 Poster: A snowHead
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Which is better in your opinion?
Having learnt to ski in the UK, I would say the ones here have made me a better skier. I think that's because when you learn abroad you have to adapt to that specific condition, wheras the way I was taught was in such a way to tackle various conditions.
Where did you learn to ski?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We're having a little laugh here at that  If you've only done a week on the snow how would you know you can tackle various conditions ? Sorry, it's got to be said though.
Good technique clearly enables you to tackle a lot of stuff but actually doing it's pretty essential as well.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I learnt with ESF in France, but that's another thread  Not having had lessons in the UK I can't really comment on your view except to say I now prefer to go with an English ski school wherever possible. I would say it's not so much where you have the tuition that makes the difference, rather the type of tuition you have and personally the ESF style of follow-me didn't suit me. I would have thought though that it would be hard to find conditions to ski in in the UK that are similar to real-life conditions on the piste (yes, I know, don't shout me down, I know we have Scottish ski resorts and even a Lake District one, if I remember an early thread correctly)
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I learned on a dry ski slope with a series of starter lessons. Then went to ski school in Austria for a few trips, then moved to France.
The French always ask me where I learned to ski as I have an odd Austro-French style. Or so I'm told.
I've had a couple of dry slope lessons in the UK, after a few years abroad and I thought these were poor.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Quote: |
you have to adapt to that specific condition, wheras the way I was taught was in such a way to tackle various conditions.
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eh? if you can adapt to specific conditions, doesn't that mean that you can tackle various conditions? Or is my Vulcan logic failing me again?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well whatever. My English isn't great. Glad I humoured you all...
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Vicky, There are good and bad teachers everywhere (including the UK). Some teachers suit some pupils and vice-versa, but you'll never find a ski teacher that suits every pupil. Therefore the point is somewhat moot I'm afraid. However, many people are now looking for British ski teachers abroad (which is nice for us), but shouldn't be taken to mean that all non-British ski teachers are no good.
Enjoy your ski-ing, but don't expect to be able to ski in every condition - after 49 years of ski-ing I wish I could!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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easiski, do you ever find yourself constrained by the amount of time you have to spend with a student? Put another way, do you meet students whom you really can't help in 4 hours but might do wonders with over 3-4 days?
Aside from revealing a possible bias in Vicky's comparison, could one devise a tool to credibly demonstrate a need for a consistent lessons plan instead of rushed plastering over of immediate flaws?
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My first lessons were with the Scottish Norwegian school in Cairngorm (probably a week a year ages 5, 6, 7 and  . My dim recollection is that they were great. Although walkin up beside the car park tow to aviod a queue didn't go down so well.
What was more disturbing was being asked - age 23 and with quite a bit more skiing under belt - whether that was the ski-school I'd started with as the questioner recognised the style (!).
Although, I suppose SNSS could simply have typified the BASI style/technique of the era.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Vicky, dont take comments on here the wrong way - theyre mostly tongue in cheek.
Ive never skied in the UK, think its like learning to climb mountains in Holland- slightly pointless.
Ive been taught by ESF and they seem to have done a good enough job with me! and ive just got on with it since then - pretty sure im probably crap technique wise, but i dont go skiing to spend hours learning things i think of as pointless- get up and go for it as long as ur in control.
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| ise wrote: |
D If you've only done a week on the snow how would you know you can tackle various conditions ?
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of course you can tackle different conditions after 1 week of skiing, giant slalom races, playing in the trees, blacks after a few days, skiing uncombed snow and sking reds on first day, moguls
theres a few conditions surely?
would depends on amount of bottle, and age, and also balance.
its like driving, some people pass after 15 driving lessons, some ( like me ) take loads and still cant do it!
guess its all about natural abilty and that
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You know it makes sense.
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| fezza wrote: |
| ise wrote: |
D If you've only done a week on the snow how would you know you can tackle various conditions ?
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of course you can tackle different conditions after 1 week of skiing, giant slalom races, playing in the trees, blacks after a few days, skiing uncombed snow and skiing reds on first day, moguls
theres a few conditions surely?
would depends on amount of bottle, and age, and also balance.
its like driving, some people pass after 15 driving lessons, some ( like me ) take loads and still cant do it!
guess its all about natural ability and that |
No you can't, you're not even aware of how many different snow conditions exist. And you have no idea of the variation of terrains that exist. Enthusiasm is fantastic but you need to be a bit realistic.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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ise, why are you deliberately putting someone off? leave her alone, shes expressing an opinion, I agree with her totally, maybe youre just not as quick a learner as us?
now behave
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Poster: A snowHead
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Nadenoodlee, did you read that? Fezza claims he/she's doing gs races after a couple of days on the snow, does that seem very likely?
This nonsense is just a poke in the eye for anyone that has a realistic view of their skiing and progression, it's telling them they're useless and it's basically offensive.
The comparison with driving would seem about right, the roads are full of people who lack experience and skill as drivers but tear around risking the safety of those around them under the impression they're a bit useful.
It probably does take a lot less time to gain some basic proficiency on skis than it did even 10 years ago but reckoning you're safe and competent off piste, on a gs course, in moguls after a week or two skiing is clearly fantasy and a fantasy that most likely represents a risk to those around you.
