A bummer of a lesson

[Erik Timmerman]

Yesterday I had a private one hour lesson at 8:30. I had a lot of lessons yesterday, so I can'r remember every detail of her skiing history up until this point, but basically, she had skied once or twice before, took her first lesson on Saturday and rode the chairlift one time at the end of the lesson. She was a lovely girl in her 20's (just guessing) from NYC. Our easiest beginner lift doesn't run at 8:30 so we started at the magic carpet to review what she had done the day before. Actually getting anything done in a one hour lesson is hard, but if you're a pro... we did a half hour of review of the basics and made some nice changes at the carpet, and at 9 we loaded the beginner lift. What we worked on doesn't really matter, but at 9:30 we had done two runs and she was doing beautiful text book wedge turns with great shape and nice speed control on the bunny hill. As we finished I gave her a plan for the rest of the day. Starting with funnel turns and telling her what her milestone would be to let her ride the next lift. Great lesson. We were both happy and I went on my way.

Next lesson starts and after a while, I have my group back on the lift we had been using that morning. As I am teaching my new lesson I hear this man yelling "No Pizza, no pizza, no pizza" and he skis past next to my morning lesson who is now straightening the beginner hill with nearly parallel skis.

This is why we can't have nice things...

 

[Philpug]

Maybe he was telling you to avoid the pizza at lunch? But, assholes know no bounds.

 

[Mike King]

Yesterday I had a private one hour lesson at 8:30. I had a lot of lessons yesterday, so I can'r remember every detail of her skiing history up until this point, but basically, she had skied once or twice before, took her first lesson on Saturday and rode the chairlift one time at the end of the lesson. She was a lovely girl in her 20's (just guessing) from NYC. Our easiest beginner lift doesn't run at 8:30 so we started at the magic carpet to review what she had done the day before. Actually getting anything done in a one hour lesson is hard, but if you're a pro... we did a half hour of review of the basics and made some nice changes at the carpet, and at 9 we loaded the beginner lift. What we worked on doesn't really matter, but at 9:30 we had done two runs and she was doing beautiful text book wedge turns with great shape and nice speed control on the bunny hill. As we finished I gave her a plan for the rest of the day. Starting with funnel turns and telling her what her milestone would be to let her ride the next lift. Great lesson. We were both happy and I went on my way.

Next lesson starts and after a while, I have my group back on the lift we had been using that morning. As I am teaching my new lesson I hear this man yelling "No Pizza, no pizza, no pizza" and he skis past next to my morning lesson who is now straightening the beginner hill with nearly parallel skis.

This is why we can't have nice things...

Here in Aspen we view our job as saving relationships one lesson at a time. I often give my clients the admonition that they should not ski with their spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/friends as they will push them into terrain that they are not ready for. I tell them that if their significant others really want them to like skiing and to come back for the SO's enjoyment, they should leave the client alone and have the client come back to lessons before they intervene. Most take the advice, but some do not. Those that do not, I suspect, never become skiers and the SO also quits skiing.

Mike

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Yup, I never met the husband after the lesson. He was over skiing on the mountain. After I saw them, I was picturing him writing some bad review of the idiot ski instructor that taught his wife to pizza when he knows better.

 

[Dakine]

Maybe he learned in the P........

 

[Mendieta]

No Pizza, no pizza, no pizza"

I hope you had time to yell back "YOU GUNNA HAVE A BAD TIME"

 

[Jilly]

I got on the gondola at Tremblant Sunday morning and there was this nice couple sitting across from me. He was a skier, but he really didn't outfit the girlfriend too good! Rental poles were 2 different lengths, no goggles and no "ski" mitts. She had on a pair of Isotoner gloves that I would use to drive my car. It was -15C plus wind chill at the top.

And as any good Ski Diva knows....mascara and eye pencil are can leave you with an interesting face while you're skiing.

I ran away from these 2. I didn't want to see anything!!

 

[James]

Yup, I never met the husband after the lesson. He was over skiing on the mountain. After I saw them, I was picturing him writing some bad review of the idiot ski instructor that taught his wife to pizza when he knows better.

So we could add the husband to the reasons people don't take lessons?

 

[Erik Timmerman]

So we could add the husband to the reasons people don't take lessons?

Pretty much. I was thinking about that thread when I wrote this one.

