 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think that the intermediate plateau for most people is when they can happily ski reds, struggle down the blacks, and fall over every time they go off piste, and they stop getting lessons and pushing themselves.
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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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"Intermediate Plateau" is the name used by ski schools when they open their Swiss bank accounts 
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I think Kramer's got it nicely sewn up with that description.
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| I think that the intermediate plateau for most people is when they can happily ski reds, struggle down the blacks, and fall over every time they go off piste, and they stop getting lessons and pushing themselves. |
and get left behind by their children 
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boredsurfin, I know that feeling. 
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Just out of interest, when people go away, do they set themselves targets? I've never been particularly goal-oriented, but whenever I get to a ski resort I become a woman possessed. I'll pick a run I like the look of, which is currently above my capabilities, and say "right, my aim is to be skiing that by the end of the week". I already know what my aim is for next time, and I'll be booking lessons to make sure I reach that next goal. Weird, because I don't do it in any other area of my life. It's as if I imagine that I'll get to the end of my time here on earth and however long the list of things I didn't achieve is, I want to be able to shrug those off and say "but they don't matter, because I was a good skier".
It occurred to me last week that I was treating the Espace Killy like a theme park with snow. Just as at Universal there was no way I was going home without riding (and enjoying) the 5* thrill rides, there was no way I was leaving resort without having skied (and enjoyed!) a Mad Dog guide 3* red. I'd have been kicking myself all the way home (which would have hurt, considering the bruises I picked up
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| clara_jo wrote: |
Just out of interest, when people go away, do they set themselves targets? I've never been particularly goal-oriented, but whenever I get to a ski resort I become a woman possessed. I'll pick a run I like the look of, which is currently above my capabilities, and say "right, my aim is to be skiing that by the end of the week". I already know what my aim is for next time, and I'll be booking lessons to make sure I reach that next goal. Weird, because I don't do it in any other area of my life. It's as if I imagine that I'll get to the end of my time here on earth and however long the list of things I didn't achieve is, I want to be able to shrug those off and say "but they don't matter, because I was a good skier".
It occurred to me last week that I was treating the Espace Killy like a theme park with snow. Just as at Universal there was no way I was going home without riding (and enjoying) the 5* thrill rides, there was no way I was leaving resort without having skied (and enjoyed!) a Mad Dog guide 3* red. I'd have been kicking myself all the way home (which would have hurt, considering the bruises I picked up |
yeah - but i set SEASON goals usually and usually with my instructors..... we also may set longer term goals and sometimes the odd shorter term ones....
It can be a bit silly for ME to set the goals... I tend to have less faith in myself than they do.... so they set me tougher goals.... and then i have no idea how close I may or may not be to achieving a goal... or even what sort of goal i may be able to achieve (I once thought I'd never ski parallel.... my instructor at one stage was not settling for anything less than me skiing like everyone else... and I'd have baulked at setting that as a goal)
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| Quote: |
What is it? Where is it? and what do I do when I find it
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Is that not the flat bit where you have to use your poles
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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clara_jo, Now that's the way to do it 
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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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clara_jo, I set myself targets each time that I go away. I'm no longer at a level where it's about skiing a certain piste, but more general than that. The targets come from being aware of weaknesses in my skiing repertoire and addressing them, through specific lessons. One goal tends to lead automatically into another, for instance, my goal last year of improving my off piste skiing on steeper and deeper slopes has now evolved into the goal of improving my confidence in off piste skiing in confined spaces, such as couloirs and trees, as well as starting to learn how to drop cornices and cliffs. On piste my goal is to learn to do short radius, pure carved turns on steeper pistes which has evolved from learning how to carve large radius turns.
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SHello, I thought that was snowboarder hell!
