 Poster: A snowHead
|
| kevindonkleywood wrote: |
We should behave professionally, have the relevant qualifications, ski like professionals and have a real passion to improve the clients performance. If we decide to make large sums of money doing so is irrelevant. |
Hear, hear!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Looking at it from a different perspective, it would be nice if more people learning and wanting to improve their skiing, would do a little research and reading regarding skiing technigue.
Most sports have magazines and websites on how to improve. Showing the why's and reasons for doing certain actions. Those participating in lessons often read these mags etc, and have a certain basic understanding.
You only have to look at all the Golf mags giving instruction. When a pupil turns up for a Golf Lesson, most have a basic understanding.
From what i've seen, there are a lot fewer skiiers reading up, and understanding simple basics. I often think there should be more instruction in British Ski Mags...Just an observation...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
spud, I'm sure that there are some factions of the instructing industry that would say that its a waste of time as anything in a magazine/book is too generic to apply to an individuals specific development points.
I don't entirely agree as I think something well written and presented can resonate as well as anything an instructor tells you (& I speak as someone whose primary source of telemark aide memoires is Allen & Mike's cartoon book much to the frustration of qualified teachers who I'm not good at listening to  ). I also agree that its not difficult on tinternet to acquaint yourself with any number of articles on how skis actually work and any number of clips of people skiing decently so if you are honest you can identify your ability gaps in targetting an instructor. Doesn't mean that those who primarily see it as a holiday will prepare themselves anymore than I'd study volleyball technique before a week at a Club Med (not that I've ever been... all that French espirit de corps etc).
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Thu 9-06-11 16:35; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I understand where you're coming from, but as for instruction through magazines or books, then i think there is a severe lack of quality reading for the British market.
Most books and magazine articles, are presented in a very old fashioned way, look boring and are not inviting to read.
You only have to look at Golf as an example...All books and magazines have instruction, many from Top leading Professionals and Teachers. Presented in an exciting manner.
I'm really suprised that more noted Professionals in the Sport of Skiing, have not put their names to books or magazine articles.
'Ski the Chemmy way'...' Do it like Bell'... etc,etc...you get the gist. I think there is a huge gap in the market for this.
Look at the Daily Mail Ski mag... what a waste of space that mag has become. Surely they have the nouse to make it interesting for a change. Some of their instruction articles are archaic.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
DMSS has usually an instructor from whatever resort has given them the biggest bung showing the average DMSS reader how to do a "sick grind" etc. Mags are a waste of space re technique - there are plenty of decent books though - I like Mark Elling's All Mountain Skier and I've a short Sally Chapman that's not total garbage. Neil McNab's on snowboarding is very good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
spud, there's normally an article by Mark Jones in the SCGB mag - sometimes it's good, sometimes a bit wishy-washy - but only ever a couple of pages. There's also normally something on fitness. But they're overwhelmed by advertorials and ski pr0n.
The problem in comparing skiing with something like golf/tennis etc., is that the latter are considered sports whereas the former (for the vast majority, even here) are hobbies/pastimes you do for one or a few weeks a year, have a good time, and then talk about it for the remaining 50ish weeks of the year. Very few of us actually do the week-in-week-out practice that amateur golfers/tennis-players do. So that's a very different mind-set. Even those who want to make technical improvements are more of the "magic bullet" than the hard graft school. How many here are regulars (and by that I mean more than a couple of hours every couple of months) at their local dry-slope/snowdome? Now take away those that are instructors/coaches? Not many left - even on a skiing forum! Books, and now DVDs like those from BASI, Warren Smith or FastMan, can give you an idea (sometimes a very good one) of what you should be trying for, if you're properly interested, but can't do anything if you don't put the practice hours in.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seriously tempted to take on the BASI lvl 1 myself this year. I spoke to someone at my local fridge a few months ago on it and they said it's around £450 to do it, with a 5 day course.
Is that price pretty normal or does it tend to differ and therefore worth shopping around?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Simmy, Hemel charge £460 plus £45 if you need to register your membership with BASI. This includes the 5-day course and the liftpass for the week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks guys!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Hi Guys, glad I came across this post on my first hit. Booked up for a L1 Alpine Instructors Course at Hemel starting monday week (20 June) . Cost was £505 as a non member.
Anyone else booked for that date? When I booked up last wednesday (8 June), they said they had four places left with a maximum of 20 delegates.
Having read Wayne's & little tiger's posts I would like to say that at 63 years of age my mind is well and truly set to try for the L1 qualification. I would also appreciate feedback from those who have already completed the course. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Dr No, did mine last year so either ask me on here or send a pm and i'll try to help 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
Dr No,
I was worried like you, they wont rip into you, they will give you demonstrations and drills before you get caught on film, I dreaded it but when I played it back I looked better than I thought.
They will tell you if it is the standard that would gain a pass, if you dont reach the standard they take you back and practice with drills until you reach the standard , they are helpfull and want people to pass.
