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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
dpaddym, You are absolutely right about the balance and core skills. Totally essential for the future. Very Happy If going to your local dry slope, so have a chat with the booking secretary to make sure you get an experienced instructor who will be able to help you. A new young gun, might also only be following the script!

Snowshark, Good post, but you rather seem to suggest that the beginner skier has to either be totally on their edges or else rotate their feet. I would disagree, and maybe you didn't mean it that way. There is steering the turn (not the same as rotation of the foot), and there is also learning to use the ski to turn you. Actually this isn't difficult to teach beginners either. All this from snowplough without going into the various methods of teaching without snowplough. I favour using the ski - why have these great skis and not use them?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
easiski,

Sorry if it's not clear. I don't want any beginner to be totally on the edges as it gets in the way of steering the skis by way of rotation - meaning steering of the feet. As you know, if the edges are locked, at low speed this can impede the beginners efforts to steer the ski. It often causes them to fall into the back seat etc.

As more advanced skiers, we're able to blend the edging and steering of the ski more effectively. Perhaps I should have clarified, with beginners in mind, that the learning of rotational skills at the foot is perhaps more important than advocating a fierce rolling of the edges into the snow which can impede efforts made by the beginner when first learning/attempting to steer the skis.

I reckon it is more important to learn to control steered/skidded turns than to try to edge and carve turns in the early stages of developing turning skills. That said, there's no reason why, on an easy slope, you can't get the client to experience the difference and gain more understanding. We know edges are not only used for stopping or carving turns - do beginners?

Many beginners appear to become fixated with jamming the edges into the snow unnecessarily thereby impeding any desire to control speed through controlled, steered, and skidded turns.

Do we really want them either locked to the hill with minimal forward movement, or heading off down the hill, unable to turn on ski tails?

Is it not better to focus on the easier slow speed turning skills and leave carved (plough) turning skills for later lessons when the client is more comfortable with speed and slightly more challenging terrain?

Is not having the skis flatter on the on the snow, easier for the beginner skier to develop balance and control while he/she develops basic turning skills?

Does not the progressive building of skills build confidence?

Does not the building of confidence often raise the desire to ski more quickly or tackle more challenging gradients?

If basic steering skills are coming on nicely, perhaps it is then time to reinforce those skills at the same time exploring edge control. (both progressive and aggressive.)

Not all beginners, as you know, are teenage racing snakes with rubberised limbs and no thought for consequences.

I do, however, feel that with modern skis and a progressive focussing on (along with posture and balance) rotational steering skills at the feet and subsequent building of pressure management and timing in the early stages of turning skills development, beginner skiers spend much less time locked into the eternal snowplough than they did not so many years ago.

Incidentally, the skills you taught me many years back are still with me and applied.
Toofy Grin Respect.

dpaddym, good luck with your next lesson. If you like technical, get your instructor to explain things in depth. Glad to hear the instructors in Austria were patient. Impatience in an instructor/coach must never be tolerated.

All the best.

Snowshark
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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?
Snowshark, Thanks, want to write proper reply but not time at the mo. Will get round to it later!
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Erhhh... late to the party, but might it be easier to ditch the skis and learn to snowboard instead? Toofy Grin
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
dpaddym, Soz to reopen an old post, but pertinent, perhaps.

I was told I'd never ski, as I couldn't snowplough, still cant, but as Tuxpoo said there is not much I can't get down now.

After Bracknell dry slope instructors decided I should try an other sport (it was miserable and a fortune in private lessons), I went to Aldershot. They skipped snowplough and went straight to parallel turning. A few (private) lessons there and I was fine for my first weeks skiing.

It is a pain not being able to check your speed using SP, but I've developed a sort of one ski plough, where I can get the edge of the leading ski 'in' at a an angle to the fall line with the other sat parallel, use this a lot in trees.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
allanm, sounds like half a side slip. Do you use the top ski little-toe edge as well? A side slip AND a snowplough can get you out of almost any tight spot.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
laundryman wrote:
allanm, Do you use the top ski little-toe edge as well?


Wasn't sure what you meant until I stood up and imagined having skis on Very Happy
Yes, with the lower ski on the fall-line, especially through the trees - if you're in a 'cutting', you can use the 'wall'. The combination gets me out of pretty much any tight spot.
I'm only talking about tracks less than about 1/2 a ski width, anything else is fine normally.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
allanm, out of interest, why couldn't you snowplough?
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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.
rob@rar, My knees simply won't 'take the strain'. Had to give up the BASI intro course last year after mild injury to one knee (trying to SP). People have subsequently mentioned canting boots, but now, as a recreational skier I'm pretty happy with progress over the last 3 years - I ain't ever going to be an instructor, so be it.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
allanm wrote:
rob@rar, My knees simply won't 'take the strain'.
Is it the rotational strain that is troublesome?
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
dpaddym, Colin will be able to set you straight. He reccomended a fitter near Belfast previously. So if getting to Bicster is not possible ask him about him. I cant remember who he said.
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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.
rob@rar wrote:
allanm wrote:
rob@rar, My knees simply won't 'take the strain'.
Is it the rotational strain that is troublesome?

Yes, rotational strain... I've also had problems running, which were cured to some degree. I do have some known 'ailment' name escapes me, but one symptom is that I never walk straight up or down stairs, always 'sidestep' a little. I also run with a tendancy for my toes to point outwards a little. Neither of these are problems in there own right though.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
allanm, have you been to somebody to look at your boot & binding setup? Might be worth a punt. It won't be a 'miracle cure' but optimum alignment for you might help reduce the strain on your knees.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
rob@rar, Yes, not that the lack of SP matters too much, I agree and I'm now thinking about new boots, they've done 20odd weeks now and are pretty knackered - had to replace the sole plates a few weeks ago, worn so much they wouldn't close the bindings. Wouldn't dream of not taking a trip to Bicester....

Edited to add... Funny thing is, I have my bindings set at eight, a little above what they should be for me, and they have released (rotationally) well before any strain on my knees, In fact I took a tumble a while ago, and could just feel the pressure build up on my knee, and though to myself.. 'Please release NOW' .. bang, it was off. No problem.


Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Mon 12-04-10 10:14; edited 2 times in total
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
allanm, Laughing
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