 

[T-Square]

I love that sort of significant other. More money in my pocket fixing the bad things they get my student doing.

I’ve had fathers do the same thing with kids. After I brief them that their kid is doing great, to keep them on the carpet for today so they can get the basics they just learned down. Two runs later and father takes the kid up the chair. Fear of the steep areas does the rest; backseat, death wedge, no turns, ... ... ... It’s so damn frustrating as an instructor.

 

[KevinF]

I just clicked on this thread to verify that it wasn't about me.

 

[James]

I just clicked on this thread to verify that it wasn't about me.

Names have been changed...

 

[Mike King]

Yep, I've heard this method of teaching (friends and family teaching) as the GLMF method: good luck, my friend (or other words, as appropriate).

Mike

 

[karlo]

Well, how about brightening things a bit? I have two.

On Saturday, I had a five year old girl in a class of two five year olds. She was turning and controlling speed with a power wedge, shifting weight from ski to ski rapidly. By the end of the day, she was leading the little class with smooth turns, using them and the hill to control speed. Brava! The next day, at lunch time, I walk through the cafeteria to look for a friend who lunches at the bar (to beat the crowds). I'm talking to him and a lady calls out gently for my attention. I turn to her and she tells me her daughter would like to say hello. I look down and there she is. I was floored and so happy to see her. She's looking to at me with a smile and gives me a little wave. She's a good little skier and I hope I see her again.

Next day, another girl in a class of six. We have 1-1/2 hours. I had decided to work on side slipping, then progressing to what I call slippy slippy turns. The objective is to get comfortable with standing on the flats of the skis and matching them, to get out of a wedge. She is having trouble turning. I refocus on a discussion of what everyone thinks is an outside ski. The group, with some guidance, arrives at a common, and correct, determination. We ski down with me shaking my hand at the foot that needs to be "weighted". I make sure each child has a chance to be behind our second-to-behind me. Everyone agrees that turning is now easier. Success. At end of lesson, I'm talking to another child's parent and she comes over, after having removed her skis, and with a big smile tells me she just wants to thank me.

For me, both instances are unusual and special. Very gratifying. I hope this brings to mind your more cheerful and memorable moments.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Well, how about brightening things a bit?

The lesson that I was teaching while the husband was ruining my morning lesson was a woman who had first tried skiing over New Year's weekend at Loon. She took a lesson there, but it was basically a frozen pond and she spent most of the time falling and trying to get up. She took a group lesson the day on Saturday in Stowe, she was still petrified, but was riding the lift. By the end of the lesson she was confidently skiing our little blue trail. Her husband saw her and said "I don't care how much it costs, you need to take private lessons with that guy". So occasionally, someone does get it, and that's nice.

 

[Doby Man]

I don't know ... I always try to coach/teach others correctly but when it is my significant other, I tend to teach them to over weight the inside ski and lean against the back of their boots. I'll even go as far as to give them different length ski poles telling them that is the way it is supposed to be depending on whether she is right or left handed. Because skiing will be the only time I will have the upper hand in the relationship, I want to make sure it is well secured into place. I know what you are thinking ... but I usually have a new significant other by the time they find out.

 

[Coach13]

The lesson that I was teaching while the husband was ruining my morning lesson was a woman who had first tried skiing over New Year's weekend at Loon. She took a lesson there, but it was basically a frozen pond and she spent most of the time falling and trying to get up. She took a group lesson the day on Saturday in Stowe, she was still petrified, but was riding the lift. By the end of the lesson she was confidently skiing our little blue trail. Her husband saw her and said "I don't care how much it costs, you need to take private lessons with that guy". So occasionally, someone does get it, and that's nice.

Can I ask where it is you instruct?

 

[KevinF]

Can I ask where it is you instruct?

As Erik is probably actually working (or at least skiing...), and I'm only pretending to and I feel qualified to answer this one:

 

[mister moose]

I'll even go as far as to give them different length ski poles telling them that is the way it is supposed to be depending on whether she is right or left handed.

No, no, no. You switch the poles every turn so the longer pole is on the down hill side.

 

[François Pugh]

Sounds like too-high expectations.
Just curious, for you experienced ski instructors. How many days on snow and/or lessons (average or median) does it take the average person to learn how to ski parallel?