 Poster: A snowHead
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Megamum, you never lose the fear entirely, but your comfort zone just gets larger the more you ski. I'm sure you'll reach a point where your comfort zone includes enough of the mountain that you're satisfied with your skiing and the fear will no longer be such an issue, but if you fancy challenging yourself a little you'll soon discover the fear is still there.
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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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I know in some sports a little fear can give you an 'edge' which can keep you sharp, I guess that could be useful in skiing too?
rob@rar, That sounds quite reasonable - I guess I've already done that to a certain extent the first time I went to the top of the button lift and got down again. I guess where I might find it frustrating is in the time it might take me to get there at one week or so per year. Hywel, You seem to understand where I am as well - again I hope I have the patience to get to where you obviously have.
Mind you, I've promised myself the EoSB next year, as well as my normal holiday so that will get me two complete weeks with the second only having to worry about myself so I might get more time on the snow as well. I guess this can only help - also, who knows, I might develop a bit of bravado with everyone to egg me on as well 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Megamum wrote: |
| ... I might find it frustrating is in the time it might take me to get there at one week or so per year... |
There's an obvious fix to that problem 
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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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| Quote: |
There's an obvious fix to that problem
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Oh, to be 18 with no life baggage, house, DH, kids, ties, but be on my current salary. I could go and 'work a season' - now it will never happen!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Megamum wrote: |
| Quote: |
There's an obvious fix to that problem
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Oh, to be 18 with no life baggage, house, DH, kids, ties, but be on my current salary. I could go and 'work a season' - now it will never happen! |
DH can look after kids, the house will still be there when you get back after a few extra weeks and you don't need to wear a tie when skiing
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Hey - she did it........look what I've found:
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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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rob@rar, how often do you ski?
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rpft,
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| rob@rar, how often do you ski? |
How often doesn't he ski is the more appropriate question ... !
Are some people congentitally incapable of learning to ski? - obviously. Just as I am unable to learn to snowboard. No earthly reason why I should, so no reason to put the effort in. Lazy, content with current snow-based transport methodology (planks), enoying life as it stands.
Am I a competent skier - and who are you to set the criteria about 'competent' ? - according to an old WTFH post, "the best skier is the one with the biggest smile". Ergo, I think I am one of the best.
Do I take lessons? - did this year. Do I have appropriate kit? - yup - all new this year thanks to  and Lockwoods.
But what does it mean? - it means I can enjoy the conditions whatever, go places I couldn't go before, have the occasional challenge and beat the odds
AND most importantly to a lumpy old slob, means I don't have to spend 6 months in the gym preparing for it - I have enough muscle memory and ability to do most things, and the equipment and the lessons compensate for the out-of-condition flabby specimen that I am. OH and the changing conditions taled about earlier on this thread.
Saw an interesting epigram the other day " Every one has the will to win, few have the will to prepare to win ". Same with being competent, albeit, it just depends on who is doing the defining.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Megamum, you never lose the fear entirely, but your comfort zone just gets larger the more you ski. I'm sure you'll reach a point where your comfort zone includes enough of the mountain that you're satisfied with your skiing and the fear will no longer be such an issue, but if you fancy challenging yourself a little you'll soon discover the fear is still there. |
On such occasions, you need one of these sweeping up at the back of the party. Astonishingly reassuring 
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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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| veeeight wrote: |
| little tiger wrote: |
I'd saying surfing is far worse in this regard...
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That'll be why surfing is classed as an open skilled sport |
It still feels much same as skiing learning wise though... you learn how to do a thing, practise it on the easy terrain until it is something you OWN (really own) and then take it to the harder stuff...
So maybe skiing is wrongly classed....
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Megamum,
I would not let go of the instructor for about a week - I was seriously terrified of skiing....
Read Fastmans description of shoving me in the racecourse for my first go racing Nastar and you will see the fear is still with me... just these days my fear is of different things... and slowly my confidence grows that I CAN ski so many things I assumed I could not... so perhaps the rest are not that far away after all....
http://forums.modernskiracing.com/index.php?showtopic=79&st=0
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You know it makes sense.
