 Poster: A snowHead
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Sharon1953 and I have been discussing the above.
Any suggestions?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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You could try adding "enjoy" to that list? 
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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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As skanky said, just so long as you enjoy it, does it matter whether you're good at it or not? If you are frustrated by a lack of technical ability you could always try (more) ski school. It's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks when it comes to skiing (at least that has been the experience of this old dog).
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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 ski skiing. It works well enough for me...
Who says you're "crap" anyway? if we want to explore deeper - what do you want to get out of skiing (honest, serious question!)
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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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IMHO the definition of a fast bowler in cricket is someone who can intimidate and beat a batsman with speed. What is required is therefore different at village and international level. Also when I had an old peugeot 104 I think I got much more excitement at 105 mph than any of the Ferrari's going past at 130.
Likewise in skiing, extreme skiing is the ability to intimidate yourself. The exhileration / fear some may feel on vertical 'off piste' in Alaska is possibly the same as I feel taking 6 inches 'of air' by mistake on a red run.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Fruity, if you really want to commit yourself to skiing, improving and getting to grips with the rudiments of technique (and there are only half a dozen of them) there's no alternative to putting yourself in the hands of an inspired instructor or coach.
In my case it was Ali Ross at the beginning of May on Cairngorm in 1974. An investment for life.
2-4 weeks of full immersion sets you up for life.
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I did buy a video.............................
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A video of what?
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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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Buy a snowboard 
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skiing for intermediates. It just doesnt have the same feel on carpet though ( I need a snow fix).
masque, I tried blades and that was hard enough, now snowboards and I just dont get on ...... I have been there, tried, got the teeshirt and gave it back.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Fruity, You should have stuffed it down the back of your pants and tried again. 
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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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| David Murdoch wrote: |
I ski skiing. It works well enough for me...
Who says you're "crap" anyway? if we want to explore deeper - what do you want to get out of skiing (honest, serious question!) |
I just want to do one black run, just a little one and not panic, throw poles at husband or storm off piste in a huff. ( I do enjoy skiing by the way.... but its the fear, the cold sweat and the trembling that gets to me).
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Probably the best thing is to tilt the carpet to a steeper angle. Cushions make user-friendly moguls.
If you still get a cold sweat and the shakes, maybe take up curling.
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You know it makes sense.
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It 's good to have goals (mine is currently to do a bit of gentle but nevertheless proper powder skiing), but several years ago I gave up the idea that I was ever going to be a particularly good skier. I enjoy skiing as well as I can, someimes push myself on something steep and bumpy, and thoroughly enjoy my skiing.
Unless you really are going to be a racer or something, what's the point in worrying about not being 'better'? I'd like to be better looking (as if that was possible) and richer, but I'm not. The only bad skiers and boarders are the ones who don't understand their limitations and are a danger to themselves and others.
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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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Okay well
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| throw poles at husband or storm off piste in a huff |
is just a case of not doing it. The panic bit is just building up to it via steeper reds and lessons. I recommend the lessons.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Masque wrote: |
| Fruity, You should have stuffed it down the back of your pants and tried again. |
I like the sound of that masque.
cheers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Fruity, in the words of the psychiatrist in the Fawlty Towers episode, how often do you manage it? Practice makes perfect - aided by lessons! 
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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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| Quote: |
I just want to do one black run, just a little one and not panic, throw poles at husband or storm off piste in a huff. ( I do enjoy skiing by the way.... but its the fear, the cold sweat and the trembling that gets to me).
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I have a two word suggestion "Les Contamines" (which I probably have spelt missly).
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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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Fruity, See if you can find a copy of "skiing is only a game" by Peter Lightfoot. There are several exercises in it that will improve anybodys enjoyment of skiing.
ISBN No 0 906754 20 8
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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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Mark Lehto, are you thinking of the black off the back of the ridge (Col du Joly), overlooking the Hauteluce valley? It's a real ego piste: usually beautifully groomed and you can carve all the way down it. I've often wondered what makes it black.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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An Austrian instructor once told our group in my 2nd year of skiing that all slopes were the same and that all you required was " sharp edges and confidence ". I think what he meant was that the technique is the same irrespective of the gradient.
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hibernia, when a mate of mine was in ski school, someone in the group asked what colour the run was that they were (at that time) halfway down. The instructor responded with a shrug and a "They are all white."
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shanky - thats amazing - one of our group asked the instructor ( which started the conversation that lead to the above quote ) what was the colour of the piste we were on and he also said white and added that in summer it was green and finished off with the comment about " sharp edges and confidence ". That was in 1996 and for some reason always stuck in my mind.
