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So, You’ve Never Skied Before

Monique

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Well ... that's not at ALL what I was thinking. If that helps any. In fact, I am just as likely (if not more so) to picture out-of-shape people as too skinny, lacking muscle tone. So, point taken, but that didn't even occur to me that the author "meant" that.

I don't think @Mendieta meant that. I'm just bringing my own perspective to reading the advice. I don't think my perspective is unique. At least ski clothing masks many body shapes, so it's somewhat less troubling for people with body image issues ... although shopping for ski clothing - that's a different matter entirely.
 

SBrown

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I don't think @Mendieta meant that. I'm just bringing my own perspective to reading the advice. I don't think my perspective is unique. At least ski clothing masks many body shapes, so it's somewhat less troubling for people with body image issues ... although shopping for ski clothing - that's a different matter entirely.

Of course it's not unique, but neither is it universal. Although clearly the amount of ink that little sentence of Mendieta's has produced ... I mean, just take him at face value, lol! don't go skiing while you're a weakling.
 

KingGrump

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If there was something thinner than ski socks, I'd wear them. I've thought about skiing sans socks to save my foot that 1mm of room in there.

Knee Length Nylons..jpg

Kevin, you would look adorable in these.

Definitely do not go the no sock route. Otherwise we may have to get the Hazmat team to take out the boots mid-season. :eek: Don't ask how I know. :doh::D
 
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Mendieta

Mendieta

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Thank you all for the feedback so far. The article reflects my personal suggestions, so it's a collection of opinions rather than facts. To quote @Philpug : let's agree to disagree. And more specifically: the beauty of a dynamic site like pugski.com is that forum members add color, info and perspective to the different articles.
 

Monique

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Of course it's not unique, but neither is it universal. Although clearly the amount of ink that little sentence of Mendieta's has produced ... I mean, just take him at face value, lol! don't go skiing while you're a weakling.

*sigh*
 

Pete in Idaho

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I agree with the author and supporters, some level of physical fitness makes learning to ski much easier and way more enjoyable.

The absolute worst student/lst timer I ever taught was at Homewood/Lake Tahoe. He was from India and was part of the upper class and had never done anything in his entire life. He couldn't get up when he sat down in the snow, had NO muscle tone let alone strength and may be the most pathetic example of male hormones I have ever seen. He did not learn how to ski, my lst real failure as an instructor. Physical fitness does count.
 

Smear

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I can see your point, to a point, but...

Muscle coordination means something. You don't have to be athletic, but you do need some kind of muscle coordination.

@Tricia 's point above is right on. My first instructor told me that his biggest frustration was students just like she described: no sports ever. Completely out of shape couch potatoes.

Agree that muscle coordination and other sports experience makes it easier to learn.

My easiest student ever in tele instruction was a national level competitive XC-skier, medical student, but a never-ever on downhill gear. I could tell her to flex the ankle more, don't break at the waist and tilt your pelvis a bit more forward and she would make the changes instantly. Actually put a fair bit of pressure onto me as a rookie instructor because I felt she had the muscle coordination, movement awareness and balance to just do what I said, so it was all on me to exactly describe the the changes she should make.:eek:

But I don't think aerobic fitness and strength in isolation is important for learning to ski.

For myself I have started to train for ski fitness many times and quit an equal number of times. I could go at it for months and be able to increase the number of repetitions on a weight exercise from say 4 to 10. But then when I stopped it would return to baseline in about the same time frame that it took to build the fitness. Similar for aerobic fitness. This year after months of hard training I improved my time up a hill on bike with 15 %. But now after a few months of inactivity I'am back where I started. IT'S NOT FAIR :(. It will be hard to grow old in the age of GPS-tracking. Lets hope that it's a fad that passes...

I actually don't think any of the things I have done for ski fitness over the years has had any noticeable effect on my skiing.

One thing I like about getting better at skiing is that skill improvement is not as volatile as fitness improvement. Most of us can take a 6 months pause and then continue improving not that far from where we left of. I guess that is something we should appreciate as relative beginners since that effect will be smaller as we improve.
 

Yo Momma

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Flexibility in the mix here, rather than size (fat vs skinny), shape, or strength. After you crash many times as a beginner, the soreness on some level reflects a lack of flexibility. If you're not flexible, or are in great shape but super tight (Men in da house!)........ that factor will weigh heavily in your pain levels and recuperation speed. What we don't see when instructing is the pain afterwards....... two to three days after being on the slopes. It's brutal to watch!......... probably akin to my diaphragm pain when my Poser lungs are sucking air @10k ft. during the first few days out west!! OMG UGGH!!!!!!!

