Becoming an effective Skier - Five Essential Points

Mike 3000 wrote:

Why not carvers? Just curious.

Good question Mike, a bit hard to answer.

However firstly, the "As long as they are not carvers :twisted:" was mostly a response to a series of carving debates that had been going for a long time.

Having skied for the best part of what seems like a 100 years, I have passed through many phases of "the latest technique" Among my earliest skis were a pair of 215 Kneissl White Star racers, about a stiff a ski as you could think of.

On these skis we learned to ski with rear edge control, (disparagingly called "skidding" by those with limited knowledge :evil:), downward unweight technique, step turns, yep, jump turns, and ~ carving. But we didn't call it carving, it was "perfect parallel", ie no rear edge side slip. PP had it's limitations. Even on lower intermediate slopes, you were skiing very fast to avoid any suggestion of rear edge side slip.

The issue was overcome for us when we could afford to buy softer skis alongside our "normal" skis. These were longtitudinally softer skis, albeit still retaining torsional stiffness, and they allowed the ski to develop a shorter turn, for the same forward, angular, and inclined pressure.

Over the years techniques moved on, and there was revolution in ski shapes and length.

So much for history. In recent years, I have tended to use a variety of techniques to suit terrain, snow conditions, speed, and whatever skis I was using, and just had as much fun as....

About three years ago, my oldest son, who had discovered that carving was the best thing ever invented suggested accused me of being old fashioned, and I should learn to carve. So, I executed half a mountain of carved turns. I later explained that I found that restricting skiing purely to carving was, in my mind, boring.

And that brings me to the mindset I was in in December, when I posted my remark.

However, at New Year, I took my 12 year old 2 metre K2 Merlin 5s out to Austria. The Merlins were among the first range of carvers, but they were narrow waisted, (Hence they allowed me to ski ~ legs together :D ~ Yeah!)

When I returned to Austria in mid-Jan, I gave them a real carving workout, on trustworthy snow. Thus, I discovered a new turn of speed on the steeps. And errm managed to keep up with two of the quicker old Austrians for most of the mountain.

Still couldn't keep up with Jan though!

Thanks for the reply Dave I found it very interesting.

I started skiing in the late eighties (Yes I had one of those Nevica jackets). I wasn't able to go often enough to get really good but I always had a lot of fun.

I then had a break of about ten years where I couldn't afford to go with a wife and two young children. We all went as a family in 2003 which set me off again.

The point of this history is that while I had a lot of fun in the old days I never felt really in control. The 2003 trip was the first on the "new style skis" and the difference was amazing. The skis just wanted to turn. Probably because of this the carving thing has taken over in my mind as the thing to do because I can have a huge amount of fun and feel like I'm in control.

I would like to be able to ski well on all terrain, especially off piste and I've booked some 1 on 2 lessons with that in mind. However I can really understand the preocupation some have with carving because you can have enormous fun without quite so much skill as with other types of skiing. I can't even claim to be that good at carving but it certainly makes me feel like I'm pretty good at the time.

Hope this makes sense

Dave Mac,
May I "share" my viewpont about issue and term!

Good effective skiing does not change!The way to do so does!

First it must be fun ,,then it must be effective so that you can ski all day until you are past 100 (years)!

Effective means using the ski design and ski "characteristics" to its ultimate performance!

90% of skier do not carve,,that is ski from edges to edges,,rather they "flat" slide with ski tails doing "windshield wiper"turns! The problem with this type of skiing is;
it is "sloppy"
it is dangerous since in that "lateral" slide you do not control ski
it causes fatique
it does not give "pleasure"

I do not want to start a "technical debate" since of course sometimes you must "skid"! A good skier has many many ways to ski,,however effective skiers on typical ski terrain will ski edge to edge!

In my mind "carving" means using the natural ski radius to its very best! So a ski with a sidecut resulting in a turn radius of 13 meters is placed on edge so that it will by itself turn a 13 meter arc! Minimum muscle effort,,maximum pleasure!
That is effective carving!
That is allowing ski to show skier what it can do!

