Ultimate way to take up skiing and progress quickly?

[Read Blinn]

Ok. It takes a while.

I interpret skiing beautifully as skiing in control. If you can progress toward skiing in control, you'll ski more difficult runs because you're in control (and the runs seem less difficult). If you're in control, you're skiing beautifully.

The grail is skiing difficult runs beautifully, I guess.

 

[Karen_skier2.0]

Also, have someone video your technique so you can see what you're doing versus what you think you are doing.

 

[Lady_Salina]

I'd say do what Kneale said. This was my experience. I skied my first time at 17 I skied as much as I could get out with very good skiers and tried to copy them. I had a baby at 18, I skied when I was 19 for the season... I had a baby 20/21 (pregnant had baby), At 22 I bought a 29.00 night pass and skied every night I could, not sure what I did with my kids lol. Nah i had a live in sitter and could skip out in the evenings. People kept coming up to me and saying "Are you and instructor" I'd say no I'm just learning, this was really 2 to 2.5 seasons skiing. I spent every run, doing what my friends (a couple of instructors) told me to do, turn, keep my upper body still, turn my feet till they crossed the hill and repeat the opposite way. I liked this. It gave me control, I wasn't afraid and somewhere in my obsessive look down the hill, hold the core still, turn the feet I got better. I had no idea but someone said, go take the instructor course, even if you don't get it you'll learn something. So I had no idea of terminology but I watched the course conductor demo and copied and I passed. That is when I started to really learn to ski.... You give it the time and enjoy working on it and you can learn it relatively quickly to a decent level. But it takes time on the hill. I went every weekend and many days when I worked nights the first year I would get off work, ski all day then go sleep before work that night.

 

[Jason Robertson]

Ski as much as possible, and ski with people that are better than you are. Watch, learn, and keep up.

 

[Monique]

I always ski better when I'm following a beautiful skier. I usually regress when I'm on my own, but I like to think I get a feel for what it's like to ski like that, and over time it might absorb into my skiing.

I also ski better when I am leading a friend who's not as strong a skier. I find that I want to set a good example for them, and so I do a better job of maintaining form than I do on my own. Hm. This might actually be a decent argument for being a part-time instructor ... have to chew on that. Of course it also helps that in these situations, I'm not skiing my most challenging terrain. I also tend to ski more aggressively and better when I'm with a class of tentative women - something about showing them that women don't have to hold back and be delicate flowers. Not that I'm the poster child for aggressive skiing, but that situation helps me "fake it till I make it." (Same with mountain biking)

Further, there are some ski buddies I always seem to ski more confidently with. There's a crew from Breck that is joyful and always skiing some pretty gnarly stuff, but they just treat it as fun, not this big deal that requires lots of forethought - and somehow they just believe I can do it, too - and then it turns out I totally can do it, and do it more smoothly than I ever thought possible. They're like my Dumbo's feather.

But I suspect all of the scenarios I'm describing apply more to someone who has some skiing under her belt, rather than a beginner progressing. It's been a long time since I've been in that scenario or spent time with someone who's living it.

 

[Levy1]

I can really help someone progress quickly if I shell fit them in a easy flexing comfort fitting boot. The control they have with that good fitting boot from the beginning changes everything.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

To progress quickly, start racing, you will learn to turn where you have to not where you default too. You will mix quickly with many different ability levels to emulate, listen to and watch. You will "up close" see what works and what doesn't, gear will immediately be a topic of discussion and you will learn to ski in tight and more open courses.

And what was said here before, TIME ON THE SNOW, the more the better. If at all possible try to ski 2, 3, 4 days in a row and your time on the snow will imprint better and you will be more relaxed and in tune with your environment.

Although I did learn to ski by racing and that was fun and important to me, where I really became a skier was to flow with mountain, using the contours of the mountain as the determining factor in where, how fast and what method I used. or maybe I used the mountain to determine how I skied ? Being able to FLOW down the hill instead of just turning will really awaken you to how great this sport really is to most of us.

 

[Pete in Idaho]

To progress quickly, start racing, you will learn to turn where you have to not where you default too. You will mix quickly with many different ability levels to emulate, listen to and watch. You will "up close" see what works and what doesn't, gear will immediately be a topic of discussion and you will learn to ski in tight and more open courses.

