 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Megamum - I'd say you all need to work on turn shape... at the moment you tend to hoik the skis around and then hang on in a traverse... and repeat...
The Minimums do better skiing the course. Minimum 1 takes an extra wide route - she could make the apex of her turns a little closer to the gates.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
A ski instuctor told us that a family who skiis together stays together... are you prepared for this? Our children (and now grandchildren) are still sking with us. It becomes expensive!
I like your ski style, just like mine 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
margaret, LOL - it's already expensive - I'm just waiting for the hit that will be having to buy adult priced lift tickets when they get a bit older!
little tiger, I must admit I was disappointed with what I was doing when I saw the video, I had thought that I was making a better turn shape these days, but it would appear not. Though what I am sure of is that I can make fairly safe progress down much steeper slopes these days than I used to. The trouble is as a holiday skier there is not a huge amount of skiing done in a year to be able to improve overall style from one year to the next.
I still want to go through Minimum_2's footage from when he was wearing his Kodak playsport and see if he has caught me doing anything better than what I post above - though on the stength of what I've already posted I don't think the odds will be in my favour!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| Then here is me |
Pole plants...?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I wouldn't worry about your speed. You look safe and in control, which is probably more than a lot of these guys who've clocked up 1,000 kph on their gps! I'd blame the snow. It's just not smooth enough  .
(rob@rar does have a point, though ......)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
rob@rar, somehow I thought you'd spot that
Strangely in our lesson when we did the old style turns he taught them as pole, shoulders, push the heels and then every time I made the pole plant. However, it seemed counter productive as I then seemed to start reaching for the plant at the wrong time when I experimented after the lesson and this also seemed to skewer the shoulder orientation so I was then left in two minds about whether pole plants were good for me or not.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| Strangely in our lesson when we did the old style turns he taught them as pole, shoulders, push the heels and then every time I made the pole plant. |
For your skiing I think that's terrible advice, compounding the weaknesses you have in your technique. Sorry!
Obviously you've made big changes and improvements to your skiing side I first saw (video of) you, but more changes are required if you are to ski as well as you would like to (although that can be said for just about all of us, me included). A pole plant isn't a magic solution which will suddenly turn you into a pro skier, but a good pole plant can help with timing (and maybe help you change your turn shape) as well as helping to stabilise your upper body. Worth you persevering with...
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
rob@rar, the trouble is I don't ski often enough to make huge changes quickly. Are there a couple of glaring weaknesses that I should focus on first before trying to fix others, or is it one huge 'compound error'. Do I do anything that is positive? As a linked aside I did notice that as the slopes became steeper and more churned/mounded that my stance became wider and I'm fairly certain that this isn't a good thing, but I did wonder why it happened and was there something fundamental going on that I should be aware of.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Megamum, I'm just about to drive to Wales, but will give you a fuller answer as best I can later (probably tomorrow). In the meantime I'm sure lots of other people will chip in with sensible comments. Very quickly, the two things I would work on if I was teaching you would be to make more effective flexion and extension movements, and use these to influence the size and shape of your turns. This would be in conjunction with being more skilful in rotating/twisting your skis (more control by twisting your legs without needing the rest of your body to be too closely involved). I don't think there are any major faults with your skiing, just stuff that you can do better to become more skilful. Although please don't work on pushing your heels out as that would very quickly become a bad habit, IMO.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Megamum, wot LT said. Also, I think an instructor would get you to do some exercises with exaggerated vertical movement (which will help with a more continuous turn), because at the moment you're more or less static.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
I've just looked at that second embed of me again - there is a bit of traverse between them rather than continuous turns, but I swear they look a bit more S like than I have achieved in the past. There is the odd one of two that do actually seem better than the others.
laundryman you are referring to the sink down at the end of the turn and the 'up' that unweights the skis at the start of the turn - yes? Yes, it is something that I don't have - why does that particularly help the turn shape please?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Megamum, yes (though when exactly weighting and unweighting occurs as you move up and down occurs requires quite a bit of thought!).
Physics aside, the up/down motion is another factor that helps with overall rhythm. It should be continuous (i.e. you should only be still instantaneously, when you are maximally flexed and maximally extended).