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TJon, i really agree with you completely regarding video. up until last year only had acouple of lessons and had never saw myself ski. It was a revelation and by far the best teaching tool... I actually bought video camera last week so i can get more vid of me and the family and disect the problems better and hopefully put a few bad habits right.
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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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skimottaret,
depends how you learn I think... it doesn't do a heap for me unless I have a very good eye helping translate for me and I see it VERY soon afetr I skied it... better still I need to ski again immediately so I can ski the change required while it is fresh... I am far more affected by feel than sight... ie when I see the video of Nyberg doing ILE I can feel the pressure change under my foot and the ski roll and the pants change on skin as the hip rotates forward... so what I am seeing is simply a link to the feelings I associate with that turn.... and it has taken me YEARS to learn to see that much that I can translate that to a feeling...
You could show me video till the cows came home without the feedback, or at a time not associated with the task (eg that night) and it becomes disconnected image only - means nothing at all to me... I'd prefer a decent on snow analysis of the turns I just skied to simply seeing a video
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Poster: A snowHead
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Lizards, as reptiles, are more or less defined by their lack of anything resembling fluff. It's all about the scales.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My experience says that a lack of desire and commitment is by far the bigger inhibitor to becoming a good skier than is a deficiency in innate athletic ability. It doesn't come free, but it's there for those who are willing to do the work.
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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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well my wife has been on loads of ski holidays lots of tuition in different countries and still has not got past snow plough turns it all boils down to fear factor i think she continuously thinks someone is going to hit her from behind especially boarders just can not get her past that hurdle no matter how much instruction
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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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| rpft wrote: |
| rob@rar, how often do you ski? |
The last couple of seasons I've been very fortunate to ski a lot, around 50 days.
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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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| Lizzard wrote: |
Lizards, as reptiles, are more or less defined by their lack of anything resembling fluff. It's all about the scales. |
It's rude to ask a lizard her weight, even if she is obsessed by the scales.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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FastMan,
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My experience says that a lack of desire and commitment is by far the bigger inhibitor to becoming a good skier than is a deficiency in innate athletic ability. It doesn't come free, but it's there for those who are willing to do the work.
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Aha, at last an expert confirms my lay view - people are lazy! Thanks, FastMan. However, I think there may come a point at which people stop progressing, they reach their peak in other words: it's again like any other learned skill, for instance not everyone who learns the piano to really quite a high level is good enough to become a concert pianist, and not everyone who skis can actually win races (step forward - on your little rebuilt feet - Chemmy Alcott!)
Memo to self - not the first - work harder!
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Hurtle, don't work harder, work smarter!
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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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LT, I think we're both in agreement, both skiing and surfing would be classed as open skilled sports, where external factors are constantly varying (snow, waves, terrain, weather).
A closed skill sport is where the environment and external factors are in the main, constant, so diving, gymnastics etc.
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skimottaret, Agree that video is invaluable - in the right hands!! You need a good communicator and assessor to go with it, I have seen many people being sent down the wrong road, and/or have had their confidence absolutely shattered when seeing themselves on video.
One always imagines one is skiing like Benni Raich, until the reality of video kicks in. Some denial is always present, "oh. that's not me, is it? you sure?" 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| kevin mcclean wrote: |
| Are there people who, despite years of practice, expense and coaching, simply cannot improve? ........Should we admit that there are, despite all of this enthusiastic input, people who'll never really pick it up? |
Can I use golf as an analogy? (answers on a postcard, please!)
Despite plenty of tuition over the years and practice (all the time!), I can claim only to be a mediocre golfer - and it's a struggle. I play with people who are sooo much better than me despite having virtually no tuition, never practicing - and trying far less hard than I do. Equally I play with guys who have lessons, try harder and practice more than me but will apparently never be as good as me.
So, if I were to practice & play all day every day under the watchful eye of a teaching pro (like the pro's on the telly do), would I ever be as good as the guys I play with who have 'the gift'? I doubt it but I'll never know as I have neither the time nor the money to ever find out.
So, back to the question...
