 Poster: A snowHead
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We're staying in Megeve next week, from Fri 11th Feb to Fri 18th Feb.
My wife (50ish) will be skiing for the first time in about 10 years and is quite nervous about it.
She worked a season many years ago and used to ski reasonably competently, reds easily. But by the last time we skied together a few years ago, she'd lost a bit of confidence, partly due to an old (non skiing) injury that's left her with one leg not as strong as it should be.
She's still very active - mostly horse riding and looking after them.
She would like either some lessons at the start of the week (private or small group), or possibly someone competent to take her out at her pace, giving her a few tips, but mostly encouragement without pressure. Willing to pay. She doesn't seem to think I'd be very good at that!!
We're staying near the Chamois gondola.
Any recommendations / suggestions / other places to try - gratefully received!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Try Shona Tait at BASS Megeve / St Gervais, she took my wife out who is nervous
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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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Welcome to Snowheads, @AdamC.  What a lucky woman she is, with a husband who recognises his limitations!! Being with an instructor would also enable her to bypass some lift queues - standing around for ages is bad for the nerves. But ski schools are going to be super-busy - you might struggle to find an instructor free. So your patience and understanding might be sorely tested.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@AdamC, Sorry that I can't help you, if I was in the same resort I would be happy to spend a morning or two doing so.
My wife did her ACL when pregnant with cost centre number 2. They would not scan due to pregnancy, then we have 2 more kids in fairly quick succession, so no surgery in that time but she did do physio and worked on building up muscle mass on that knee. She did not ski for a number of years and was terrified about starting again. A friend who is both a ski instructor and sports physiotherapist took her out on her own. One run on the nursery slope, told her she was a very good skier and took her straight up the gondola onto a steep red that becomes quite a steep black. It helped he was a friend, she had confidence in him, and also he is a very robust individual unlikely to be overly influenced by nerves and whinging (which is why I picked him!). Wife has not looked back since, given she skis with a brace and there remains an inherent weakness that can sometimes cause some pain, she does not ski anything but the gentlest terrain off-piste and avoids bigger/icier moguls. She was a very string skier before the injury though.
If you can, get a private instructor for a few sessions. Do NOT join those sessions yourself. Explain to the instructor exactly what the injury is and her level of skiing before she had the injury. The more specific you can be the better - i.e. "can ski reds" is pretty meaningless as it really does not say anything about core technique. Better expressions are "always parallel except on challenging steeps" or "rounded turns in all conditions/slopes" or "carves cleanly on gentle slopes". Most common description (often from partner) I hear is female ok red run skier who struggles on ice and steep slopes. Often turns out to be very good skier, better than husband, but thinks she is worse as goes less fast and does not enjoy more challenging terrain. Focus on basic technique for a couple of hours gradually increasing the terrain difficulty without focussing on the fact that is happening normally leads to a very good outcome.
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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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@zikomo's wife obviously a strong skier to start with, and quite a bit younger. The OP's wife might well have absolutely no wish to tackle "challenging terrain" or even the easier sort of off piste! I used to do the odd bit of challenging terrain, and some "easier off piste" (La Grave, but not even remotely well, and not the gnarly bits) but the height of my ambition now, being older and with significant health issues, is to enjoy some piste skiing, feel that I am not being pushed or stretched, and eat some very good lunches. If she is to enjoy her return to skiing, Ms AdamC will need to feel able to set her own goals.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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As said Mrs 996 is a very nervous skier & she set herself a challenge to get down the easiest green in resort by end of the week.
Was progess as fast as I would have liked, probably no.
Was 10 hours (5x2) of private lessons worth that progress, probably no.
Was she extremely proud of her achievement by the end of the week, definitely yes.
Only OP wife will know what she wants
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@pam w, No - my wife is 50 (but don't tell her that I am sharing that!).
My story was more illustrative than anything else, to show that you can very quickly get back to whatever your level was with the right support. It might be that for @AdamC, wife starting up on gentle slopes and ending up on an easy red is the right progression for example. It would be better if this was done with a good instructor who understands the situation. If that is not possible (they may all be booked out) I suggest that @AdamC, himself tries:
1. Start on the nursery slope, really! Start with very basic snow-plough turns at low speed focussing on pushing the new outside ski progressively and creating nice rounded turns. That will remind your wife that she has that tool in her armoury and also get her thinking about her technique in a low consequence environment.
