 Poster: A snowHead
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Around about this time of year I have a recurring fear that in the six months since I last clicked into bindings I have somehow forgotten how to ski. This fear builds and builds as I get closer to the inaugural trip of the season, and that first ride up the chairlift is a pretty nerve-wracking experience. Each year I find that miraculously I haven't forgotten how to do it, but even for the first two or three hours I'm very timid until I've found my skilegs and begin to feel comfortable on snow. Does anybody else suffer this same fear (I'm sure there's a complex medical name for this condition), and what do you do to help you through that first morning of the season until you've found your skilegs? Do you ski slowly, quickly, exercises, ski without thinking, or something else?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rob@rar, your not alone on this. I've got the same fear of putting the boots on and forgetting everything. I find the nearest easy slope and then the fear goes away and all I want to do is go faster 
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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 don't anymore - I didn't ski for a period of 9 years and came back to it with no problems, a bit like riding a bike I suppose.
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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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rob@rar, Stand up. Look down... yup .. still 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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First morning I put my skis on I do wonder what will happen when I push off  So far I've been okay...
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 31-10-06 21:53; edited 1 time in total
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I always feel the same each year, then I get a few turns in & realise (usually with surprise/relief) that I can still do it.
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rob@rar, Ski all the time, it works a treat 
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I never worry about it (because of stupidness, not confidence  ) and then find that while the first couple of runs may not be great, I can still do it. Mind you, last year my first run was a run which was icy and mogulled half-way down. That was a nice warm up to the week!
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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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Usually takes me a day or two to get adjusted to being on skis and I often fall over leaning into the hill on an easy blue run till I get my ski legs back again. ( I then fall overtattempting something I cannot do like ski powder gracefully.)
No cure for it that I know of though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A short spell of something easy, followed by an early stop for vin chaud and breathe in that mountain air. Chill.
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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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Actually, I also find a spot of visualisation helps, for a few nights beforehand. In bed. Eyes closed.
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One of my recurring memories is that the first piece of skiing each year will be the slide from the ramp at the top of the chair lift, and there is always that small irrational fear that I will forget how to turn - combine this with the fact that I will be putting on my gloves and have my poles under one arm at the time and you can see that there is quite a lot of room for neurotiscm
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You know it makes sense.
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I prefer to do a lesson before going skiing, that way I prectise my basics, and should be OK when I crank it up a bit. I also get a bit twitchy after my long breaks - 2 whole months this time. Boots feel too tight at first etc. etc.
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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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I always take it easy on the first day by first skiing a blue/easy red. I used to force the first few turns of the season so now i spend the first few hours with my boots unbuckled. That way i cant force anything. It helps me find/rediscover centre of the skis, balance, pressure points and rhythm. Before it use to take me 4-5 days top get back to previous seasons form and now it takes 2-3 days.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I feel the same as rob@rar. I generally have a lesson on the first morning, and I think that helps.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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After 2 weeks on snow when I was at school, I left it almost 14 years before I went skiing again. I went to our local dry slope, plonked myself on the nursery slope and crossed my fingers!
It was fine, and it only took a couple of hours before I was fully into the swing of things again. I'm a regular up there now just to keep everything 'honed'.
It's just like riding a bike. You'll know exactly what to do without even thinking about 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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I skied 111 days last season, went to Southampton dry slope a month ago and fell over on the first turn.....and then the second - ANNOYING
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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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Like Sage and others above I didn't ski for a good few years - maybe 10 or more (I forget). Got back into it in the last year and it's rather like riding a bike, you don't forget!
I've kept my hand in over the summer with the odd trip to Tamworth and I don't have any particular worries about getting back on the mountains although like others I tend to take it easier for the first couple of days (and avoid the black runs) and build up my stamina and then go for it.
Have to admit that I'm amazed that I picked it up more or less where I was a decade ago but modern carving skis help and before the hiatus I'd skied regularly at weekends and other times from the age of 11 (growing up near Aviemore helped) and my earliest experiences on skis pre dated that by a few years (can't remember it but I have piccies of me at 2 and a half on wee planks )
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Charlatanefc, What a picture!  For me (as a boarder) it is always the lifts that make me slightly nervy on the first day - scrambling on the ground is not an edifying start to the day!
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PP,
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i spend the first few hours with my boots unbuckled
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Interesting. Please elaborate as to why and how it all works for you
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saxabar, I agree, The last couple of years we've been to a resort where it is the norm to carry your board up.
So I'm out of practice and just know the first one will result in me in a heap taking out anyone who happens to be near. 
