 Poster: A snowHead
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The one single thing for me was during a season back in the 80's when I had what I call, a mind over mountain moment.
It was one of those blue sky days we all dream about, a couple of days after a metre of fresh had fallen. We had been off piste most of the day, and back then very few people ventured off piste, we were all smiling ear to ear and pushing each other to do more and more crazy things, it felt so comfortable just to ski and not think about anything except that great feeling of snow on your thighs, the sun on your face and camaraderie of a group of close freinds skiing together.
During one really nice run off piste, I was not even thinking about where I was going but knew the lift was down that way somewhere, I just dropped of what felt like a 30 foot cornice, landed it and carried on skiing, saw another drop coming up and pulled a huge back scratcher off it, when I got to the bottom I had that inner skiing feeling that it didn't matter what the mountain put in front of me I could just ski it without even thinking about it.
I wish I felt like that now, rather than WTF am I doing up here again, speaking with many skiers over the years, I think there is "that moment" when a realization takes over and skiing becomes pure joy. For those of you there at this moment hang onto it as long as possible, believe me as you get older it can go.
For those of you who have not felt this yet, you don't have to be doing anything extreme, some skiers have the same feeling after a great blue run, or reaching the next stage of development of a certain turn. So the single thing, that I always think improves your skiing is "yourself"
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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lessons
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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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Never had a lesson in my life, however have always worn ski boots for skiing.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Fri 7-10-11 9:25; edited 1 time in total
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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livetoski, done. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| fatbob wrote: |
| What is the one single thing that has most improved your skiing? |
Moving to the Alps and drinking Stroh 80.
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mutzig
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A pair of Nordica Speedmachine boots, custom fitted by a gypsey. So comfortable and soooo much feel and control.
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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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Being told I ski like a chalet girl 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Splitting up with my wife
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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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Spud9, good point. Marital split very good for my skiing too.
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You know it makes sense.
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Question is: how does a chalet girl ski?
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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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Pedantica, not at all like Rachel.
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Poster: A snowHead
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rob@rar, during one of your lessons at Hemel - an exercise to slide the downhill ski forward during each turn. A bit like a telemark split in the skis alignment.
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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: |
Question is: how does a chalet girl ski?
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With a prick, ooops stick in each hand.
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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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when learning to carve properly, engaging the uphill little toe before doing anything else, that just fixed so much for me. This year "arsch zum tur, kopf zum tal" how to carve at low speed, awsome advice from an awsome skier!
p.s. i fully agree that skiing is a series of lighbulb moments, its just down to a good instructor to know how to find them for each individual
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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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| Elston wrote: |
| rob@rar, during one of your lessons at Hemel - an exercise to slide the downhill ski forward during each turn. A bit like a telemark split in the skis alignment. |
Glad it worked for you. A square, strong stance makes it much easier to get good performance out of your skis.
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Elston wrote: |
| rob@rar, during one of your lessons at Hemel - an exercise to slide the downhill ski forward during each turn. A bit like a telemark split in the skis alignment. |
Glad it worked for you. A square, strong stance makes it much easier to get good performance out of your skis. |
Yep, one of my lightbulb moments too.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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RachelQ, and then being magically transformed into a hard chargin' ripper 
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 7-10-11 12:47; edited 1 time in total
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| Elston wrote: |
| rob@rar, during one of your lessons at Hemel - an exercise to slide the downhill ski forward during each turn. A bit like a telemark split in the skis alignment. |
Glad it worked for you. A square, strong stance makes it much easier to get good performance out of your skis. |
Up until that point I had a very set idea/(missconception) of what I should be doing.
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skimottaret, it's no good, I don't think you will ever recover your position! 
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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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Lessons 
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First lesson - learning to ski... as a percentage of transformation that one has to win...
Then if we want things to learn to improve skiing (as lessons got canned)
Edging...
Stance...
Balance...
Edging
Carving...
Outside hip...
Inside Half...
Fore movement with hips
Inside hip drive
NOT edging
Lateral Balance
Line
Summary - there is no ONE thing as skiing is a blend of all skills.... each ONE thing was an improvement in a skill that hauled my skiing level up massively... selecting any one would be a poor choice really...
If I have to choose one thing - how to pick a great instructor(as opposed to just a reasonable one) and the concept of what the difference between an ISIA and a full cert and a trainer/examiner was... and more so why it was that racers and race coaches were such good instructors for me to pick... the concept of skill development as opposed to just a good time while learning... Huge difference when I look back on it now...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A couple of things but interlinked:
1. Getting seriously fit.
2. Pushing myself really hard, not being afraid, and accepting that every now and then I am going to have monumental wipe outs.
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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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| Quote: |
rob@rar wrote:
Elston wrote:
rob@rar, during one of your lessons at Hemel - an exercise to slide the downhill ski forward during each turn. A bit like a telemark split in the skis alignment.
Glad it worked for you. A square, strong stance makes it much easier to get good performance out of your skis.
Yep, one of my lightbulb moments too.
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Warning! could lead to possible inner tip lead threads, take cover! 
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You know it makes sense.
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| SMALLZOOKEEPER wrote: |
| Quote: |
Question is: how does a chalet girl ski?
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With a prick, ooops stick in each hand. |
i thought it was with a rolled up tener in each nostril.. er.. hand.. wrong kind of snow though....
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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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i have two which had equal weighting in importance, but in very different ways
1) growing up skiing on "boiler plate ice" covered mountains - that will teach you everything about edge control, and ski tuning too as a bonus
2) understanding the alignment of my legs and getting boots customised to sort my knees/stance - it made an overnight improvement
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Poster: A snowHead
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Ignoring all other threads in this section of the forum will release the mind and allow you to feel and enjoy the sport.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Pedantica wrote: |
| Question is: how does a chalet girl ski? |
Usually to the next hut for another cake
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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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| fatbob wrote: |
| Spyderman wrote: |
| Rule No.1 |
Don't talk about Fight Club. |
You don't talk about that one.
Guess again.
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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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For me it was going on a ski weekend with a large group of far better skiers than me. I'd done about 4 weeks skiing at the time. Just as we were getting into the first bubble I realised I had left my poles at the chalet. Too embarrassed to hold the group up (I only knew one of them) while I went back to the chalet and unable to catch them up if I went back while they skiied on (I'd never been to the resort before) I skiied for the afternoon with no poles.
Their skiing was hard and fast and at the limit of my ability at the time, even with poles but the exercise (basically I pretended I was holding poles) and a few Mutzig stops did wonders for my confidence and although I have made steady improvement since then, that afternoon was a by far the biggest single leap forward for me.
To a lesser extent the whole weekend of pushing myself to do stuff I wouldn't have tried in different company was a game changer but that first afternoon still features large in my memory bank!
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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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There's been a lot of lighbulb moments, but if it has to be only one thing, I'd say stopping doing any other sort of work and skiing 200+ days a year has been the biggest help.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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For me... One word, Practice!
If you want an item then it would have to be a correct pair of expertly choosen, expertly fitted boots. They help no end and fit my feet so much better than my £99 pair of Rosignol Decathalon bought boots.
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Not being afraid to fail (or fall)!
Accepting that when you push yourself, sometimes you will not be successful is the only way to learn fast.
I am not sure where I got that from, as it came naturally from the very first week! (when I fell a lot, and yet still continued)
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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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| Bigtipper wrote: |
Not being afraid to fail (or fall)!
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See Rule No.1 
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I'm not afraid to fall, it's the faff of getting up again that I don't like, especially in deep snow.
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FAQ