2. Move on to a wide and consistent blue run. Again at low speed focus on feeling the weight on the outside ski, progressively increasing the pressure on that ski through the turn and making consistent rounded turns.
3. Start to introduce lifting the inside ski in the middle of the turn. This should be just a small and gentle lift, don't try and be too fancy! Try and keep the turns progressive and rounded as you so so.
4. Move to a steeper slope and practise side slipping, first of all straight down the fall line. Try and side slip a couple of meters remaining directly in the fall line before coming to a stop, Repeat. Again this reminds your wife of another tool in her armoury and reminds her of the core technique of getting on the edges and off the edges
5. Now practice direction change while side slipping, sliding first one way across the piste and then the other. Repeat.
6. Go back to gentle terrain and focus on making rounded turns with the skis fully parallel.
7. For fun see how early and for how long you can lift up the inside ski in the turn.
Most of all use this time and these exercises to improve your own skiing. I will be skiing with my three sons on Saturday afternoon for the first time in 2 years. They are all good skiers and I am an instructor. We will follow exactly those 7 steps as they are appropriate no matter what your level of skiing. We will go a bit further, and probably have some forfeits which almost always involve someone nicking one of someones skis so they have to ski down on one ski etc. And some short turn exercises. But those 7 steps are great to get any skier thinking about their technique so we will start with them.
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@Jonny996, Progress is a very individual thing. I am happy for your wife and impressed that she set a firm goal and then achieved it. In my view that is the most important element, so would view the private lessons as worth it. 10 hours of instruction on gentle terrain will almost definitely mean that her core technique will have improved massively, and she will have built the the best possible platform for future progression.
It is not the steepness of slope that matters, it is how well you ski it. Lots of "black run" skiers have terrible technique. Lots of skiers who stick to blue cruisers have excellent technique. I do not at all like descriptions of skiing standard that allude to Blue, Red or Black for the reason that often the "blue run skier" is actually a better skier than the "black run skier". I am certainly no sexist, but I do find that this is often a gender difference. Women who are described as blue run skiers by their male partner, and often themselves feel their male partner is the better skier because they enjoy steeper terrain, are often in my experience actually very good skiers indeed. And often have better technique than the male partner.
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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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Hi Everyone and many thanks for all the suggestions, anecdotes and tips.
Many thanks especially to @zikomo for your very thoughtful comments and especially the suggested exercises. I've taken screenshots for easy reference! Very much appreciated.
@Jonny996 thanks also for the suggestion - I'm reaching out now...!
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Hope it’s ok for me to jump on this thread - feel a bit embarrassed to post with lots of expert and experienced skiers here. Just had my first 6 day ski holiday - first time back 12yrs after an ACL rupture, also done while just starting to learn skiing. I’m in my early 40s. Feeling quite disheartened - had beginner group lessons all week as there were no private lessons available. I couldn’t follow the instruction due to my limited French so stuck on the baby slopes practicing snow ploughs and linked turns while trying to keep hips forward. Managed to get a 2 hr lesson with an English speaking instructor yesterday - this was so helpful and I even managed to get to a parallel stop on flattish bits. He took me higher up on a blue piste - but as soon as I was faced by a steep bit , all technique goes out of my head, the bum sticks out again and I feel terrified. We are back to Praz Sur Arly in April but I’m not sure whether to persevere… by the end of this holiday, my 4yr old son, a first time skier is already whizzing past me… my 12 yrold and excellent skier husband happily snaking their way down reds. I would really appreciate some advice before resigning myself to not skiing. All I really want is to get down a blue safely without reinjuring my knee or being terrified. Feeling a bit of a failure.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Feeling a bit of a failure
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That's so sad. You might be one of the people that just aren't cut out for skiing - it's not for everybody. And such a lot of it is "in the mind".
The only help I can give is to suggest a lovely instructor in Les Saisies (as you're going to Praz sur Arly). April is quite late for Praz sur Arly. Will you have a car? PM me if this is of interest.
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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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| pam w wrote: |
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Feeling a bit of a failure
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That's so sad. You might be one of the people that just aren't cut out for skiing - it's not for everybody. And such a lot of it is "in the mind".
