hi guys
will going to a dry ski slope help in general skiing techniques .
regards
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Dave Ryding, currently on the World Cup circuit skiing slalom, learned on a dry slope. He didn't ski on snow until he was 13. It must do some good!!!
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?
It's useful to get some equipment familiarisation and very basic sliding done on the dry slope. How much further you go with it depends on where you are and what your intentions are. I had only skied on dry slopes until I was 22 (35 years ago) I just didn't have the money and that was all I had so I used them. I am now 25 minutes from indoor snow so go there. If you're within striking distance of indoor snow, then for obvious reasons that would be preferable.
What kind of dry are there, and does it make a difference?
I had a few lessons at uxbridge 30 years ago, when it was a kind of "nailbrush net".
Found there is one close to me, which I would describe as white AstroTurf. But there is always water running down it, as a sort of lubricant. So you should bring a change of clothes in case you fall, you get wet patches. Haven't tried it yet.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@bradleyjoes, it can help with technique. My eldest skied so much better this year on snow because of the practice on the dry slope
If you have the chance to ski be it on a dryslope, indoor or on the mountain just do it.
Practice is practice and you get out of it what you put in, dryslopes are great and with the advent of the fridges very rarely crowded ( unlike in the 80's and 90's ).
Only thing I would say re dryslopes is don't use a really good pair of skis, either use the slopes own or better still buy a cheap pair off the tinterweb suitable for your std and style of skiing.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I'd echo that - definitely don't use skis you care about on any dry slope -- use theirs.
After all it is free
After all it is free
I learned on a dry slope.... Took about 20 hours of lessons before my first holiday, which meant that by the time I got to the mountains I was already able to make confident parallel turns. The only major drawback from learning on dry slope was the fact that I felt that I lacked finesse and had a habit of trying to "power" into my turns.
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Many years ago, when I used to work at the Gloucester slope, there were a number of quite competent skiers who had learned exclsuively at the dry slope. They were each neat and tidy with solid technique. I went with them on their first ski holiday to Italy. I came across them floundering on a fairly straightforward blue run on the first morning. They weren't prepared for the scale of the mountains, the length and extent of the pistes and the mountain environment. They had ignored advice to spend a few hours on the nursery slopes first of all to get used to the environment and had charged up the first chairlift. Having nursed them down the mountain, they headed off to ski school to book more lessons!
Not sure what that's got to do with the original question but dry slopes are great for practice, but they're certainly not the be-all and end-all of learning to ski!
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Quote:
They had ignored advice to spend a few hours on the nursery slopes first of all to get used to the environment and had charged up the first chairlift. Having nursed them down the mountain, they headed off to ski school to book more lessons!
I certainly wouldn't advocate just doing dry slope lessons then going straight onto snow with no lessons in resort but as a way of skipping the very first "this is how you put on a pair of skis" stage, it would be well worth doing.
My son learnt exclusively on a (very crappy, no lift) dry ski slope in Scotland and at 9 years old on his first trip to the snow (Aviemore) he absolutely loved his first gentle ski (though he hated the extraordinarily long and slow queue for the button lift, which he fell off first time round, having never encountered one). His face was shining with enthusiasm at the bottom of the first run "this is much better than the dry slope, Mum"
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@LOTA, The problem is that when they go onto snow it is faster this throws them backseat right from the off unless they are prepared for it. Snow is easier to turn on than a dryslope but if you can't adapt to the increased speed then it is irrelivent how much easier a nice blue run is.
At Rossendale those who had lessons prior to going away got this explained to them numerous times, by quite a few of the instructors but not sure all did. It was normally those who worked both on snow and dryslopes who really explained the difference and the importance to eaither tke a morning lesson or start on a nursery slope with basic plough till they get used to the increased speed.
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.
Yup, self and friends took some first lessons on dry; arrive in Italy and the first day we were careering down the nursery and couldn't understand why we were crashing at the end...
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
@speed098, quite right, but these people were actually decent parallel skiers on the dry slope. It wasn't just the extra speed experienced on snow, but the whole 'mountain arena' that psyched them out as well!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
bradleyjoes wrote:
hi guys
will going to a dry ski slope help in general skiing techniques .
regards
Yes. But employ the services of an Instructor or Coach.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Totally agree that dry slope is deffo better than nothing cos of getting used to boots / poles and the concept of having planks nailed to your feet. MAIN difference I found is that dry slopes do not possess 10% of the "slipperiness" that snow / ice or whatever you might encounter on the mountain may have in store for you..................
