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J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by verbier_ski_bum

Messages posted by : verbier_ski_bum

learning to ski
Started by User in Beginning Skiing, 57 Replies
The problem is that many skiers stop lessons way to early and rely on mileage alone "to build confidence" as result they don't really have any solid technique and often invent their "own" way of skiing, read bad habits which can be hard to eradicate and which really impede progress as skiing is not efficient, through certain parts of the turn skier is little bit out of balance and control is harder. Also the stance can be an issue and reliance on muscles for support instead of the skeleton, which also makes skiers tired quicker. Men get away with it better than women but it doesn't make them any better skiers. Strong legs are very good but you need them so that they could move and absorb terrain better, but support should be skeletal.
Just pay attention when watching others skiing. Lot of skiers bring their hand too far forward and acroos their body which is not a lot better than dragging it behind, and many while priobably believing that they are skiing a tight line just break across the fall line instead of skiing it, and turn by twisting the tails of their skis which creates the lift of the inside ski as in this case there is no room for it to turn and even the slight lift means that they are not skiing parallel at all but may think they do. Speed is your enemy here, make the moves slower to develop a muscle memory, take time to ski alone, sking in a group of friends you adjust your speed to theirs and don't really feel what your legs and skis are doing. Skiing alone is great for developing good technique, just take lessons first and repeat them regularly, because practice makes permanent, so it's important to practice the right thing rather than "just skiing".
learning to ski
Started by User in Beginning Skiing, 57 Replies
Tony_H wrote:
Lynn_D wrote:
Ranchero_1979 wrote: And most of us will never get there, we will enjoy our skiing but no cheers from the chair lifts.


I think that's the most important point – it's meant to be fun, for everybody. Not everyone is destined to be the next Lindsey Vonn.

As long as we can enjoy what we are skiing, be that blue runs, extreme off piste or somewhere in the middle and can do so without killing ourselves or anyone else, then does anything else really matter?

I'll never be a great skier and accept that. I can't really carve my skis in one direction due to a hip injury and no amount of lessons will change that. Moguls are still my nemesis but I hope to get the hang of them one day.

My philosophy is to try to be as good as I can be at doing what I love. I can do no more than that. -)


I think you've hit it on the head there. Problem is, at what level do you decide to plateau off at and decide you're happy to stick at?
It could be easy blues bumbling around a small area low down and missing out on all those fantastic sights higher up, in which case you'd never become a confident red run skier. And what about that first black......do you never do it and stay on reds, or have a go and try to conquer?
Moguls - you and me both, but I have a go and try my hardest as well, but I haven't yet been able to ski down with soft knees at top speed like you see some people doing. But I'm sure as hell going to keep trying.
And when do you decide to venture off piste for the first time? Or dont you?

I think this confirms that much of what you end up doing is all about a state of mind. You often can when you dont think you can, and have to literally be thrown in at the deep end to find out sometimes.


It's is generally a matter of technique. If technique is good you take it from blues to reds and then to blacks. But the steeper it gets the less forgiving the slope is of poor technique - like turning with the body instead of with skis and not using thighs to steer but relying on feet, whereas on blues you can get away with anything. The same goes for off-piste. Good piste form can be taken off-piste, but you get exposed very quickly if piste form is not of a very good standard.
2014 ideas
Started by User in Ski Chatter, 39 Replies
Tony_H wrote:
verbier_ski_bum wrote:If chalet hameau is actually on Le Hameau area you can have a ski-in/ski-out option when snow is nice (like this season). There are quite nice chalets there as well, museum and a restaurant. The only problem is that if you want to go out in the evening into town you'll have to take a taxi. Buses are running till 11 pm. The evening in Verbier starts at about 10-11:)


I stopped in a ski world chalet in the hameau area on my only previous trip. The piste down the side of this area was shut due to a lack of snow so we didn't ski back and used the buses.

Tbh we are not the going out late type and will have a few beers straight after skiing but will be getting into bed as the party starts in town.



This season you can ski right to your door steps:)
End to ski hosting in France
Started by User in France, 299 Replies
PrivateBryan wrote:Go Brooksy!
I don't happen to want ski hosting either, though I have used it in Austria and can see why people enjoy it.
But I am actually enjoying this debate and discussion and applaud Ally for voicing her opinions.
Nowt wrong with that.


This argument is going in circles and is basically not even an argument but a repeated on 26 pages complaint that sounds like "Why can't we do as we wish?" and then the same thing follows, for 26 pages now.
End to ski hosting in France
Started by User in France, 299 Replies
AllyG wrote:
verbier_ski_bum wrote:
"animate" means to entertain.