The only help I can give is to suggest a lovely instructor in Les Saisies (as you're going to Praz sur Arly). April is quite late for Praz sur Arly. Will you have a car? PM me if this is of interest. |
Pam… this is exactly what we were planning to do for April at the suggestions of the instructor… he said pistes were better for learning up there. We will have a car and hoping to book the boys into esf Les saisies ( not sure if this was available) with more private classes for myself… hopefully with someone with better English than my basic French. That private lesson was the best confidence boost and I’m happy to throw some money at this! Will PM - thank you for this.
I would really like to join in with the family at some basic level…
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In Saisies, I'd recommend the ESI rather than ESF for the boys. You have a PM about a private instructor. The pistes down into Praz sur Arly will probably not be in great condition in April. To be honest, driving up and skiing in Saisies (which will have the best snow for miles around, even if it's not great) will probably be your best bet. It takes a while to ski from PsA over to Saisies and might sap your energy and confidence.
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You know it makes sense.
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I know it’s a big financial commitment but private lessons with a understanding instructor is well worth the money in the long term.
My wife managed the full green piste in StG after a week of 3 hours a day, that sounds slow progress but she was very very happy with it & she sounds very much like you, she is far fitter than me, runs faster & longer, so the slow progress is in her head in having faith to let the brakes off.
She came away from the week with confidence in belief that what the instructor was telling her was the truth.
She used Shona Tait from BASS Saint Gervais if that helps
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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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| Rookiescot wrote: |
| Hope it’s ok for me to jump on this thread - feel a bit embarrassed to post with lots of expert and experienced skiers here. Just had my first 6 day ski holiday - first time back 12yrs after an ACL rupture, also done while just starting to learn skiing. I’m in my early 40s. Feeling quite disheartened - had beginner group lessons all week as there were no private lessons available. I couldn’t follow the instruction due to my limited French so stuck on the baby slopes practicing snow ploughs and linked turns while trying to keep hips forward. Managed to get a 2 hr lesson with an English speaking instructor yesterday - this was so helpful and I even managed to get to a parallel stop on flattish bits. He took me higher up on a blue piste - but as soon as I was faced by a steep bit , all technique goes out of my head, the bum sticks out again and I feel terrified. We are back to Praz Sur Arly in April but I’m not sure whether to persevere… by the end of this holiday, my 4yr old son, a first time skier is already whizzing past me… my 12 yrold and excellent skier husband happily snaking their way down reds. I would really appreciate some advice before resigning myself to not skiing. All I really want is to get down a blue safely without reinjuring my knee or being terrified. Feeling a bit of a failure. |
Learning can be tough, especially when older.
Learning with an injury is exponentially more difficult, as the fear of further injury has you hanging back and not committing - this increases nervousness and removes confidence. So much of skiing is confidence. If you fully understand/appreciate the difficulty of the hill you have to climb, then you must not beat yourself up, or feel a failure for struggling. It is normal and understandable.
IME. Two things help:
1. Fitness/strength/flexibility need worked on before going.
2. The right Instructor. Ideally, they need to be recommended on here; be a native English Speaker (or very fluent) and very patient. I think you need individual attention, so you can go at your own pace and have your particular issues addressed. The Instructor has to reverse the negative cycle you are now in ie. Correct technique builds control; Control builds confidence; Confidence brings enjoyment and removes the feeling of failure.
I think you need to concentrate on the "wins", no matter how small; then one win at a time will gradually get you where you want to be. It is much easier said than done.....but it really is about mindset.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Rookiescot wrote: |
| Hope it’s ok for me to jump on this thread |
Very happy for you to hijack! Hope some of the advice has helped.
We're just back from our week in Megeve and had a fantastic time, although my bank balance may take a while to recover from €30 tartiflettes!
When we arrived, my wife was in full panic mode about skiing. We worked out that it was actually about 14 years since she'd last skied. First day was just us (my wife, 16 yo son (who last skied 7 years ago) and me (skied 3 or 4 times in last 10 years, but from 20-35 skied most years and so happy on any slope). We found some gentle greens and blues and just took the day slowly. Quickly became apparent to me that it was 95% confidence (or lack of) with my wife and after the first morning getting used to having skis on again, no more than 5% brushing up her technique. She skis really well, skis rarely more than a handful of centimetres apart and not a hint of typical British 'driving the bus' shoulder swinging.
We managed to book a private ESF lesson for my wife and son for the following day - they had about 3 spaces that day then nothing all week. None of the other ski schools had anything at all - bad timing with both British and French half term. Lesson went well. My son improved significantly and spent the rest of the week haring around with our friends' similarly aged kids who'd arrived by then and have skied most years of their lives. They were more stylish, but by the end of the week, he was skiing well, keeping up with everyone and mostly in control!
