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CASI / BASI?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
clarky999 wrote:
xander89 wrote:
FlyingStantoni wrote:
xander89 wrote:
I mean judging on the 9 levels is it? i would say I'm somewhere around 7/8. I am comfortable tackling a blue - black runs and i generally skied in the fall line. I cant really carve properly as of yet, but i was attempting it last time i went as an older experienced skier was giving me some tips. I mean judging by these vids ( i know they are very short and don’t show much) where would you place me/ what do you think i could potentially do considering my short time skiing.

FWIW, I reckon that you're a Level 5/6 on the InsideOut skiing levels.


i went on this XD

http://www.amenta.com/ski/skiknow.htm

i would be happy with a 6 on the one you linked.


They need to add about 10 levels between their l6 and l9 - those aren't little steps up, each is probably equivalent to four weeks of ski training/practise, more for the latter ones.


google is not my friend NehNeh
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Unless you really want to be a ski instructor, live in the mountains long term and progress, I don't really see the point. It is a lot of money to be able to ski greens and blues with children.

I grew up in Sweden so could always ski. Then I did my first season as a ski host thinking I would go back and do another season and start the road to becoming an instructor. But I spent so much time skiing with punters and not being able to ski what I wanted that I actually went back as a driver with lots of free ski time.

I reckon do a season to really boost your skills and that way you get a feel for what it is like living in the mountains.
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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?
clarky999 wrote:
They need to add about 10 levels between their l6 and l9 - those aren't little steps up, each is probably equivalent to four weeks of ski training/practise, more for the latter ones.

+1 Toofy Grin
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xander89, Start at the beginning. Go for a session at Hemel (or elsewhere) with a BASI trainer who can assess where you are, and what you need to do to pass a L1.

If the trainer says you are up to it already, then go for it. Otherwise evaluate what you need to improve, and when you have, do the course.

At this stage, don't even think about L3/L4 - they are many years hard work away.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Again it is difficult to see from the videos you posted xander89 but I agree with rob@rar that I dont think you would be ready for level 1 standard just yet. I think you need to improve posture as you make a lot of movement from the hops rather than standing on the middle of your skis and again get some closer footage of yourself doing some short radius turn and longer radius (or carving if you like).

I do see a fair amount of people turn up wanting to train to become instructors and whilst on one hand the 'relative' lack of experience is a good thing as the person can be moulded without huge amounts of inbuilt habits having to broken first, the fundamentals and versatility and core skills are lacking. But with your enthusiasm which is GREAT and your age you may not need too much moulding but hang off booking your Level 1 until you have done a few sessions (need not be in a private setting) and received some feed back on your performance.
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Thanks for the advice rob. Smile

But gahhhhhhh people keep assuming I'm under some fantasy that I'm seriously considering level 3/4. But I only ever mentioned 1/2 in my original post and it was other people who brought up level 3/4 as being the only worthwhile ones to have if you want to teach in Europe.

I ain't in cloud cookoo land people. 3/4 had never even featured in my mind until other people brought them up. So people saying ( not you rob) " your way off 3/4 etc etc" doesn't help and it's disheartening. I never once mentioned it in my original post. So please stop bringing it up. Thanks XD

Sorry to get a little tetchy but it seems to have been mentioned over and over when I've made it very clear that is not what I expect to get till MUCH further down the line. If at all. I appreciate everyone's constructive advice. Just sometimes it's gone a little off when I'm only aiming for 1/2. Lol Evil or Very Mad


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Tue 24-04-12 18:11; edited 1 time in total
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
xander89, Sorry, had looked to me like you were talking about l3/4.

I guess you should decide if you're looking for a career (in which case you HAVE to consider l3/4), or a few seasons spent teaching for the fun of it. The latter is definitely achievable, if that's the question you want answering.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
xander89, Sorry, had looked to me like you were talking about l3/4.

