 Poster: A snowHead
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..... how hard is it?
Serious question as I've never been on a pair of skis in my life and was thinking about trying it this Easter. I can ride the whole mountain on a snowboard (including park) and whilst I know that being able to snowboard does not equate to being able to ski, I understand edges and how they work etc (albeit only being used to one in contact with snow at any one time  )
Will I be able to hire some skis and just have a crack (don't worry I'm not going to be heading for the black runs straight away), any tips for a first timer?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think if you're just looking at it as a bit of fun, then I don't see any reason why you couldn't hire a pair of skis for a day or two and give it a go (if the right terrain is available). Obviously I'm going to say you'd get more out of it with a bit of instruction, but I think if it's just a few hours of fun then maybe not totally necessary.
I know that when I learnt to ski (despite having been on a dry slope), the thing which I really couldn't get to grip with was just how slippery snow is! I know it's something which seems to freak out, and therefore slow down the learning process, of quite a few beginners (so I when I'm teaching beginners I always try and get them used to it before thinking of 'skiing'). Being a seasoned boarder, I doubt it'll be an issue for you.
As for tips, very difficult to give in advance... But the old clichés never go far wrong: bend ze knees (actually, keep all your joints loose and springy if you can) and weight forward. As long as you don't try the old toilet position, or get too upright you should get the feel of it. Just remember, nice 'athletic' stance.
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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.
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TotallyBoard, Being able do board or ski when taking up the other def seems to give most an advantage, the concept of what an edge does coupled with the balance and some athleticism goes along way. I ski but can board to a reasonable level(ish). Basicaly 2 very different learning curves, I'd expect if you cloned a person and put one on a board and one on 2 planks after a week the skier would be getting around allot easier and faling allot less than the boarder. But after a few weeks that changes and it's difficult to get past a intermediate recreational skier level (allot of skiers spend their ski lives at this level) while unless you really know what you're looking at (excluding the park) I'd find it hard to see the difference on piste between a decent intermediate boarder and a very proficent boarder. It takes either time and/or tuition in my experience to get beyond that plateu and I feel like I'm always learning when it comes to skiing and despite having skied for 25 years and being a qualified instructor I still get lessons ocassionally.
I wouldn't really recommend just getting some skis and giving it a go, I'd get some tuition on an indoor slope and see how you get on. I don't particulary subscribe to the idea of getting loads of lessons all the time, different people learn in differnent ways but you're best cementing good rather than bad technique by getting some lessons then going away and practising it for yourself.
You may enjoy it, you may just end up frustrated and think 'why am I wasting my time falling etc when I could be enjoying myself boarding?!' Skiing IMO is more fun in more conditions. I'm not all that in the park but skis can be a great laugh in the park too.
If you pick it up quickly I'd aim to get from plough to parallel ASAP.
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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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Just don't french fry when you should pizza or you gonna have a bad time.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 12-03-12 15:03; edited 2 times in total
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Unless you're waving your arms around in some kind of weird rain dance I'd have the poles. If you are doing an impression of an Inca war dance, then just put the poles aside for a couple of runs and keep your hands quiet on your thighs (not the greatest practice in the world, to my mind, but it can help calm down the upper body) - with any luck, when the poles are back in your hands, and your hands are where they should be, the upper body is used to its calmer way of doing things... It's good practice to get used to having the poles though, so best to keep hold of them unless drastic action is needed. 
Yup, in the early/intermediate stages the outside ski is the 'important' one as you finish the turn (interesting choice of words, as they're both important , but I know what you mean). If you catch the bug, and realise that skiing is a far superior sport to boarding  , then you'll gradually even up the outside/inside balance.
Please do share the videos when you get back...
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| TotallyBoard wrote: |
| I know when my kids learnt to ski they did it without poles, should I do the same or is that just to simplify co-ordination in young 'uns? |
Starting out from complete beginner poles are more of a hindrance than a help, being a boarder it will probably prove a really forgien experience having to stick in your hands. Start off without them if you find they're just flapping out in the wind as you progess it becomes clear what they're used for.
| TotallyBoard wrote: |
| Oh and one last question, the outside ski is the important one in turns yeah? That's what it's always looked like to me. |
Differnet techniques for different conditions but broadly speaking yes. As you progress you'll go from skidding your turns to 'carving' which for skiing in control is where you want to be. Understanding your edges and feeling what's going on as you're skiing you can experiment what happens putting varying pressure on your edge and what this does and when you choose to apply that pressue at varying stages of the turn. As the pitch but more so the condition of the snow chages you adapt your technique accordingly.
Weight forward as you start is probaby the way to go but as you progress you'll find it's much easier to initiate a turn with your weight over your feet as your steer by rolling the ankles.
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I forsee a big problem. You're gonna have to change your snowHeads name.