Now for a bit of physics: as your centre of mass accelerates upwards from your fully flexed position, your apparent weight increases (try it on the bathroom scales), causing an increased reaction through your skis, which provides the centripetal force that will pull you round your carved turn. Provided you get onto your new edges at the top of the turn, this will set you up for a nice, smooth, controlled turn (you will really feel that control); as opposed to a nervous rotation of the skis as quickly as possible through the fall line, or an urgent side-slipping brake at the end of the turn.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
laundryman, Good explanation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Megamum, well done for sorting out how to post the videos (let alone how to ski). I'll leave comments on the videos to others, but I do sympathise with your "one week a year" issue. When I started feeling I was never going to improve in one week a year we wondered about renting a place for the winter, and renting out our house in the UK to pay for it. In the end we ended up buying a place in the Alps (and converting part of our our UK house into a studio/bedsit to pay for it). I do think that except for the athletically gifted few, skiing more than a week a year is pretty important to improve - certainly was for me, and there was no way I have afforded to do that when the kids were little.
SO - the kids are having a ball and becoming confident and versatile, you are improving steadily; what's not to like? 
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| Quote: |
If it is maybe I should have a few sessions at HH this year instead - IO seem convinced that they can help with skills even within the limited confines of the indoor slope
|
absolutely - no question that you can improve vastly with the right emphasis/instruction. I'd be there more often if it wasn't so far - and therefore expensive.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Megamum,
Braver than me for posting those ... Minimums, probably more skillful than me. Must work harder at those drills!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Megamum wrote: |
| the trouble is I don't ski often enough to make huge changes quickly. |
Megamum - I'm just starting to learn some cross country(backcountry skis) and classic nordic track. Remember that my friends and brothers friends were instructors in this stuff and sent me to learn alpine due to my balance issues. For me balance on skinny skis is really really hard.
I sympathise with the limited time to learn part but I will say this. While one week a year may be less than ideal learning situation you will probably not improve a lot without some effort to do so. (Unless you are an athletic type like Fastman.) Surely one week of trying is better than no weeks of trying?
I'm not suggesting you spend all day in lessons or doing drills. Simply that you devote a part of your day to focusing on learning new skills. Who knows you may find it makes the skiing part easier and it may be easier than you think to incorporate into your skiing. The thing is until you try it you will not know.
I'm currently spending a little time at the start of my nordic track time just doing some simple drills. Ideal? Probably not - but I tried a lesson and the instructor was not for me. May try some elsewhere if I get a chance. Once I head out to ski the trails I just try to get some of the drill feeling into my skiing, or focus on how the drill movment went etc. I think you could possibly do similar.
You really could do with just some work on turn shape - the family I skied with recently all progressed massively once they improved their turn shape and edging skills (yes play with sideslips and spins - the minis will find it fun). Mum in particular went from green/reluctant blue run skier to skiing blacks. So did the kids.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Megamum, you are obviously passionate about skiing. As a Mum your are understandibly concerned about how the Megaclan are progressing. However, if you do not consider your own development then the minimums will soon surpass you. Of course you should do whatever you can to aid their development, but it will be much more fun for you, and for them, if you are developing your skills in parallel with them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
sloop,
| Quote: |
if you do not consider your own development then the minimums will soon surpass you
|
They will whatever she does. I don't think there's ever been a parent on here, whatever their level of competence, who hasn't complained affectionately about being out-skied by their kids.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Megamum,
| Quote: |
IO seem convinced that they can help with skills even within the limited confines of the indoor slope
|
They definitely can. There's many here who will attest to that, not just me. And there are videos of us all to prove it, not to mention quite a few people who are on the BASI path now, having honed their skills in IOS clinics first.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Hi Megamum. If I was working with you the first thing I'd address would be turn shape. You're currently doing an aggressively pivoted Z turn > long traverse > Aggressively pivoted Z turn > long traverse > Aggressively pivoted Z turn > long traverse > repeat to infinity. You need to learn to shed the pivot, be patient during the top 1/2 of of the turn and let the skis change direction gradually. Change the Z shape to a C shape. Then eliminate the traverse. The end of one turn should be immediately followed by the start of the new turn. Strive for a path down the hill that resembles: C turn left > C turn right >C turn left > C turn right. Not a path of: C turn left > traverse > C turn right > traverse > C turn turn left > C turn right.
