Improving Your Skiing Skill Level

The skiing fitness thread got me thinking about my own aspirations for the coming winter. I know I have a few technique problems that keep cropping up year on year. I've had my kit sorted properly, so I know that I'm fully flat on my skis. It's time to get an upgrade on the rest of me )

Self improvement can only pull me up to a certain standard. Beyond that a trained eye is needed to see what is happening and help with fine turning.

So, TCALSS I've booked in for some private tuition this winter with the new British run Ski School in Chamonix.

http://www.gravityskischool.co.uk/

I believe that AllyG has had coaching from TDC in Tignes and is still using ESF as well.

Anyone else on the improvement trail?

Definitely. I've already reserved my instructor (http://www.1-skischule-wildschoenau.at/skischule1_eng.html)! He helped me loads last year with gaining confidence. This year's mission is to build more confidence, and to get rid of any bad habits that may be creeping in (sticky out bum :oops: !). Aside from that am going to leave it to Walter to decide if there's anything specific I should do next. That approach worked last year so if it ain't broke why fix it?! :wink:

Bandit,
Yes, you're quite right, I have had lessons for the last 6 ski holidays - a full week of all day group lessons with ESF and a private coaching session with TDC both times we've been to Tignes. I think you're very sensible booking some lessons. I mean, even the Olympic skiers still have coaching.

I find I learn much faster in lessons, not just from watching, listening and following the instructor but also from watching the others in the group and listening to what the instructor says about their ski-ing.

And I like the social aspects of group lessons because I get to meet new people.

I think private lessons are very good but also much more expensive than the group lessons. Because we went out of season our TDC lessons were about half the usual rate, and I only paid 75 euros for 2 1/2 hours for the two of us. It's supposed to be a 3 hour coaching session but I said I didn't think I'd stick 3 hours without a break because of not being very fit, and our instructor very kindly stopped when I was too tired to ski any more.

One problem I have discovered is that once you can ski basically okay the instructors have different ideas about the finer points of technique. Like, last year our French ESF instructor insisted that we still used the up and down movement when carving, whereas our TDC instructor said we don't need to do that any more and we can do it all by using our edges. However, watching the ski slalom racers at Tignes I noticed that they are still going up and down.

And a big advantage of being in lessons all week is that the instructor can keep an eye on you and make sure you are carrying out his/her instructions and still using the new techniques. I find when ski-ing without an instructor it's difficult to know if I'm doing it right. And I still have lots of things to improve on.

Ally

AllyG, I think you are correct in spotting that the different ski nations do teach differently. I'm preferring private lessons because I want to focus on specifics as opposed to following a set weekly programme.

I liked private lessons last year too. Found the concentrated focus on my skiing during the one hour slots pretty equal to the amount of feedback I've had in all day group lessons. Plus had the extra freedom of planning the majority of the day myself. I guess it depends on what you want out of the experience. Ally I suspect you are a more sociable animal than me! :D

EmmaEvs wrote:I liked private lessons last year too. Found the concentrated focus on my skiing during the one hour slots pretty equal to the amount of feedback I've had in all day group lessons. Plus had the extra freedom of planning the majority of the day myself.

This is my thinking also. I no longer seem to fit well into the day structure for classes. I learn well when feedback is immediate and practical. I'm anti social too :P

I have a two hour private lesson every time I go skiing and it has made a noticeable difference every time. So far I have used the British Ski School in both Chamonix and Les Gets (twice) - can't recommend them highly enough for the difference it has made to my skiing and confidence.

So far it seems to have been enough - my technique still leaves a lot to be desired but the results I get from the immediate feedback and the concentrated one to one session have made all the difference over the past couple of years.

EmmaEvs wrote:Definitely. I've already reserved my instructor (http://www.1-skischule-wildschoenau.at/skischule1_eng.html)! He helped me loads last year with gaining confidence. This year's mission is to build more confidence, and to get rid of any bad habits that may be creeping in (sticky out bum :oops: !). Aside from that am going to leave it to Walter to decide if there's anything specific I should do next. That approach worked last year so if it ain't broke why fix it?! :wink:

I too used the Red Ski School last year. I had lessons with Leon and I found him to be very good. Even though I say so myself, I developed loads over that week.

I think I'd always have some lessons as there's always something you can learn or improve upon.