 Poster: A snowHead
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Booked my girlfriend (never skied before) in at MK snowdome for beginner lessons so that hopefully she is off to a good start when we go in 2006,but then I thought about myself.
Pretty much hit the dreaded “plato” with my skiing. I can be a good intermediate on my day or dreadful, although I think its because I’m a wimp and not so much technique that’s to blame, or maybe I am a wimp because of my technique but is there any point for me to have lessons at MK or should I save the dosh and have lessons at the resort- which I plan to do any way but I wonder if lessons and practice in a controlled environment would be beneficial for a skier at my level.
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brian
brian
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| Louis wrote: |
Pretty much hit the dreaded “plato” with my skiing. |
Ah well, you've got to be philosphical about these things ... 
(coat on and heading for door)
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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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Does the MK dome run "club" sessions, such as the three hours things they have at Tamworth? Tamworth lays on free instructors from whom you can get tips about your skiing. That's the theory, anyway.
Why not just splash the cash and have a go? Although the slope is small (in terms of pistes) I imagine an instructor will be able to give you some pointers.
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Louis, Have lessons at MK and (if you can afford it) at resort. You will benefit from lessons here in several ways. Firstly, a controlled environment is perfect for practise. You will get a native English speaking instructor - which always helps. Lastly, the best way to progress is to practise, and practise again, and again, and again - and having lessons at MK is an ideal way to do this.
No-one, ever, is too good for lessons.
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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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It depends on you level of intermediateness. A lot of intermediates can ski with perfect technique on a mediumly steep slope (like at a snowdome), it's only on either flatter or steeper terrain where holes in your technique show through. Personally I wouldn't bother with a lesson in a snowdome, as I'm not sure that there's too much that I would get out of it.
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my only experience of instruction at the Snowdome was very positive - good instruction and a fun day. Was snowboarding, but I expect the same applies. I don't think length and steepness of slope is too critical - we recently had some lessons in Les Deux Alpes, with easiski, and focussed on basics which are the same on almost any slope. A good instructor will quickly find some key things for you to focus on, and if you think about them between now and your ski holiday, you can consolidate them (mental ski-ing, cheaper than the other kind). I did find the snowdome lessons quite expensive, but you'll feel so left out if only your girlfriend gets onto the snow!
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Had some tuition at Tamworth, good exercise sets, considering refreshing skills later in the year, but I am put off by Tamworth charging £65 per hour for an instructor. MK do not disclose their prices on the website, has anyone paid for private tuition there?
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snowbunny, that's roughly twice the price charged in Switzerland for a private lesson ! 
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D G Orf, there ain't much competition in Milton Keynes! Not for ski instruction, anyway. 
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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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Wear The Fox Hat, I believe that I would not fit well into a group (class). I have specific problems, and I'd like them addressed er specifically. 
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You know it makes sense.
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snowbunny, you'd be surprised! I'm not advocating full size group lessons, but small groups (4 or 5), each student brings something to the group, which can mean you learn something you didn't think you had a problem with, only because someone else has the same issue.
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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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Louis, I've heard good things about the learn to ski sessions at MK. I think at that level they're pretty sound. The instructors will be variably qualified with ASSI (artificial surface? ski instructor) club or full instructor status which is fine for learning to ski. At a higher level, well it depends - on how good you are and how good your individual instructor is. The word on the street is that some are fairly good and some not so fairly good. I'm not sure how many are BASI qualified for instance. Actually, I know an alpine performance coach who is well qualified who sometimes works out of MK Xscape off-season. If you are (or anyone else is) interested, please feel free to PM me. He's fairly reasonably priced too.
The slope itself is good for practice and if you get a decent instructor you'll get a lot out of it.  As easiski, says the secret is getting the fundamentals right and all you need is the equivalent of a blue slope.
hyweljenkins, there isn't a club session to my knowledge, but there is an adult coaching session run on Saturday mornings.
snowbunny, I've never done it but I know the price for private tuition at MK varies according to season/demand. During peak it can be £120/hr . Currently I believe it's £35 per half-hour. Still not cheap.  Anyway, if you have specific problems to address, you might do better with higher level coaching (see above).
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Poster: A snowHead
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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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slikedges,
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At £120/hr I'd expect a BASI I who'd work a miracle on my skiing then wash my car afterwards.
