 Poster: A snowHead
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Just thought I'd share a couple of thoughts on ski teaching Bulgarian style for you gurus out there to analyse.
My mate had a 'lesson' with a local ski instructor hippy dude in Bansko. Very nice guy But completely barking. The session consisted of one warm up run and then he Took my mate in to a hut to meet his liftie pals where they spent the next half hour drinking local firewater. He emerged half cut for a carving masterclass. I thought I'd better follow them to see how he was doing. All I could see was this dude turning up hill and finishing the turn almost doubled up with his butt in the air and face practically touching the front of his skis. Bizarre. So I skied up to him and asked what he was doing to which he replied: "to carve you must ski like a motherf@cking gay man". Suspect you probably won't find that in any of your BASI manuals!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
"to carve you must ski like a motherf@cking gay man".
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 aha, that's where so many are going wrong then!
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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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| Gsyfreerider wrote: |
| "to carve you must ski like a motherf@cking gay man". Suspect you probably won't find that in any of your BASI manuals! |
Page 34, 2nd paragraph.
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Gsyfreerider wrote: |
| "to carve you must ski like a motherf@cking gay man". Suspect you probably won't find that in any of your BASI manuals! |
Page 34, 2nd paragraph. |
rob@rar I think there's a whole new chapter on it in the new manual when it comes out....only hearsay I must add 
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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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Bet they where drinking Mastika! Dobro
After a few shots of Mastika and a few cevapcici you can carve like a muvafucker (in your own mind)
PSG
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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After drinking a bottle that arrived via macedonia (ski instructor friend ) in a former coke bottle, I thought my carving was pretty dam good!
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Try some Romanian Tuica Pronounced( "Tsweeka") or Palinka. You don't even need to leave the house. All skiing then just becomes a conceptual thought before sitting down.
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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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You know where I live. Palinka, also Hungarian.
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I like the Austrian method "Boozen" incorporates breakfast schnapps followed by jagertee breaks. loosens the legs for that last awesome carve of the day with both legs synchronised some of the time. Beats dragging nose in snow, bum in air Bulgarian style hands down. (also not included in BASI manual.)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I do, and I happen to have a bottle. It just turned up one day, with some Romanians who wandered in. All the pop bottle Tuica from last year was useful on the barbeque aswell.
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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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FWIW, I work with a few Bulgarians in Saalbach and they're all great skiers and teachers.
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I also have several Bulgarian friends, also instructors etc. Great on the mountain and in later in the bar with a well earned drink - pretty much the same as my Austrian friends. And so the banter ensues...
But in the end, is not the whole point of the sport, fun. to show the client a good time in a safe manner with some development as an objective?
In all seriousness: given the article at the start of the thread, could it be that the instructor in question was simply as described?
Without knowing the full facts or continuance of the session it would be difficult to form any coherent opinion as to what was going on.
Was it an example of some sort of guided discovery; perhaps extremes of pressure on the front of the ski coupled with posture and balance?
Was the next phase of the session trying to do the same on the tails of the skis etc?
Was the alcohol a bad attempt at relaxing a client for the drills ahead? (or plain old hair of dog?)
As for the termino;ogy used in the starting article: it made me smile. Another attempt to relax a client perhaps? 
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You know it makes sense.
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Snowshark, basically I was just taking the pee a little bit but in a good way. My mate had a great time. Anyone who goes there should get to know the locals. The instructor also worked in a ski shop and every day we came in to the shop at the end of the day To drop our skis off he insisted on taking us around the back to sup his home brew for a couple of hours, we went out to eat with him and his mates a couple Of times and we had a blast. Ironically my mates skiing definetly improved so maybe the manuals can be thrown away! Wish I'd filmed it.