Just go back to Jan's picture. That is carving!
That is elegance!

Now back to skiing!
Yes ,,thinking of you all across the pond!

pavelski wrote:

Everyone should take lessons. Did you know that even ski school directors are required to take "refresher" courses , that are never advertised and never given in well known resorts!

That's the key point - teaching a skill to a novice is often the hardest part. There is a real skill to recognising that what your pupil thinks they are doing is often different to what they are doing and it's even harder to show or explain to them how to change what they think they are doing into what they need to do.

Do you know "Kiss" approach?

Keep
It
Simple
Silly

One concept,,one technique, one move at the time!

I am amazed when I "listen" in to instructors giving class 5-6 points to "remember" while skiing!
They barely have chance to survive on slope and must remember;
keep hands front
look 5 meters ahead
do not rotate body
lean forward
breath 3 times
smile and push toes etc,,,,

It is by repeating over and over the correct sequence on an easy hill that the movements become "automatic" "instinctual" and effective!

Yes take lessons,,,then practice over and over these correct moves!

I see skiers take lessons,,,,then when they are free skiing ( not with instructor) they forget what was taught and regress to; waving hands about, leaning back, going too fast, rotating body etc,,,

Want to become an expert skier?

Practice,,over and over just like a musician, gymnast, figure skater!

Pavel

I regret using the term "expert" in this post now since many skiers feel this is the goal of skiing. The objective is to become "effective" while skiing. This means knowing how to use skis effectively, using the least amount of physical force, and enjoying skiing.

Now,,with so many changes in skiing,,,,,everyone seems to be an "expert", so please forgive this term within this post.

Know what an expert is ?

A person who has done all the mistakes and now is "advising" others how to avoid them!

Rather now I use the term, "effective" skier since I have noticed that there is not one way to learn, not one way to ski, and not one way to enjoy skiing!

The effective skier;
-uses his skis to its technical limits. In short he/she plays with ski like a musician plays the violin!
-uses a répetoire of skills and techniques depending on conditions
-knows the limits of his physical abilities
-knows the varied types of snows and slope conditions
Finally an effective skier enjoys skiing for its "essence" not for its image.

Those 5 points still are valid,,,,just change expert to "effective" and happy skier.

Found another point in becoming an "effective skier" today !

Skiing for thae past three years with a tope level women skier who just had a cancer session ( yes the whole "recipe" ) !

Came back after 6 months away and on first day , first run noticed something!

She was going back to her old habits! Without realizing we seem to "fall back" into the old movements!

My new added point is; effective skiers never stop learning how to ski better. We always try to find better ways to ski. To ski easier. To ski with less effort. To ski with more elegance ( yes I know it is a "dated" word, but to me elegance = efficiency ) !

Next run down,,,she was back into her better form! It was as if her skiing brain was testing her !

In short take that warm up/learning run before the ski holiday, before that first ski day! Tell your brain,,,see I did not forget my better form!

An effective skier always demands better from him/herself !

2012 will be better year for all of you !

Some food for thought for sure, I'm timid intermediate at the moment, timid thru disability rather than scared of the mountain (respectful but not scared). I always try and book a couple of private lessons for my week of freedom.
Usually 1 after lunch the first day so I have had time to work out a few bugs on my own and give my feet a chance to get to know my boots and skis again, then 1 later in the week with same instructor to check I'm still heading in the right direction and have not fallen back in to bad habits or lazy style (style maybe a generous description).
This seems to mean I feel better about my skiing at the end of every holiday, I may not be making amazing progress but I'm loving every moment in my tortoise like journey.
I will probably not progress to expert level because of physical limitations however I'd like to ski red runs with confidence even when they are busy and I would like to try some easier off piste.
We have a saying at work when coaching new team members, "constant gentle pressure" meaning we always try and make the newbie a little faster, a little tidier, a little more efficient, better prepared for the next challenge, looking ahead to see where the next customer is in the queue etc... A lot like what your suggesting don't you think?