 Poster: A snowHead
|
11/11/10 - Have revived this thread...latest post is at the bottom!
(After lurking on here for a while, thought i'd try and make a contribution! Warning...long read!)
Well, after much deliberation, I decided that I would stop just watching tele skiers in awe...and actually attempt it myself!
Bit of background to me...I'm 19, and have just started at university this year. I have skied alpine since I was around 10, and have to thank my parents for taking me skiing when I was younger and getting me into it. When on a chairlift last year, however, I noticed a fellow doing something very curious on his skis...his heels were free! As he ripped a wonderful tele turn below me, I had to ask my dad (a snowboarder!), what the hell the other guy was doing. The reply was something involving the words "telemark" and "hard". Anyhow, I thought nothing more of it until I came to uni, and mention of the ski trip, when I thought to myself...'chicks dig telemark'. 
Anyway, I'm not here to spark another discussion on whether girls actually do dig telemarking or not! I trawled through the websites for indoor ski slopes fairly near to me, trying to find any information on telemark lessons. Unfortunately, I found no info whatsoever, and turned to trusty Google. One particular website came up that grabbed my attention (www.telemark-skiing.co.uk), and I got in touch with the guy running the website, Matt Higginson. He informed me about a 3-hour taster session he was running at Xscape Castleford. Although it's not my nearest indoor slope, I booked myself on, watched cool videos of tele skiers on YouTube, and did absolutely zero preparation (bad idea!).
That particular session was last Sunday (6th Dec), and i'm pleased to say that whilst I enjoyed it immensely, I now know what 12 weeks at uni, drinking and doing no excercise does to you! Matt was a fantastic instructor, and after 20-30 minutes getting used to the skis, doing snowploughs and balance exercises, we moved onto more telemark-specific techniques, traversing in the tele stance and then learning to actually turn. I seemed to be doing fine up to this point, until a fellow pupil asked the instructor why the skis wanted to keep turning up the slope, and just as the mind works, I was then plagued with the same problem, no matter how hard I tried to use the instructor's solution!
It was at this point that I unfortunately did not continue to progress as well as I hoped. The group of us being taught, of around 9, began to split as some progressed faster than others (and me!). Matt definately did a good job here, and ensured that neither 'group' was being held back or being pushed too hard. Anyhow, I eventually found my balance slightly better on the skis, and moved onto the main slope. Again, I struggled with both the traverse and the actual turn. On the traverse, I felt like I had no control over my edges at all, and I kept turning uphill no matter how much I turned my shoulders downhill. As for the turns, they were getting there; but my knees were taking an absolute hammering. It was at the 2 hour mark where I felt like I was actually making progress, and then inevitably, my knees and legs began screaming in pain so badly that I was finding it difficult to hold the tele stance through the turns.
At the end of 3 hours, I still felt that I simply did not have the control that I had on alpine. I was merely surviving to get down the bottom half of the main slope...I can't believe I didn't fall over in the 3 hours! I will be the first to admit that I was initially rather disappointed in seemingly how little I had managed to achieve in the session, but I cannot say that I didn't have a damn good time. Now to draw some conclusions...
Factors limiting my progression:
-First time on skis again in a year, then straight into learning to tele.
-FITNESS!
I guess I can't really fix the fact it was my first time back on the snow in a year, but I definately can fix my fitness. Needless to say, next term after Christmas, I will be bringing my road bike with me back to uni. As for my knees, I am hoping they will improve slightly with some training, or with technique as I improve my tele skiing.
As my instructor said to me, the key (and as with anything!), is practice. I have never owned my own boots and skis before, but am currently on lookout to see if I can pick up some basic 2nd hand telemark kit (with my tight student budget, in mind!  ). Embarrassingly, however, I have no idea what size skis I need, so have got back in contact with my instructor to find out what I hired off him on Sunday!
I apologise for the ridiculously long post this is, but hope to update this thread as I try to continue to my dream of being a decent telemark skier, and hope that any others looking to get into tele skiing have an idea of what learning is like! 
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Thu 11-11-10 10:27; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Buzzsaw, welcome to snowHeads! I'm sure you'll be curtseying down the slopes in no time!  You should join the telemarking snowHeads who regularly ski at Hemel some time. They are all very nice!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Buzzsaw, fun aint it?!!
Matt sells gear from his site too so keep an eye out there for some gear deals. Also get yourself over to telemarktips.com, good forum included in the site (a bit north american-centric, but good banter and info on there nonetheless)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Nice first post . Let us know if you ever prove the "chicks dig telemarkers" theory as I find the not-washing and beardiness acts as a counterpoint
Oh & stantoni will try to lure you to Hemel for the tele steeze sessions.
