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Evaluate my skiing technique

IvanLi

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Posts
8
Location
Moscow
Hello, everyone!

I took a hiatus from skiing for some 4 or 5 years and this season I am finally back to it. I have an instructor whom I trust and we had about three 2-hour lessons this year. Working on getting more forward during the turn initiation, fore-aft balance and stuff like that.
My question is that I would like to kindly ask you to evaluate my skiing from the perspective of the US ski lesson system. I know you, guys, have like a 9-level system. So, if I come to an american resort and sign up for a group lesson, which level group would I best fit in?


I am the guy wearing a black and yellow jacket and a helmet

thanks a lot in advance.
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
Pass Pulled
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Posts
4,123
whats your intent for those turns? Id say at least L6 based on that video, but I might down grade or up grade you depending on how verstatile you are with in your movement pattern.
 
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IvanLi

IvanLi

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Posts
8
Location
Moscow
Thanks for the reply, Josh.
I didn't have any special intent, just skiing down the slope and staying in control with regards to my speed and direction.
 

Steve

SkiMangoJazz
Pass Pulled
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Nov 13, 2015
Posts
2,338
Definitely call yourself a Level 7.
 

slowrider

Trencher
Skier
Joined
Dec 17, 2015
Posts
4,534
Level 6 crowding a 7 on that terrain. A better assessment like Mike said on various terrain and conditions.
 

Kneale Brownson

Making fresh tracks forever on the other side
Instructor
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
1,863
From what I can tell about the slope you’re on, You’re a level six who needs instruction on pole touches.
 
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IvanLi

IvanLi

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Posts
8
Location
Moscow
Thanks everyone for your expert evaluation. I am definitely unfamiliar with steeps/bumps/powder as there is not much if anything of this kind at my home mountain (pictured on the video above lol).
Next year I plan to spend more time in the real mountains to see how my skills translate onto the more serious terrain.
 
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IvanLi

IvanLi

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Posts
8
Location
Moscow
My wife just asked me to post the same question regarding here skiing. Also, what is the one thing (or may be two) you would recommend her to pay attention to? Thanks a lot in advance!

 

Mike King

AKA Habacomike
Instructor
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Nov 13, 2015
Posts
3,383
Location
Louisville CO/Aspen Snowmass
Level 4-5. She needs less bend at the knee and hip (stand up a bit more) and turn the legs, not the upper body. That is, the upper body should remain still and her legs should turn underneath them.
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
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Dec 21, 2015
Posts
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ugh hold the phone sideways!

The first one wasnt so bad because of hte closest but hold the phone sideways and you will get better video.
 

LiquidFeet

instructor
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Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,697
Location
New England
Your wife is skiing with a rigid body. It looks like she worries that if she wiggles or twists or moves any part of her body she'll lose balance and fall. This kind of skier rigidity usually comes from insecurity about remaining balanced. As long as she skis that rigidly, she will not be able to try new movements that will increase her skill, her control over her skis, her line, and her speed.

So the first and most important thing she needs to work on is loosening up her body, discovering how much she can move her arms and hands and shoulders and legs and feet without falling over as she makes turns. I've never known anyone to be able to relax when told "RELAX!" So simply telling her to relax probably isn't going to get rid of that frozen pose.

Here is one suggestion for her:
1. Beginner terrain
Ski on the lowest pitch terrain available. Isolated beginner terrain is best. This should allow her to experiment with movement without intimidation.

2. Thumpers for weight on downhill (outside) ski
Work on skiing with weight focused on the outside ski. This involves lightening the weight on the inside ski. One drill that works well for this is "thumpers." While heading across the hill, between turns, lift the tail of the uphill ski and put it back down. Keep the tip on the snow. Do this lifting repeatedly. Lift the tail, put it back down with a thump. Thump thump thump the tail all the way across the hill. Turn, then thump thump thump across the hill in the other direction.
3. Your wife is aft. Thumpers helps skiers stay less-aft when they figure out how to stand on that downhill ski so they can lift only the tail of the uphill ski. When an aft skier attempts to lift only the tail, the tip lifts too.
4. To get only the tail to lift, she can slide her feet back, as if trying to get both feet behind her hips. The feel won't slide back that far, but the effort will hopefully get the feet farther back than they are currently.
5. She can work on thumpers all by herself; it's easy for a skier to tell if the tail is thumping or not, and if the tip is staying on the snow or not.
6. If she is afraid of lifting the tail of that uphill ski, she can work on lifting it only a half centimeter or so while going real slow.
7. Once she is used to thumping the tail across the hill, she can try moving the thumping up higher/earlier in the turn. Start thumping what will be the uphill ski when the skis are pointed down the hill. Then start thumping before that. This will be a big breakthrough!
8. Why do thumpers? It gets each leg doing something different, and it gets the skier to balance on the current outside ski, then shift it to the new outside ski. The rigidity will loosen in the process, and skiing from outside ski to outside ski will replace her current two-footed balance.

9. Shin-Tongue for getting out of the back seat
It's hard for a skier to confirm on their own that the feet have been moved back far enough to fix aft skiing. If the tail lifts without the tip when doing thumpers, that's one sign. Another thing people pay attention to is shin-tongue contact. Your wife can try to focus on strengthening that contact between the front of her lower leg and the boot's tongue. She can do this by sliding her feet backwards under her and keeping them there, not by bending the knees more. That only moves the hips back, and increases the "sitting back" aft situation.
10. Another way to confirm the feet moving back is to see if the tilt of the lower legs matches the tilt of the spine. These should match. An observer can watch your wife from the side, or take video, to confirm this is working. Currently, your wife's lower leg tilt is more upright than her spine. "Bending the knees" does not fix this; it only moves the hips back, and increases the aftness. Slide the feet back to increase the forward tilt of the lower legs.

11. Strengths
Your wife is skiing with good strong control of her speed using turn shape and line. Her turns are consistent. Bravo! She is looking ahead (not down)! She is skiing mostly parallel - great! She has a good strong base upon which to add increasing skills.
 
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IvanLi

IvanLi

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
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Posts
8
Location
Moscow
Thanks, LiquidFeet for taking time to write such an in depth recommendation.
 
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IvanLi

IvanLi

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Posts
8
Location
Moscow
Hello, everyone!

Here is another video with definitely a better angle/camera position))

Would really appreciate if you check whether there is any improvement. I have had some three lessons in the meantime as well as have skied 5-6 times on my own.
Also, would be nice if you share your thoughts as to where to move next.

 

michael2019

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Mar 9, 2019
Posts
13
Location
Wisconsin
So the first thing that strikes me is where the snow is coming off the bottom of your skis in your turn, it is coming off the ski behind your foot, that tells me you might want to get a little further forward. Secondly you could add some upper-lower body separation, you seem to move as one unit rotating your upper body to make the skis come around.

I am no expert however if anyone else has a better explanation, or disagrees feel free to tell me (and IvanLi).
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
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4,123
snow coming off the rear doesnt mean much....

you are correct on the upper and lower body seperation though.
 

michael2019

In the parking lot (formerly "At the base lodge")
Skier
Joined
Mar 9, 2019
Posts
13
Location
Wisconsin
Josh

Sorry my bad i was told it was a good indication of where your weight was.
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
Pass Pulled
Joined
Dec 21, 2015
Posts
4,123
If anything snow off the back means the tips have more weight than the tails, but the reality has it has more to do with tactics in this cases as the skier who posted the videos tend to try to slide the tails around to slow down.
 

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