Ski turn initiation, Sliding or carving

Interesting argument. lessons are important, however to improve you need to push yourself out of your comfort zone. Guys (unless they have naturally bad balance or a fear of the mountain) more often get away with having no lessons at all apart from the first one when they were taught about snow plough and a fall line because they are stronger. but knowing the right technique will always help in a difficult situation. two half-day lessons per season for the first two will be beneficial for almost everyone. after that only miles behind and maybe an odd lesson when you get the feeling that you've reached a plato and have no idea how you can approach that really cool lookinhg slope piste or off without hurting yourself. I know people who are very decent skiers and can ski everything in any conditions but who have never had any lessons since they learned the very beginning. I also know some people who has been taking lessons regularly but are still skiing only blue slopes and mostly on snow plough. still, when in doubt - better get a lesson. wrong technique can punish one day.

SnowDotCom wrote:Innsbrucker ,

I also agree with Trencher & Brimster in that people learn in many different ways and if you're not hurting anyone on the hill, I don't really see the problem. However, if you've never taken a lesson or have never been skiing before, it's not a bad idea to take the plunge, pay the money & schedule one. It's only going to help.

Welcome to J2ski.com, SnowDotCom :D

Thanks very much for your post.

People do seem to get quite worked up over the issue of ski lessons. I have been criticized for having too many lessons, while others have been told they need more lessons. I don't really think there is a 'magic' number for the correct number of lessons a person should have. As you said, as long as they're not a danger to anyone else (or themselves), it doesn't really matter. From then on, I think it should be down to personal preference.

Ally

To Andi as well. There is a very good trick which is ofetn used by free skiers. it's called a kick turn. it's very easy but it can help if you found yourself on a quite steep terrain and have no room to turn in one direction. place the skis across the fall line, put the weight on your downhill ski and change the direction of your uphill ski, shift your weight to your uphill ski and place your uphill pole as far as you can. poles will help you to balance when you lift your downhill ski (tail high, knee bent), rotate your heel to place the ski (which is now your new uphill ski) next to what is now your downhill ski. Sometimes it's enough to be able to start a new turn and it's always easier once you are moving. My instructor showed me this trick when i was first learning to ski 5 years back, it's very useful. Practice it's on flat bits, for example when you are waiting at the chairlifts, to make sure the tip of your ski doesn't get stuck when you turn - on the steep slope you don't want this to happen. It's easy unless your skis are much taller than you. Mine are inch shorter than me and it's fine. Good luck.

AllyG wrote:I have been criticized for having too many lessons

Ally

Thats actually incorrect. I said you should try to enjoy your ski holidays more, instead of having lessons all day every day.

Trencher wrote:

Ian Wickham wrote:
I think you must live in cloud cuckoo land :evil:

Way to welcome a new member Ian.

Can you say why ski school lessons are the only way people can learn to ski, other than you personal opinion ? Have you had any experience in adventure sports instruction that you could use to back your opinion

Far too many people are hitting the slopes without adequate instruction they chance injury to themselves and others and it seems to be more prevalent in recent years which ties into my recent comments,
I do find it quite amazing that people can use the words " If you are not hurting anyone on the hill" which I think is the whole point.

Tony_H wrote:

AllyG wrote:I have been criticized for having too many lessons

Ally

Thats actually incorrect. I said you should try to enjoy your ski holidays more, instead of having lessons all day every day.

Tony,
Since you brought it up, this is what you actually said (page 6 on my slalom video thread):

'Isn't it time you stopped taking lessons Ally, and tried to enjoy yourself skiing?'

I have tried to explain, that I do actually like having lessons (most of the time anyway) and I do enjoy myself during the lessons. I like the challenge of learning new things and the satisfaction when I do finally crack whatever it is I'm trying to learn. I am not criticizing you for learning out on the slopes with your friends. We just have different ways of learning and enjoying ourselves. And I would very much like to learn to ski slalom.

Ian,
To be quite honest, although I'm sure lessons will help the situation, as you say, I don't know that lessons will actually stop some people from ski-ing like idiots. I mean, they may well be very good skiers, but they may still go too fast for their skill level/piste conditions/weather conditions/number of people on the slope etc. etc. and be a danger to themselves and other people.

Ally

I think your own skiing is far more important than how other people ski. once you are confident with your turns, can hold a good speed and can stop at any moment it doesn't really matter whether there are 'idiots' on the slopes. If someone is skiing better than you they will find the way to avoid you and the other way around. so the problem of 'idiots' isn't that big at all.

verbier_ski_bum wrote:I think your own skiing is far more important than how other people ski. once you are confident with your turns, can hold a good speed and can stop at any moment it doesn't really matter whether there are 'idiots' on the slopes. If someone is skiing better than you they will find the way to avoid you and the other way around. so the problem of 'idiots' isn't that big at all.

Have to agree, although as with anything in life, you have to always be aware that someone could ruin it all for you, same as being a confident driver in a car.
I get the impression that people who worry about what some idiot might do to them on the slopes are either low on self confidence or not particularly good skiers themselves.