And what was said here before, TIME ON THE SNOW, the more the better. If at all possible try to ski 2, 3, 4 days in a row and your time on the snow will imprint better and you will be more relaxed and in tune with your environment.

Although I did learn to ski by racing and that was fun and important to me, where I really became a skier was to flow with mountain, using the contours of the mountain as the determining factor in where, how fast and what method I used. or maybe I used the mountain to determine how I skied ? Being able to FLOW down the hill instead of just turning will really awaken you to how great this sport really is to most of us.

Bud I got through this and realized you asked the Q. Please correctly assume I am just talking and not addressing you who I feel very odd telling how to progress since I will never live long enough to ski like you.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

I'm sure Bud made a rhetorical question.

 

[Lee]

Ultimate way to take up skiing and progress quickly

Given the title commit early to buying a high quality boot fitted to your feet. This boot should last you a good long time.

ski as often as you can. practice skiing slowly in balance. skiing is rhythm and flow --> find yours. Lessons can help a lot.

offslope-get in better shape especially in your core, loose weight, work on balance, looseness. walking, hiking, yoga are all good. Trail running and mountain biking step things up. Lots of good ways to develop athletic ability.

Watch youtube and visualize yourself doing that. Ski loose and in balance.

Smile a lot, skiing is great fun.

 

[Lee]

hmmm, not seeing the edit tab.so I will post again.

Miss read the title. Totally missed the word ultimate in the query.

Ultimate way to take up skiing and progress quickly. I would most want to learn in Europe-probably France and Italy. The food is so good and the mountains so amazing coupled with the old towns make it the best place to ski. I would want a kind nurturing member of the Swedish Women's National Team to be my private coach and lead me to expert Spring skiing in the Alps over the course of the winter. Yup that would be the ultimate from beginner to expert route.

 

[Susie]

Get out on the snow in a lesson with the level-appropriate gear, every time you ski. If you can, ski for a week straight with the same instructor. As a ski instructor, I have experienced taking never skied adults to solid intermediate skiing in a few days and safe advanced skiing in a few weeks. However, add a bunch of self-guided, poor-habit-developing ski days in there... and the whole process takes a lot longer, sometimes seasons. The lessons do not need to be private. A group lesson with a good instructor over a series of days can be more effective as many can learn as much from watching as doing.

One note on gear... being on the right gear to progress is essential. This means boots that fit and flex as you need them to for your skill level as well as skis that are forgiving enough to give you confidence but talk back to learn. If you are progressing, rent boots & skis until you reach Level 6. Once there, invest in solid, progressing boots and skis. Don't overbuy, as too high-level of gear can be worse than lower end gear for your progression. There are lots of equipment options that will move you from intermediate to advanced skier. If you have a special foot condition that makes comfort or ski edging, control difficult, you may need to invest in boots earlier, meaning you will go through a couple pairs during the progression process.

Getting to advanced terrain requires the same skills as skiing intermediate terrain, just applied a bit more precisely. Thus, if you can get the right movement patterns early, the progression will come quickly and the ability to ski any desired terrain in a safe and confident manner becomes attainable.

 

[bud heishman]

Perhaps a better framed question would be, what would the ultimate ski school look like?

 

[Pete in Idaho]

Getting to advanced terrain requires the same skills as skiing intermediate terrain, just applied a bit more precisely. Thus, if you can get the right movement patterns early, the progression will come quickly and the ability to ski any desired terrain in a safe and confident manner becomes attainable.

Yes.Maybe and No. You are leaving out the human part. Everyone is different, has different characteristics, goals and physical ability etc. It is rather simplistic to say that one can ski advanced terrain by just being more precise in what they learned on intermediate terrain. Speed, variable conditions, big trees, steeps, heights, ice, and fear all enter into the equation.

 

[McEl]

Ultimate way to take up skiing and progress quickly?

Terminal Intermediate, here, with the following suggestions:

1.Employ a Skiing performance facilitator. Mileage with guidance. (Many have already said that.)


2. After completing a few beginner lessons to hear, see and experience some of the basic movements, read Inner Skiing at least 2 times, each time separated by significant amounts of instruction and practice.

