Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I'm off to Courchevel in March for 3 days. I went skiing last year in Tignes which was the 2nd time i'd ever skied before, and its was nearly 20years after the first time. I didn't have lessons last year and was managing all blues OK. I've decided this year to start off the 3 days with a 2 hour private lesson (new gen) on the first morning. I'm only doing the 1 lesson as i basically can;t afford more and plus i do want to ski with my friends.
So my question is (and i'm not sure if its a stupid one as I've never had a lesson) , what can i do to make sure that i get the most bang for buck in my 2 hours. Do i go with the flow and let the instructor suss out my level and needs, or do i need to go with a plan as to what i want to achieve. Any tips on how i approach the lesson and what i do during the lesson would be much appreciated.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Give yourself plenty of time. Have coffee + loo break well before the lesson starts so you don’t need a break in the lesson. Take a small bottle of water if you can.
Explain what your objectives are in simple terms, but then let your instructor take the lead. I hope you enjoy it!
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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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Go with an objective, and get him/her to asses your level with a view to advising you on how best to improve from where you are.
Also watch all the youtube videos you can on ski lessons, as they will put in your mind ideas for objectives as well as helping you decide how good you are.
The learning phase of skiing is a very steep curve. You learn the most, and improve the quickest, in your first two weeks. After that practice is more important than lessons. The more practice you get, the more you will improve.
So look to get out of the 2 hour lesson some technique improvement tips for the rest of your 2 days. (something to practice)
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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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you might find (depending on dates) that you can only have a lunchtime lesson.
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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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1. If it was me, I'd get the lesson in the afternoon of the first day, to allow a little time to get my "ski legs".
2. I would tell the instructor what I think I need to work on; but also say that you are open to his suggestions, once they have seen you ski.
3. It can be helpful to write down bullet points that evening of the salient points, while they are fresh in your mind. If the instructor is really good, make a note of his name and contact details for future use.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@ktj_sbs, Great idea to have the lesson. Basically if you haven't skied for 20 years minus last year on the blues, then I'm afraid you will have to be prepared for a very steep learning curve on pretty well everything. My advice would be to tell the instructor straight off the bat that you're self taught and 20 years behind then leave it all up to them as you probably are at the stage where you can't even begin to define a plan. Sorry if this comes across wrong but I was in your position 10 years ago after a long break and had to start from scratch. I was laughing at myself because I actually thought I could ski but soon discovered I literally had no idea.
You will get there though and have loads more fun with your mates once you know what you're doing. Enjoy!
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Bigtipper wrote: |
Go with an objective |
Indeed. You've identified that you feel you need a lesson, think about what has led you to that conclusion? Here's some questions you might like to reflect on (for yourself, no need to answer me!).. What weren't you happy about last time out? What would you like to do better? Do you feel out of control? when? Do you think you lack confidence in your technique? Or conversely you have confidence but things don't quite happen the way you intend? Are you going faster or slower than you want to? Are you finding you skid sideways a lot? Are your turns Z shaped (to be discouraged) or S shaped (to be encouraged)? Do your thighs burn by the end of a run?
Equally (...or more...) important, what do you enjoy in your skiing? what would you like to do more of? what are the strongest bits of your skiing relatively speaking?
Bigtipper wrote: |
The more practice you get, the more you will improve. |
If you are practicing the right things. Practice makes permanent, not perfect. The trick is having lessons at the right interval to keep your practice on track.
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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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Two hours is not a lot of time, so having an idea about what you want to achieve and telling them at the start would help the instructor a lot.
At the end of the lesson summarise the key points that you think the instructor has identified for you to work on, and get them to check you've understood what to do correctly, and haven't missed anything. Write these down. There should only be a couple - if any more than that get them to prioritise them for you. Make sure you know what to do next (i.e. what to practice) - i.e. don't be afraid to ask for homework.
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Thanks all. The lesson has already been booked and paid for. Basically although i can get down a blue slope i want to improve my technique so i feel more comfortable on narrower, steeper sections and feel more confident that i can stop or control myself in an emergency. I'm not a daredevil or particularly confident but would like to increase my speed a bit.
I'm staying in 1650 and was reading another post about the gravelles run to get over to 1850. I'm sure i'll be fine but the thought of narrow runs with drop offs always gives me the nerves so if there is one thing i'd like to focus on is mastering these scenarios.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ktj_sbs wrote: |
Basically although i can get down a blue slope i want to improve my technique so i feel more comfortable on narrower, steeper sections and feel more confident that i can stop or control myself in an emergency. I'm not a daredevil or particularly confident but would like to increase my speed a bit. |
That's a very good brief for your instructor. Enjoy your lesson and your holiday!
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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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Quote: |
so i feel more comfortable on narrower, steeper sections and feel more confident that i can stop or control myself in an emergency.
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That's all about using the edges of the skis effectively - given that brief an instructor will know exactly what's required. Side-slipping is a v useful skill to learn.
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ktj_sbs wrote: |
I'm staying in 1650 and was reading another post about the gravelles run to get over to 1850. I'm sure i'll be fine but the thought of narrow runs with drop offs always gives me the nerves so if there is one thing i'd like to focus on is mastering these scenarios. |
Indeed! Our first real ski holiday was in 1650 and, likewise, our lessons were in 1850. That little track caused us much consternation. IIRC, we caught the bus on the first day and I’d recommend you do that too if you are at all nervous. Even now, 30 odd years later, I treat that track with the utmost caution. Sometimes it can be fine but, especially after a long warm spell, it can get polished and rutted and will spit you off into the trees in an instant.
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