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=54240
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 9-12-09 23:57; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
and btw, the chickies love it
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Awesome dude, I keep meaning to try telemark but haven't got 'round to it yet...
Someone is selling cheap/second hand tele-gear on the natives.co.uk forum atm by th way...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
...and pat they come...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I always tell myself I should have a go and never get round to it. At BUDS (British Uni Dryslope Champs) this year I met this smashed sweed who tried to convince me to have a go down the main slope at Hillend in Edinburgh. Not wanting to die I declined although I'm wishing I didn't now..
What Uni you at buddy? Away with their Christmas trip this holiday?
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
I've always wanted to be able to tele turn my XC skis. After reading this perhaps this may be a bit too ambitious.... though I have seen norwegians do it but most of them are practically born on skis.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Buzzsaw, hello - welcome to snowheads.
Also read this book http://www.amazon.com/Allen-Mikes-Really-Cool-Telemark/dp/1560448512?tag=amz07b-21 it is really useful.
3 hours wasn't too long and as you have been lucky to ski lots already, are lucky to be 19 and sound reasonably fit anyway it should be quite easy to get going. Actually for me getting really slowed down and feeling like a beginner again is an attraction! Once you find your balance I'm sure it will be physically less tiring and more fun.
Regards fitness- skiing- even on tele gear is weird for sports as it is the only one I can think of where the level of fitness required can actually reduce (up to a point) as you get better/faster. I am not very fit at all really but can ski alpine quite fast (in control) on and off piste and can tele for most of the day without needing suplimentary oxygen- although on tele gear I am much slower and resyt quite a bit- but this is good and better for skiing with Mrs Ed. Whilst fitness obviously helps a lot technique - practice will get you further to start with.
As for telemarking being a pussy magnet- I have no experience of this- as I am generally loathsome and grotesque- but I wish you all the best- 19, at Uni , skiing, telemarking to try and pick up women- does life get better than that?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Buzzsaw, Welcome and have fun if you get your hands on some ankle high leather boots you can find your center quickly but it is a tad bit hard on the body, bonus is how well you come to find where your center is.
I break out the leathers every opening day and while it's harder on the legs I'm so centered by the end of the first day that I don't need to struggle finding it.
Enjoy and yes there are women who love tele skiers especially the buns of steel. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
As I may be trying telemarking this winter, this is a good thread.
Does anyone have links to a) instructional videos for beginners and b) good telemarkers just skiing (but not stupidly good, doing powder turns - something on a piste where you can see what they're doing)?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
horizon +1 for Urmas' videos on teletips.
I've got a DVD called something like freeheeling which is ok although introduces concepts by some dude then goes off into clips of tele rockstars doing their ski porn shizzle as illustrations.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
narc,
I would love to be able to do decent tele turns on my xc kit - i practice whenever I'm on the dryslope at HNOC, but am still useless at it. Its much harder than on shaped, wide, metal edged skis. I can manage one turn at a time, but can't link them. getting better at wide teleturns on rollerskis though, but still no up the standard of the squad skiers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
tele rules. I'm only a recent convert, but I am definitely going to spend at least half of my next trip practicing.
As the Hemel Telesteeze crew know, I've not yet got much of the aforementioned ski porn shizzle, but I do have a hippy hat.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
the powderwhore films are pretty good. I think Matt at telemark-skiing.co.uk sells them, or you can get them direct from powderwhore.com but you may get caught for duty etc
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Well, a gift from Amazon appeared this weekend:
As recommended, thanks guys. Had a flick through both and overall they both seem to offer the same sort of advice, just in different formats. Really looking forward to giving some of excercises a go for real. As expected when the books arrived, my parents went on about how "I'd never get on with telemarking" and that "You'll go back to alpine skiing", so I'm trying to put those thoughts out of my head, or I really will never get anywhere on teles!
In other (boring) news, I believe I have located a pair of basic skis, tele bindings and boots. Score! Oh, and I splashed the cash on some new LEVEL gloves and some Nordica merino wool socks (TK Maxx, awesome!).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
those are the ones you need
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Maybe you could start a proper blog about it (check wordpress.com for a free one). I imagine it would interest a lot of people (including me) and could be of use to people outside of snowheads.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Great books.
| Quote: |
As expected when the books arrived, my parents went on about how "I'd never get on with telemarking" and that "You'll go back to alpine skiing", so I'm trying to put those thoughts out of my head, or I really will never get anywhere on teles!
