• For more information on how to avoid pop-up ads and still support SkiTalk click HERE.

Coach13

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Posts
2,091
Location
No. VA
Has anyone here checked out these instructional videos and can offer some thoughts on them?
 

Plai

Paul Lai
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Posts
1,965
Location
Silicon Valley
I use these videos when I was coming up 5-6 years ago and refer to them just to get the basics nailed. What a beautifully concise explanation of what needs to be done, how, when, and why. One of the instructors at my home resort without prompting mentioned them to me also.

I refer everyone asking me about beginner skiing to these videos. Not all my friends "get" these videos, so apparently they don't work for everyone.

That said:
Are they a substitute for an L3 instructor. Nope. Sanity checking by a qualified individual is still needed.
Do they really get you on edge for high performance carving. Didn't for me -- needed help from said instructor.
Did they help to keep my weight forward, and minimize motion to get to more efficient turns - Yes --- key concept ... shorten old outside leg during transition to become the new inside leg.

I'm sure others will disagree, but they helped me along well enough. Good memories on my part.

Darren, if you happen to read this, I owe you a drink. :beercheer:
 

Shawn C.

Out on the slopes
Skier
Joined
Sep 3, 2017
Posts
403
Location
Ogden, UT
Yes I have watched quite a few of them. My wife found them on YouTube last year and they resonate with her. I was a bit bored last night and went through several of the advanced/expert videos and I liked them as well.

I think the presenter is really good at explaining things. He keeps it simple enough and is an engaging personality. They aren't too long either which is nice as I imagine a lengthy instructional video would get boring.

Two thumbs up from me!
 

dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
Moderator
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Posts
18,097
Location
75% Virginia, 25% Colorado
I think I've watched them all... I find them good an simple enough to get you pointed in the right direction (so to speak), but agree they aren't a replacement for real instruction. (I don't see how a video could be, since the video doesn't see what you're doing...)
 
Thread Starter
TS
C

Coach13

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Posts
2,091
Location
No. VA
I agree they aren’t a substitute for live on the snow lessons but I think the videos are well done.

There was another group of videos I used to like but I lost track of who was doing those. I think they were done at Big White. Anyone remember these videos?
 
Thread Starter
TS
C

Coach13

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Posts
2,091
Location
No. VA
FWIW, looking at them again the Josh Foster videos seem to be pretty solid as well.
 

dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
Moderator
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Posts
18,097
Location
75% Virginia, 25% Colorado
I don't know if Josh is around here, but he used to very occasionally post on EpicSki (as @cannonball). I really like his videos - I'm not sure if I've watched them all, but I've tried!
 

Darryl

Booting up
Skier
Joined
Nov 8, 2018
Posts
46
I am also a fan of both Ski School videos and Josh Foster. I like the break down of Ski School by subject, so that if I no I will be skiing bumps, I can watch the moguls videos.

Another You Tube video series that seems good is Stomp It Tutorials. It is mainly trick focused (which I am not) but he has a few powder video tips which I quite enjoyed.
 

Corgski

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Posts
375
Location
Southern NH
The quality of the Elate Media presentation is excellent. Unfortunately I am not a fan of the early progressions which I tried during my very early days of skiing. If I recall correctly, among other issues much of the emphasis was on the outside ski, a lot of shifting weight and pushing. I think my skiing actually regressed slightly. Very tiring, unnecessary and I don't understand how this builds a good foundation for the longer term.

I need to watch the more advanced videos, I am curious to what degree he teaches different ski techniques going forward.
 

Fuller

Semi Local
Skier
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Posts
1,522
Location
Whitefish or Florida
I have been a voracious consumer of all the prominent online ski lessons - the free ones! When you are in the beginning stages of learning the style of communication and the production values are what keeps you focused. Darren at Elate was an early example of someone who gave some thought to his final product and his material stood out from the rest. Some folks here (and on Epicski when it was a thing) managed to get their knickers in a twist about his content but to me even if he was incorrect about certain details or didn't use the terminology they expected, he was still delivering a boatload of good information.

Josh Foster has a very simple format and sticks to it in a folksy, friendly manner. One simple concept explained at least two ways and repeated and summarized at the end. It seems a bit dumbed down for the Pugski audience but for many it's just right. I would love to spend a day with him to see how he does with a more extended time period. "Let's go for a slide and I'll show you what I mean"
 

hrstrat57

Skis guitars Mustangs
Skier
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Posts
337
Location
Yawgoo Valley RI
Epicski tech weenie PSIA gang got their "knickers in a twist" cause quality on line free lessons steals business.

YouTube for the visual learner is just amazing. It's like free money. Back in the day you had to pay for Lito's vids, tho they now are free on YouTube.

Ski instruction is a business in peril, just like Sears.

Nothing lasts forever.
 

dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
Moderator
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Posts
18,097
Location
75% Virginia, 25% Colorado
Epicski tech weenie PSIA gang got their "knickers in a twist" cause quality on line free lessons steals business.

YouTube for the visual learner is just amazing. It's like free money. Back in the day you had to pay for Lito's vids, tho they now are free on YouTube.

Ski instruction is a business in peril, just like Sears.

Nothing lasts forever.

I don't believe that's at all the case... either the reason folks were upset, or that ski instruction is in peril due to the prevalence on online videos. Online instruction is SO different than in person, customized teaching, that I hesitate to even compare them. Is online useful? Heck yeah. Does it compare to working with an instructor? No.

