 Poster: A snowHead
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Had my first two weeks on skis earlier this year. They gave me 120cm skis (I'm 1.65cm and 56kg). By day 4 I was doing parallel turns.
Got to Chamonix a few days ago. The hire shop gave me 155cm skis. I asked for shorter skis, the 146cm, but the woman insisted the 155cm are the right size for me. Two days on the slopes with these puppies and I'm really struggling to turn them - they are heavy. My turns have become a hybrid snowplough drag thing. Very inelegant to say the least. Is this a normal reaction for a newbie skier using longer skis?
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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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flowa, whatttttttttttttt...??
fair enough if it works, but it tired me out just reading it all... 
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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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flowa, what the ?!?! 
Zero-G, It is two things. Yes firstly learning on 120 skis made things a bit easy for you but wasn't the best move as they're much too short for you as your skiing progresses. Second thing - it's totally normal to go slightly backwards between ski holidays. Only one things for it at your level I'm afraid - take more lessons! Week 3 of skiing you probably still want to be having lots of lessons, as you become a more experienced skier you'll still need lessons, but also more practice time in between.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Zero-G, were you in a lesson? If not I suggest you shoud be and also suggest the instructor will help more than snowheads 'on the day'
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Zero-G, One step forward can be 2 steps back sometimes with a gap between...
It gets easier as you groove in the muscle memory but it still takes time now and again...
Welcome to skiing..it is what keeps us coming back...and you'll always be learning anyway...
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I'm rather with kitenski on this. I have found the best way to imporove technique is to be with a good instructor. easiski has transformed my skiing, and I still like to have a session of instruction with her once a year. I am also thinking of booking a lesson at the EOSB. However, to return to the OP's point, longer skis are more difficult to work properly for a beginner. More experienced skiers will probably only notice that they are less agile on long skis.
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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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Zero-G, I'm with kitenski too. You are a very early skier - how many days lessons have you had? You absolutely can't expect to be skiing proper parallel turns on full length skis after 4 days unless you are athletically fairly gifted with top class proprioception. Yes, sliding around on short skis.... but that's not quite the same thing. You will get very frustrated unless you get some lessons. 
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pam w,
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You absolutely can't expect to be skiing proper parallel turns on full length skis after 4 days unless you are athletically fairly gifted with top class proprioception.
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Disagree there actually - I'd say end of day 4 it's fairly common to see people doing basic parallels... children anyway. At least as common as it is to see people still struggling to snowplough turn!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I've had a total of 2 days of group lessons at MK, three days of private lessons in Saalbach and have completed day two of four days of lessons here in Chamonix. The Cham lessons are group but a small group of three people. Yup, frustration is definitely the problem because I was expecting to pick up where I left off in Saalbach 3 months ago.
Anyway, just another challenge to overcome 
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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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Yup, frustration is definitely the problem because I was expecting to pick up where I left off in Saalbach 3 months ago.
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Welcome to the world of skiing Zero-G, ...
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| beanie1 wrote: |
pam w,
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You absolutely can't expect to be skiing proper parallel turns on full length skis after 4 days unless you are athletically fairly gifted with top class proprioception.
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Disagree there actually - I'd say end of day 4 it's fairly common to see people doing basic parallels... children anyway. At least as common as it is to see people still struggling to snowplough turn! |
This is the point really, the poster was doing parallel turns on REALLY short 'skis' - were they a cross between blades and skis? were poles involved? I am 162 and ski 155s - they are absolutely the right length for your height for an all mountain ski. I think the short skis maybe gave you a false sense of security - yes you could turn and feel like you were progressing but now you have normal size skis (which you will need if you want to improve your technical ability and ski more conditions/pistes) and are struggling. I think the shorter skis to learn on were a false economy. Although I know some ski schools use blades to teach on for the first few days so there must be some logic there. I can't give much advice accept to say that you should just persevere with the longer ones and 120cms are neither here nor there. They're not blades and they're not 'skis' for what you want to do.
