 Poster: A snowHead
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| gorilla wrote: |
| Unqualified to talk about technique save to say that Rob knows what he is talking about. Also, that looks a lot like Happy Valley. If so, tt's a piece of crap at the best of times and especially so when it's busy. It is hard to learn anything new under stress and many many more experienced skiers than you would find that a high stress environment. |
Yeah I thought it looked like Happy Valley but perhaps not of a sh#tshow for that. I always end up humming "Livin on a prayer" when skiing through there. It's appropriate.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Dave of the Marmottes, I got T boned about 200m after where the video stops (assuming that's where I think it is). Wasn't anyone's fault, just way too busy and conditions and light poor.
OP. Mrs gorilla (not that she is EVER called that) had good results through instruction but key was that the instructor didn't take her off the green runs until she had her technique dialled.
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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'm certainly no expert. But I've certainly seen worse on the slopes from more experienced skiiers than yourself!
From the video you posted, and from my own learning experiences (I am 7 weeks in) I think you need a bit more belief in yourself! Easier said than done I know but try and let it go some more and have confidence in the skis that they will grip and do what they are meant to in the turns. You seem quite stiff and robotic in your movements which I think comes from over thinking rather than feeling what's going on.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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You've got the basics, and you got down a steep, busy run unscathed. Now its time for some more knowledge and to tweak the skills so you can enjoy it. Can you get to a snowdome or dry slope before your holiday and have a few lessons? Once your turn shape is helping to control your speed you'll feel more relaxed (and learn to side slip - its your "get out of jail" card). Most UK slopes are quieter atm so worth a trip. Maybe make sure your boot clips are tight enough round the ankle/calf to give solid control - an instructor can advise. Good luck, have fun!
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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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[Topic moved to Bend Ze Knees]
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Wow thanks SO much everyone!! This is amazing advice. I am about 2 hours away from an indoor slope and 30 minutes from a dry slope and have booked in a lesson at both (plus some free time to practice).
I’ve absolutely fallen in love with skiing and everything about it. The last 3 trips have been in St Anton and we’re off to Tignes this time to try something new. My boyfriends the boarder 
I definitely have some posture issues (I am 100% sitting back, bum out) and I think that’s down to confidence.
Rob - where do you teach?
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@rob@rar, Sorry just realised how to tag  do you teach at Hemel or MK at all?
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| GemmaRalph13 wrote: |
I definitely have some posture issues (I am 100% sitting back, bum out) and I think that’s down to confidence.
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Confidence is a huge element of skiing. Confidence comes from technique. Technique come from lessons and practice.
Time on snow is most useful when working on good habits, rather than ingraining bad ones.
When you get to a certain level, probably through class lessons (choose a ski school with small class sizes eg. Max 8 like Evo 2 in Tignes) - then try and have a private lesson or two each time you go, otherwise you will likely get stuck on a plateau.
The better you get, the more enjoyable it becomes.
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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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@GemmaRalph13, also, be aware that St Anton is not noted as a great resort for beginners - the Alps is full of resorts where you can feel more comfortable.
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| GemmaRalph13 wrote: |
| @rob@rar, Sorry just realised how to tag do you teach at Hemel or MK at all? |
At Hemel, www.insideoutskiing.com
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You are doing really well for 4 weeks in! Your stance is a bit wide but that changes with practice and experience. Relax and work on side slipping to work out how to control your speed/angle, it's a bit wax-on wax-off so don't go mad. Have a nice lunch, look at the view, chat on the lifts, celebrate afterwards. You've already won!
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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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Hey!
Come to Hemel!
Meet some other snowHeads!
Free and enthusiastic advice! - of assorted quality!
And instructors!
And cake!
OK with cake I'm exaggerating a bit.
FG
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| Quote: |
OK with cake I'm exaggerating a bit.
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Damn! 
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You know it makes sense.
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I came onto Snowheads once many moons ago to ask about Hemel lessons and was recommended to look at the Inside Out improvers’ course. I can’t recommend it to you enough.
I still start every ski holiday week with a morning lesson from another good instructor in resort; it reinforces good habits and sets me up with confidence for a great week. Good luck!
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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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| GemmaRalph13 wrote: |
...I plan on doing maybe one or two lessons out there but it gets quite pricey so I’m hoping I can improve mostly on my own...
