 Poster: A snowHead
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I know we're not at the end of the season yet (quite a long way for some places), but I was wondering what tip, advice or bit of self-discovery has most helped you improve your skiing this season?
I've got three, which I'll add a bit later, but does anyone want to start us off?
It would help if, in posting, that you were to add a header of:
Piste / Carving / Short Turns / Off Piste / Bumps to indicate the topic and...
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced / BASI (Instructor) Level x to indicate your level
For example:
Bumps
BASI Level 3
This'll, hopefully, help people scan the thread for ideas to steal and try...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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(Damn - should have put this in Bend Ze Knees. If there's a mod about then please move...)
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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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Offpiste/Variable
Raging against the dying of the light
Speed really is your friend. There's a reason that those who are really good ski everything fast and fluid and its because everything becomes easier when you're planing much higher and or punching through chop.
General
Bunking off early on a day you're skiing like a turd to sit in a spa or hotspring works wonder for your technique for the rest of the week.
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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 hate to admit I really haven't had one... which I suppose leads on from feeling, as I looked at a somewhat snowbare Mole that I hadn't really had much excellent skiing this year, despite all sorts of great intentions.
No, wait a minute, I did. Yes.
Equipment (Boots)
Trust in the bootfitter, always.
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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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meeting Alan Partridge
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Deep(ish) fresh. Speed is your friend, the fact that everyone LOOKS like they are leaning back is actually that they LOOK like they are leaning back, they are not in fact leaning back, just that the ski tips are up and tails are down(ish) gives the optical illusion. As my instructor said, "now you've made a titty of your self, by the way that double ejection was spectacular, keep a small amount of pressure on the front of your boots and it WILL work"
AHA! That's how you do it.
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Off piste
Adv int ( but beginner in the backcountry )
Work hard at staying as high as possible on a long traverse to gain the best possible start to your run
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off piste, intermediate
rockered skis make everything easier 
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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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NTN baby
the click was huge!
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Havin Fun Everywhere, Level Hmm!?
Following my 11 year old daughters line, her first proper blasts in deeper stuff...
Downside- Wish I'd had a helmet cam!!
Upside- Helmet cam sorted! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Rocker works.
Some decent fitness training makes a big difference, especially to stamina whilst skinning.
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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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clarky999, skinning what? 
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Intermediate (I hope!) - Piste - mixed turns, speed, confidence
I don't know if I would push myself in the same way, but at the end of a second 2 hr private lesson I was following the instructor at what felt like some speed through a variety of turns open, closed, 90 degrees, 180 degrees, all following in the instructors ski tracks on hard packed fairly challenging piste (for me) and I suddenly thought 'I might really be 'skiing' here'. It felt pretty damn good.
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You know it makes sense.
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Piste
Intermediate
Skiing on Volkl Mantras made me realise how bad the edge grip on my Missions is. I shall be changing their edge angle when I next service them.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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instructor type CSIA not quite 3...
Bumps/Variable -
I found that maintaining steering up to/in to transitions made a big difference for me - much more flow and control. I've been teaching it as "keeping a turning effort on the ski all the time so they can't shoot away". Technically I had it introduced as keeping rotational tension all the time. Exaggerating steering the platform back under the body helps in general for cleaner transitions.
All-round -
I've been playing with the feeling of trying to feel stacked and balanced on the outside ski constantly - hard one to explain but it feels way more solid when maching around through crud, and the cue I use to check it is if I'm feeling pressure on the shin of my boot I'm doing it wrong, and I should be able to feel my whole footprint stood on the ski in pressure phases (I'm a very closed ankle skier so rarely feel the back of my boot, which this is improving too).
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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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Skiing faster has been mine, everything has become so much easier.
Level: I can turn both ways.
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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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Bumps, BASI Level 2 seeking 3ish
Bumps are like people - they're all individuals. Treat them the same and you're dooooomed!
You have four choices for any individual bump to:
- ski over the top of it; rotate at the top and skid down the back
- ski around it as it if wasn't there
- ski at it and use flexion/extension to "absorb the bump away"
- ignoe it by jumping over it.
