Can you improve as a once a year skier?

A snowHead

i only ask because as a 40 year old on my annual 4 day trip, I really felt "In the zone" this year and seemed to ski much quicker and cleaner than usual. It's about my 12th trip.

In the back of mind, I think the reason was that we were skiing in Sauze and the runs are wide and forgiving. The reds were more like blues.

A snowHead

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

up4it,

I think so, something will always just click. My husband has ski lessons on the dry slope at home though and his technique has really improved. Sounds like you really enjoyed your trip though which is just as important.

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Yes, possibly. I was a one week a year skier for a long time. Didn't get any better (just perfected my bad habits), maybe a bit braver so could ski a bit quicker. Then I started to get some high quality instruction. I was still a one week a year skier, but made steady progress with improving my technique with a consequent increase in my enjoyment of skiing. It just depends what you do with that one week a year...

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

up4it, I think so, but I guess it depends on what you do on your once a year trip. If you make an effort to think about your skiing, and are aware of what needs to change for you to improve, then yes, if you have lessons, even better.

As HH says, sometimes things just click, and sometimes it's not clear why, although flattering runs will help! I honestly think state of mind has a lot to do with it as well, and this can become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I would say I have had a few years where I have focussed on meeting friends and having fun on the slopes, pootling to the next bar etc. and have improved very little, and other years where I have concentrated on everything I have been thinking about/been told in lessons etc. to improve my skiing, and put it all together and felt like I really have improved.

Glad you enjoyed your skiing anyway!

D

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You can improve.

But you will never be a great skier, going once a year.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

Whitegold, that seems to be a change of opinion from you. Wasn't it just a few weeks ago you said a one week a year skier would never improve?

If you have private lessons during those 4 days, yes, but you'll scarcely feel the benefit. If it was a whole week (or better, 2) with lessons, definitely.

Gotta say also, (notwithstanding your fitness level, mental attitude etc) your potential rate of improvement is going to slow with age (I'm a little older than you).

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up4it, I'm considerably older than you and have just had five days of 3-hour (small group) lessons. My skiing has improved dramatically. Shocked

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Yes - I only ski once a year and I ski better now than I did 20 years ago Cool

Getting some lessons are vital though - I try and get a couple of hours private tuition now and again to concentrate on particular areas.

My skiing may not be great but I am in control and enjoy what I do - all that counts at end of day in my book

snow reports

I have to! , once a year is all we can manage. We definately ski better every year although learning curve probably plateaued - time for some lessons again.

Depends on how experienced or capable you already are. The more inexperienced or the less capable the more you can improve, even over one week a year.

You know it makes sense.

up4it, i think you can , I ski once a year, i had a 8 year break while we had kids and started back 4 years ago.
the come back involved going from straight ski's to carvers Confused

To be honest the hardest thing I have found was changing to the ski's and not looking like I was on a mono board, also going with kids means that I find it hard to push myself. I might get and hour without them and will try to push myself on a giving subject such as moguls.

This year I joined a ESF class and we went off piste which showed where I need to work as a once a year skier I never hit powder weeks, which is good for the OH as she would not ski in those conditions anyway Sad

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

up4it, yes, I think so. It can be a bit intimidating here, can't it, with some sHs skiing complete seasons, and others getting off to the slopes several times a year. But don't be put off - if one weeks what you've got , that's the way it is, and it's a whole lot better than zilch. You'll still have a great time - nothing at all wrong with wide and friendly pistes. I had a great time skiing just those on my last afternoon's skiing. Oh, and stick around here - the common bond we have is skiing what we can.

A snowHead

Yeah Id say a few hours of private lessons say 2 x 2 hr may help you improve but Ive only improved from beginner to low intermediate so not in the best position to comment.

A snowHead

Yes, you can improve, just not as quickly.

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

Yes - just back from my annual trip (La Tania) - better style and more control and taking it onto steeper terrain too. Hoping to get another trip in this season tho.

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I definitely haven't improved since my Uni days. Probably because I'm now old and hampered by health problems, but also because I've only been half a dozen times since then...

However, I still love it and I don't really care how rubbish I am. If I'm enjoying myself and not endangering myself or anyone else, there's no problem in my book. It's not as if I'm ever going to be trading careers with Chemmy Alcott...

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I'm living proof that you can improve enormously in just one week snowHead

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Back in the 70's my folks took me on holiday for one week skiing each year. After 8 one week holidays I went on a BASI 3 (old terms) course and got great comments from the trainers. Each snow week was preceded by 10 visits to a dry slope to get into practice for the snow. The internet was not available in my formative skiing years so I read every book I could. When free skiing I would try and find the ski classes that were just above my level and follow them around the mountain, if I saw an instructor without a class I would clock in behind and follow them. You have to work hard but its amazing what you can do if you have an open mind and try. (gets more difficult as you get older though).

Improvement would have been a lot slower without the practice on plastic but, it all depends on how you spend your holiday. Do you spend a lot of time trying to improve or just pratting about.

These days there are a lot more "private" ski schools around and I think it is easier to access top end support if you have the money to pay for it. That said you can also do a lot of things off the snow to improve your balance and coordination ( the British Ski Team all have unicycles and learn to juggle), roller blades, slack line etc etc. Also don't forget fitness the fitter you are the better.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

fred, Sounds as if you had the main criterion for progression sussed... a boundless enthusiasm for the sport snowHead

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Undoubtedly yes............ I usually see most of my clients on the the piste on the 1st day of their holiday and at intervals throughout the week...... almost without exception they are better by day 6 than they were on day 1 regardless of whether they are having lessons or not.

Those who have had lessons do improve more than those who try and work it out for themselves.

Those clients who I've seen one season and the next have lost some of their "day 6" ability but I would say not all the way back to "day 1"..................

Help!!

Can you improve as a once a year skier?

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