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Thu 1-03-12 3:23; edited 1 time in total
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
| little tiger wrote: |
You really could do with just some work on turn shape - the family I skied with recently all progressed massively once they improved their turn shape and edging skills (yes play with sideslips and spins - the minis will find it fun). Mum in particular went from green/reluctant blue run skier to skiing blacks. So did the kids. |
Little Tiger has understated the improvements these three kids she worked with made. Humility I suppose. She took them from being terrified in wedge turns on the gentlest green trail you've ever seen, to all three of them qualifying for the NASTAR National Championships. Turn shape training will take a person far.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well only two of them were scared... and only one I had to have hang onto my poles the whole trip down...
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
| Pedantica wrote: |
Megamum,
| Quote: |
IO seem convinced that they can help with skills even within the limited confines of the indoor slope
|
They definitely can. There's many here who will attest to that, not just me. |
Best skiing lesson I ever had. Fact.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
Megamum, kids seem to be loving it. In order that you can ski with then for a few more years can I suggest a formula that worked for me: Each year you must have 4x the lessons and skiing days that the kids have.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Sell the kids. This has two benefits: you can use the money to buy more ski lessons; and you need never fear being shown up by the little ones out skiing you.
There'd probably be some disadvantages as well, I guess.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
There'd probably be some disadvantages as well, I guess
|
Having trouble thinking of one.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| rob@rar wrote: |
| Sell the kids. This has two benefits: you can use the money to buy more ski lessons; and you need never fear being shown up by the little ones out skiing you. |
Now, now, I'm sure MM skis better than her goats. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
laundryman,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Glad to see you all had a great time, I have given up worrying what I look like, I just love it  did you enjoy the Austrian gastronomy? wheres the trip report? is minimum1 at WDF now? I forgot to ask Tom,
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| Quote: |
I have given up worrying what I look like
|
I don't "worry what I look like" but I do "worry what I ski like" - which means working at it. I think MM might be confusing the two.
little tiger, interested to hear about your skinny track skis - I started doing exactly the same, a few weeks ago, and it's difficult, isn't it? The slightest incline is worrying!
Megamum - there's a lot of advice on other threads about balance work you can do - anywhere. Whilst cleaning teeth, washing up, waiting for the kettle to boil (even, in one case, doing the ironing  )
Takes no time, needs no equipment, costs no money. Makes a big difference.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Glad shes settled well, Tom is loving it too. Will have a read, we're off to Austria for 5 days next week, no kids!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Megamum - losing the traverse is part of it but you really need to learn how to control your turn shape and vary it at will to give you the control you seek.
Check the turn shape and skid angle links I posted in the other thread for you. (From the glossary) This will give you the control without the need to shove the skis around or shove on them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| pam w wrote: |
| Quote: |
I have given up worrying what I look like
|
I don't "worry what I look like" but I do "worry what I ski like" - which means working at it. I think MM might be confusing the two.
little tiger, interested to hear about your skinny track skis - I started doing exactly the same, a few weeks ago, and it's difficult, isn't it? The slightest incline is worrying!
Megamum - there's a lot of advice on other threads about balance work you can do - anywhere. Whilst cleaning teeth, washing up, waiting for the kettle to boil (even, in one case, doing the ironing )
Takes no time, needs no equipment, costs no money. Makes a big difference. |
Yep - me too - I want good technique forget how it looks. Worry about how it looks leads to stuff like dumping the hip to "look like a racer" not that functional really.
Tiny hills that are almost flat are fear inducing... considering I skied Birds of Prey course just a few weeks back on alpine gear it is laughable. I did notice this time out that the hills on the same track as my lesson the other day had shrunk considerably... because Fastman and I had been wandering around a golf course/nordic track on slightly steeper hills in the week between. My snowplow works Ok on the skating track but backcountry on refrozen snowshoe tracks it was quite dodgy!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
However, having gone to the trouble to get the footage I might as well do something with it - so here it is warts and all - any feedback appreciated.
. In my support I am going to say that we were skiing deep fresh snow that was getting a little churned up and it required a different technique to the dancing on ice thing that we did on holiday last year!