I guess you should decide if you're looking for a career (in which case you HAVE to consider l3/4), or a few seasons spent teaching for the fun of it. The latter is definitely achievable, if that's the question you want answering. I'd probably go BASI if you want to work in Europe, it seems to be more recognised.
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Passion + desire + instruction + time = sucess

Think you're looking very comfortable on your feet for the limited time you've spent on snow.

Well done.

How old are you please?

If you're under 30, then a possible route is getting a working holiday visa for Canada, the US, New Zealand, Australia or Japan and working in a ski resort for the winter in a non ski school job.

But whilst there make use of any free instruction provided by the company running the mountain and get mileage on skis. And plenty of it.

At the end of the winter sit the entry level exam of whichever cert stream - CSIA, PSIA, NZSIA, AASI - and see how you go.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

And in my experience the ability to teach is more important than the ability to ski if you're an entry level instructor. In the customer focussed CSIA and PSIA streams that I've trained under you have to be able to demonstrate the appropriate level of skiing but far more fail because of an inability / unsuitability to teach.

My 2 yen worth.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
xander89 wrote:
Do i have to log another 35 hours in order to take my level 2 as well as the 35 hours i had to do after my 5 day level one course? So in total 70 to pass my level 2?


Yes, 35 hours needed AFTER the L1 course then ANOTHER 35 hours needed BEFORE taking your L2.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Hey people, sorry about being snappy yesterday ( feeling ill and a long day at work!) Embarassed
Thanks for all the positive and constructive things said.

I just want to make it clear that i am only thinking about the 1/2 at the moment, as i know that i am nowhere near the 3/4 and wont be for years and years to come.

Thats not to say i am not aware that i will need a 3/4 if i want to teach full time. Also i know the difficulty that is involved with taking it, and i am not underestimating it in any way.

What i wanted to do was to get my 1/2 ( my level one in the next year or so and my level 2 when i can afford to do a whole season). After that I will have a better idea of what its about and if i seriously want to approach this as a serious career path.

Now some are saying that i need to be determined to go all the way, but even if i get my level 2 and decide its not for me then it would have spent around 2.5k or so. Which in all fairness is nothing compared with the insanely expensive courses which can go anywhere up to 8k. ( this is providing i pass my exams first time)

So i wouldn’t be too bothered about the money as i would have had a great time in the process/ could do part time work on slopes to help supplement my ski trips ( in areas that will take a level 2 for beginner classes) win / win no?

Also as Mike stated about the teaching aspect. This is one of the reasons it is such an attractive job to me. Prior to landing my current job i was contemplating teaching, and combining skiing and teaching would be amazing. The skiing is only half of the appeal for me, the other half being able to teach people.

I'm a very determined focused person. And i feel i would have no trouble passing my first two levels. Not at my current skiing ability, but having decided i want to do it I will, over the next couple of years, achieve it if i really go for it.

If after that i decide that i want to uproot myself and go 100% into being a ski instructor then i will.

just to clarify it for people wink
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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.
xander89 wrote:
So it seems my best course of action would be to do a private lesson

http://www.insideoutskiing.com/private.html#3

see what kinda of level im at, see where i need to improve, then Maybe just go for the BASI1 in the snow dome.



I think that would be a good approach, you should then know wether you can do the L1 and if not, what you need to do in order to progress towards passing your L1.
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 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
Mike Pow, i am 22, turning 23 in June. i went when i was 12, 14 and 19 ( 5 days full skiing each) First two trips with my school.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
xander89, it's good to have a focus for developing your skiing, and working your way towards and through ski instructor exams is a good a focus as any. I wish I had been similarly focused when I was at the beginning of my skiing. Good luck with the journey!
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
kitenski wrote:
xander89 wrote:
So it seems my best course of action would be to do a private lesson

http://www.insideoutskiing.com/private.html#3

see what kinda of level im at, see where i need to improve, then Maybe just go for the BASI1 in the snow dome.



