Me: 6'1", 90kg. Boots slightly too big, but used to them. Skis: Dynastar Legend 85, 178cm. Bit fatter and a bit longer than I would normally go for when renting.
Had a good opening weekend, gradually turning these planks from enemies to friends, but two persistent problems:
1) Ended up in the back seat more often than usual, and got cross with myself.
2) Could not turn *FOR TOFFEE* when going off the edge of the piste into deeper stuff. Just got locked into a straight line until I found something groomed again. I'm sure that didn't used to be the case.
Over the last 3 years my skiing has been pretty minimal (and have been 50/50ing with snowboarding, so honestly about 3 days skiing per year for 2009 and 2010), so I am deffo out of practice, but do any of you lot recognize the above symptoms, are they related, what am I doing wrong, HAYLP!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
paulio wrote:
2) Could not turn *FOR TOFFEE* when going off the edge of the piste into deeper stuff. Just got locked into a straight line until I found something groomed again. I'm sure that didn't used to be the case.
!
Have you become French through osmosis? Check yourself for signs of a fartbag and gauloise.
More seriously you might even be Italian but then you wouldn't have heard of this off piste thing.
Actually it's probably a matter of recalibrating your expectations of how good you were plus unfamiliar skis etc. There is a lesson solution but there's also a blatt around on piste until you're really comfortable chucking the skis about then try off piste again. If you can't get to that stage, maybe you've got them mounted in the wrong place for you.
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?
I think they're just mounted dead centre. I didn't ask for anything special.
paulio, conditions probably not helping. There was rain up quite high and wind last week. Consequently lots of crusty stuff around that is very hard to ski on cambered skis.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
You mention back seat....that is most likely the problem.
Off piste I am fine on steeps - I just lift the tails and point the tips down the hill and stand on them...round they come. In odd flatter bits where I dont do this dynamic stuff, and where it isnt all soft and bouncy...I loose the plot like you. Needs working on.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Remember, you cant 'steer' in many off piste situations just by pushing the planks about (like on a board?I have never boarded so dont know) just wont work, you have to position the ski and ride the platform that results.
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.
Go for a softer ski, flex the ankles voila.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
paulio, I have the Dynastar Legend 85 170 (I think) - I am shorter and lighter than you but probably about the same proportion to my Legends as you are to yours. Their first outing with me was three weeks last season in Canada, nearly all off-piste. I soon got to love them - but it did take me (a frequent and quite experienced skier) a few days to get used to them. Knowing the skis, and as you admit you might be out of practice, my armchair advice today is...
a) don't get cross... To avoid getting on the back seat in the first place, ski with your arms held a bit further forward (and incidentally make sure you're planting your poles properly before going off-piste: no matter what some teachers say, it is one of the three essentials for successful off-piste skiing)
b) the other two essentials to happy powder turns are up and down motion (which you might have forgotten about if you've been surfing around on that board, and which some systems unfortunately do not really teach these days) and rhythm. Practise all these on the piste to perfection first - especially doing short turns on steep slopes - and then in easy off-piste, and no matter the length of your skis or the fit of your boots, you should be awaaaaay!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
paulio, perhaos stiffer skis pushing your weight back??
Go back to basics, do some easier skiing and concentrate on a good stance, weight centred. Do some drills, balance poles on wrists with hands forward to check your not leaning back....
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.
Cheers chaps, sounds like I just need a bit more of a hoon about on piste to get my chops back. Definitely will go for an off-piste lesson at some point - I'm clearly not cut out for the deeper stuff just yet!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
paulio, FWIW I recognise 'cross on new skis that won't behave'. I got annoyed with my new difficult ones when I first had them them, in fact nearly went back and got a set of easy hire skis!. In the finish I decided that they weren't going to beat me and got determined with them. My big 'light-bulb moment was realising that they found all the holes in my poor technique. When I then concentrated and skied them 'deliberately' according to what I had been taught in drills and lessons in the finish they came round and I'm sure (even if no one else is ) that I ended up skiing better as a result. On the strength of this I think the advice above - to go back to basics with them and do some drills could be worth doing. It took me about three days, but I cracked mine in the finish and maybe you will go through a similar process with your off-piste problem, but end up with something that is better than you had previously. I'd say 'persevere'.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
paulio,
As others have said to another 'back seat beauty' in a different thread - doing 180's on the piste (not in the air) helps to get you centered and get a good feel for your edges
Aim to just rotate down the fall line in a channel as wide as your skis.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Tue 13-12-11 11:06; 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:
I suspect that you are in the back seat and too stiff legged.
I'd suggest that you find a moderate angled off-piste slope and start on an angled/downhill traverse. To start with, just flex and extend your knees in a straight line - bouncing slightly. Once that feels comfortable, steer the skis through a turn as you extend. This is all a little more exaggerated than truly necessary but it should give you the confidence that your skis WILL turn and relax the tension in your legs that is causing some of the problems.
up and down motion (which you might have forgotten about if you've been surfing around on that board, and which some systems unfortunately do not really teach these days) and rhythm. Practise all these on the piste to perfection first
that's exactly what my local ski instructor Stéphane does with me - the first half of an off piste lesson is on piste, doing just that. He makes it look so effortless, I feel like a sack of spuds. It's a great thing to practice when just pottering round on piste.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
paulio wrote:
Cheers all. Not sure about that 180 thing. Looks hard.
1 delta angle, measure form the sole of the boot to the sole of the ski at both heel and toe of boot and see what the difference is...many of the look bindings have a fairly steep delta, this can if too great throw you into the back seat
2 "boots slightly too big" certainly won't help you in off piste conditions on a stiffer longer ski than you are used to
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
) that I ended up skiing better as a result. On the strength of this I think the advice above - to go back to basics with them and do some drills could be worth doing. It took me about three days, but I cracked mine in the finish and maybe you will go through a similar process with your off-piste problem, but end up with something that is better than you had previously. I'd say 'persevere'.
