. I have no doubt that the better balance I am learning will feed back positively into my downhill skiing.

I expect one of the instructors will be along to comment soon. Generally speaking I think it's good to stand on your feet (as an elderly Scottish instructor with BASS Les Gets told me many years ago).
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Whitty, Rental skis at dryslopes don't usually have very sharp edges and there isn't nearly as much grip available as there is on snow. My guess is that the instructor was just telling you not to get big edge angles.
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Yes, I've read about 'boots undone' exercises but not dared to try Shock I was actually increasing forward pressure thinking it would help! I think it had the opposite effect and ended up with me being in the back seat position (which I had got myself out of at Chill Factore) with thighs that are still hurting two days later.
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Quote:

I was actually increasing forward pressure thinking it would help! I think it had the opposite effect and ended up with me being in the back seat position

I suspect a lesson would help sort that out; you can't both have fore balance and rear balance simultaneously though bending the knees further forward can certainly result in sticking your bum out to compensate (it's what I do when doing wobbly snowplough turns on cross country skis; very bad habit). . One useful exercise I did on one course was doing a gentle blue run, three turns with forward pressure, three centred, three rear, and so on. I was warned not to overdo the "rear" version because of my dodgy knee. Doing that exercise you soon get to feel the difference very quickly - it's something I do in the morning sometimes, if feeling a bit "out of sorts" with ski legs. That and javelin turns - when I can't do those for toffee I know something is going wrong. Consciously varying the pressure going up a drag lift helps too, and passes the time.
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@Whitty,

I ski at Ski Rossendale as well now. Your first session will be a lot harder it does take it out of you a lot more.

If you are just starting on a dryslope and push forward get your weight forward you will go slower normally thus making turns harder you need to try and be neutral. Skiing is slightly different on snow you use turn shapes generally to slow down on plastic you learn to accelerate out of the turn.

If you do not want to use your own skis buy some secondhand skis to use.

I am am aiming to be up there at least a couple of times a week so if your going up let me know.

Also on Friday they have a coaching session for 90 min at a cost of £10 ( think it starts at around 7pm or 7:30pm price is for the coaching and slope/equipment hire fees ). Tues-Thurs the slope fee is £5 an hour between 3pm - 6pm and on Friday it is from 3pm till 9pm.
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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.
@speed098, Hiya, we had had a conversation about trying rossendale when I first joined snowheads. Will do, won't be this week coming as I'm on late shifts this week. Might try the volkl racetigers? The skis I rented did look like they had endured a very hard life:-D Had no interest from any prospective buyers on Sh. Do they ever do any morning opening hours?
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 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
@Whitty, congratulations you have just found out something that franzClammer has not sussed after 99 pages of trying - to dance with the hill you need natural flow and balance - good coaching on plastic will teach you that - do as @speed098 says wink
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Whitty, a lesson should help. Rossendale is lovely in the summer season with a great sunny view across the hills. We go across there for their race league on a Sunday once a month. It is well worth supporting.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Haha, "dance?" Think it probably looked more like 1970's style wrestling @TechHead, Yes, I think a lesson in dry slope technique is on the cards Happy
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Whitty wrote:
@speed098, Hiya, we had had a conversation about trying rossendale when I first joined snowheads. Will do, won't be this week coming as I'm on late shifts this week. Might try the volkl racetigers? The skis I rented did look like they had endured a very hard life:-D Had no interest from any prospective buyers on Sh. Do they ever do any morning opening hours?



The only morning sessions are at the weekend Sad

Best is either any of the £5 an hour sessions to start with or the coaching on the Friday. Dave is a very experienced coach.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Thought so. I did one for £10 then followed by a £5 on Wednesday. I had the entire slope to myself for the first hour then just another 3 people for the second hour, one of which only used the bottom part. Cannot complain about value for money Happy I do fancy the Fri night coaching sessions but fitting it in with my shifts, wife and 2 yr old is a little tricky.
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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?
@speed098, Tried to reply to your message but for some reason admin has stopped me from sending messages! Don't know why? I've just upgraded to 'snowhead' this week! I'm hoping to get over the week after next if possible when I'm back on early shifts.
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We ski in the rossendale summer league - a fun race series. It's an excellent introduction to racing. But a couple of points, the slope is harder than some to get used to - maybe it's the irregularities at the top but it does take some readjustment. I would not jump on and start carving from the top - try some skidded warm up turns to get your balance /rhythm with more room for error and then gradually try to make more cleanly edged t bi by any urns
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
sledger wrote:
We ski in the rossendale summer league - a fun race series. It's an excellent introduction to racing. But a couple of points, the slope is harder than some to get used to - maybe it's the irregularities at the top but it does take some readjustment. I would not jump on and start carving from the top - try some skidded warm up turns to get your balance /rhythm with more room for error and then gradually try to make more cleanly edged turns
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@sledger, Yes, it was the top half where I was struggling most. It's almost like it's in two halves. Once I'd bounced and scuffed my way down that bit I could cruise to the bottom. Didn't even try the side which has the man made bumps.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Whitty, yes the bumps are awkward - try them when you're properly warmed up. Keep at it in the knowledge that when you get on snow again you will be flying!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Hope so, counting the days Happy Mayrhofen in 49 days!
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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.
@sledger, which team are you with?
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@chrisb, same as your daughter.... The mighty Tigers
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Whitty wrote:
@speed098, Tried to reply to your message but for some reason admin has stopped me from sending messages! Don't know why? I've just upgraded to 'snowhead' this week! I'm hoping to get over the week after next if possible when I'm back on early shifts.




No problem. Just let me know when you will be going if you want to meet up.

Contact admin re messages, if you can not PM him directly post in the section below located at the bottom of the index page.

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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.
@sledger, now of course I look at where you live!!!
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 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
I always prepare for a ski holiday by going to the local dry slope (Pontypool) and finding that I cannot ski! I have learned to lower my expectations for the first couple of visits. I used to expect to be able to ski like I did at the end of the previous holiday. Doh! That ain't gonna happen. It takes a little time to get back into the swing of things and dryslope is different to snow and far less forgiving. I found the last time that once I flattened out my skis (as opposed to having a bit of an edge on) I could turn more easily. Schoolboy error, I know, but once I had realised what I was doing it was a lot easier. Useful tips from teaching staff, too.
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