Latest posts for the topic "Lessons"

Lessons

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 18:12:30 GMT

Just curious to see what people's views on taking lessons are?

I really enjoy taking lessons in everything I do, as I want to improve to be the best that I can be. I'll go away and read the books (working through ‘The All Mountain Skier' at the moment - excellent book!) or ask for advice, try to put things into practice and work at it ‘till I get it right (I'm a scientist so maybe that's got something to do with having this mentality…?) :roll:

Others (like my OH), seem to prefer to just get on with things and learn as they go without too much outside help. They seem happy to cruise along at a certain level and not go beyond that, as long as they are having fun.

My family tell me I'm too competitive and just to go and enjoy it, but I really do get a buzz from those eureka moments when things finally click. Just wondered if there others out there who feel the same way as I do, or if I'm in the minority?

Also, for those of you that have been taught by several different people, do you think it's best to stick with one instructor, if possible, or try several different ones? I've e-mailed the ski school where we are having lessons and asked if we can have the same person as last year, however as we are in group lessons, not sure if they will be happy to do this or not?

Thanks :wink:

Lynn

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 09:39:55 GMT

I'm in kind of the same dilemma. I've done 2 weeks of ski school and it was great for learning the basics and getting to parallel turns but now I'm sick of hanging around waiting for other people and spending most of the holiday standing about.

So over Christmas my wife and I went to Les Menuires and did our first holiday without ski school or lessons.

Trouble was all the other super cool French skiers made us look like a right pair of chancers. We now want lessons to improve technique.

One problem has been though that I'm by nature a bit more wreckless than my wife so my confidence has improved even if my technique hasn't. If your partner is your main ski buddy be careful about widening the gap between your relative abilities or you might end up with rows about going too fast, going off piste, doing black runs etc. We did.

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 11:18:17 GMT

Try several different instructors (I would recommmend Ross Fraser at Glenshee in Scotland, I hear he is awesome) because most will have different teaching methods within the same framework, some that may work better for you.

If you are tired of hanging around and are not bothered about the group atmosphere; book privates. It is almost a dead cert that you will improve quicker.

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 11:24:35 GMT

RossF wrote:Try several different instructors (I would recommmend Ross Fraser at Glenshee in Scotland, I hear he is awesome)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Now who fed you that fairy tale )

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 11:39:16 GMT

My mummy :wink:

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 18:26:22 GMT

RossF wrote:Try several different instructors (I would recommmend Ross Fraser at Glenshee in Scotland, I hear he is awesome) quote]

Did you get a box of ego for a Christmas Pressie!! :lol:

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 18:27:28 GMT

Arghh balls! Buggered up the quote thing AGAIN!! :evil:

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 18:32:12 GMT

getjim wrote:Arghh balls! Buggered up the quote thing AGAIN!! :evil:

What are you trying to say Jim 8)

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 18:35:42 GMT

Can't figure that out can you SIr? :wink:

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 21:57:50 GMT

Think I need a holiday.

Re:Lessons

Sat, 3 Jan 2009 23:49:05 GMT

getjim wrote:Think I need a holiday.

Can I recommend Glenshee? I hear the tuition is self-assessed as rather good...

Back to the OP... the choice between Group or Private depends a lot on you as an individual; how you learn best and how much you get from the social side of a "group learning" environment.

Lynn - from what you've said (re. competitiveness) I'd think you'll progress fastest with private lessons (or a small group of very similar ability); particularly if the others in your group are not as technical / focussed on progressing.

I think it's more important to have a good instructor than to have the same instructor... but if you've found someone you really work well with, then obviously try to continue.

Re:Lessons

Sun, 4 Jan 2009 00:06:03 GMT

(I am a novelty, I anticipate very few teaching days this season) Sorry to side track the post :lol:

When I said change instructors for different teaching methods, if you find a dude you like it is good to keep going back to him..

Re:Lessons

Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:12:34 GMT

Thanks for your replies everyone :D

Got back from Sauze on Sunday (I'll get round to writing about it and putting up some piccies eventually) and had an amazing time.

Ended up with a week of group lessons, in the advanced intermediate class (OH and I got split up) which was great for me, if a little intimidating as everyone else in the group had >5 weeks on skis and I had 1 (EEK!!) It was a case of learn to keep up (no hanging around in this group!!), which did wonders for my confidence and I was amazed to be told (at the bottom...) that I'd done a black run on my 2nd day (not convinced by the grading as it felt red, but anyway.)

My instructor (Alex) showed us some great (and really quiet) runs and the group I was with was fantastic, as we all got on really well, despite an age range of ~16-60.

In the second week we booked 2x2 hour and 1x3 hour private lessons with my husband's instructor (Sergio, who was excellent.) This was undoubtedly pricey, however was well worth it as did absolute wonders for my technique and my skiing came on leaps and bounds. It also meant that we could ski together and both learn something.

Having now had a go at both group and private lessons I can safely say that both are great, but for completely different reasons. If you want to work on technique, then go private without a doubt as I learnt more in the first 10 minutes than I did all week in a group.

However, if you want to get a lot of miles under your skis, have a laugh and generally improve your confidence then group lessons are the answer. I also found this to be an excellent way to attempt the more challenging runs that my husband refused to go anywhere near - kept me happy and saved me from divorce :roll: (Stevesmoothie - I now know exactly what you mean about the 'rows...'!!)

It was also great to have two different instructors and I'm now glad that the ski school didn't give me the person I asked them for. Two totally different approaches, but both very useful in their own way. If I had to choose I would without a doubt go with Sergio (who we had private lessons with) - if anyone is in Sauze and wants lessons I can thoroughly recommend him.

Anyway, hope this may be of some help to someone, somewhere… :D

Lynn

Oh and Ross, if I'm ever in Scotland I'll book a lesson with you and see if you live up to the hype... :wink: