J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by ryanh1418

We bought a cheap headcam (~£20) last year which did the job well considering the cost. Managed to make an hour long DVD of the trip with the footage which plays out fine on a big screen tv. Well worth it.

Hey guys, some wise words there, especially piste2powder (you can tell you've done a course!) )

The way you've explained the two types of fear makes perfect sense and it would seem to be the fear of falling that's the issue with both. My wife is pretty self conscious at the best of times :? and I think it's the fear of falling but probably moreso the getting up again and being like a turtle on its back right under a chairlift full of people apparently glaring down, pointing and laughing - not the case at all, but you tell her that!! Dear old mother as I mentioned I think has hang ups from bouncing down the mountain on her a**e when they tried snowboarding.

Do either of them have friends who are older and would like to have a try at skiing?

Yes. My wife's first season was a group where all bar two of us were beginners and everyone started at the same time and level with the same lessons and instructors etc (had fun organising that!). Didn't seem to make much difference! Mum's been on the two four day trips with friends of theirs who are good skiers (and snowboardists, who took them on the doomed trip a few years back!) and they will be joining us this year.

Tony_H, that's kind of how I feel, you try everything but end up feeling frustrated yourself and like you're dedicating more of your holiday trying to guide and encourage them than you do to actually skiing yourself!! But it's not nice having to separate the group.

Lessons, Lesson,Lessons and Lessons

Correct and that has and will be done! Thing is I remember Mum last year booked up for a private lesson or two but then had the cheek to say she hadn't really learnt anything new!!! :shock:

TBH I'm really not that fussed about how good either of them are or get, I just want them to keep TRYING at whatever level and to enjoy it - at the moment neither of them seem to enjoy it, which is just madness! As you all say practice makes perfect. I remember my first week with a couple of mates all of us falling over every few yards (one just putting his skis on before we'd even made it to the bunny slopes!) and the elation of finally conquering that mighty green run without falling the first time! All that's changed now is that the slopes are bigger, faster, steeper and longer, the crashes are less frequent but far more spectacular!! :lol: But after every fall, we laughed at/with each other, got up and did it again.

Dave - I quite agree about the snow plough being versatile and that's all I'm asking for, certainly not parallel. The problem is getting them just to practice that. It seems regardless of praise and encouragement, which there has been lots of, their own self-doubt, belief and fear stops them actually acknowledging that they are skiing and doing everything right. Because of this they often choose to sit out for large chunks of the day.
So I'm not necessarily after progress in the skiing but the attitude, which I'm sure is probably harder!

Alright everyone, good to be back thinking about skiing again!!

This could be a bit of a never ending thread/answer but I'll ask anyway. Has anyone any experience of tackling people who have the ability but zero confidence whatsoever?

Both my wife and mother are examples of this. Every time something remotely challenging or out of their comfort zone comes along it's all "No, no, no" and "I can't, I can't, I can't" etc. Now my issue isn't trying to push people into things they don't want to do, my problem is both of them CAN ski but their attitudes are holding them back massively. They would have you believe they have no ability at all. I don't know if this is a digging for compliments mission or a genuine lack of faith. It's probably fair to say both are also a bit more aware of their own mortality than me and the rest of the family/group which also doesn't help! I think Mum especially has hang ups from a doomed snowboarding trip about 7-8 years ago (first taste of wintersports).

They're both at beginner level but when they motivate themselves to actually get on the lift linking snow plough turns isn't a problem (from an outside looking in perspective anyway) and Mum even builds up speed in places. But there's no progression because fear gets in the way, for example the mental step up from the nursery slopes and short greens to a gentle but longer blue is a straight "No" without any consideration.

I basically want them to both just relax and let the magic happen! ) I've explained that everyone goes through the falling over and not being able to get up part and everyone struggles with drag lifts at the dry slope the first few times etc etc but, I'm sorry, if you don't actually try you won't get better.

I'm sure there must be some people on here with instructing experience who have encountered this. Are there any tips/tricks or is it purely a personal battle for the person concerned?

This season will be Mum's third in a row plus she's had a couple of 4 dayers as well. If she comes (which is in doubt because of this) it will only be my wife's second season. Both have had dry slope and private lessons in resort. If it makes any odds we'll be back in Arinsal this season which is perfect for beginners.

Cheers guys,
Ryan

Ah I see. I looked at one of them funnily enough. That's pretty impressive quality for only fifty notes.

Snapzzz is that just a regular camcorder you're using to film that or a headcam/sportscam?

Nice one, thanks Snapzzz! Glad to hear the weather's behaving for now. We're off to Arinsal on 29th for the third time. First year was too warm and crap snow, last year was too cold and generally crap weather (mountain closed on day 6 of all days) so third time lucky for perfect weather!

Cheers guys - I like that advice! I'm sure we'll crack it, just wanted to know if it had any nasty secrets that's all. 21 days and counting!