So my view is providing you do dry slope stuff with this in mind should be a good base to learn from
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Snow is easier to turn on because as people have said, it is more slippery. Conversely, a dry slope isn't as slippery, and if you don't do things with good technique, it can make it quite difficult to ski on. So if you have some tuition, then yes, a dry slope can help you develop good technique.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
speed098 wrote:
and with the advent of the fridges very rarely crowded
You have never been to Midlothian Snowsports Centre (Hillend) on a Saturday afternoon in winter. So busy that you can't find a parking space because of all of the tubing parties !
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?
Dryslope kicks ass both figuratively and almost literally. I never had a snowboard lesson outside of dryslope and on my first snowboard hol I was riding blacks and off piste the first day. It also greatly increased the level of lessons my bro and I went into as teenagers on our first family hol. Plus you get to ski in jeans without looking a prick.
Ok I just went to the dry slope I mentioned above.
Most comments above seem to answer the question if a dry slope is good for a non-skier.
My question now is, if I can do red runs, is there anything I can do on a dry slope that will improve my technique (which isn't that great)? Given that stance, response times etc are all different from those on snow? It's only 100m or so. But it's 10 min from my house!
Thanks for any suggestions
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Practice skiing drills will help ( plenty of vids on youtube ) You will need to ensure you have sharp edges for many of them.
One of the best drills for an intermediate on dryslopes is funnel drills.
As the slope is only 100m long do 2 turns two mats wide then 2 turns one mat wide then back to 2 turns two mats wide and so on. On a 100m slope you should just about be able to do two mats, one mat, two mats, one mat with 2 turns for each. ( mat is the join line between two mat sections which is very prominent on dendix, the diamond pattern dryslopes and still visible on the snowflex that I think is what you are saying is on the slope near you ). You can change it to two mat and three mat wide or even three mat and one mat wide turns so there is technically 3 different drills. If the snowflex joints are too wide or not as visible just change to either 3m 6m or 9m wide turns for now.
Another drill one mat wide ( again substitute meters if need be ) alternate holding poles infront of you in both hands out stretched, then next run hold them at your side grip pointing forward tip/basket pointing back holding the pole in the middle. These two drills will help show if you are rotating your shoulders/upperbody into the turn.
skimottaret, put a link to the BMA drills some will be useful some too advanced for a red run skier link below. You will see other ski drills on the right from other company's/instructors.
@speed098, thank you so much! I was aware of the lower drill, I saw it before I went out last week and I think it helped me a bit. Indeed my upper body rotates far too much, of course more so as the slope gets steeper.
My only problem with these on the snow flex (I looked it up - that sounds like the one, with "integrated misting system" that soaks your trousers after 20 mins!) is building the confidence to carve the turns, particularly given the carbootsale-quality of the skis for rent!! I feared they wouldn't stay up or grip with any angle... But I gather from your suggestions that the confidence will come. First time on dry for 25 years, just after a week on the snow - my body and senses need to adapt!
Tried to parallel stop at the bottom, I built up quite a bow wave but didn't seem to scrub much speed off!
I'll resurrect this thread when I've had a go!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Orange200 wrote:
My question now is, if I can do red runs, is there anything I can do on a dry slope that will improve my technique
Absolutely definitely yes. Dry slope is excellent for perfecting your technique. Despite the nay-sayers, the current crop of U14/U16/U18 racers in the UK have just about all had their origins on plastic outdoor slopes: the indoor slopes are generally just too busy/expensive for the amount of ski-time that racing to a high level (even for the UK) demands.
The key to improving is finding a club/coach who you can work with week-in, week-out all year round. Find one, and you'll improve massively.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@Orange200,
Buy some skis of your own to use and keep the edges sharp Rental skis on dryslopes are always very blunt. You need sharp edges to carve on plastic.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Thanks @ski, but that's not easy to do in parallel with what @speed098 says above, don't use own skis as they wreck the edges... The idea was to save money, not then spend it on extra equipment
Let's see how it goes (and if I get back there in the next week or two). The one interesting point about the misting system, which I and my girls rather disliked, was what the chap said - "but it's nicer in the summer!" 28C, sunshine, and skiing through cooling mist... sounds rather seductive!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Orange200,
Just buy some secondhand preferable a Slalom or detuned Slalom ski about 4 yrs old should be fine.
If you are practising with the poles for seperation do not worry as much about the carving. Carving on plastic is not as easy as it is on nice med to soft snow and when you can do that you will find what most call icy conditions are actually only good hardpack great for ripping it up.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Orange200, Wot @speed098, says about buying a secondhand pair. The misting systems that most slopes use now mean that plastic slopes do not destroy (as in melt the base) skis like the used to. Also you definitely don't need fat skis for plastic !