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Though you've received lots of technique advice, which is useful and perhaps what you were looking for, fundamentally the above quote is your main error.
From bitter experience I'd say lessons now, to get your basic technique right, will actually be a whole lot cheaper than lessons latter to remove bad technique.
Trying to improve on your own will at best result in you going you bad habits better. You might become very good at what you do but trying other things will be very difficult to master.
It's cost me a small fortune to discover that
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Poster: A snowHead
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| adithorp wrote: |
| GemmaRalph13 wrote: |
...I plan on doing maybe one or two lessons out there but it gets quite pricey so I’m hoping I can improve mostly on my own...
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Though you've received lots of technique advice, which is useful and perhaps what you were looking for, fundamentally the above quote is your main error.
From bitter experience I'd say lessons now, to get your basic technique right, will actually be a whole lot cheaper than lessons latter to remove bad technique.
Trying to improve on your own will at best result in you going you bad habits better. You might become very good at what you do but trying other things will be very difficult to master.
It's cost me a small fortune to discover that |
Exactly this.
IME. The two secrets to skiing are 1) Lessons 2) Fitness
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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And the better one's technique, the less fitness is actually required.....not that fitness is ever a bad idea. On our first family ski holiday, when I was young and reasonably fit, I remember feeling knackered clambering up from a fall on an easy slope and watching two elderly Austrian women in their "Sunday best church coats" skiing together. That image of completely effortless skiing stayed with me as a goal.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| And the better one's technique, the less fitness is actually required..... |
Unless that better technique has you doing more challenging and interesting stuff - which requires you to be fitter.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The fitter the better at any level - for life, not just for skiing, but for any given skiing situation someone with top technique will get less knackered than someone skiing the same stuff less well.
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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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| adithorp wrote: |
| GemmaRalph13 wrote: |
...I plan on doing maybe one or two lessons out there but it gets quite pricey so I’m hoping I can improve mostly on my own...
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Though you've received lots of technique advice, which is useful and perhaps what you were looking for, fundamentally the above quote is your main error |
Cant disagree.
We have a mate - lovely guy - who has come on a few trips with us and just isnt getting the message around lessons.
I have started to be upfront that - as someone who has been skiing since I was 12 (40 years), had loads of lessons over the years, has reached a good tourist level but still goes for the occasional private lesson.............I am not spending the majority of my trips waiting for hours all week for someone who CBA to spend the odd morning with an instructor.
We are talking about someone who has done several trips with his family as well and none of them have ever - and I mean ever - actually had a lesson........... 
One other mate thinks I am being harsh, but imv you cant be self taught skiing as an occasional tourist - I have seen plenty and they are all crap and potentially dangerous.
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| GreenDay wrote: |
I have started to be upfront that - as someone who has been skiing since I was 12 (40 years), had loads of lessons over the years, has reached a good tourist level but still goes for the occasional private lesson |
Not unlike me then - except I'm approaching 50 years of skiing  - and like me, over the years, you will have probably been told (in the immortal words of Harry Enfield) "You don't want to do it like that; you want to do it like this" - as thinking changed and your skill set became out of date.
IMV. Skiing is like Golf, in that, even though Golf equipment has got much easier to use - handicaps have not improved. There is no substitute for putting in the hard yards.
Over the last 40 years, I don't think skill levels have improved much....but people are now able to ski faster than is safe and go places, due to improved equipment, that their technique and knowledge isn't ready for.
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@GemmaRalph13, Just to repeat, the best advice is instruction from properly qualified, (ideally well regarded) instructors, e.g. @rob@rar, (who I think is the only actual instructor who's commented so far?).
Group lessons in the UK in a fridge or on a dry slope need not be eye wateringly expensive. A solid foundation from the UK might mean you don't need (much) instruction while on holiday, with the caveat that there's a world of difference between a snow dome/dr slope and a real mountain.
I would echo that your BF is probably (evidently?) not the best judge of where to take you skiing!
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| The main thing you are doing wrong is being filmed by a snowboarder. |
A snowboarder filming in portrait at that, simply awful situation
I love watching Mikaela ski, got such a beautiful style even when she's on an absolute charge
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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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Don't take on board anything like "flex the ankles, but not the knees" that only works in ski jumping, whilst in flight !
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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On another note, has anyone booked a trip for this season or put off by the pandemic?
