How do you handle skiing on ICE?

Eh?

Tony_H wrote:Eh?

Crossed to the dark side!

I think I handle ice extremely well, I take two lumps from the ice bucket and move it gently to my gin & tonic.

Ian Wickham wrote:I think I handle ice extremely well, I take two lumps from the ice bucket and move it gently to my gin & tonic.

GPWM Wickers

Dave Mac wrote:Without being too controversial to our less gifted friends, (Tino excepted), what about those boarders who make a turn, sideslip ten feet, think about making a second turn, and then sideslip another ten feet.

All good conditions for ice-making........

I missed this completely, and only in the interest of fair representation I have to agree I still do this a little on a toeside turns on big steeps, heel side no issue, but in a complete reversal to my initial learning I hate looking up the hill on steeps. If it's really steep I'll take the toeside thro' 180 and ride heel side switch. This can clear snow quite effectively

Tino,

If you look UP while skiing down a steep section,,,,what happens while you are going down !

That is like the tennis player who looks across net to see his/her shot before hitting ball or the gold player that looks up to see how far his ball will go,,before hitting ball !

UP is yesterday,,,,down is future !


Only two speeds in good skiing. Fast and faster !

Of course always under control! Slow is actually more difficult to ski!

Problem is that speed is relative! My fast to some ( like Cuche, Miller, Vonn ) is snail's pace !

Tino,

Your statement says it all, "Only way down "

Not sideways.

Just down !

The challenge is "HOW " down !

On ice it is with "softness", it is with a "gentle touch ".

Hopefully without "slip sliding sideways 10 feet " ! That is a no no! Poor form. Poor technique !

Pav

Tino's post made me consider again how much skiing is a mind activity.

That is,,,,,, how you think, what you think while skiing is so, so important !

The mind is really the central part of effective skiing!

Afraid of ice before skiing = tense hard unhappy skier.

Afraid of falling = tense, unhappy skier

Afraid of speed = leaning back, wild swinging hands, body rotation skier

In short,,you must prepare the mind FIRST before skiing with positive, nice, happy thoughts of your great ability, your success in life, your acceptance of challenges !

Then go down easy slopes runs, tale lessons ( not just for technique) but to make your mind accept that you can master this activity. That you will enjoy this SOON !

Let me give you an example of this from another context.

I teach a course which many people avoid ( like the plague ) until they have to take it to get a university degree ! It is statistical analysis.

80% of students feel they can not do it and are very very tense at first class!

I make them at ease by telling them that I failed algebra twice. So if a "poor" math student can become a lecturer in statistics , they can pass this course ! Success rate so far is is 90% !
Why ?

They believe in themselves.
They believe I will do anything to help them.

So it is in skiing ( like in marriage ) !
First you must believe in yourself that you can do it !
Then you must take steps to "learn" how to be a good wife/husband, skier, students !
Then the pleasure will come with each success !

So,,,,,enjoy in;
-handling that marriage
-passing by that ice while on skis
-finding the results of the varimax rotation in a factorial analysis

Pavel