 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
Does anyone have some feedback on the 1 day courses run at Hemel or his 5 day courses out in Europe please.
Thanks
Phil
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Me and Mrs Seahoob did a five day course six or seven years ago in Verbier, we were both good(ish) intermediates who had not improved or changed our technique for many years. Mrs S was stuck on the "reasonable" plateau.
The instruction consisted of a very slow dismantling and analysis of our ski technique, rebuilding it after ironing out faults acquired over the 15 years we had been skiing.
The instruction was intense but enthusiastic, at one point I was told I needed to "take it easy in the evenings" i.e. not get pissed every night, because we were skiing at an athletic level. I took this as a compliment!
The outcome was a fantastic improvement in our technique, skill, style and confidence. (Un)fortunately this in turn has led to a serious addiction to the sport, spending a season on the slopes and costing me thousands to feed the habit, I have four trips planned already for next season.
This may not all be down to W.S. but his team played a large part.
Damn you Warren Smith!
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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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@Oitbc, there are 31 pages of results if you do a search....
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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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@Raceplate, yes I spent 20 minutes last night going through the first two pages before I asked the question. Unfortunately the search term throws up people talking about insideout, or how they had to do pole holding in front of them and other one liners like a WA clone told me to do this, and their biomechanics evenings. I couldn’t find a specific review, just 2-3 lines of anecdotal evidence. Hence the question.
@seahoob thanks for the useful advice. Hopefully some others will chime in as well to give me some other views, although hopefully they’re all in the same vein.
Interestingly if you try and read testimonials on warrens website it comes back with a 404 not found and that websites certificate expired 150 days ago so you get a ton of warnings about it from the browser.
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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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@Oitbc, I did a one day course at CFe about 5-6 years ago and it was pretty intense, lots of technique around edge slipping, braquage, pole planting, forward lean and thigh steering. At the time I thought it was a bit of a waste of time (lots of time queueing and not much vertical drop) but on reflection it was a good thing to have done this refresher (that imo was all it was, nothing particualrly innivative about it) and I still have flash backs when skiing must have done me some good. I'd not be interested in a 5 day course personally, it'd drive me mad but the one day thing in the autumn was OK and not a bad £80 or whatever it was at the time.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The thing that sets WS (and perhaps one or two other such organisations) apart from all the other ski schools is that 99% of their clients have come on that holiday to do that course.
The other clients are positively motivated to get better....that is why they are there.
99% of a.n.other ski schools the group lessons are part of the overall holiday experience, and motivation is on a totally different level.
All the WS instructors (well almost all...there is just one who I am not impressed with) are excellent communicators and really want the clients to improve...they share their clients' motivation.
Feel free to PM me if you want to talk specifics, but I would say that if you are stuck at a certain level, and really want to break through, then a WS course is a great idea.
A 5 day group course (always small groups) costs about the same as one private lesson in a.n.other ski school.
I have no feedback at all about the snowdome days...no experience of them.
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@rungsp,
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99% of a.n.other ski schools the group lessons are part of the overall holiday experience, and motivation is on a totally different level.
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That is not my experience of Snoworks, Inspired to Ski or Inside Out Skiing, to name but three. Huge motivation to improve in every case.
I've never done a WS course abroad, but I hated the one day I did in Hemel, as it was almost entirely devoted to bracquage - I got very bored and very cold.
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His 5 day courses changed everything about skiing for me, but I don't do them any more.
One day fridge sessions are a good refresher for me before the season starts, I prefer the bumps day.
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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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Thanks All,
Really appreciated. Sounds a little like pot luck on the days in the fridge but that the 5 day course might be a good one. Just getting back into it after 15 years away with my trip at New Years in Norway last year and back again this Xmas and want to get back up to speed.
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Hi, I have done a 1 day session at Hemel, a 1 day mogul course at Castleford, and two Cervinia/Zermatt trips with WSSA in the last three years, and have a Verbier course booked for next season.
The dome sessions were prior to the Cervinia trips. Both of these were excellent with good practical instruction and feedback, especially the moguls (mogul prep at Castleford far better than Hemel IMHO).
The week sessions were good, but it does depend on your instructor’s level of engagement with you as an individual and their feedback (verbal and video), as I personally got more from one week than the other (different instructors with varying levels of feedback). I learnt a lot on both and my skiing has improved a great deal- I am trying Verbier next time to experience more off-piste than Cervinia typically offers.
All WSSA courses really focus on technique and you will get out of it what you put in. I found that the week courses taken early season set you up well for later trips.
Happy to answer any private mails if you want more info.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You can spot people who have done a Wozza course quite often in their style and the way they set themselves on technical pitches. I'd supsect the European courses are a distinct step up on the intensity and reinforcement over fridge based days.
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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.
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To be fair @Hurtle I did caveat what I said by saying one or two other such organisations, and it was exactly those you have mentioned that I had in mind.
Given that there might be 500 ski schools it is a very short list.
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@rungsp,
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it was exactly those you have mentioned that I had in mind.
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 They happen to be the only ones I've done.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| You can spot people who have done a Wozza course quite often in their style and the way they set themselves on technical pitches. |
Yep, I can now shit myself with a certain panache. 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Oitbc, I have respect for all the instruction courses mentioned here. Would just add the pre-season ones run by Skivolution in Kaprun which are fun, informative, and have given me quantum leaps in ability.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks all for the extra comments
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I have done three Warren Smith 5-day courses which led me from beginner to intermediate level. Invaluable was the consensus of myself and others. Havent been back in a while but might return soon to sharpen up.
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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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Farley Goode +1 for skivolution
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