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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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Gsyfreerider, I agree.I tend to visitBorovets and getting to know the locals is the best way. Most people appreciate any crazy antics a particular instructor may use to get their attention. There are also those who are never impressed with anything an instructor tries. The odd one or two with closed minds who disregard the advice of their instructors or fail to discuss their concerns with the Instructor. yet those same folk are happy to moan to other people or strangers in bars.
I stopped by to say hello to a friend of mine in Borovets year before last. He had a couple of Brits in a private for the day.
Over the next couple of days I got both sides of the story.
Saw the couple in a bar. The moaning began.
1. No, they hadn’t enjoyed the lesson. No, they hadn’t learned anything. They had been confused by it and chose not to take any more lessons.
2. They had reluctantly agreed to hire modern skis as the instructor didn't want to take them on the hill with the kit they had. Couldn't understand why. They were taking the skis back.
3. Complained they couldn't understand what they were being taught or why. What was wrong with feet together. (Slope had been boiler plate)
4. Didn't like the fact that the instructor was trying to teach them to suck eggs. They could already ski well enough.
5. Claimed the instructor didn't speak very good English. (His English is better than that of some Brits. He also has compassion, a great sense of humour, and an understanding of the needs of a developing skier)
6. They wWanted to know why they were being told to do things in a certain way. (being shown how to do drills and exercises) what was the point. Never had any problems with their own skis.
7. Bemoaned the fact they weren’t being shown around the mountain.
8. Complained at having to use drag lifts.
9. Complained at being on a slope with other group lessons.
10. Generally complained about everything.
When I suggested there might have been reasons for the drills, they fired back: ‘What reasons?’
I tried explaining my thoughts, they fired back: “But we can already ski. We just want to get better.”
When I asked them if they had discussed with their instructor, my friend. why they were doing the drills; one of them said, “no,” sheepishly, then turned nasty asking what I knew about it?
It was time to go.
Later spoke with my friend.
1. They had turned up with ancient skis circa 1975. Claimed the bindings were safer than modern bindings. They hadn’t skied for some years.
2. It had been suggested that as they hadn’t skied for a long time, they might consider trying new style skis (at heavily discounted price) they had agreed happily. Saying they would try them for the day.
3. They were shaky at best having not skied for years. Given the conditions, it had been decided to remain on the easier slopes. Both were in agreement.
4. They had however, seemed suspicious of his methods so he had made the drills as simple as possible for them as they didn’t appear to want to try anything except keep their feet locked together or knock knees.
5. When I told him what they said he replied: ‘Then why do they take and pay for lessons?’ he was most taken aback. ‘They said they had enjoyed themselves.’
My friend later found out they had taken another private with another school. Same result – and had moaned to their next instructor about the previous. And of course, Borovets being Borovets, many of the instructors know each other – colleagues and or friends on and off the hill. Word soon gets around.
They were seen later in the week, sliding around like Bambi on their own ancient skis, shouting at each other instructions.
My friend is a great guy. Tells stories and pitches lessons at the level of his clients. He is mindful of safety and of other skiers/boarders on the hill. Tells stories, jokes and gives advice about Flora and fauna if asked. He is also happy to suggest places of interest and entertainment when asked. Generally, groups who take lessons with him, enjoy and often seek him out on subsequent visits.
He/amongst others, works extremely hard at not only delivering lessons, but in keeping his clients entertained.
Haven’t seen him sticking his rear in the air yet though. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Been to Borovets once, was back when I bothered with a week's worth of lessons, the instructor was amazing, spending days on the mountain then evenings with us too. as there was enough of us he took the entire group of us(slightly mixed levels) as one group and even offered to film us skiing on one of our videocamera's to boot. At the end of the holiday we got together and bought the camera off the guy in our group who owned it to give to the instructor as a gift seeing as he'd just started teaching his son how to ski.
The snow was disappointing if i'm being honest but that was the only downside to the holiday.
Bulgarians are good people.
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FAQ
True carving is only achieved after some real glasses of Mastika. (Bulgarian Viagra) At least in the ensuing dreams 