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.
@Orange200, I don't want to sound discouraging but if you are only just beginning to tackle red runs, and with self-confessedly bad technique, it's improbable you'll be carving any time soon, especially on a dry slope.
If you had a session with an instructor you'd get some personalised things to practice.
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'd say dry slopes have their place in learning, the newer style is far superior to the older ones and doesnt hurt so much as falling on a scouring pad at speed (childhood flashbacks )
If you're even close to a snow dome, go there but once you get to a reasonable level you'll want to be out in the open with long runs and crisp mountain air! Is it nearly winter yet?? HURRY UP SNOW!!!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
Dryslope kicks ass both figuratively and almost literally. I never had a snowboard lesson outside of dryslope and on my first snowboard hol I was riding blacks and off piste the first day. It also greatly increased the level of lessons my bro and I went into as teenagers on our first family hol. Plus you get to ski in jeans without looking a prick.
What he said.
The best UK riders I've met all either lived in Europe or learned and trained on plastic. Those are pretty much the choices you have. So yeah, dry slopes rock, for the likes of me.
I rode for about 10 years on plastic before I got to snow, and I did not suffer any problems in the transition. I did enjoy that first week on snow, when I could answer the "how long did it take you to learn to ski like that" question with "this is my first week on snow". My points there are: (1) a dry slope is like a gym, it's a great place to perfect your technique; (2) if you can ski you'll not find a problem transitioning to snow.
If you can already ski then plastic is also easy. The people who find it challenging *think* they can ski but probably don't have sound basic technique.
I don't much like snow domes myself - they're too small and too slow. I think you get far more from plastic, Dendix (Dennis Dixon..) or Snowflex. Equipment-wise, I would not use decent piste gear on plastic as it blunts the edges a lot and scrapes the base hard. Rent or use old stuff. If your old stuff is designed for high-speed on piste, then it's probably "too big" for a dry slope (and way too big for indoors). You want small floppy stuff because your top speed is significantly less than resort speed.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Joy Zipper wrote:
speed098 wrote:
and with the advent of the fridges very rarely crowded
You have never been to Midlothian Snowsports Centre (Hillend) on a Saturday afternoon in winter. So busy that you can't find a parking space because of all of the tubing parties !
It's not just winter! If there is a lot of Junior Ski School running and other stuff going on they the car park is rammed. I have no issue with the Tubing parties if they contribute to the financial viability of the centre. However, they do need to do something with the car park i.e.. find a way of enlarging it.
I had my first lesson at Hillend when I was 12. That is 38 years ago. My only experience of snow for many years was at Hillend when the Dendix was covered with it. I then had a few excursions to the sheet ice at Hillend, which I think Hillend had prepared me well for.
In many ways we are spoiled with Hillend. It is the largest dry slope in Europe so you can have a half decent run.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Just tried snowboarding on Plymouth dry ski slope. It was awful, never going there again. I fell over so many times. The surface is so inconsistent from fast to slow, gave up after an 1hr.
I couldn't link turns even. On snow I can board loads better curving popping little jumps etc. It was like starting all over again.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sun 9-10-16 18:50; edited 1 time in total
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
The best way I have found to improve on a dry slope is doing drills under instruction. But just going once does not help much. You need to go frequently and when you are then on snow your technique will be much better.
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 spent a season riding on the icey slopes of Queenstown, so am pretty handy on ice. This was something else
@KernowRed, Keep trying it. There is grip to be found ---- just not quite as easily as on snow. But the process of searching will make a better, more sensitive rider
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Well i think i will give it a miss and just enjoy snow when i am on it.
Dryslope supposedly exposes weaknesses in technique so could be worth sticking with....that said I don't really go myself. Have been up to the one in Exeter a couple of times but it's a really short slope and the rope drag lift ruins gloves. Not been to Plymouth as I try and avoid the place all together, although if you're happy to venture up north then apparently the Torquay slope is pretty good.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@SnoodyMcFlude,
I haven't skied there but did pop in once. It didn't look that great.
EDIT: Torquay that is
After all it is free
After all it is free
If you're struggling on a dryslope, it means your technique is gash.
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.
Is dry slope thumb still an issue.
I learned on a dry slope back in the late 70s and at least half the class finished up with bad sprains to the thumbs due to getting their thumbs caught in the base when they fell.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
There are dry slopes and dry slopes.
I think it's reasonable to say that it might be exposing technique weaknesses.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
I certainly wouldn't advocate just doing dry slope lessons then going straight onto snow with no lessons in resort but as a way of skipping the very first "this is how you put on a pair of skis" stage, it would be well worth doing.
)