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You know it makes sense.
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Zero-G, don't fret over it. There are any number of things that could be happening, and all of them mean you will be a better skier soon.
155cm skis will be harder to pivot than 120cm skis. If your parallel turns involved pivoting then, well, there it is.
155cm skis will be heavier to step with than 120cm skis. If your turns involved stepping to an edge or lifting the inside ski, well, there it is.
155cm skis will take more control of tip pressure to engage properly and more time to complete edged turns than 120cm skis, even with the same sidecut. This just asks for a small change to your timing and expectations.
What no one has yet mentioned is that you could have a different make and model (and FIT!) of hire boots this time 'round. Now /that/ you can fix.
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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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Zero-G, 120 is too short. I put my students on really short skis compared to the norm, but unless you're a miget I still wouldn't put you on 120s. The jump from them to 155 is probably too much. Insist on the 146 which will help a little. Also, you should not worry about whether you're snowploughing or paralleling. I suspect that your 'parallel' turns were not real turns but just a pivot of the skis with a slide (as mentioned before), so now you have to get the ski to turn properly and it's taking you time. Don't be frustrated, it's all perfectly normal. Having said that, who's the customer in the shop? you must stick to your guns and get the shorter skis and move up gradually.
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Poster: A snowHead
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beanie1, JT, Do you play Pool or Snooker? In my mis-spent youth I used to play a lot and I found that if I balanced the cue on a finger tip inbetween goes I played better. The penny dropped for me that my body was developing a muscle memory for the weight and form of the cue so rather than it being an alien addition to my body, it became an extension of it.
It didn't take me long to carry the idea over to other activities including skiing and I've found it makes a difference.
What I suggested to Zero-G is something that I do on the first morning of every ski trip and everytime I put a different pair of skis on (although I'm happy to click into both bindings first). Doing it introduces the skis to my body so that they become an extension of it rather than an alien addition. I find it particularly helpful during ski testing as the difference between binding settings (being forward or back of where I normally ride) makes a significant difference to the tip and tail weight (I know you know that, sorry - put the egg down, no need to suck it, but others may not).
Memory isn't all in the mind and introducing the weight and form of the skis to my body before setting off kick starts my enjoyment.
Hey, anyway, that's my theory and I'm sticking to it. Works for me, works for other Pool players and skiers I've shared it with too. Try it, you might like it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| achilles wrote: |
| However, to return to the OP's point, longer skis are more difficult to work properly for a beginner. More experienced skiers will probably only notice that they are less agile on long skis. |
I experienced much the same. I started skiing on 140s (I'm 1.68 ), then moved up to 160s later and it took me quite a while to get used to them and stop crossing my ski tips. I then spent a while skiing on skis in the mid 150s then went up to 168 and found that transition easy peasy - the only difference was experience and time on snow. Also don't be hard on yourself, it's normal not to be able to pick up where you left off when you've had a break like 3 months. I even find it when I'm skiing every day, it still takes a run or 2 to get back to where I was at the best point of the previous day. And as for between seasons - what the devil are these strange planks on my feet? But as experience comes, you expect this and re-familiarisation takes less time.
OTOH I have a friend, female, who is at least 6 ft tall and, following a successful battle with leukaemia, she skis on 120s. Her lung function and fitness have been left permanently impaired by her illness and she's just comfortable on short skis - and skis them very well, I should add.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I am currently sporting the widest, cheesiest grin. Today I found my parallel turns again 
And I also found my groove - it all just fell into pace, despite the conditions quickly turning to slush in the blazing sun.
Thanks everyone for the encouragement!
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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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Zero-G, And now you will be able to go faster round your groove
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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On my super long skis (stuck with the big boys). Bring on the longer, fatter powder skis!
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Zero-G, Nice one, 
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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
Ahhh - Those were the days - Men were men and worked 26 hours a day down the pit before walking 35 miles home etc. etc..
