 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
Just finished a week in LDA and had 6 hours of private lessons there and they were absolutely fantastic. Already want to go back but unfortunately, I don't have the time nor the budget to be going on multiple ski holidays a year. As a relatively new skier (only my 2nd-week skiing ever) I'd like to try and get significantly better and improve on my technique before going away again and try to turn it into a hobby whilst being in the UK.
I'm in the Manchester area and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations of the best ways for me to improve when I'm in the UK eg. dry slopes, race clubs etc. TIA 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You have the Chill Factore in Manchester and can also book a few lessons there to progress.
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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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@clintt15, May I suggest that you join a ski club and benefit from their training programmes and comardrie, See https://www.snowsportengland.org.uk/clubs-facilities/ for your nearest or most suitable.
Don't be put off is they say "race training". Race training is a good way for anyone to improve their overall skiing skills.
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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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| johnE wrote: |
@clintt15, May I suggest that you join a ski club and benefit from their training programmes and comardrie, See https://www.snowsportengland.org.uk/clubs-facilities/ for your nearest or most suitable.
Don't be put off is they say "race training". Race training is a good way for anyone to improve their overall skiing skills. |
I'll definitely have a look into this. Really appreciate it
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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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Anyone have any experience of the Moving Mountains ski training facilities? We have one near us in Henfield Sussex. Very convenient, and budget friendly plus also makes a lot of sense in terms of instruction, ski time etc.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| BoldSeagull wrote: |
| Anyone have any experience of the Moving Mountains ski training facilities? We have one near us in Henfield Sussex. Very convenient, and budget friendly plus also makes a lot of sense in terms of instruction, ski time etc. |
They have their place but they don't allow you to become a complete skier. You can't finish a turn properly with your skis across the slope and your edges engaged. They are quite popular in Netherlands and I have taught many people who have learned to 'ski' on one only to find they can't complete a turn and stop once they get onto snow.
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| Chris_n wrote: |
| BoldSeagull wrote: |
| Anyone have any experience of the Moving Mountains ski training facilities? We have one near us in Henfield Sussex. Very convenient, and budget friendly plus also makes a lot of sense in terms of instruction, ski time etc. |
They have their place but they don't allow you to become a complete skier. You can't finish a turn properly with your skis across the slope and your edges engaged. They are quite popular in Netherlands and I have taught many people who have learned to 'ski' on one only to find they can't complete a turn and stop once they get onto snow. |
We’re going on a first family ski holiday first week in April. So not that worried about being proficient, more that we have some notion of what skis feel like, learn a basic snow plough, and maybe even a feeling of parallel skis.
Also looking at Hemel Hempstead as an option, we also have a dry ski slope at Knock Hatch near Hailsham not too far away
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@BoldSeagull, my sisters and her fiancé's children had there first skiing experience at knock hatch. Series of 6 group lessons if memory serves. Not my favorite artificial sevice (by a long margin) but it is good to at least get something.
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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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@BoldSeagull, Book some lessons either at Knockhatch or Bowles (Eridge -- near Tunbridge Wells)... 6 hours (i.e. 3 lots of 2, 6 of 1 or a day course) should see you riding the lift and making snowplough turns. Both slopes have great instructors, and when you get away you'll have had a great kickstart to your holiday.
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| ski wrote: |
| @BoldSeagull, Book some lessons either at Knockhatch or Bowles (Eridge -- near Tunbridge Wells)... 6 hours (i.e. 3 lots of 2, 6 of 1 or a day course) should see you riding the lift and making snowplough turns. Both slopes have great instructors, and when you get away you'll have had a great kickstart to your holiday. |
Sounds like great advice echoing what others have said. We went Xmas sledging at Bowles so know that as well. Are both a better bet than the moving treadmill facility such as Moving Mountains have (sounds similar to the now gone Skiplex?). Quite tempted by that as you get a lot of time on the skis getting used to the feeing of them.
Guess it’s personal preference but would rather chuck £400 or so at something that has some recommendations / results behind it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@BoldSeagull, I learnt at Bowles VERY many years ago. I think it has a better surace IMHO
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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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@clintt15, get yourself in Chill Factore regularly. In the summer they offer monthly unlimited skiing memberships for around £80 a month. Depending on how much you do that through the summer, you then get cheaper ski time during the winter.
You'll find there's a bunch of regulars there, and coaching available from both the Chill Factore and private instructors too.
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Agree, lucky to be so close to Chill factore. Dry slopes are ok for learning the basics, skiing at the level you are already at and keeping fitness up, but it is harder to develop your technique on than an in a fridge.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Glosterwolf wrote: |
| Agree, lucky to be so close to Chill factore. Dry slopes are ok for learning the basics, skiing at the level you are already at and keeping fitness up, but it is harder to develop your technique on than an in a fridge. |
Tosh I’m afraid. Race training on a dry slope is hard to beat in terms of technical improvement.