As my boyfriend learnt to snowboard at this resort he has never had to get off a chairlift wearing his board.
This year we're off to Canada where he has to wear his board. I can see this being a complete disaster on the first chairlift of the day (and the second and the third!)
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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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I try and avoid this by heading to Tamworth once a month of so. Still $hit myself at the top of that first run though!!!
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Peter Leuzzi,
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Quote:
i spend the first few hours with my boots unbuckled
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This exercise does two things. It makes you balance properly - no leaning against the boot, and (even better) it lets you flex your ankles properly....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I like to find a nice wide blue and do a few long turns, then short ones, then single leg traverses, and probably some 1000 step turns. Second run, I'll probably do the same, just a bit faster.
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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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SnowboardVicky, It really is just a matter of confidence and timing isn't it. Also be sure your SO doesn't panic and decide to cling onto you - speaking from personal experience!
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You know it makes sense.
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Now I always go to Milton Keynes snowdome, the week before I first go skiing.
I don't have doubts about piste skiing (or new powder if I'm so lucky), but my first turns off-piste (usually in my second descent) in what is usually old, heavy snow are always a bit doubtful (and thus tentative which is the worst thing to be) - its a very unforgiving medium - a bit of assumed skid on the turn and it doesn't work- you've got to be fully carving. Takes me most of the first day to get it back and feel I can tackle anything.
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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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saxabar,
I hope it'll be fine. The chairlift is a four man and they have this great queuing system for making sure the lift always goes up full on the rare occasions it's busy.
As long as we pick a quiet moment and try and get the chairlift to ourselves it should be easier. However I know from experience that trying to get four people all off a chairlift when you need to ski/board off to one direction is a recipe for disaster.
If we survive that then the boarding should be easy !
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Poster: A snowHead
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Take a trip to Xscape a few weeks before, gets the gremlins out the system.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Ronald, you mean the supplement? Yeah, I've used them in the past. Seemed to work for me too.
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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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Im poo-poo hot, no panic for me!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think it depends on the kind of person you are. I have a friend who's a very experience/good skier but it always takes him a few runs to feel comfortable. Other, more naturally confident skiers, will ski the first turn like it's the end of a season.
In-line skates are a good way of getting the "feel" back...just make sure you're wearing all the pads etc!
| rob@rar wrote: |
| Around about this time of year I have a recurring fear that in the six months since I last clicked into bindings I have somehow forgotten how to ski. This fear builds and builds as I get closer to the inaugural trip of the season, and that first ride up the chairlift is a pretty nerve-wracking experience. Each year I find that miraculously I haven't forgotten how to do it, but even for the first two or three hours I'm very timid until I've found my skilegs and begin to feel comfortable on snow. Does anybody else suffer this same fear (I'm sure there's a complex medical name for this condition), and what do you do to help you through that first morning of the season until you've found your skilegs? Do you ski slowly, quickly, exercises, ski without thinking, or something else? |
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SnowboardVicky, I've started a thread about getting off lifts in the snowboarding section.
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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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The only problem is that, in the lead-up to my skiing holiday I have a recurring dream that sees me at the resort but never able to ski - for a variety of reasons like no snow, no skis, forgotten my boots etc.
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Yes, have that one lots of times. I'm always with a group and it's always my fault that nobody gets to ski. I also dream that I am on a really boring run, flat, low, no snow etc and I "know" that there is a much better area, quite close, that we should get up to, but we never make it.
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rob@rar, I am just like you! This is despite living in Tamworth, and skiing through the Summer. The problem is that Tamworth isn't anything like the real thing and it is very unnerving to be able to see the sky and mountains and stuff. It is also, basically, a green/blue slope, and I get terrified I will have forgotten how to ski steep stuff and bumps.
I'm afraid that I head for an easy slope and ski at an easy pace, concentrating on technique. I absolutely ban myself from black slopes for the first day, and won't do reds until the afternoon. I can practice steeper pitches on blues before I really have to do steeper reds, and find this helps. I know people who just head for the nearest black run on the first morning, but I prefer to ski nicely on stuff I can cope with well, before trying more challenging slopes. If I started on something difficult and did them badly or fell over, this would ruin my confidence for the whole holiday.
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FAQ
If I hadn't been skiing at MK a few months back, I would now be thinking that I could no longer ski.
I remember going to Castleford in December after completing my third week skiing the previous March. I got to the top of the drag lift and went headfirst into the foam cushion at the top 
. The next day we progressed to reds, and the day after blacks and a bit of off-piste, this year I'm much more confident so half-expect a nasty suprise 
