 Poster: A snowHead
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That is that I think as women get older and wiser, they start to realise that they are the linch pin of the family even though your daughters are grown up, and therefore they can't afford to get injured.
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I think what you're describing there is not so much lynch pin as doormat.
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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 go from being really adventurous until I take a nasty fall then I spend a bit of time just cruising around. However, at 45, I have to work hard on my fitness and I believe this makes a tremendous amount of difference - more stamina & stronger means you can tackle the tougher pistes. After all, the technique is basically the same whatever the piste grading, and it really is easier to ski a red than a blue or green. The slope, the momentum and the speed help. But, you need to be skiing fit. My fitness routine is now twice a week biking - 15 to 20 miles (and that's around Dartmoor), twice at the gym (inc. doing exercises on an upturned bosu) plus 1 pilates class. On top of that, I ride horses and walk the dogs. 
oh- and my volkls are fab. for giving me confidence - they have a great edge hold, so much better than my previous skis.
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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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And... don't forget, mind over matter - we're women - we can do anything.
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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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I think there are two issues - whether women tend to be any different from men in the confidence deparment and whether there is a change with age. I think that statistically women do tend to be less bold, but there are plenty of female daredevils about and plenty of less confident men too. I think also age does play a part as in the back of your mind is the realisation that you may not "bounce" as well as you used to - but that could apply equally to men and women.
I can't speak for anyone else, but I can tell you how I feel.
As you probably know I am an older novice, with confidence issues on the slopes. My mind wants to be adventurous and bold and I always intend to be, but when I actually get there what holds me back is fear of injury. This fear really began after I broke my pelvis falling off a horse about 15 years ago. I had been quite bold at learning to ride, but got thrown and landed badly and my confidence never really recovered. It may have been something to do with the total inconvenience it caused to all our lives for six weeks - being used to being fiercely independent, restricted mobility comes hard, especially when you and the kids are packed off to your mother's for a month in the summer holidays! Following this, some 5 years ago I seriously broke/dislocated an ankle by simply getting my foot caught and falling over in a churchyard and was once again sentenced to seriously clipped wings for several months. I have permanent damage from this which is a constant reminder of it and I have NO wish to repeat the experience.
Having said that, skiing was something I had always fancied doing, but had always thought I woulnd't be able to having been put off by a teacher when I was at school who said only those really good at PE and thus in the sports teams should go on the school ski trip - I so wish I had gone back then as I have discovered what fun it is, even if I am not very good and I am really enjoying the challenge of trying to overcome the fears. Unfortunately my first week away wasn't a very positive experience with a lot of fear and more than a few tears as I tried to negotiate a piste the instructor took me to that was far beyond my capabilities. A few people have since tried to tell me I will not make progress until I am prepared to ski faster, but I was so relieved in June when Easiski reassured me that was untrue. For me the right way is technique first, and speed second - that way the confidence can grow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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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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| Butterfly wrote: |
| ... a teacher when I was at school who said only those really good at PE and thus in the sports teams should go on the school ski trip ... |
That's pretty shocking. I wasn't very good at any teams sports in school until I discovered that I was better than most of my peers at skiing. I then developed the confidence to play team sports. I recently wrote to the sports teacher at my old school who ran my first few ski trips to thanks him for putting in the effort for that extra-curricular activity as it has had such a positive impact on my life.
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rob@rar, you may change your mind after a week teaching beginner kids on a school trip who are so unfit they really struggle... Doesn't matter if they're any good or not but some of these kids are so sedentary they then wonder why it's tough to go on a holiday where they're doing 4 hrs of intense exercise every day!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Doesn't matter if they're any good or not but some of these kids are so sedentary they then wonder why it's tough to go on a holiday where they're doing 4 hrs of intense exercise every day!
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That's sad, isn't it? But I do think skiing is one of those things some people can be good at without being good at other sports, and it's great if kids can discover that. A 14 year old I know, who perpetually looks like a Barbie Doll and has never done sport because it messes up her hair discovered on a school trip to St Gervais, in crap snow, that she really liked skiing and got the award for the best progress in the beginner class. It was very good for her.
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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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| beanie1 wrote: |
| rob@rar, you may change your mind after a week teaching beginner kids on a school trip who are so unfit they really struggle... Doesn't matter if they're any good or not but some of these kids are so sedentary they then wonder why it's tough to go on a holiday where they're doing 4 hrs of intense exercise every day! |
I suppose, but I'd rather see kids try and fail rather than being prevented from having a go in the first place.
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rob@rar, i'm talking about fitness not ability, absolutely agree with you they should try - but when you see them sweating and puffing like an old man / woman it's so sad. The schools / parents should get them outside away from the games console exercising before their school trip - they'd get so much more out of it and be less likely to fail.
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You know it makes sense.
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| beanie1 wrote: |
| rob@rar, i'm talking about fitness not ability, |
Me too. Failing because of a lack of fitness. Might be an important lesson in life for them at the right age rather than waiting until later on when it gets more difficult to address.
When I went on school ski trips there were compulsory fitness sessions twice a week during lunchtime in the couple of months leading up to the trip. Nothing too serious, in fact quite a lot of fun, but it did reinforce the message that this was a sporting holiday.
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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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compulsory fitness sessions twice a week during lunchtime in the couple of months leading up to the trip. Nothing too serious, in fact quite a lot of fun, but it did reinforce the message that this was a sporting holiday.
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sounds a good idea. schools with over-subscribed ski trips should perhaps make regular attendance a condition of going on the trip. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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pam w, lots of them do.
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FAQ
With the excellent tutelage at Nevis Range, Cairngorm and Glencoe, I watched my two children grow in confidence last season over their ten days or so on Scottish snow from their first tentative forays on steep icy January snow to the point that that they were whooping with joy at the prospect of skiing the steepest runs they could in March and April. The other bonus as a nervous father was that they realised they had to keep their speed in check and skied 10x more safely on 30% gradients than 10% and 15% ones. 