Thanks for that :)

You mean, entertain as in perform in a ski show or something?

Seeing as we're on a new page now, I'll put 'animate' back into context:

The laws governing sport in France say that it is illegal to 'teach, lead, guide, animate' without an appropriate professional qualification.


Well, I remember being in one all-inclusive resort (in the summer) that had animators - staff responsible for entertaining guests mainly children. I guess in the context of the stated law it just mean that whatever the staff perform on slopes for remuneration, be it "guiding", "hosting", "entertaining", the said staff has to be adequately qualified. It could be that "animating" was added to prevent TOs doing the same thing as they were doing before but under a different name.
End to ski hosting in France
Started by User in France, 299 Replies
AllyG wrote:If the ESF want to increase the number of British holidaymakers who take lessons with them, one thing I would suggest is that they improve the standard of English spoken by their instructors.

I have had lots of lessons with the ESF and sometimes this has been a real problem. In Meribel in January 2 years ago, for example, we couldn't work out what our ESF instructor was trying to say. Luckily for us, one of the group lived in Jersey and was practically bilingual, and he translated for us.

To be perfectly truthful, I don't even understand what the ESF are trying to say in their 'statement' about the ski hosting. What does 'animate' mean? My English dictionary says it means 'breathe life into' ...

STATEMENT ISSUED ON BEHALF OF ESF FOLLOWING COURT RULING AGAINST LE SKI

The laws governing sport in France say that it is illegal to 'teach, lead, guide, animate' without an appropriate professional qualification.
http://www.esf-uk.co.uk/news


"animate" means to entertain.
End to ski hosting in France
Started by User in France, 299 Replies
tin pot wrote:Lol. "Whining like children"? I'll respond to the ESF bit, I think.

Nobody is arguing whether laws need to be respected or not. What is clear is that French law protects ESF trade, and works against both British instructors and "ski hosts".

It's laughable because whilst the French promote their joint control of Europe forcing other countries to comply with EU regulations, they pass protectionist laws in their own country - it's hypocracy.

Ski hosting is not a big deal to me, but it clearly is to others, not least the British run chalet businesses. Simply insulting those who don't like this news isn't a mature way to argue your point.


Can you please indicate how it is clear that French Law protects the ESF trade and works against British ski instructors? There are plenty working in France, though people might not know about them because they usuallly charge quite a bit more than ESF, yet it's ESF who is called "money-grabbing":) I think it's about time we dropped the "ski hosts" topic. It's illegal. Period. French were prepared to close their eyed on minor violations, and accepted without intervention 1-2 days of guiding in return for some business, but 4.5 days - this is a laugh. By the way, Austrians also started opening their eyes on what's going on in their ski resorts. British run chalet businesses also bring cheap labour which is paid under French minimum wage. How is that?
End to ski hosting in France
Started by User in France, 299 Replies
This is reposted from elsewhere and this is the ESF Meribel reply to one of the facebook poster calling them a "disgrace"'

Our company is not a disgrace. You have to understand that there are laws in France, like in the UK, that must be respected. In this case the laws have not been respected therefore we had to do something. We understand that ski hosting is a part of the English culture, which is why we have tolerated one or two days ski hosting by our partner tour operators. In this case it was 4 and a half days ski hosting per week which was not acceptable.
Also, the English staff were not paid according to the French Law. As they were working in France they have to understand they have to work by the French Law. If a French company was to set up in England they would have to follow the English Laws and if they did not it is certain that they would be prosecuted and everyone would understand the situation. To conclude, this is why I feel you are not looking at the siutation objectively.


Maybe you guys, indeed, should stop whinging like children who just lost their favourite toy and look at the situation objectively? I can understand that everyone wants to get as much as they can, have all the options opened for them, have a foot massage and coffee in bed and all for 199.99 all included with taxes, but this is not how things work in real life. ESF reply also highlights the fact that if you close your eyes on some minor violations, people will eventually start taking a p!ss - just like TOs have started. 24 pages of silly complaints and proposals in a week. This is getting ridiculous. There were even an article in the Telegraph and radio programs on BBC. "Protectionism, nationalism" has nothing to do with it, and I doubt that TO in question will even appeal in Chambery, let alone EU. Why not appeal to the Human Rights Court since there is a feeling that one of your basic rights do as you wish has been violated? This is a pure PR move which will stop where it has started - in the press-room, because the chance of winning appeal in all these instances is exactly the same as it was to win the original case - nil. I also suspect that other countries will also make a move to make sure their existing laws are respected.