|
I've not used anything but my telekit for about 4 years. Its never stopped me going anywhere. If I don't feel like, or conditions aren't suitable for doing teleturns then I don't. Parallel turns are just as easy on tele kit as they are on alpine kit. I just do whatever feels right at the time. The few times I've tried fixed heel kit after tele kit - its just felt very restrictive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reasons to Telemark
It looks good
Chicks love it
It feels good
Its f....ing difficult
I can do it
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Buzzsaw where is your local dry slope as I am qualified to teach tele (BASI level 1 so only on an indoor or dry slope) But in 2 years never had an opertunity to, apart from the northern tele festival as Castleford where Matt Higginson gave me an chance for 2 hours (under his supervision for the first half hour) and I loved it due to it being more chalenging to teach than Alpine.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
Buzzsaw, you'll need to grown a beard now
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rocksteadee, come and join the folks at Hemel...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| FlyingStantoni wrote: |
| Rocksteadee, come and join the folks at Hemel... |
May well do that, when do you get together?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| clarky999 wrote: |
| Maybe you could start a proper blog about it (check wordpress.com for a free one). I imagine it would interest a lot of people (including me) and could be of use to people outside of snowheads. |
Might do, but from past experience I have found that I quickly forget to update them, etc. At least on here I can just update the thread if something new has happened whilst i'm reading through the rest of the forums. Will consider it though, cheers.
Rocksteadee, my local dry slope at home is Swadlincote, Derbyshire and at then when at uni, Telford in Shropshire...quite away from Dartford if that's where you are I'm afraid!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Buzzsaw, welcome to snowheads and to telemarking. I can't vouch for whether telemarking is a babe magnet but I can tell you it is a guy magnet (for us telebabes!) ! 
Here's the proof: I was in Hintertux on a tele course last month and in the bar I got chatiing to some guy from Denmark. I asked if he was a skier or boarder; he said boarder. In response I merely pointed at my tele boots (to indicate my preferred discipline) at which point he got off his bar stool, knelt on the floor in front of me and (with arms outstretched, praying style), literally worshipped at my feet!! He explained he had seen telemarkers on the slopes in the past and thought it was the coolest thing on earth. Now that was fun!
Rocksteadee, the next Hemel tele session is Sunday 20th at 9am - check out the thread under "snowEvents"
http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=58465
zammo, I missed your inagural session at Hemel, so hope to see you in action soon!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
|
|
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?
|
FlyingStantoni, it would have to be a very strong foot fetish to want to worship them through a pair of duck billed telemark boots!
I prefer to think of it more as telebabe fetish
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Wow- I really am resurrecting this thread from the dead! Forgive me mods, I hope you don't mind. 
Well, after about a year of collecting together my own tele gear, but not doing any actual skiing, I attended another tele lesson last night at the SnowDome, again with SSE coach Matt Higginson. After my previous lesson, I felt pretty disheartened that I hadn't really clicked with my tele-turns, and pretty much sucked getting down the slope.
I can proudly say, however, that after last night's session, I'm fairly sure that I managed to actually rip a few alright tele turns (as bystanders looked on in awe). I'm still struggling slightly with the concept of equal weighting on both skis, but as I really concentrated on pushing that back ski down, I felt like I was getting somewhere! My linked tele-turns weren't particularly astounding, but I'm confident that it will come with practice.
I have the pleasure of skiing in both St. Anton and Val Thorens this year, both of which I cannot wait for, as I haven't been skiing in a resort for 2 years. Now that I have my own gear, I'm going to be trying to get to the SnowDome regularly for practice, so I will try to keep this little blog updated as much as possible!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Buzzsaw
Good effort, keep this going otherwise people will thnk Telmarking is dead
When are you due to be in St Anton and VT as I am skiing in both resorts this year?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Rocksteadee wrote: |
Buzzsaw
Good effort, keep this going otherwise people will thnk Telmarking is dead
When are you due to be in St Anton and VT as I am skiing in both resorts this year? |
I am in St Anton 22nd Dec-2nd Jan, and am in Val T 1st April-8th April...quite the opposite ends of the spectrum!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You are not quite ready yet but sounds like you are improving, I look forward to lashing on leather boots and skinny skis every opening day just to recenter my tele stance, never a doubt the rest of the season. Keep up the effort it is very worthwhile when it all clicks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buzzsaw, good luck!
did you get some boots/skis/bindings? what did you find etc
hav you watched stepfan dufor on youtube!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Buzzsaw,
Sadly we will be in the same resorts at different times together
If you are after buying any tele gear eg skiis and bindings, there is a shop in St Anton used to be called Petes Tele, did mainly tele gear and found out on the last day that i could hire a pair of skiis for a week and change them every day to try all different ones.
If at the end of the week I bought a pair he would have waived the rental for the week........that was a few years ago and don't know if he still does it
Will be going to go myself and try the NTN if he has some
Not buying any more skiis as have got to get the use out of my Scotty Bobs but am tempted by the NTNs but that would need new boots as well....may have to cut out a few luxuries, like food, shoes for the kids..........
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
