Latest posts for the topic "The Future of Skiing ???"

The Future of Skiing ???

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:35:54 GMT

Wish to share with you a unique skiing experience.

In this world of video this and that now we have a unique experience for skiers!

Throw away those ideas of small, low tech ski video games you have all seen,,what is coming is the full bore "aviation level" ski stimulations,,,,ooops I meant ski simulation experience!

I just tested a such unit. I must admit I was initially negative to such "experiences" ! I like to real stuff! I believed in the past that to learn to ski,,well you must get on skis on the slope. No amount of viewing YOU TUBE or watching Warren Miller movies will make you a skier!

I was wrong!

For two weeks now I have watched as they set up a full room, full screen ( wall size) ski simulator unit!

Then I tried it!

Then I watched skiers I knew for 3-5 years come and learn indoors with a qualified instructor!
I did not tell the instructor the skiing level of each skier. I did not tell the instructor the "particular" skiing problems each skier had!

It took an initial 15-20 minutes for each person to "learn" how machine works.
Then after a rest they began to "ski" with an instructor just in front of them! In every case the "problems came out,,,,,in every case the instructor identified the issue and solved it !

I am "learning " how to set the parameters of this "system" since it has amazing possibilities.
Let me give you an example. Many skiers have a lateral problem. Left side is better that right.
Right knee is stronger that left knee etc,,

The system has many many sensors all over the unit and one of the sensors gives out real time readings of the edge set pressure on each turn while you ski!

In an instant you can read out the values on left side turns and right side turns!

The system is also "skier adaptive" that is as you get better and better,,it "adjusts" the level of difficulty in terms of; speed, quality of snow ( soft-ice). to terrain,,,etc,,,,

It will never replace the skiing experience,,but as far as a pedagogical tool it is far far superior that "on snow teaching" ! No stress about other skiers. No stress about hitting this tree, rock, husband watching ( with attitude)!

I am preparing a video for my group so they will be better skiers this season !
I am also taking two similar skiers ; one will take ski learning sessions on slope ( traditional ) and other will take 2 sessions per week for two months!
The independent skier evaluators will judge both!

Will give you all results!

PS I am not in any way associated with this company. I have no interests or shares on the company making this ski simulation so I feel free to tell you all,,,,it is the future of ski teaching!

I am sure you are all wondering,,,It is call Sky Tech !

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:40:24 GMT

Very interesting, any videos?

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 16:24:09 GMT

Sounds good - but what is it?

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:39:05 GMT

Is it this by any way...

That is what i work on and yes that is me

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 21:01:24 GMT

TheoBane wrote:Is it this by any way...

That is what i work on and yes that is me

I want one !!!!
Saaaaaaannnnntaaaaaa - you listening?
:mrgreen:

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:00:13 GMT

It's an interactive skiing / snowboarding simulator http://ski-trainer.com/en/ http://4seasonsskiing.com/

http://www.youtube.com/user/SkiTraining

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 22:03:13 GMT

OldAndy wrote:

TheoBane wrote:Is it this by any way...

That is what i work on and yes that is me

I want one !!!!
Saaaaaaannnnntaaaaaa - you listening?
:mrgreen:

Yes ...... What do you want :evil:

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:19:09 GMT

The first video is amazing. That machine looks absolutely fantastic, he is making it look so user friendly and natural; just like skiing on actual snow in a ski resort. Far better than a dry slope. I wonder where you can have a go on one?

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:55:06 GMT

The first video is a Skiplex. They recently opened one in Chiswick, but I'm not sure about where any others are. Check their website http://skiplex.co.uk/

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:01:16 GMT

It's an idea that has been around at least once already. Probably called something completely different. I saw something similar in Southampton during the 80's, and saw yet another version in a sports centre on the IOM during the 70's, quite crude by comparison though. Yes I am that old :oops:

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:03:28 GMT

bandit wrote:Yes I am that old :oops:

:shock: Wow, you didn't look it at the ski show :wink:

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 16:06:52 GMT

Far Queue wrote:

bandit wrote:Yes I am that old :oops:

:shock: Wow, you didn't look it at the ski show :wink:

Oooh, my new Best Friend is Far Queue 8)

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:06:39 GMT

The one in the first video is a Maxxtracks ski slope simulator from Holland which is distributed in the UK by Skiplex. There is also the Realli-Ski Simulator http://www.realli-ski.co.uk/

As Bandit says none of these things are new ideas. They have existed in one form or another for years; they simply get reinvented as technology advances. The SwingBeep was a pressure measurement based learning tool, comprising a pair of pressure sensitive insoles connected to a box of electronics that measured the distribution of pressure under a skier's feet and emitted a 'beep' when it was time to initiate the next turn. This has recently been reinvented as the Moticon SkiGo http://www.moticon.de/wb3/index_de.html

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:04:52 GMT

I could see how the X-box generation might find that kind of feedback intuitive.

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 12:24:04 GMT

By the video you can see that i do spend some time on the slope, i sponsored by a couple of different companies aswell. Mostly american companies, just to ski and do what i do. On the slopes i would be ranked in the top ten, as im one of the only few that can do freestyle on the slope and also length of time. Longest time on that slope that i skied was a hour and half non stop skiing at 21 kph for charity at the Ski Centre in Dublin.

But yeah, the skiplex in chiswick is good. Went there last wensday to check it out and i was impressed. They are going to be opeing twenty of them in the next two years

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:18:40 GMT

Agree with bandit I have seen something similar before

Re:The Future of Skiing ???

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 17:10:29 GMT

Maxxtrack has been around for the last twenty years or so, so it isnt a new idea. Trust the dutch to come up with something like this