Disregard the occasional dated references to “stem” turns because with short, easy-to-manage shaped skis beginners are not taught “stem” turns as part of their early progressions. Otherwise, references in the book to the physical skiing techniques of “how to ski” appear valid with modern (shaped) skis, but keep in mind that Inner Skiing is to be read for its mental techniques as solutions to one’s psychological struggles; it is not to be read for the technical movements that instructors might be teaching one who is taking up skiing.

3. Skate a lot. Everywhere. Uphill. Downhill. Traversing. While turning. 1000 steps.

4. Pray that the fit of your boots and the competence of your instructor are about equal.

5. Video frequently.

6. Skate a lot.

The principals and guidance of Inner Skiing, Revised Edition, 1997, deal with the psychological impairments to skiing: fear and self-image. Authors Gallwey and Kriegel make the point (paraphrasing now) that human beings are the only species of life that has the capability of interfering with its own growth. The human being tends to block the natural process of improving by doubting his potential. He believes that if he cannot do something right away it is because the potential is not there. What he needs to understand is that improvement is the natural process of helping something already inside himself to emerge.

Because man interferes with his growth, his performance varies a great deal, often falling far below his capabilities. Whether beginner or advanced, the level of a skier’s performance at any given time is the difference between his present capabilities and the extent of his internal mental interference with them. He will ski below his actual physical ability in direct proportion to the extent of his mental interference.

Therefore, in the manner explained in the book explore your already-existing potential to improve, to break through the mental limits you have placed on it. That exploration consists of the experiential Awareness and relaxed concentration that are the focus of the book. From what I have seen, the better instructors and coaches are using many of these principles even if they do not know of the book. Weems Westfeldt’s book Brilliant Skiing, Every Day,is consistent with these principles.

7. And Skate a lot.

McEl

 

[Xela]

Ideal ski school? Some random points:

1. Don't saddle inexperienced students with inexperienced instructors.

2. Set up a cost structure that makes it feasible for an average family to get far enough into skiing that they catch the bug. Making high quality lessons some sort of splurge or "treat" is counterproductive.

3. Video. Review/critique immediately.

4. Total integration with rental shop for boots/skis/cants. Don't spend lesson time on equipment unless it's warranted, but do it aggressively if needed. Put someone on the right gear for learning and don't have them worrying about the bill.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Perhaps a better framed question would be, what would the ultimate ski school look like?

Didn't Horst Abraham describe an ultimate ski school?

 

[AmyPJ]

This.
Oh, wait a minute, I clicked "quote" but it didn't.

What Kneale said:
"The ONLY way to progress rapidly is to go skiing frequently with good guidance."

When people say ski with others who are better than you, that can actually be a problem. It was for me when I skied with people who I thought were better. They were faster. I learned some very bad habits trying to keep up with them. My constant thought, silently said to myself, was. "Is this safe?" It wasn't. And they weren't. But I was new and didn't know that, and thought that speed meant skill.

When people say ski often, that can be good but what you are doing is embedding your current habits deeply into muscle memory. I'd add to skiing often, in all kinds of conditions, that you should try different things while doing that. Be experimental in your skiing; don't do the exact same turn every time, hoping for the best. Oh, and get good guidance aka lessons with the right person.

Good guidance and boots that fit are he best things you can go for. Good luck on finding both, and on recognizing them when you do!

Yes, I also learned bad habits and DEFENSIVE habits trying to keep up with speedsters.

I've taken lots of lessons over the years, but waited until I had developed a lot of bad habits in poor fitting boots to do so. Now I'm working to undo a lot of that. I also have taken lessons with group instructors and they haven't done much for me. It is unfortunate that quality instruction, particularly once you reach a certain point, is so expensive.

 

[Superbman]

Move closer to a ski hill, any skill hill, but ease of access is paramount.

 

[Jerez]

Get out on the snow in a lesson with the level-appropriate gear, every time you ski. If you can, ski for a week straight with the same instructor. As a ski instructor, I have experienced taking never skied adults to solid intermediate skiing in a few days and safe advanced skiing in a few weeks. However, add a bunch of self-guided, poor-habit-developing ski days in there... and the whole process takes a lot longer, sometimes seasons. The lessons do not need to be private. A group lesson with a good instructor over a series of days can be more effective as many can learn as much from watching as doing.

Totally agree with this. I learned in a ten-day group lesson. It's the old fashioned, Euro way and it works. Same instructor, same group, gives a solid base. Then you go practice.