Elusive simplicity

A snowHead

In formulating new posts for the "one trick ponies" thread, a old thought came fresh.

Observe any ski slope, and every so often a person will come zipping down who captures and demands our attention. What is it about their skiing that leaves us in such awe? It's the simplicity of movement. They sail down the slope with a grace and precision that defies the lack of physical effort seemingly taking place. It's as if the skis have a mind of their own, and the skier is merely a passive passenger on a ride the likes of which few ever get to take.

But we know that is not the case. The skier is in complete command of the ride, and his/her performance is so refined that the movements needed to achieve this level of execution are minimal. Balance is always spot on. All extraneous physical effort has been eradicated such that this skier appears to be doing almost nothing at all to produce this captivating display of rare skill.

In formulating my recent posts for the pony thread, and in projecting the further posts I would need to compose to get to this eventual end I'd like to guide people towards, it dawned on me the monumental task ahead of me. The topics/skills/concepts/drills that need to be covered along the way to the type of skiing I'm speaking of here are vast. Within that vastness is an intricate journey that leads to simplicity. The teaching of a plethora of skills that ultimately allow a skier to reduce movement to it's most simple and basic form. How interesting that simplicity is so elusive.

Little Tiger had a great analogy for this. She said learning to ski is like sculpting a piece of marble. It's not that which you add that makes the final work a masterpiece. It's the skill by which you take away.

A snowHead

A display of the epitome of simplicity. Witness The Maestro.

http://youtube.com/v/quraAyYBGXw&mode=related&search=Giorgio%20Rocca

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

BASI like to call it "flow". Flow is a relatively new addition to the BASI fundamental elements, and was added because a lot of people failing their grade 1, although otherwise technically correct, were missing this natural effortless simplicity you describe.

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I achieve the effortless simplicity by being a lazy bug who doesn't want to do too much work to get his skis to turn.

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[quote="FastMan"]
Observe any ski slope, and every so often a person will come zipping down who captures and demands our attention.

Had one of those moments last year.
Young lass in Soll, effortlessly cruising down a piste with her mates - on ONE ski. Was pretty impressive

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beanie1,

ESC (Alan Shedden) had flow as a concept flippin years ago ! snowHead

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ski, erm John Shedden? So do we now finally understand what "core form skiing" is? Toofy Grin

After all it is free

Not a bad clip Fastman but probably easier to look and dissect are these lads freeskiing. No great secret to it all - they simply do the basics exceedingly well -
http://youtube.com/v/TTboYL8CjaU&NR=1

Yoda,

I've never claimed to understand anything rolling eyes

But his two books remain the most thumbed amongst the textbooks I've got wink

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ski, It's a shame they are out of print, but they sometimes come up on Amazon.

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david@mediacopy............ I was wondering what "down a crevasse" meant under your user name...? Looke dit up and found out you will get deleted if you don`t update your profile with a valid email address.. just thought I had better warn ya in case you didn`t know snowHead

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You know it makes sense.

John Sheddon was someone always worth paying attention to - sometimes ahead of his time, and sometimes pretty radical actually. He really thought about it though. (I'm sure he still does - don't mean to imply he's died or anything).

Hah! Basics Why do so many recreational skiers seem to think they can become good skiers without getting the basics right? Or is that another thread? Puzzled

brian

easiski, because they don't realise they are doing the basics wrong ? I think people can think they're just at some kind of transitional stage and are going to get better, not realising they have bad habits they need to ditch first.

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mrtoastie, Cheers. I'm a bit confused as snowheads have sent occasional emails and I have a valid address in my profile. Puzzled

Bl..dy computers !

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easiski,

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Basics is surely why one keeps having lessons? Practice your faults long enough and you'll perfect them, as my violin tutor used to say

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eng_ch, reason to keep having lessons, and even to keep practicing the basics one's already learned. WC racers go back and practice foundation skills on a regular basis

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eng_ch, I don't think so - usual thing with bookings for new peeps is along the lines of "I like to ski blues but need you to give me confidence on reds" . They often have to be 'sold' on the idea that most lessons will take place on a green run! My experience is that the average recreational skier actually seems to want to skip the basics and move right on to something more interesting! rolling eyes

Snow heads are generally different though 'cos they listen to us harping on all the time on BZK! Laughing

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After all it is free

FastMan, It's 'balance' , the better and more balanced you are, the less effort and range of movement required to influence your tool . . . it's applicable to all sports.

Masque, where in the picture is active accomplishment impulse then?

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comprex, define "active accomplishment impulse" please

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Masque, then I'm doing more than a bit of work for you.

By your criteria I am very good and well balanced in my lift chair. Right. So.

To stay on topic I have to then desire to start skiing and do something other than be well balanced and sitting in my chair.

Where do I direct that desire?

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You know it makes sense.

david@mediacopy, oh yes . . . but they will be subtle rather than brutal . . . mind you, I'm not saying that I'm any good but you just have to watch any good skier or boarder to realise that they have great balance . . . an acquired skill wink

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Masque, vanity again.

Context is exactly what I lack. The 'simple' skier of the OP has both context and a firm chain of intent.

All I have is flashes of marketing as to outcomes I could wish for. (I also might have the context of disaster).

I could report to Fastman and ask to be that flashed, marketed outcome. He might even finesse it into one successful intent and outcome. Where do I build my own chain of them? We are asked what we want. I have no context. Right there is the root of Too Much Too Soon Too Fast.

I next report to easiski. I have no context to explain that one successful bit of marketing. She shows me a chain of possible outcomes. Where do I build my own chain of intent? I have no context. What I'm finally able to do doesn't look anything like what I saw being advertised. How do I know what to want?

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comprex, doh! You are deffo getting too comprex there!!! I never show outcomes because the outcome depends on the person learning ..... I would hope your intent on taking lessons would be to become a better skier?????? Ergo to become that person that we all admire. Very Happy

BTW FastMan, IME many skiers actually admire the wrong person - they see the feet together, flapping arms and frantically twisting body of the old school french skier and think that's good - ski lifts are very helpful for education! Laughing

Guest centred in the sense of doing whatever the client wants is nuts. guest centred in the sense of helping the client to achieve his/her desire is good sense (and probably good business). Most recreational skiers do need to be educated about what they should be looking for (I'll get into trouble here), they think they have a problem with fear of steeper slopes, or bumps or whatever, and normally it's a basic stance, balance edging problem. they feel out of control because they actually are. . Shocked

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Megamum, he's practising his knit 1 purl 1...............

No, really, he's going through the motions of a double pole plant - as a mechanism in that particular run, to re-centre. And as a cue to get his arms out of the way of the gates.

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Damn it.....and there was me thinking that new skis were going to make me ski like a pro wink

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Megamum, there are folks who have tried that.... many pairs of skis later and..... they still ski like a level 5 or 6 skier (scale 1-10).... so I guess I had to say on past experience.... not likely!

Nice try though Smile

After all it is free

Masque, they're being guest-centered.

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You all know I was joking - I've been around here long enough now!! I know some of you are wind up merchants, and yes, I know I've bitten rolling eyes

.

Mind you I hope my own gear might help on the confidence front once I get used to it and that won't do any harm Very Happy

and yes, I know that statement probably proveseasiski's, point.

Help!!

Elusive simplicity

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