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And do my boots up for me, and carry my skis at least
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| Kramer wrote: |
| It depends on you level of intermediateness. A lot of intermediates can ski with perfect technique on a mediumly steep slope (like at a snowdome), it's only on either flatter or steeper terrain where holes in your technique show through. Personally I wouldn't bother with a lesson in a snowdome, as I'm not sure that there's too much that I would get out of it. |
In that respect it's much like a lot of glacier terrain in having a consistent and fairly easy gradient. Advanced skiers, instructor, training instructors and racers use that sort of terrain to train a lot as it's the best to work on some aspects of technical skiing.
If someone's skiing with "perfect" technique on a those slopes then they're not an intermediate by definition.
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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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ise, A skier may be able to ski technically well on a moderate well groomed slope, but cannot use their skills properly on a steeper/rougher/narrower slope. If they can't make the transition I believe they are still intermediate IMHO.
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slikedges, it's not really a club - their three hour discount sessions. Wednesday/Friday morning, and a couple of evenings IIRC.
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Fair enough. SnowHeads have voted, and it looks like I'm wrong!
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| snowbunny wrote: |
| ise, A skier may be able to ski technically well on a moderate well groomed slope, but cannot use their skills properly on a steeper/rougher/narrower slope. If they can't make the transition I believe they are still intermediate IMHO. |
In which case they're not skiing technically well, QED
I know why this causes a minor flutter for UK skiers, it means just hammering around the hill on reds and blues a little faster each year behind the Crystal rep on this years latest skis isn't going to improve their skiing at all.
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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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| snowbunny wrote: |
| ise, A skier may be able to ski technically well on a moderate well groomed slope, but cannot use their skills properly on a steeper/rougher/narrower slope. If they can't make the transition I believe they are still intermediate IMHO. |
Interestingly when I've seen coaches and instructors with trainees they steer well clear of difficult terrain when working on fundamentals and weak points. That applies to coaches training skiers right up to World Cup level as well.
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ise, PG, My point -which I failed to make clearly, was that all the necessary skills and capability is there, but that there are psychological barriers to utilising those skills. The results can be seen as "survival" skiing.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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snowbunny, in that case they need to practise a little more on some easier ground until it's more comfortable .... QED, slam dunk, home run
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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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ise,
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QED, slam dunk, home run
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No not really, I believe that there are lots of skiers, who are in this situation, practice all day on the bunny slope makes no difference, they also know the theory, but competence under pressure continues to elude them. For some,the block will have nothing to do with skiing, but whatever the reason it takes a skilled, patient coach to get them over the problem and onto the next level. 
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You know it makes sense.
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If you ski well on the bunny slope - you'll ski well on more difficult slopes - by ski well, I mean according yo your own experience (i.e. a i week skier skiing well will be very different to a 10 week skier). Anyone (with a sufficiently experiened coach/instructor) will improve by practising on 'easy' slopes.
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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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snowbunny, I'm afraid I cannot agree! ise, is right! While the psycological side cannot be ignored, if someone really does ski technically well on gentle slopes they will be able to transfer (gradually) onto steeper slopes, but that means: practise on greens, then easy blues, then difficult blues, then easy reds etc. However you have to practise each leveluntil you reach a point where you're comfortable. this doesn't mean that you shouldn't occasionally try out steeper slopes, but you can't transfer directly. "Survival" ski-ing (which usually leads to a lack of survival) is generally the result of the aforesaid technique not being practised until it's "normal".
What mostly happens is that they ski adequately on easy slopes but with technical faults which seem insignificant at that level, but affect them badly on steeper slopes.
ski, has put it into context.
PG,
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Poster: A snowHead
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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actually, I got more or less knocked of my bike. Some guy in car going way too fast on a narrow track forced me off the road and I fell off. That was in the Vaud, they're so French and drive like it as well 
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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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ise, But the bike is ok? And you're all right? 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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thanks, we're both fine
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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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slikedges, have you asked your alpine performance coach friend what he thinks about the inside ski?
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Alan Craggs, is that a leading question?
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FAQ
Wow, warm day. Better have a rest, you don't want to overdo things, but I guess it all depends on how you define vigourous 