 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey, I was wondering if I could have peoples thoughts on how best to accelerate my learning on skis?
I first clicked into a pair of skis in my late 20's, and this current winter is my third. Only ever skied in Scotland. I'm currently comfortable on blues and can pick my way down reds as long as it's not boiler plate ice. When I first started, I wasn't sure how far I would take skiing, so I decided to go the self taught route (in hindsight, not my best decision). However, after a couple of not-entirely-worth-the-time lessons in a fridge last year, I recently tried a good instructor at a local dry slope and it seems like the self tuition hasn't worked out too bad; comments were of occasionally being to far towards a Z vs S shape in my parallel turns, but he seemed happy enough with them that he introduced me to basic carving technique.
Whilst I have felt a steady improvement and I'm not dissatisfied with my progress, perhaps turning 30 last year has made me feel that I've got a lot of catching up to do. I can accept I'm never going to be winning world cups or be sponsored to heli drop in Alaska, but if I had to pick a target it would be: ability to ski black runs and lower end off piste in a range of conditions. I'd like to look at a piste map of a given resort and when my much more experienced friends say 'heard it's a bit icy, but let's try that black run', I don't have to say 'uhh, I'll just get you at the bottom of that lift in half an hour', I can at least nurse my way down it. Too much to ask?
I feel like I have the motivation, and whilst I don't have any particular natural athletic ability, I don't feel like I have much holding me back vs. the average guy. I could be wrong, but I think the main thing holding me back is simply time on the slopes e.g. only had four days up north this year, a combination of inflexibility at work and poor weather/conditions. To that end, I have this idea that when the snow goes I could dry slope ski on an ad hoc basis all the way through to next season , possibly at Hillend. Is this the best use of my time and money given what I'm aspiring to? Would I be better off saving for a week in the Alps and ski school there? Or as many lessons as I can afford in Scotland whilst the snow lasts? I realise there could be a multitude of ways to improve, but in my position, would you turn up at a dry slope in July, or have the two early weekend alarm clocks made me lose it a bit? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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If there's a club you could join - maybe dry slope - it can be a cheaper way to get time in, and coaching/instruction.
But if you think being in your 20s makes you a late starter, you're wrong. Plenty of snowheads started in their fifties and sixties. 
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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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| Taurig wrote: |
if I had to pick a target it would be: ability to ski black runs and lower end off piste in a range of conditions.
I have this idea that when the snow goes I could dry slope ski on an ad hoc basis all the way through to next season Is this the best use of my time and money given what I'm aspiring to? Would I be better off saving for a week in the Alps and ski school there? Or as many lessons as I can afford in Scotland whilst the snow lasts? |
I would say that my own target is similar to yours. I've worked on fixing my lack of technique throughout the past year, and have graduated to enjoying Dolomite reds this season with a technique I didn't have a year ago. My plan more or less is to continue skiing at least weekly with a weekly/fortnightly lesson, so I guess I would say yes, ski all the way through to next season using whatever facilities are available to you, but do get feedback from professionals along the way, otherwise there's a risk that you'll just be practising what will ultimately need to be changed.
I also have a lot of catching up to do to make up for lost time, except in my case --- shall we just say that when I started work, I was looking forward to retiring last year 
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@Taurig, You are certainly not a "late starter". I first learned at 44, and now instruct at our local dry slope. If you want to really improve regular coached/instructed sessions at the dry slope are the way to go, along with other sessions to just practice. Don't just practice on your own too much though, or you will embed bad habits. With right coaching you can get to a good standard of sking on the dry slope.
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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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@Taurig, I've skied more miles on Hillend than anywhere else. Like you I'm largely self taught but last year ahead of doing my BASI L1 at Hillend I had a couple of very good sessions with @balernoStu. It was money well spent.
While the technique on mat is very similar to snow there are a few differences so it may well be worth getting a lesson or two and then just going up there to practise. It is relatively cheap to buy a 2 hour pass. The "Face" is a great introduction to skiing narrow, steep slopes. The reality is that section is probably steeper than many black runs in the Alps, albeit much shorter.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Taurig, sounds very familiar, I'm about the same age as you and also on my third season (now 5 weeks on proper snow). Not had a lesson yet (plan to do so in April) so have got by with just watching loads of technique videos on Youtube. It's not necessarily worked, I have the enthusiasm to throw myself down icy reds and okay blacks, and just about get down safely, but definitely lacking something.
If you've got access to a half decent dryslope (or reasonably close fridge) then the more practice the better I think. The dryslope really punishes poor technique in my experience, so should make proper snow feel much better.
Ultimately the more time you're clipped in the more confident you get
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Apologies for the lack of response to this, it's been a busy week. I appreciate the responses however as I do feel like less of a late starter. I think that stems from most of my friends who are really good skiers having started when they were barely old enough to walk. That, and the fact that athletes (of which I am not one, I hasten to add!) seem to be written off as past it over the age of 35. But, I do have more focus now than I did 10 or 15 years ago, so I think with dedicated practice I can achieve a good standard.
Are dry slopes better in the rain; more slippery and closer to snow? I normally mountain bike all through summer, but as summer in Scotland seems to consist of 2 sunny weeks in May and a week in September, perhaps the dry slope is the ideal Scottish summer sport?
One other thought, do people get more tempted to start hitting jumps when they practice a lot on dry slopes? I can't help but think that even on a large dry slope like Hillend, run after run working on turning technique may get a bit stale compared to the mountains. Time to find a set of twin tips on gumtree perhaps? 
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@Taurig, Dendix runs best when wet (or frosty), so will generally be best in cold rain, though better slopes have a misting system to keep it wet all the time anyway. Technique training gets very absorbing and can take up a lot of time, but as you say there is also freestyle to try, and if you fancy it race training round gates is very demanding.
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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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Yes Hillend is definitely better when wet, the sprinklers aren't bad but rain or recent rain is a lot more effective at lubricating the slope. Cold weather is better too as the bases don't heat up so much, but frost is not usually so good here as the sprinklers don't work when frozen. Autumn evenings are a good time to get up and practice for the coming season, as are damp cold days like today. Avoid peak ski school and race club times and you can often ski straight on to the tow when an hour is fine for a quick practice session. The 4x2hr adult group lessons can be good value too, and I'd suggest 90-120mins if booking a private lesson. There's no race training set up for adults now, while in the past there has been open gates sessions on Saturday evenings which anyone could attend.
The jump is popular, mostly with the younger skiers & boarders, and one of the centre staff even made the Olympics having started out on that: http://www.teambss.org.uk/park-and-pipe/british-park-pipe-ski-squad/murray-buchan
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I can see Hillend from where I am sitting at home at the computer. My whole family learnt to ski there in the 1980s, sons as small children and Mr Mogulski and I in mid 30s. Hubby and I were teachers and did the local authority teacher's ski lessons on Monday evening for 2 years while sons just practiced - they were always better than us. We both passed our ski leader qualification in 1989 and went on to instruct pupils on Hillend and run school skiing for 20 years. Now retired from school teaching but both still involved with British Freestyle skiing, but I haven't skied on Hillend since I stopped doing school skiing. Why would I want to as I manage at least 6 weeks away abroad each year?
Please get some lessons/coaching otherwise too much time 'self-taught' will just be practicing faults that will be more difficult to get rid of later.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Taurig,
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Time to find a set of twin tips on gumtree perhaps
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.. or have a go at ski racing... you'll develop your skills rapidly and have a lot of fun doing it
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