I think that would be a good approach, you should then know wether you can do the L1 and if not, what you need to do in order to progress towards passing your L1.


tis my first port of call
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
rob@rar, cheers. really appreciate the the comment! Smile
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
rob@rar wrote:
fatbob, I think it's CSIA L3 which doesn't qualify for the ISIA Stamp, whereas BASI L3 does.


CSIA and ISIA
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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?
Kenny, Correct. I would suggest anyone wanting to work as a ski instructor works on plastic for two or three years; has the teaching skills and has got to ASSI or it's equivalent and has stood in the rain teaching erratic skiers wanting to be parallel in an hour and will understand and has the analytical skills necessary to teach and to asses, whether this is what I want to do!
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Cynic, you say that but we know it's really a ploy to distract us from the harsh reality of getting paid to chat up a endless stream of international dollies while getting free drinks and working on your walnut tan on the terrasse wink
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
xander89, Just do the level 1 course,

Its great week and its some of the highest quality and cheapest training you will find anywhere. They are small groups and you are with the very best trainers.

The people on the course will be at hugely differing levels you will not show yourself up.

By the time you spend the money on lots of private lessons or sessions for your pre-course then it starts to make it expensive. remember the course is training and assesment

You will get a better idea of the level you need to be at and what you need to work on by doing the L1 course, than you will be preparing for the course.

Be prepared to listen and adapt your skiing, L1 is about being able to do good Demos of the central theme its not about high end performance.

The level 1 courses are so frequent that if you dont pass then simply go off work on what you need to and come back for another attempt.

If you are keen and determined you will be fine. To much skiing experience is not always a good thing, better to get a dose of BASI early.



JUST DO IT, and ENJOY IT. Smile
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xander89, without going over everything thats been said l1/2 should be achievable to most who give time and commitment to the cause.

Your videos do not show to much. What I did notice is you were skiing at quite a fast pace. Bad technique can be hidden by speed. When you demonstrate movements to pupils you will need to demonstrate at a slow pace and that is when poor techniques show through.

The level 1 includes a lot of tuition that will improve your skiing and you'll walk away knowing if it's what you may like to do, I realised I didn't!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Before you attempt L1 you must first learn to dress properly. Braces go over the shoulders not dangleing around your backside. rolling eyes
Best of luck with L1 wink
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!


narrrrr thats how ur ment to wear them Neh Neh. ( in reality they are too small for me, so i cant really wear the braces up hehe)
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
XD you stated "I know about 4/5 people who are level 3 qualified who regularly do seasons as instructors. And trust me they would be honest with me. " My question is what do they say, surely they are better placed than any of us to advise.
I would also echo what others have said, do it if you really want to and if all you get from it is to be a better skier then great just don't expect to get rich from it.
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I havent had a massive chance to ask many of them, as they are only just returning from their seasons. Ive spoken to two of them and they have given different advice. One was quite Blasé about it saying the L1 can easily be done, just for me to have one more season then go for it. level two again he suggested that a FULL season then take it after would be the best way to go about it.

The other said i should do one of those insanely expensive courses. But they were lucky enough to have had parents who forked out tens of thousands for them to do it. So it vary's greatly. But my point is i know these people but i have never skied with them. So their advice is limited.

I also assumed that there were some people who were high level instructors on this forum...so thought it was a good port of call.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
FWIW I don't know why people keep saying it's £8k to do any course at all. £8k courses will indeed get you from nothing to level 2 qualified (with hard work over the duration of the course) but the course I'm doing next season is just £2.5k including the exam, lift pass, accomodation, 3 weeks coaching and breakfast/dinner pretty much every day. You just need equipment and travel costs on top of that. I wouldn't say it's exactly unaffordable. I'm gonna do the l2 exam at the end of the season though I reckon, but I wouldn't be thinking about it if I hadn't already skiied a fair bit (still just 11 weeks though), you look pretty confident for someone with only 3 weeks under their belt though, so it might be worth considering still, but I don't speak from experience.
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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.
DannyB01, my L1 cost me approx £600 inc travel, as others have pointed out you don't have to take a course prior to taking your L1 or L2.
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 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
kitenski, yeah it's about the same price for l2 if I remember right. My point was just that the courses aren't all £8k. I'm kinda getting the feeling I don't really need the 3 weeks tuition for L1, but there's nothing wrong with a bit of extra practise.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
From my experience...
L1 is all about being able to teach and instruct. L2 is much harder and your skiing has to be far more refined. Too much emphasis is being put on Skiing ability...yes you have to be a good skier, but you really do need to know how to teach, Instruct, demonstrate and understand the why's and wherefors of each action and be able to explain those in laymans terms to joe public.