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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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hibernia, maybe it's part of instructor training?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| And you won't find them at ESF |
Indeed? You've met them all, then?
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| PG wrote: |
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| And you won't find them at ESF |
Indeed? You've met them all, then? |
No, PG, that is, of course, a wild generalisation and taking the Micheal, hence the smiley  However, I do know some who have worked for the ESF and who have left due to the inabilty to develop a teaching style and client base that suited how they wanted to teach. "You will teach the ESF way or not at all".
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You know it makes sense.
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Ah, I'm reassured. You really needed the winking smilie then.
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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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To be serious (but maybe helpful) for a mo' ...
Part of the mind says "I must do this to prove I'm good" or "If I do such and such I might fall over and hurt myself".
This part of the mind prevents another part which says "I love skiing" from not only enjoying itself but also from allowing the subconscious mind to perform what is capable of.
Try reading "Inner Skiing" by W. Timothy Gallwey and Robert Kriegel and it may unlock your potential
OK - serious bit over. Good luckFruity! PS where are you skiing this year - it maybe someone can recommend a top tutor
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Poster: A snowHead
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Take a selfish week away by yourself and give it 2.5 hours a day for 6 days with a top instructor - worked for me. Not that there isn't room for further improvement!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Fruity, I think Mark may be right. Also try skiing without the hubby, I've booked a 2 day women only course when I go to Whistler at Easter. needn't be a week without him, just some skiing time.
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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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Book lunch at the Bel Air in 1650 and accept the complimentary Marc digestif after - it was a great confidence-builder for me!
My first black run achieved in style. Not to be generally recommended, though, needless to say. A great lunch, though.
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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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Fruity, to build up to doing a black run with confidence, I think that you need a couple of things. You need to be out with someone who really knows the resort well, and you feel confident in. To start with try straight lining down a blue, it will give you some confidence at speed, and help you to warm up. Next move onto a bumpy red, have some fun on the bumps, and then move up to a black that has recently been pisted. Try and ski this as your last run before lunch when it'll have had some sun on it to soften it, and you'll be skiing at your best. Repeat as necessary, and soon skiing a black run won't be a big thing for you anymore. 
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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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Blimey Fruity,
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throw poles at husband
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you're not Mrs Timberwolf in disguise are you ?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Fruity, Why do you particularly want to ski a black run? There's a lot of truth in the statement that all pistes are white. The whole point is that if anyone is worked up about what colour the run is then they probably aren't all that good anyway. If good they'll ski any colour without remarking on it, unless it's exceptional. there are lots of places with black runs which are really red, and some with blacks that are really blue. If you skied one of these, would you then feel that you'd done a black? Of course since every resort makes up it's own colours the colours are basically irrelevant. It is absolutely true that if you ski technically well the steepnes of the run does not matter one iota.
Follow the advice about lessons, but be careful to select your teacher and make sure they know what you're looking for
David Goldsmith, Ali Ross is the only ski teacher in the world in my opinion to justify "guru" status, and that's really because he started teaching carving method back in the early 70's and also stuck to his principles and stopped being a BASI trainer because he refused to teach what he didn't believe in. He's still going, but doesn't now teach in the school holidays - lucky man. Many of his clients have now been ski-ing with him for 20 years or more.
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| David Goldsmith wrote: |
Probably the best thing is to tilt the carpet to a steeper angle. Cushions make user-friendly moguls.
If you still get a cold sweat and the shakes, maybe take up curling. |
How about makeing the carpet do the work?
http://www.skitrawers.pl/ang/ang_index.htm
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The sports I have played where there is always opposition eg. squash, tennis, rugby, hockey... getting people to train 3 hrs a day for a week is unheard of (as in ski school). I know this from experience of captaining a side. Other sports however eg. skiing and golf, where the only real competition is oneself, the training, obsession, equipment etc become more intense. Perhaps the only real enemy is ourselves, who else cares if we are any good.
Speaking for the brits not many of us are on the international stage  !
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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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I so want one of those skitrawer things to go in my front room.
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Fruity, come to the EpicSki Academy next year: Snowbird 29th January - 2nd February. I'm sure that will have you going down at least one black without fear.
And if it doesn't, I'll buy you a beer at the closing ceremony.
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FAQ
ONLY JOKING) What you need is instruction, but not just any instruction. DG quotes his experience with Ali Ross. Ali had ( probably still does) a great abitilty to comunicate in such a way as to get you to do it well. There are a fair number of instrucors around who can also do that - its just you have to find them. And you won't find them at ESF 