As you move down that list, then less the rotation is important and the more than flexion/extension matter.
I ski bumps the best when I'm ballsy and ski at them.
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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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| Spyderman wrote: |
| I can turn both ways. |
Country and western...?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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DaveC, I find it interesting that you find focussing on steering more helpful and I've found focussing on "lady's front bottom the bump and sod steering" as more useful for me.
The joy of skiing is that we're probably trying to do exactly the same thing, but just have to think of it differently...
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scooby_simon,
Cool beans! Building on great memories for our kids futures, "they" just don't realize it yet!
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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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| gatecrasher wrote: |
scooby_simon,
Cool beans! Building on great memories for our kids futures, "they" just don't realize it yet! |
Yep! problem is he now wants some 137 Atomic SL12's for his Birthday!
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Piste
Intermediate
Problem: Loss of confidence and therefore ability.
Cure: Ski with snowHeads - amazing supportive bunch of internet weirdies - nuff said.
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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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My Aha moment came right at the start of the season after buying a pair of big fat Line Pro Ep's...
Have absolutely ripped everything in sight....
Why bother with anything other than massively fat??? ( women obviously a different matter altogether ) 
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You know it makes sense.
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Spyderman, I have a sudden feeling of dread about saturday.... 
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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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scooby_simon,
Ouch!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| skimottaret wrote: |
| dive in boyo |
You've been hanging out with rob@rar for too long!
He'll have you signing Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau next...
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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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| gatecrasher wrote: |
scooby_simon,
Ouch! |
yep; his current pair were given to him by one of my guys at Gosling. Might have to do the one my parents used on me for boat bits....
"We'll pay 1/2 once you have saved up 1/2"....
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Straighter line = go faster = help I need to move very fast!
Really focusing on line really changes how race course seems... all slows down when I get the line right... gates come at you more slowly...
Tuck turns really feel much better once I get the above sorted... Oh yeah I'd forgotten them - and forgotten how secure they feel... (plus side Fastman says I look really comfy doing them - so all that work on them years ago on roads must have helped)
Inside leg focus really helps get higher edge angles back after the summer break...
Counter and inside hip drive really help with keeping bits away from catching on gates...
Knee angulation is handy sometimes when the skis are not bending because speed is not there yet! Almost natural now - yay!
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Skiing with a guide can get you to "Interesting" places after all.
Skiing deep enough fresh to feel it hitting your elbows is recommended.
Token technical element:
If skiing denser fresh, pushing both ski's forward through the turn can help.
Big fat skis are a cheat. Must get some 
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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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scooby_simon,
| Quote: |
Might have to do the one my parents used on me for boat bits....
"We'll pay 1/2 once you have saved up 1/2"....
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Hmm... Not sure if you'll get away with that one! the trouble is they grow out of them so blummin quickly, mines on her 3rd set in 18 months!! and as they get beyond 130s and go to wood cores etc. the cost goes up to around £300+ a pop. Going back to what you were saying about kids managing well on race skis in conditions we probably wouldn't consider ideal, my daughter actually chose practicality over "huhumm!" possibly fashion this year and ditched her trendy twin tips for her race ski's, she definitely skied with more "grunt" on them in all the conditions we came across, admittedly only around 18inch's max, but if you apply the skiers height method for sizing kids skis, their weight vs ski length ratio can in a lot of cases be considerably lower= more float.
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Forgot the one I'd put in earlier in the season - concentrating on inside knee projection really helps in making more dynamic turns with wideish skis.
Also despite the cliche - you can buy a turn. Pick the right ski shape for the conditions and your personal ability, morphology etc and it will drag you round some turns that you just wouldn't have made on a less appropriate ski or when knackered.
(Disclaimer before the Tuition Police clamp down on me: no substitute for thorough grounding and toolbox of skills, only applies in limited circumstances, your mileage may vary, you may experience drowsiness, do not operate heavy machinery)
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Wed 6-04-11 10:02; edited 1 time in total
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FAQ