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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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| GemmaRalph13 wrote: |
| On another note, has anyone booked a trip for this season or put off by the pandemic? |
There are several threads on this topic but generally you're either booking with flexibility in mind (e.g. free cancelation) or leaving it for a late call decision
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| Quote: |
I’m booking some lessons at Hemel with Rob
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Great. As for the query about trips and the impact of the pandemic - there are loads of threads about this. Do come back and report on this thread about how you get on.
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You know it makes sense.
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I booked Tignes with Crystal Ski already. Fingers crossed!
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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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| GemmaRalph13 wrote: |
| there goes my new ski suit |
100% worth the investment!
| GemmaRalph13 wrote: |
| On another note, has anyone booked a trip for this season or put off by the pandemic? |
Yes, 2 in fact. But only flights and 1 airbnb for one of the trips which is cancelable until about 2 weeks before the trip. Flights were so cheap at the start of covid lockdown especially with the baggage offer easyjet had on that it was worth the risk.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| beeryletcher wrote: |
| Don't take on board anything like "flex the ankles, but not the knees" that only works in ski jumping, whilst in flight ! |
You may be right if she ever took flight, which is unlikely. Try doing it standing up and see which way you fall.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| The main thing you are doing wrong is being filmed by a snowboarder. ... |
I spent 5 minutes trying to diagnose the snowboarder's stance issues from the shadow before I realized that wasn't the question.
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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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Lot's of good advice above, though I admit to not reading every post.
You're doing fine for a 3-weeker, it's all part of the progression.
My 2p:
Stance: I think you have a bit of a hangover from snowplough, which tends to promote the knock kneed, lean forward from the hips stance. Try to point feet in parallel and bend in the small of the back to have a more upright stance, this will also push your knees forward, applying more pressure to the front of the skis in a better way. Hands shoulder width apart. You can practice a lot of this at home withour skis and you should notice the difference. It also helps with flex/extension (up/down) and with better flex/extension, initiating the turn and completing a nice, full round turn is easier.
Practice: on a nice, wide slope practice full turns, rather than short 'thrown' turns. It's absolutely fine to skid skis as part of the turn. Try varying the amount of skidding to get a better feel for the required flex/extension. A lesson with Rob will help a lot.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 5-10-20 15:31; edited 2 times in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| philwig wrote: |
| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| The main thing you are doing wrong is being filmed by a snowboarder. ... |
I spent 5 minutes trying to diagnose the snowboarder's stance issues from the shadow before I realized that wasn't the question. |
Always on duty - I like it.
There is nothing wrong with a bit of obsession in skiing/snowboarding. 
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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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Sorry, double post.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@AL9000, backwards if you flex knees only and forwards if you flex ankles only. They work as a team I think.
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| beeryletcher wrote: |
| @AL9000, backwards if you flex knees only and forwards if you flex ankles only. They work as a team I think. |
Yup. The latter being very effective for getting out of the backseat.
“Bend ze knees*” has Fkd up plenty of skiers’ postures over the years.
(*not this thread...honest  )
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@AL9000, I know you know what you are talking about, but you still have to bend (flex at the knees). You cannot flex just the ankles without flexing the knees too. Problem with old school "bend the knees" instruction is that people then bend at the waist too, to compensate the balance problem, when what they should have being doing is flexing ankles and knees - not knees and middle.
So you're right about ankles but not about knees in my book. It is liking sinking downwards from below the waist. Flex ankles and knees, keep the butt forward, don't fold in the midriff and then all your bits and bobs are stacked nicely over the centre of the skis - ready for anything. 
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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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| AL9000 wrote: |
| beeryletcher wrote: |
| @AL9000, backwards if you flex knees only and forwards if you flex ankles only. They work as a team I think. |
Yup. The latter being very effective for getting out of the backseat.
“Bend ze knees*” has Fkd up plenty of skiers’ postures over the years.
(*not this thread...honest ) |
Depends on the individual - BZK works fine as a reminder for me but probably not as much as Get Foward. But some get forward would just involve hunching their upper body over their skis in an approximation of the "calling Mars" schuss position. It's a reaction to me getting too far back seat and therefore I know the solution is to be stacked over my toes (Actually ball of foot) and nicely flexed but it's rare in alpine to be so far forward you cock up.
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One of the most productive ski lessons I ever had, years ago in Les Gets, was with an elderly (he seemed to me at the time.....) Scotsman telling me to stand on my feet.
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FAQ