I watched an idiot collide with another skier only yesterday and I'd be prepared to put money on how this guy viewed his ability, I'd seen him several times "skiing" down a slope, a straight line, no turns, no control of speed, the inevitable happened and someone got in his path and they collided. His over confidence caused the collision, it's not harmless enthusiasm at all.
It's holiday time now and the slopes next week will be absolutely packed, even a small number of people skiing like this represents a risk to the rest of us.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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ise, she's only young! did you not think you knew alot more than you actually did at that age! Its enthusiasm!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Nadenoodlee, I agree with ise. Natural ability will certainly help beginner skiers to progress quickly, but it won't enable new skiers to perform miracles. I have 45+ weeks of skiing with lots of first class instruction, but I still don't feel very confident with some of the skiing that fezza listed. Now I accept that I might not be as quick a learner as you and fezza, but it is unrealistic (and as ise points out, positively dangerous) to expect 1st-week skiers to tackle GS races, tree skiing, steep slopes, off-piste and bumps.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Not even just natural ability, just youth helps I started skiing too long ago and didn't have enough lessons; I've started having lessons again far, far too late and now any progression I make is at least 50% about overcoming the old ingrained bad habits and effects of each added year. Anyone starting now with good regular lessons and modern hardware ought to pass my standard pretty quick, but pretty quick is a lot, lot more than two or three weeks.
On BASI prep' course recently this effect was really noticeable, the age curve and our ability to take on new techniques was pretty pronounced.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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rob@rar.org.uk, I think you're all over analysing it! Vicky, is whom im referring to, not Fezza, she said after a week she could handle various conditions, not that she is olympic standard, but they taught her perhaps how best to ski on ice etc etc.
I think ise, was rude in his first comments, as Vicky is a newer member of snowheads, there were much more tactful ways to put his point accross, rather than humiliate her.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| ise wrote: |
We're having a little laugh here at that If you've only done a week on the snow how would you know you can tackle various conditions ? Sorry, it's got to be said though.
Good technique clearly enables you to tackle a lot of stuff but actually doing it's pretty essential as well. |
hardly humiliating is it ?
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ise, She seems to think it is
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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kuwait_ian, think that post was sarcastic. tut *men* tut
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You might be right, Nade. Sarcasm, irony, and the like often don't come over in simple text. I withdraw. Will pop over to JWAZ and see what they're up to.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Nadenoodlee,
| Quote: |
, Your comment
Ive never skied in the UK, think its like learning to climb mountains in Holland- slightly pointless
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Although that may be your opinion, it's not the opinion of many, including young racers. There are many children and juniors who started their racing careers on plastic (including a certain Chemmy Alcott), some continuing for a while after they also become successful on snow. It gives them a good start as regards technique.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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comprex, Yes, it's sometimes frustrating when someone only takes one lesson (and you're too busy to give them another that week .........) Unfortunately there is no magic wand, which all experienced skiers know, but some intermediates don't.
My recommendation to everyone is that you should probably take a week's lessons for the first two weeks that you ski (unless you're extraordinarily talented) and then one or two hour to hour and a half lessons each time you go ski-ing thereafter. That way you keep moving on, don't give yourself a chance to get into bad habits, and at the same time don't take too much time out of your holiday.
I would say, however that I'm alarmed by fezza, who seems to think that after one week in a minor resort (nothing against Puy st vincent), he can tackle anything. fezza, If you come here with our knarly blacks and tough reds, please let me know so I can be on another part of the mountain!!!
Nadenoodlee, you've made your feelings quite clear on other threads as well as this one. You're entitled to your opinion about lessons, technique and so on, but people like Hermann Maier have lessons every day ...... are you at their level????? Is Fezza??????
Vicky, Don't be put off by all our comments - we don't mean to be mean, and your question was a reasonable one for a novice.
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| easiski wrote: |
My recommendation to everyone is that you should probably take a week's lessons for the first two weeks that you ski (unless you're extraordinarily talented) and then one or two hour to hour and a half lessons each time you go ski-ing thereafter. That way you keep moving on, don't give yourself a chance to get into bad habits, and at the same time don't take too much time out of your holiday.
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I wish someone had given me this advice years ago, it makes real sense.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
| My recommendation to everyone is that you should probably take a week's lessons for the first two weeks that you ski (unless you're extraordinarily talented) and then one or two hour to hour and a half lessons each time you go ski-ing thereafter. That way you keep moving on, don't give yourself a chance to get into bad habits, and at the same time don't take too much time out of your holiday. |
easiski, I'm sure you're clients regard their lessons with you as an integral part of their holiday, and enjoyable in themselves. The comments that have been made on snowHeads would certainly seem to indicate that!
I notice that Vicky hasn't posted anywhere since her last contribution to this thread, having racked up a fair number of posts quite quickly. I think that is a real shame. I have a 17-year old, and I know that they can sometimes have unrealistic views and be quite sensitive, whilst willing to learn (occasionally)!
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FAQ
). But it's good that you can see the funny side too, because fun is what skiing is supposed to be all about (for most of us) 