Thats my finding but thats only one Basi course it may be different for others
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Sun 12-06-11 19:31; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
curtains, many thanks for putting my mind at rest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Dr No, Welcome to snowheads......you can never leave 
You will be fine. the BASI trainers are very good and even if you wanted to treat the week as one just to develop your own skiing you would enjoy it.
PM me if you have any specific questions
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Dr No, welcome to SNowheads, and good luck with the course!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
Dr No, If you are prepared to work at what they want you to change and make changes; you'll be OK; As you are booked in at Hemel; you should have a "magic" pass so you can stay after the end of the course to practicec (My guys who have done their B1 at Hemel were always allowed extra time to practice outside core course hours).
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
I've just taken the plunge and booked BASI 1 at Hemel. I'm booked on the October course. Prices as quoted above.
So now I've got 4 months to work on my technique and fitness.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Spud9, you don't have to be that fit. I suppose that's a subjective comment, but with that said it certainly wouldn't be a waste in case you decide to do your L2 afterwards which is quite a step up from the L1.
I passed my L1 after I'd been skiing 9 weeks so it's easily achieveable if you do what they say.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Spud9 wrote: |
I've just taken the plunge and booked BASI 1 at Hemel. I'm booked on the October course. Prices as quoted above.
So now I've got 4 months to work on my technique and fitness. |
If you want some help at Hemel just give me a shout, no charge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dr No,
Mounta1nGoat and I are booked for July. Not sure if we're ready or if I will survive but it should be an interesting week.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Spud9, good luck!
Re fitness, I think how much training you need to do depends on your base level of fitness. You want to be fit enough so that you don't get tired / too sore later in the course and it adversely affects your performance.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Do folk think you need to be doing some actual skiing before an l1 to get ski muscles working or just fitness work??
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
kitenski, Practising Central Theme would be my advice. The course isn't that physically demanding, but the fitter you are the better obviously.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Spud9, anarchicsaltire, Mounta1nGoat, fantastic. Very best of luck. I definitely don't want to teach - as I have no aptitude for it - so hadn't even considered trying to do L1, but someone said to me the other day that it's worth doing just to improve one's skiing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hurtle, I think you should have a go. It's incredibly cost effective for what the course offers, even if it's only used to improve your skiing. Work the cost out per hour, all spent with a BASI trainer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
anarchicsaltire, Likewise if you and MountainGoat want a session before the course, just let me know.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
kitenski, actual skiing i better, but fitness work better than nothing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Hey, guys.. Sorry for the long pause. I would like to thank you all for all the useful advice you gave me about my L1 course. I know some of you posters insist it's a doddle - but it's easy to say that after successfully completing the course... After reading the L1 Instructors Training manual, it seems to me far from a doddle.
VolklAttivaS5 Attaining L1 after only 9 weeks skiing, wow! I've got 150 skiing weeks under my belt, so Phil Smith & Ali Ross roll over 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Best I know of was a friend who completed BASI L1 after only 4 weeks of skiing.
I did mine after about 12 weeks, I felt I was fine for the technical aspect (which is not very advanced) but the "central theme", snow ploughing to the correct technique etc I found more challenging.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Spud9, anarchicsaltire, Mounta1nGoat, I assume you received a letter of confirmation from the Snow Centre? Included in that letter is a recommendation to attend pre-training sessions with a BASI qualified instructor. These sessions take place on Tuesday evenings 7pm-9pm at a cost of £39.00. I attended one last Tuesday and musehead, we practiced the dreaded snow plough.
Anyway I begin the course tomorrow - will it be the classroom or the slope we start off with?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| Dr No wrote: |
| will it be the classroom or the slope we start off with? |
I think they typically start of with a bit of time in the classroom to give an overview of the week and start off with some of the theory work you will get to grips with before the end of the course. Probably not more than an hour though.
Have fun on the course
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Dr No, Not had a letter, better give them a ring!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spyderman, kevindonkleywood, VolklAttivaS5, beanie1, Hurtle, Dr No, Thanks for the support guys, and the feedback. I need to lose some weight (well quite a lot actually) and build some fitness anyway, so having BASI 1 looming in October is good for concentrating the mind and forcing me to actually get into the gym/lay off the booze.
And thanks for the offer of assistance Spyderman. I get down to Hemel quite regularly, and have a few training sessions lined up already, so hopefully I won't need to take you up on your kind offer.
anarchicsaltire, I'll be really interested in knowing how you get on as I know how you ski. It'll be good to have another benchmark.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
[quote="smithski
One person on my L1 course (a couple of years ago) passed the course ... yet, she had only started skiing the year before and had never skied outside of a snow dome. Never set foot on real snow, never used a chairlift, never skied in a blizzard or had to cope with the challenges of Jagermeister. Doing the simple things the "BASI" way at a good consistent standard is what it's all about.[/quote]
Well, that's why BASI 1 does not qualify someone to teach in the 'mountain environment'. Personally I'm going to do BASI 1 to improve my skiing fundamentals and see whether I'm interested in taking the whole instructor thing further. I certainly won't be going around telling everyone I'm a ski instructor with just a BASI 1 pass.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