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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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@zikomo, all I can say to that is that isn't my personal experience in my own or my daughter's development in race training, we ski regularly on dry slope but only make significant advancements when we get the chance to train in a fridge or go on holiday. We are all different I suppose and at different stages of our development. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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@zikomo, I will add that im talking about development from the level the OP is at, not elite racers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@clintt15,
Forget beer league racers, dry slope or indoors
Get yourself to chill factore next Thursday or Friday when there's moguls on
See you there
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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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| zikomo wrote: |
| Glosterwolf wrote: |
| Agree, lucky to be so close to Chill factore. Dry slopes are ok for learning the basics, skiing at the level you are already at and keeping fitness up, but it is harder to develop your technique on than an in a fridge. |
Tosh I’m afraid. Race training on a dry slope is hard to beat in terms of technical improvement. |
@clintt15,
Forget beer league racers, dry slope or indoors
Get yourself to chill factore next Thursday or Friday when there's moguls on
See you there
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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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There nearly always moguls top left there after about 11 anyway last few times ive been there
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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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The OP started thread 2years back, and doesn't look like they hvae post since March last year.
There was a question raised on the thread the other day for different geographical area
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
We went Xmas sledging at Bowles so know that as well. Are both a better bet than the moving treadmill facility such as Moving Mountains have (sounds similar to the now gone Skiplex?).
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@BoldSeagull, IMV yes! The indoor rolling slopes have their place --- they are a great coaching tool, but you need to learn the basics -- walking, using the lift, wearing skis, getting up after a fall etc.. These can most easily be done outside on a dryslope. Arriving in LDA able to already ride the lift and ski the length of the nursery slope will let you progress much more during the week. Knockhatch is a little safer, as the carpet surface won't catch fingers or thumbs, but Bowles main slope (which you will use in your third lesson) is much more like snow. Either will give you a great start.
@Whitegoldsbrother,
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Forget beer league racers, dry slope or indoors
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Funny that... not my experience at all.....
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| ski wrote: |
| Quote: |
We went Xmas sledging at Bowles so know that as well. Are both a better bet than the moving treadmill facility such as Moving Mountains have (sounds similar to the now gone Skiplex?).
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@BoldSeagull, IMV yes! The indoor rolling slopes have their place --- they are a great coaching tool, but you need to learn the basics -- walking, using the lift, wearing skis, getting up after a fall etc.. These can most easily be done outside on a dryslope. Arriving in LDA able to already ride the lift and ski the length of the nursery slope will let you progress much more during the week. Knockhatch is a little safer, as the carpet surface won't catch fingers or thumbs, but Bowles main slope (which you will use in your third lesson) is much more like snow. Either will give you a great start.
@Whitegoldsbrother,
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Forget beer league racers, dry slope or indoors
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Funny that... not my experience at all..... |
Thank you and to @NickyJ for the advice, that’s really useful and sounds like a Knock Hatch / Bowle visit first then maybe a Moving Mountain could be a good plan before we go.
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@BoldSeagull, I guess you're probably fixed up by now, but for full disclosure...ski is a (quite high level) instructor at Bowles! (and a great guy)
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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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| GrahamN wrote: |
| @BoldSeagull, I guess you're probably fixed up by now, but for full disclosure...ski is a (quite high level) instructor at Bowles! (and a great guy) |
I work in Eastbourne sometimes, so in the end Knock Hatch had space, was great value and was perfect for timings. We’ve had a couple of sessions and it’s gone well for everyone.
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| zikomo wrote: |
| Glosterwolf wrote: |
| Agree, lucky to be so close to Chill factore. Dry slopes are ok for learning the basics, skiing at the level you are already at and keeping fitness up, but it is harder to develop your technique on than an in a fridge. |
Tosh I’m afraid. Race training on a dry slope is hard to beat in terms of technical improvement. |
back a long time ago. A girl who was racing for the same team I trained with was in the GB squad. She wasn't allowed to train on the plastic during the winter as her technique regressed on plastic that was also the same for all her GB team mates.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Baron von chippy, I agree with @zikomo up to a point - it's fantastic for developing technique to a level that's way above your average skier. It also has the benefit you can do it all year round.
But at the level of your example, you are probably right - in particular the inclination you can get on a dry slope is way less than you can on snow (for a while I trained on both, such that the movements I felt comfortable with in the fridge allowed me to push the envelope on the plastic).
Remember Dave Ryding learned at Pendle, and was still making appearances on plastic until about 2011 (or thereabouts...he destroyed the points every time he showed up  )
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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: |
But at the level of your example, you are probably right - in particular the inclination you can get on a dry slope is way less than you can on snow (for a while I trained on both, such that the movements I felt comfortable with in the fridge allowed me to push the envelope on the plastic).
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@GrahamN, Hello!
I think you are talking about a very high level of racer. It is true that some movements just don't work on plastic, and it was especially true before carving skis. But, unless you are chasing FIS points on a regular basis, I think pretty much everyone gains by practise on plastic.
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@BoldSeagull, if you've never been skiing before, don't they do a learn in a day course at Hemel? It's not too far from you (I'm just up the road from you). I did the board in a day course there and it wass brilliant!
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You know it makes sense.
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@ski, hi mate! My point exactly...I was rebutting the argument @Baron von chippy was making in supporting @Glosterwolf.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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If you get really keen then the Scottish centres are accessible to you (Glencoe open today) or the English real snow clubs, probably Yad Moss or Raise. Skiing there will make everywhere else seem easy 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Feedback from Knockhatch is that it’s helpful as it’s harder than the same techniques on snow. Getting used to equipment, feeling on the skis, using a button lift all positive. On a budget and given we’re only a 40min drive it was a great pre-trip option for us. It meant that we got on our first green runs and we were all immediately able to practice what we had been doing at KH. My 2 teenagers were off on blue runs and parallel skiing by the first afternoon.
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FAQ
Hope you are keeping well 