My wife was still very nervous, but starting to ski reds without me having to convince her she'd be fine every time. I'd asked the really helpful lady doing the ESF bookings if she'd call if they had a cancellation. She took my number, but said it almost never happens. However, the following evening I got a call to say an instructor had opened up an extra day in his schedule and so booked her in.
The instructor was 'Cyril' and knowing that confidence building was what was required, after taking her down a green and seeing her ski, told her that he didn't need to teach her how to ski, so they were just going to go and have fun. He had her skiing backwards, took her into powder, playing amongst the trees and even jumping off a fairly low wall. He couldn't have gauged what was needed better and by the end of it, my wife was skiing with a huge grin on her face and enjoying it.
The next two days we did mainly reds, a few blacks (they're not very hard in Megeve) and she loved it. She's still a little bit nervous at times, doesn't like edges with drops, or narrow paths - but is up for skiing again next year!
So, overall, a huge success. Thanks all for your suggestions. If anyone knows Cyril at Megeve ESF, please pass on my huge thanks to him. I did speaking to the booking desk, but the very helpful lady who'd sorted the lesson wasn't there and the one I spoke to didn't give me any confidence that she'd actually pass on the message!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Great result
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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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Sounds terrific. The ESF gets a lot of criticism on here - good to hear some praise.
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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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Thanks for all the great advice - really helpful and has helped put things in perspective. I definitely need to get my head round it, I run 40km a week, hike for miles and lift weights on my reconstructed knee with no symptoms so it’s not holding me back. It’s been lovely reading all the success stories as well… feel a bit of hope returning. Thanks for all the recommendations for instructors as well…will give it another go in April with private lessons. Really appreciate the support.
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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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Just wanted to thank you all for your encouragement and advice - just had a week of private lessons - just an hour a day but have managed to progress to parallel turns and able to do most blues without being afraid.
Never thought I would make it this far and am really delighted. The slopes at Les Saisies have been a delight - totally different experience to February, so much fun and I can’t wait to get back next season.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well done Rookiescot!! If you live close enough maybe keep the skills fresh by visiting a snowdome through the summer.
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So glad you enjoyed Les Saisies,@Rookiescot.
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@Origen,
New to snowheads and this is first post so forgive me if I’m not correct in messaging you.
Looking for esi ski instruction Les Saisies.
Two much older adults happy to do gentle slopes.
Thank you.
Sue.
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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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@susanfiddes, no problem, welcome to Snowheads.
Can you clarify when you are going, and where you will be staying? Are you beginners?
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Also - are you looking for a week's course of group lessons, or privates?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Also - are you looking for a week's course of group lessons, or privates?
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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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@susanfiddes, Why ESI in particular? I mean, I've worked with an ESI school here in Morgins the last five seasons, so I'm in no way knocking them, but it sounds like you want a private lesson, and there's nothing to suggest that ESI franchise schools are in any way better than ESF, or indeed any of the British ski schools that are now quite common in France.
Personally I'd go for the latter if possible, or better yet a specific instructor who would suit.
In my own experience I do think older instructors, particularly those who (like myself) themselves learned to ski as adults, are more likely to empathise and understand cautious adult learners, so that's what I'd be looking for in this instance.
(I don't know that area at all though, so cannot recommend anyone.)
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I have previously recommended the ESI in Les Saisies because of a great deal of personal experience - my own and arrangements for visiting friends and grandchildren. I've also recommended individuals, though my knowledge is getting out of date. There are no "British" ski schools in Les Saisies (though I've used them in other resorts and agree they are generally very good).
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You know it makes sense.
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@Origen, Right, I guess they must have seen the earlier posts and extrapolated - answers my question, thanks.
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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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There are some posts in the last few weeks from people who are only just getting round to booking ski school for kids in the busy half term period (or Easter). It's far too late to be sure of getting what you want. It's worth repeating loud and often that if ski school is important (and it can make or break a holiday) DO book early and DO give it priority, even if you have to pay extra. I've booked "mini Teams" lessons for visiting grandchildren with the ESI in Les Saisies and whilst (obviously) more expensive, they are well worth it. Ski school is not the right place to economise - I'd prefer to pay extra for good tuition and skimp on the expensive lunches!
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FAQ
