 Poster: A snowHead
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@Thomasski, just to add weight to the others that the group morning lessons sound ideal.
Interested to hear you say "She has never fallen (properly)". The first day I skied (group lesson) I estimate I fell 50+ times, second day 10+ and maybe 3+ after. I don't know about everyone else but I saw at as an intrinsic part of learning to ski....
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Layne,
Yes me too, a part of me thinks that this has contributed to the fear! She's had the odd tangle and stupid 'fall over', but never gone down whilst skiing. It's actually quite impressive to be honest...
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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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I saw at as an intrinsic part of learning to ski..
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That's a sensible attitude but actually, someone with good balance who listens carefully to a good instructor (and isn't taken outside their comfort zone by well meaning amateurs) doesn't need to fall much and it's not something which comes naturally to a lot of women (I fell all the time learning to snowboard so it doesn't bother me particularly but it certainly does bother a lot of women). Telling her that she needs to fall over to learn to ski is not going to help.
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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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| Thomasski wrote: |
Yes you put it very well there, her default setting on anything that's not flat is survival mode.
I'm very glad I posted this thread, there is clearly only one way to go. I think not doing something about it this year would permenantly reinforce the idea that skiing is scary. |
I've taught a number of people who have had a similar experience: very little instruction, and just learned to cope with terrain they don't have the skills for, and often battling fear because of that. I know ski lessons are expensive, but it's often false economy to skip them in the early stage of your skiing career.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
I saw at as an intrinsic part of learning to ski..
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That's a sensible attitude but actually, someone with good balance who listens carefully to a good instructor (and isn't taken outside their comfort zone by well meaning amateurs) doesn't need to fall much and it's not something which comes naturally to a lot of women (I fell all the time learning to snowboard so it doesn't bother me particularly but it certainly does bother a lot of women). Telling her that she needs to fall over to learn to ski is not going to help. |
Some people learn from their mistakes - overcooking it, falling. Others prefer to inch towards the goal, inching back when they feel uncomfortable. I don't think either approach is necessarily better than the other, it depends on the individuals mental approach. So - whilst I think it's fine to reassure someone that falling over isn't a failure and it's okay, inevitable even - telling someone who is worried about falling just to fall over more isn't going to help. For those people (and I count myself among them), what is important is having the confidence in their technique to feel that they are not likely to fall over very often. This becomes a virtuous circle.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Telling her that she needs to fall over to learn to ski is not going to help. |
I didn't say that.
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| Layne wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
| Telling her that she needs to fall over to learn to ski is not going to help. |
I didn't say that. |
I had an instructor telling me I needed to fall.
I had got rather nervous of it after rupturing my ACL.
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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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@NickyJ, Easiski told me that it's about not falling (words that effect)
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No @Layne, I know you didn't, but I think the OP was in danger of heading in that direction. I learnt to snowboard in my late 50s and have fallen a lot (and more on learning cross country skiing than I did on downhill skis too). I am not a wimp by a long way but a collision in which I fractured my pelvis made me aware of my mortality (or at least of my weakening bones) and, like @Tubaski, I find that improving my technique in order to be reasonably confident of not falling much is important. To that end, good quality lessons in a variety of snow conditions have been hugely important for me. When you've skied for as long as I have, with as many different people as I have, you see people taking others well out of their comfort zone (quite often men taking their wives) too often. For some people, getting out of their comfort zone can be good. My son (an exceptionally good recreational skier and much the strongest in our family) spent a winter in Val d'Isere living with a top-qualified BASI ski instructor. When he went out with his flatmate and his instructor mates on their day off he felt like a total beginner in comparison - they took him well out of his comfort zone and he had to sink or swim. He swam, and became even stronger. But that approach would absolutely not have worked for me - I'd have been in bits. Possibly literally.......
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I had a couple of falls initially that shook my confidence but I’m now glad I had them.
Over my time on Snowheads ive seen a few threads from nervous, panic stricken skiers that “have never fallen and don’t want to”. I’m sure that it can’t be conducive to happy skiing to be regularly skiing in fear of falling.
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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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I’m sure that it can’t be conducive to happy skiing to be regularly skiing in fear of falling.
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No, it's an awful way to feel. But once people have acquired some basic skills and instincts, and are stretching their wings, then they will inevitably have some falls and for some folk that's the best way to go - because they've then begun to discover some of the joy of the thing. I skied with one friend who was petrified of falling and it was horribly disabling. Actually, she was only doing it because her partner was so keen, and skiing really wasn't for her. Her fear of falling was just symptomatic of her dread of the whole business.
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The collision and fall that fractured my pelvis didn't exactly shake my confidence. Once I was back on the slopes (later the same season) I found I was nervous of other skiers around me. So instead of a busy blue slope I persuaded my friends to move onto a quiet, quite easy and well groomed, black slope and had no worries at all!
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w, my dad will 'get down' virtually any piste I put in front of him but he hates when its busy. Thankfully as he skis more he seems less phased and has been able to improve quite considerably.
I'm glad that I've not had to suffer as a result of an overwhelming self-preservation, but cockiness has also caused me problems. Stupidity caused a 'partial dislocation' of my knee at the EoSB '17 and I can still feel that my left knee isn't quite right.
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