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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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There are DVDs which can show you what to do and you can copy people...but how about a sneaky one hour lesson before the family get up...just to get the basics. Stopping and turning in control are a basic minimum before you go out on your own or you could kill someone! If you can board and are fit it will not take long to learn. Would you let someone out in your car who had never driven before???????
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rob@rar, lol nah can't see me ditching the board just yet
Just thought it'd be fun to try it out and if I like it I might invest in some lessons, certainly looks easier to ski in icy conditions than it is to board.
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You know it makes sense.
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| TotallyBoard wrote: |
| Grizwald, was going to try and bypass plough and try going straight to parallel, |
Do it. You can self teach, but I think with a pro you'll get it right quicker.
| TotallyBoard wrote: |
| Yard Sale |
My best falls have all been on a board, you're bombing along then BANG catch an edge and down you go!! That's not to say you can't have some spectacular falls on skis, allot are recoverable, obviosuly to do with ability though. After all if you're not falling you're not pushing yourself hard enough! 
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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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TotallyBoard, but surely you're going to be MostlyBoard or perhaps I'mOnlySkiingBecauseTheKidsAreSoSlowOtherwiseI'dBeTotallyAndExclusivelyBoard
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Poster: A snowHead
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| snowyowl wrote: |
| There are DVDs which can show you what to do and you can copy people...but how about a sneaky one hour lesson before the family get up...just to get the basics. Stopping and turning in control are a basic minimum before you go out on your own or you could kill someone! If you can board and are fit it will not take long to learn. Would you let someone out in your car who had never driven before??????? |
I'm more than happy that I'll be able to stop in an emergency (much more so than pretty much any beginner skier in their snowplough lessons who hasn't been on snow before). I won't be moving from the bunny slope until I'm happy that I'm no danger I promise.
We know the mountain well where we're going and my youngest daughter is learning to board (in lessons), if she gets to a level where she can go out on the gentle blues outside of lessons towards the end of the week I *might* ski.
One thing you can be sure of is I'm not going to be reckless, I'm not when I board and I won't when\if I ski.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| TotallyBoard, but surely you're going to be MostlyBoard or perhaps I'mOnlySkiingBecauseTheKidsAreSoSlowOtherwiseI'dBeTotallyAndExclusivelyBoard |
But I'll still have my baggy trousers and laissez-faire attitude so even with planks on I'll still be a boarder, just like the park rats with their twin tips want to be one
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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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| TotallyBoard wrote: |
| But I'll still have my baggy trousers and laissez-faire attitude so even with planks on I'll still be a boarder, |
For now...
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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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rob@rar, TBH I think it would be good to get to a level where I can decide what I ride based on conditions. Spring snow, pow\fresh and park I think I'd always reach for my board, but when there's ice (freeze\thaw conditions), I tend to have a lie-in and let the sun get on it. It'd be great if I could enjoy skiing that, I might try it, bin it and stick to boarding or I might decide I want another string to my bow.
Watch this space
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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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Although I don't think I could ever bring myself to ride one of those stupid snow bikes or for that matter blades
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| TotallyBoard wrote: |
| Although I don't think I could ever bring myself to ride one of those stupid snow bikes or for that matter blades |
Keep you dignity and manhood intact and don't go near blades.....
Tbh the way skis have come along shredding the pow on skis is more accessible and more fun than ever. When I've been away with those who can board and ski in hard packed icy conditions I've seen them not take the board out all week.
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TotallyBoard, good luck with it 
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Got to learn to ski myself so I can help out with the little 'uns when they learn. I've always reckoned on hitting one of those learn-inna-day jobbies at Hemel.
snowyowl, if annecdotal evidence has taught us anything, it's that only out of control snowboarders ever hit anyone on SnowHeads, I always assume that out of control skiers collapse into a heap of skis, pole, bobblehats and tight pants long before they get a chance to hit anyone.
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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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skisimon, lol isn't that every skier?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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TotallyBoard, Always suspected this ski mob were all out of control nutjobs and just styled it out at the end with a big ar$e hockeystop... Sure you want to cross the divide? Stay on the darkside. 
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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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Richard_Sideways, just visiting *dude*
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| Quote: |
'carving' which for skiing in control is where you want to be.
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...sometimes....
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You know it makes sense.
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TotallyBoard, Well just go careful, it's a slippery slope you're on...
#tumbleweed#
But Seriously, it's is a 'gateway' activity, today you're skiing next you'll be learning about inner-tip lead and spending half a grand on boots that don't fit and the other half on a guy to hit them with hammers until they do, till one day you're sitting naked in a ski lodge, talcing up the inside of your spandex onesie, complaining about the 3 ft of fresh powder thats fallen as it'll crimp your schuss...
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