Thinking about it... I suppose online would be most effective at replacing or replicating low to mid level group lessons. Perhaps there's some effect there. But overall effect on the instruction industry I would think would be minimal.
 

Corgski

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Posts
375
Location
Southern NH
I have been a voracious consumer of all the prominent online ski lessons - the free ones! When you are in the beginning stages of learning the style of communication and the production values are what keeps you focused. Darren at Elate was an early example of someone who gave some thought to his final product and his material stood out from the rest. Some folks here (and on Epicski when it was a thing) managed to get their knickers in a twist about his content but to me even if he was incorrect about certain details or didn't use the terminology they expected, he was still delivering a boatload of good information.
I know there has been a high level of acrimony over ski instruction in the past and it would be nice to avoid that. But teaching can dramatically affect ones early skiing experience and there should be space for fair criticism. I tried the Elate media early progression within the first few days of skiing and found it awkward. Maybe it was just me and someone else will like it. Nothing personal and I am far from being at the level to have an agenda. There are people here who have spent years fine tuning their teaching, nothing stopping Darren from reviewing criticism and updating his videos should he think he can improve them, or choosing to keep them the same if he feels they represent best practices.

A number of us were not yet skiing during the old conflicts and may not even be aware when other people on the site are walking on eggshells in order to prevent new ones (which may be why despite being an early intermediate I was left to be the sole critic on this thread :().
 

Corgski

Getting off the lift
Skier
Joined
Dec 5, 2017
Posts
375
Location
Southern NH
I just reviewed the beginner and intermediate sequence and I regret that my response is overwhelmingly negative. Brought back bad memories of very early struggles which included this series.

I will put aside any technicalities and what represents good or bad skiing. The biggest problem is that it literally might not work. You can follow the instructions to turn and you may only turn a little or even not at all. The progression is based on the unstated assumption that if your body weight is where he says it should be, the correct edging will follow naturally. And if it isn't, you are going to struggle to turn and start relying on a lot of force and moving your body around to force the turn. You might always be almost out of control, desperately trying to force control through aggressive wedge braking.

I'd add that the fact that someone may by luck end up with the correct edging does not make them more athletic than someone who does not. If you want someone to do A, don't tell them to do B, because you think that A is an inevitable consequence of B.
 
Thread Starter
TS
C

Coach13

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
Nov 15, 2015
Posts
2,091
Location
No. VA
As a guy who has coached many non-ski sports, I’ll say nothing replaces in person coaching or instructions. That said, good online video and instruction has it’s place though dependent on a couple factors. The 1st is obvious, the quality of the video instruction. The 2nd is less obvious but most important imo and that’s the student having the awareness to understand where they are in terms of strengths, weaknesses, and instructional needs and being able to relate the video to the same.
 

KingGrump

Most Interesting Man In The World
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
12,209
Location
NYC
Online instruction is SO different than in person, customized teaching, that I hesitate to even compare them. Is online useful? Heck yeah. Does it compare to working with an instructor? No.

Seen this many times.
Instructor does a demo.
Student do his/her best to imitate.
Students excitedly goes "I'm doing it !!! I';m doing it !!!"
Instructor goes "Nope."
 

markojp

mtn rep for the gear on my feet
Industry Insider
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,605
Location
PNW aka SEA
Epicski tech weenie PSIA gang got their "knickers in a twist" cause quality on line free lessons steals business.

YouTube for the visual learner is just amazing. It's like free money. Back in the day you had to pay for Lito's vids, tho they now are free on YouTube.

Ski instruction is a business in peril, just like Sears.

Nothing lasts forever.

Oh BS. I'm a very visual learner and love YouTube video. It certainly helps, but does it kill instruction? No. I see it as a resource and often share it with people we're coaching. I also 'get coached' as well. Again, there isn't a 'zero sum gain' at work here. They're compliments. Most people watching still benefit from eyes/coaching on the hill if it's their time and budget parameters.
 

Fuller

Semi Local
Skier
Joined
Feb 18, 2016
Posts
1,522
Location
Whitefish or Florida
Youtube always serves me up a steady diet of ski instruction videos to look at so I think I may have seen them all at one time or another. I have yet to pay for any of the subscription based sites where they throw out the free teaser and then you have to pay for the actual content. Mostly because if were to be paying out dollars I would want it to be winter and have the mountain available to me right after the lesson. At that point I might as well have a real lesson.

I think I've mentioned this before on Pugski but I believe I made a substantial improvement in my skiing just by watching what's free on youtube. I internalized it over the summer and my skiing was better the first run that winter.
 

marjoram_sage

newly addicted to skiing
Skier
Joined
Nov 14, 2018
Posts
213
Location
San Jose California
The quality of the Elate Media presentation is excellent. Unfortunately I am not a fan of the early progressions which I tried during my very early days of skiing. If I recall correctly, among other issues much of the emphasis was on the outside ski, a lot of shifting weight and pushing. I think my skiing actually regressed slightly. Very tiring, unnecessary and I don't understand how this builds a good foundation for the longer term.

I need to watch the more advanced videos, I am curious to what degree he teaches different ski techniques going forward.

yes. the snow plow turns do require a lot of energy. I'm doing a bit of parallel turns now but it would be good to watch some videos that explain how to turn effortlessly.
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top