I did a season and got my L1, L2, CADS 1 and Race Coach 1.

We had tremendous Instruction...but the most useful, was being thought how to teach and what to look for. Practicing mock lessons, then actually shadowing the Ski School and partaking in lessons after achieving L1 was the best experience you can get.
The Instruction was immense. We had L4's and 3's with vast amounts of experience. Who pushed us way beyond what was expected of us for our L2 exams. We were doing L3 and 4 type training on steep terrain...which made our L2 exams seem a doddle when it came to exam week.
The only people who didn't pass were the ones who did only a few weeks or just turned up for the exams. We had a 100% pass rate for all those that did the 12 week course.
Yes...it was a lot of money...but the extras you get after, and the connections you make are invalueable. Two job offers straight after passing too.
If you can afford it do a course.
No disrespect to people who have done L1's in a fridge, but how can you expect to just turn up and do a L2 if you can't Ski Reds. Blacks and Moguls profficiently?....or even Powder come to that? We had someone turn up who had done that...they didn't pass their L2 and scrapped through their L1.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
spud, I think you'll find there aren't a lot of BASI1 courses that aren't in a fridge except presumably those run for gap courses. We had hoped that my daughter would do one in Hintertux in the summer, looks very likely that it will be cancelled though due to insufficient demand. That leaves Hemel or MK (along with loads of other UK venues).
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Fair play...that's one of the reasons i chose to go down the CSIA route.

BASI with all it's modules from what i can see works out far more expensive in the long run. Both organisations are comparable in my book.

There are company's that do all levels of CSIA in Europe if you don't want to go all the way to Canada. Although i did mine in Canada.

Maybe do the L1 BASI in the fridge then do a 4 week course in the winter for L2. There seems to be plenty of those around for less than £3000
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
spud wrote:
No disrespect to people who have done L1's in a fridge, but how can you expect to just turn up and do a L2 if you can't Ski Reds. Blacks and Moguls profficiently?....or even Powder come to that? We had someone turn up who had done that...they didn't pass their L2 and scrapped through their L1.


I did my L1 in a fridge, not sure why you assume I can't ski reds, blacks, moguls or powder purely down to where I took my L1?

You get feedback after your L1 as to wether you would pass a L2 or not. From the 9 on my course, 3 failed, and 2 of us were told we could pass our L2 by about now if we wished to.


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Wed 2-05-12 12:11; edited 1 time in total
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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?
spud, She's only 16 so limited to school holidays. Hoping to get L2 before she finishes school at 18 which would probably open a few more opportunities for the next winter.
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Colin B, I'm not sure there is much benefit doing a L1 abroad, as it only qualfies you to teach indoors/on plastic?? I had a lot of fun on my L1, and I am sure she would do as well, even in a fridge!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
kitenski, I would just prefer a week in Austria rather than MK or Hemel wink I would have made it part of a longer summer holiday. I agree though it probably doesn't make any material difference.
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Colin B, ah, hadn't twigged you were going along as well. Looks like 2 folk booked on the Sheffield course, I guess they will have to move somewhere??
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
kitenski, I'm not doing it just providing the transport (and paying for it)! I need to book it in the next couple of weeks, have given up on Hintertux there are only 2 down for it and it's been the same for months.
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