I started Kiteboarding..... (Total Beginner here!)....... and my close friends all tell me I'm in "Monster" shape and super flexy. I call BS because kiteboarding WAXED my supposedly in-shape ASS!!!!!! I get spanked out there w/o mercy. Thank the Maker for yoga saving my life many times over.......I'm now a proponent of everyone trying a new sport and going back to being a Beginner......... It's massively humbling......... and I can't push Yoga enough.... okay, Pilates, Dance, Mom managing toddlers....... anything that gets the body moving in awkward, non-uniform directions..........
 

Yo Momma

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Agree that muscle coordination and other sports experience makes it easier to learn.

My easiest student ever in tele instruction was a national level competitive XC-skier, medical student, but a never-ever on downhill gear. I could tell her to flex the ankle more, don't break at the waist and tilt your pelvis a bit more forward and she would make the changes instantly. Actually put a fair bit of pressure onto me as a rookie instructor because I felt she had the muscle coordination, movement awareness and balance to just do what I said, so it was all on me to exactly describe the the changes she should make.:eek:
.

I know exactly how you feel. Try teaching a professional dancer! They watch then copy you exactly. It's downright eerie bec that's what they do when learning new choreography......... We're doing some full speed drills and I'm sliding down the slope sideways watching my GF (Beginner/Intermed) and she thinks that is what she was supposed to do and turns sideways almost switch at full speed.......... In my head I was like WTF are you doing!?!?! OMG she pulled it off beautifully, and was just about skiing switch when I GENTLY motioned that she slow down and stop......... Careful when teaching ballerinas!
 

Core2

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This article and thread are key for anyone who is starting to ski or thinking about starting to ski.
Thanks for the great work.

I've made it a sticky so that its easy to find for a new member.

@Core2 without having an actual beginner forum area, where do you think this thread should be?
We are open to suggestions.

I think you guys need a beginner/intermediate section or a way to split out content that is relevant to beginners and intermediates. I've said this before, there are some extremely knowledgeable folks on this site but if you aren't already a dedicated skier it is going to be intimidating to sign up here and try to join in the conversation. The content here is not very casual (with the exception of this post), it is definitely higher level ski talk which I know is the point but you are seriously limiting your demographic as most people fall into the never ever or only ski a few days a year category. When I got serious about skiing again a few years back you and Phil and some of the others on Epic were the reason I kept skiing and was able to seriously up my knowledge and ability. I'd like to see you guys be able to do that for folks here but I think the model isn't setup like that and I get the impression that isn't your mission here.
 
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Mendieta

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@Core2 without having an actual beginner forum area, where do you think this thread should be?
We are open to suggestions.[/QUOTE]

Mmm ... Perhaps Ski School?
 

Monique

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What's the reasoning behind not having a beginner forum?
 

David Chaus

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Well ... that's not at ALL what I was thinking. If that helps any. In fact, I am just as likely (if not more so) to picture out-of-shape people as too skinny, lacking muscle tone. So, point taken, but that didn't even occur to me that the author "meant" that.
Now, I resemble that remark.
 

Tricia

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I think you guys need a beginner/intermediate section or a way to split out content that is relevant to beginners and intermediates. I've said this before, there are some extremely knowledgeable folks on this site but if you aren't already a dedicated skier it is going to be intimidating to sign up here and try to join in the conversation. The content here is not very casual (with the exception of this post), it is definitely higher level ski talk which I know is the point but you are seriously limiting your demographic as most people fall into the never ever or only ski a few days a year category. When I got serious about skiing again a few years back you and Phil and some of the others on Epic were the reason I kept skiing and was able to seriously up my knowledge and ability. I'd like to see you guys be able to do that for folks here but I think the model isn't setup like that and I get the impression that isn't your mission here.

What's the reasoning behind not having a beginner forum?
We've heard pluses and minuses on both sides of adding a beginner specific area.
On one hand, it helps point a beginner to an area that isn't over the top
On the other hand, we want to use caution about adding extra forum areas because we've seen it snowball and become crazy packed with forum sections for every little thing.

Besides that, we hope that the overall environment here is both high quality and welcoming enough that everyone feels at home no matter where he/she reads and posts.
 

nay

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We've heard pluses and minuses on both sides of adding a beginner specific area.
On one hand, it helps point a beginner to an area that isn't over the top
On the other hand, we want to use caution about adding extra forum areas because we've seen it snowball and become crazy packed with forum sections for every little thing.

Besides that, we hope that the overall environment here is both high quality and welcoming enough that everyone feels at home no matter where he/she reads and posts.

I never paid any attention to the beginner forums. The value is in reading along, picking up core concepts, and occasionally sticking your neck out and jumping in.

I would unsticky this because it doesn't need to be at the top of the main forum, well intentioned as it is. People only get into forums when they have the bug, and if you have the bug you probably aren't standing in the baby pool.

It's better to just get wet.
 

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