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

Scruffy

Making fresh tracks
Skier
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 16, 2015
Posts
2,429
Location
Upstate NY
Survival? Haha...with the phenomenon called the WROD, I'd say that survival is the first thing I work on, given that I get out on said WROD :D

Other than that. carving skills, since there're usually no bumps of consequence to entertain me.
 

surfsnowgirl

Instructor
Skier
Joined
May 12, 2016
Posts
5,765
Location
Magic Mountain, Vermont
Simple side slips, followed by a few simple 360 spin drills after a few runs.

Refreshes the balance and edge feel.

Continue these same drills throughout the season.

Everything else is based on this simple basic.

Prety much this. I start out in the bunny hill on day one and gradually branch out as I feel more comfortable. We do a lot of this stuff in our early season Bromley clinics too which is nice. Getting new boots in October so all this stuff is even more important when I'm breaking in some new shoes.
 
Last edited:

Bad Bob

I golf worse than I ski.
Skier
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
5,843
Location
West of CDA South of Canada
If at a major or WROD survival first which often means lots of little turns and taking up as little space as possible.

At most of my regional mountains that is not such an issue thank God. Then it's pivot slips, fore and aft balance drills, 100 steps, javelin/stork turns, upper lower body separation, and turn completion.
 

dbostedo

Asst. Gathermeister
Moderator
Contributor
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Feb 9, 2016
Posts
18,095
Location
75% Virginia, 25% Colorado
Staying upright!

That's only half a joke. My first day last season I fell several times in the first few runs... I blame it on new canting and unfamiliar skis, but I do find it takes a day to just get my ski legs back.
 

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,434
I always wonder if I’ll remember how. The only time that didn’t happen was when I skied a week in summer.
One year I had to teach before I’d skied yet. I got in a half run before to make sure things still worked.
 

mdf

entering the Big Couloir
Skier
Team Gathermeister
SkiTalk Supporter
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
7,215
Location
Boston Suburbs
For many years I felt like I couldn't ski the first day back. And worse, I felt like I might never enjoy skiing again. Of course, about 3 runs in, it would suddenly click and start working and being fun again. Then about ten years ago, for no apparent reason, I had a year without that problem and my first day has been fine since then.

There were two years where I had a probably-related problem: my legs hurt like crazy the first couple ski days. I know it wasn't conditioning because the pain stopped suddenly in the middle of a run and everything was great after that.
 

James

Out There
Instructor
Joined
Dec 2, 2015
Posts
24,434
There were two years where I had a probably-related problem: my legs hurt like crazy the first couple ski days. I know it wasn't conditioning because the pain stopped suddenly in the middle of a run and everything was great after that.
Are we sure it wasn’t the boots from the 80’s? Every year they get another year older
 

François Pugh

Skiing the powder
Skier
Joined
Nov 17, 2015
Posts
7,615
Location
Great White North (Eastern side currently)
Like riding a motorcycle on a morning when I'm not feeling 100%, I focus on not killing my self - no pushing the limits - no seeing if I can turn harder and faster. Like riding a motorcycle, that lasts about a dozen turns, then I get intoxicated by the g-forces and forget about everything and just make the best turns I can. It's only by the grace of God that I'm still here.

I may throw in the the usual drills (picture frame, hold poles and shoulders horizontal, outside pole drag) now and then.
 

Kneale Brownson

Making fresh tracks forever on the other side
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
1,863
If I can find an appropriately safe space, sideslips to pivotslips. If not, a few foot-to-foot power wedges.
 

LiquidFeet

instructor
Instructor
Joined
Nov 12, 2015
Posts
6,697
Location
New England
If I'm not restricted to a crowded WROD I choose to do the following maneuvers on my first days, mostly at slow speed. This will be on man-made hard snow since I ski in New England.

To regain precision edge control on the flat end of the spectrum, and to regain precision fore-aft balance:
side slips
pivot slips
backwards pivot slips
one-foot side slips BTE and LTE
flat 360s
extremely slow purely parallel turns on the lowest pitch terrain available

To regain precision edge control on the edged end of the spectrum (starting low pitch and moving up):
railroad tracks
morph those to round carved turns (if traffic on the trail is absent)
manipulate edging to create turns with different radii (if traffic is absent)
mess around with carved turn completion
*progress to steeper pitches (if no traffic and if terrain is available)

To regain precision control over turn shape on various pitches:
extremely short radius turns down the fall line, in a very narrow corridor, at various speeds, on green/blue terrain
*modify platform angle to precisely control skid/carve ratio and turn shape
*modify turn initiations from pivot-slippy to railroad-tracky to precisely control turn shape

To check my boot alignment and to start building up ankle and leg strength:
white-pass turns
one-legged skiing

For fun:
bumps, if there are any

I normally have plenty of goofy "wobbles" to work out at season's start. Since I started skiing late in life these wobbles may never entirely go away. The maneuvers with the *** are things I'll be working on all season and will start on as soon as the worst of the wobbles are beginning to dissipate.
 
Last edited:

Doug Briggs

"Douche Bag Local"
Industry Insider
SkiTalk Tester
Joined
Nov 9, 2015
Posts
7,483
Location
Breckenridge, CO
I do some slow RR track turns on the top flats then let them roll into complete arced turns. Focus on balancing on the outside ski is what I usually forget. One turn where I begin to fall to the inside is enough to get me back on the outside ski. I don't drill per se, but I enjoy skiing one ski on the gentle pitches.
 

Wilhelmson

Making fresh tracks
Skier
Joined
May 2, 2017
Posts
4,328
For the kids' sake with new boots and/or skis we usually do a run or two on a green or easy blue to start the season.

Basic skiing isn't that hard so I try to enjoy myself and make smooth turns in the morning. In the afternoon maybe do a few drills that I've picked up over the years. Oldschoolskier received the most likes so I'll try those drills this year.
 

Sponsor

Staff online

Top