I think Kramer put it well - it's where you stop pushing yourself in lessons and in free skiing, and become stuck in a rut (perhaps always going to the same place, perhaps always the same crowd, ...) basically, you become settled... get you BMW, your driving gloves, your pringle jumper, your golf club membership, settled.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A lot depends on the definitions of intermediate and advanced? Surely if you're still stem turning on reds for a couple of consecutive trips and not making any improvement then you're at some kind of plateau and will probably still be doing the same next time out. If you're happy to get the skis parallel, to carve, to tackle moguls, to not be worrying all the time, then you're above the intermediate plateau.
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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 think a lot of this has changed in recent years with advances in ski design, so the plateau has effectively been raised.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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Terminal mediocrity comes when a skier learns a few skills, stumbles on a turn he/she trusts, then latches onto it with a death grip.
Breaking out of the terminal trap involves letting go of that beloved default turn, building new skills, and expanding options and possibilities.
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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 agree a plateau can be at any level and if you can ski somethinmg this time round you couldn't ski last time round, you can't be at a plateau. Other than that its a term used to convince disgruntled and non-improving skiers that they need to shell out for more lessons so Yoda is right. Ski schools love it.
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JT, are you suggesting that if you want to improve, lessons aren't the way forward?
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Kramer, are you implying that lessons are the ONLY way forward?
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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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| lbt wrote: |
So I guess the plateau is when you think there's nothing else you can be taught... |
For some of us it is probably more about when we are happy where we are and don't want to spend our few annual ski days in school. I know there is still more to learn and I could ski better but I feel confident, safe and above all I am loving skiing so is there really a need for me to keep learning right now? The amount I get to ski (max 2 weeks in a year) I find that I am improving slightly every day anyway purely because I am getting to practice what I have been taught. 
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| clara_jo wrote: |
My target for next time is to learn to ski moguls properly. |
On behalf of my friend who is a moguls coach I'd just like to point out that some folks spend YEARS learning to do this!
If it can be done in "a holiday" he is out of a job!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| lbt wrote: |
| ......And given how much it costs to go skiing is it worth not spending a bit on lessons?..... |
Given how much your & Denise's medical bills have been the actual skiing is cheap, let alone the cost of the lessons .
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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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little tiger, ah... ok, I'll change that to "my target for next time is to learn to be able to ski moguls at all"
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You know it makes sense.
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| FastMan wrote: |
Breaking out of the terminal trap involves letting go of that beloved default turn, building new skills, and expanding options and possibilities. |
and this is the excuse you lot use for making me ski sick? 
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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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| Kramer wrote: |
| JT, are you suggesting that if you want to improve, lessons aren't the way forward? |
Speaking as someone who hasn't had lessons, I'd say they aren't the only way.
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Poster: A snowHead
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JT, I agree that they are not the only way, but I think it can be a great help to have them in conjunction with getting the mileage in.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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II, for me the plateau is fear, lessons are definitely the way through it but the hard bit comes when you are on your own and conditions are variable and you cant seem to trust the technique you have just mastered. 
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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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Neilski,
i always found that learning to trust the technique is part of mastering it... if you can only do it sometimes you have learnt not mastered.... once I have truely mastered something I can do it as and when I wish.... (now i may have to revisit this learning in particular situations but for my usual skiing terrain I can do this ON DEMAND and vary)
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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little tiger, i guess you are right
my idea for this year is to ski three times instead of the usual 7 to 10 days
first trip with freinds just going to ski and enjoy whilst retrying things learnt last year
second trip take three days one on one coaching and spend the rest of the trip reinforcing what i hope to have learnt
third trip end of season three day trip enjoying all the things i have finally mastered
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| JT wrote: |
| Kramer wrote: |
| JT, are you suggesting that if you want to improve, lessons aren't the way forward? |
Speaking as someone who hasn't had lessons, I'd say they aren't the only way. |
A fair point, which makes your level of skiing all the more impressive. I would still suggest that someone who was no longer improving and "stuck on the plateau" should get some lessons.
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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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FAQ
) but when does one reach the “intermediate plateau”?
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but it gives me more incentive to push forward...