IMV there are some who have an inate ability and who quickly become very good a given activitiy / sport, and there are, undoubtedly, some people who, for one reason or another, would fall into the "will never really pick it up" category. However, the vast majority of people will never have the time or the money - for people in the real world, it's not about dedication - to truly prove they are inept. Few who try any activity will have sufficient time & money to ever fully explore their potential and will thus never know how good they could have been in different circumstances. This is particularly true of skiing which is extremely expensive and dependent on location (you can play golf almost anywhere but skiing needs snow & hills, so I'm told!)
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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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| colw wrote: |
| well my wife has been on loads of ski holidays lots of tuition in different countries and still has not got past snow plough turns it all boils down to fear factor i think she continuously thinks someone is going to hit her from behind especially boarders just can not get her past that hurdle no matter how much instruction |
Is a psychologist or hypnotherapist a better investment than an instructor then?
Re open and closed environment someone once gave me the following progression:
Snowboarding - Feet fixed to board, mountain doesn't move : "Easy"
Skateboarding - Feet not fixed to board, ground doesn't move: ""Harder"
Surfing - Feet not fixed tto board, water moves :"Hardest"
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| rpft wrote: |
| rob@rar, how often do you ski? |
The last couple of seasons I've been very fortunate to ski a lot, around 50 days. |
do i read that as 50 days per season? if so you are a very very fortunate boy.... 
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You know it makes sense.
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| veeeight wrote: |
skimottaret, Agree that video is invaluable - in the right hands!! You need a good communicator and assessor to go with it, I have seen many people being sent down the wrong road, and/or have had their confidence absolutely shattered when seeing themselves on video.
One always imagines one is skiing like Benni Raich, until the reality of video kicks in. Some denial is always present, "oh. that's not me, is it? you sure?" |
you are right. for me it was really important to have someone who can focus on cause not effect and allow you to focus on understanding your fundamental flaws and then give you some drills to get you to improve. Before the video session last year all i had seen of myself was loads of still photos and my mental picture of my skiing was completely different than reallity. (not really better but different)
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Wed 23-05-07 10:07; edited 1 time in total
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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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Have only scanned over this thread, but agree with someones comment that skiing is a physical sport...ie to get beyond a certain level we need to be physically fit, well in touch with our body (kinaesthesia/proprioception) be very well honed in our balancing skills (more on this shortly). Like any sport a basis of these fundamentals will enable higher levels of performance.
One thing that made a huge difference in my skiing many moons ago was when i started rock climbing at a high level, as this involved major developments in my proprioception (can you place your foot precisely on a small foothold that has moved out of sight) and body/balance awareness generally.
Balance underpins all we do, and to open ourselves up to progress we can work on this, IT IS A TRAINABLE SKILL. The following exercises are good: stand on one foot. Easy? Stand on one foot with your eyes shut. Easy? On one foot doing squats as far as is comfortable. Easy? Same with eyes shut. etc etc
This summer I have been playing about on a slackline which is just awesome for balance training.
Just my tuppence worth...
But in answer to the OP.....
YES
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Poster: A snowHead
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offpisteskiing, so the polar bears didnt get you then If you have time you should put up a trip report about your adventure. i am sure it would be of interest.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yep, The nearest I got was waking up one night to strange grunting & snuffling sounds...then realising it was just Guy or Steph snoring in the tent next door....
Will post a trip report shortly, have got about 400 photos to sort through. Also keep your eyes peeled for a Ridestyle Productions film of the trip, coming to mountain film festivals this autumn...
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 23-05-07 10:27; edited 1 time in total
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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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| skimottaret wrote: |
| rob@rar wrote: |
| rpft wrote: |
| rob@rar, how often do you ski? |
The last couple of seasons I've been very fortunate to ski a lot, around 50 days. |
do i read that as 50 days per season? if so you are a very very fortunate boy.... |
Yes per season, approximately. Start season early (November), finish late (end of April), make use of all bank holidays and lots of long weekends. It also means I have to take a lot of work with me, and if there's a tight deadline I have to sit in front of my laptop regardless of whether there is a metre of fresh snow and blue skies outside.
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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yes
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rob@rar, well I am sympathetic. Having to work with fresh powder outside would hurt me.
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achilles,
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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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achilles, rob@rar, well, it would certainly be a cure for procrastination!
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rob@rar, I am v. envious - it's a lovely place to work too!
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FAQ
