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MarkG

Stuck on the lift
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I LOVE taking lessons, and many friends can't understand why. For me it's great to have an extra set of eyes to suggest where to improve (even better when it's some simple tip to integrate instantly.) Or that extra bit of confidence saying, 'no, you're not overterrained here, c'mon, lets go do that run.' Then the lift line cutting is priceless.

I've done the group and the private. Probably continue to do fewer private lessons at this point. Will be doing a 2 day mogul clinic at Whistler too, which I'm really looking forward to. Now if I can only get the discipline to drill more religiously while on the hill (I drill some, but probably not enough.)

NOW, my wife and friends have a different take. Wife had an awful beginner lesson at Northstar, and frankly I haven't gotten her back on skis since. 2 people in the class and she felt ignored. My last instructor suggested she enroll in a Woman's Clinic or request a female instructor for group or privates. Sound advice.

Friends just don't see either 1) the value 2) the use of time and 3) for the worst of them, the need.

More on last instructor, she, along with early posts in this thread, suggested teaching. Sounds great if I can pull it off. Surprised that 12 pages in nobody asked 'how do you get started with that?' (or did I just not see this answered?) Has this been covered ad nauseam and I need to just use the search? PM is fine too, if it's going to hijack the thread.
 
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GB_Ski

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I'm curious what you mean by "fits my style". Are you saying they don't ski in a manner you want to emulate, or you didn't "click" with them personally? Something else?
It's hard to say. I think I'm an intermediate skier. I can go down any trail on the ski map, not gracefully, so all the instructors would put me in advance class, but I really want do build up my basic. Most of the classes are "watch me, now you do it". At JH, we basically chased the instructor all over the terrain for 1 1/2 hour. In the end, I learned more about Jackson Hole terrain than skiing.

36 hours of instruction for $450 seems like a remarkably good deal assuming they’re with a real instructor! Hard to see how you could go wrong unless the ski school fobs you off with the village idiot or something.
Yes, I agree 100%. The only concern I have is how much instruction will I receive. I don't want to pay for 36 hours of fun skiing with a group of people. I want to improve my skiing.
 

Erik Timmerman

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Yes, I agree 100%. The only concern I have is how much instruction will I receive. I don't want to pay for 36 hours of fun skiing with a group of people. I want to improve my skiing.

That should not be hard to find.
 

Kneale Brownson

Making fresh tracks forever on the other side
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I LOVE taking lessons,

More on last instructor, she, along with early posts in this thread, suggested teaching. Sounds great if I can pull it off. Surprised that 12 pages in nobody asked 'how do you get started with that?' (or did I just not see this answered?) Has this been covered ad nauseam and I need to just use the search? PM is fine too, if it's going to hijack the thread
Most ski schools are always looking for help and will be glad to provide training.

Breck is 100 instructors short. Training is terrific. You’d love the FREE lessons.
 
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John Webb

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Most ski schools are always looking for help and will be glad to provide training.

Breck is 100 instructors short. Training is terrific. You’d love the FREE lessons.
An old guy at my dads work retired and then became a ski instructor at Massanutten VA
The other instructors, mostly 1/3 his age, all liked him but called him grandpa !
 

Kneale Brownson

Making fresh tracks forever on the other side
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An old guy at my dads work retired and then became a ski instructor at Massanutten VA
The other instructors, mostly 1/3 his age, all liked him but called him grandpa !

Funny. My grandsons are in their 30s. I started teaching skiing when I was younger than they are now.
 

mdf

entering the Big Couloir
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But compared to most skiers, it's very significant.

I think of myself as someone who "rarely takes lessons." But statistically I am probably someone who takes way more than most.

In the end, I learned more about Jackson Hole terrain than skiing.

It's a real issue. That is what a lot of skiers, especially male skiers with overinflated self images, want. If you want detailed technical instruction in a higher level class, you are probably going to have to say so -- several times.
 

KingGrump

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It's a real issue. That is what a lot of skiers, especially male skiers with overinflated self images, want. If you want detailed technical instruction in a higher level class, you are probably going to have to say so -- several times.

That is why I often get personal requests from Taos instructors to take a student skiing in the afternoon for some extra curricula excitement. Sorry to attach one to your group during the past Taos gathering. IIRC, you guys were rather hard on him. He had to take a day off after doing one run with you guys. The instructor told me he was much more receptive to her technical instruction after that little excursion with you guys.
 

GB_Ski

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It's a real issue. That is what a lot of skiers, especially male skiers with overinflated self images, want. If you want detailed technical instruction in a higher level class, you are probably going to have to say so -- several times.
I think group lessons didn't work for me because the people in the group have different objectives in mind. Some are completely different than mine, instructors ended up doing a bit of everything and I ended up not learning a whole lot. I want to dedicate 2-3 hr each day (Sat & Sun) to do instructional skiing for a period of 6-9 weeks. I want to same instructor who will give me drills, exercises and provide feedback. Monitor my progress throughout the season via video analysis or something. I can afford the lessons, it's just about finding the right instructor or the right program. And because my daughter will be in the seasonal ski program next season, I have to stay with Belleayre Mtn.

If anyone has any experience or recommendation for instructor or Belleayre, please message me.
 

fatbob

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I think group lessons didn't work for me because the people in the group have different objectives in mind. Some are completely different than mine, instructors ended up doing a bit of everything and I ended up not learning a whole lot. I want to dedicate 2-3 hr each day (Sat & Sun) to do instructional skiing for a period of 6-9 weeks. I want to same instructor who will give me drills, exercises and provide feedback. Monitor my progress throughout the season via video analysis or something. .

So shorthand for logic

Depends where you are considering - US has so much $ inflation included in the product which doesn't make it to the instructor its almost needs considering separately from elsewhere in the world.

Let's start at a premise that privates over any extended period are uneconomic for most skiers

Therefore you need a solid group product AT ALL LEVELS which because demand, yada yada doesn't happen

Problem is as you advance group lessons become more of a risky proposition - do you get the tour guide, the guys who just want to blast around and skip lift lines, the group that expects mainly to be stopping for coffee, the tedious over analyzer who wants to debate every micro aspect of the physics of a turn, do you want to ski bumps or trees, or crud or perfect on piste carves. Occasionally that's all gelled well for me but on other occasions I've been bored rigid as th "expert" guy and his ADHD son (17 or so) flounder down the moguls before son skis off somewhere without telling the group and we all hang out at the bottom of the lift for 30 minutes while he is wrangled.

And yeah being shown cool lines is rad but I can befriend any semi local and get that without the $ price of admission. The challenge is to show the cool lines, keep things moving along and offer some real insights that will move things in the way I ski at the same time.


And an additional major factor I've found increasingly the past couple of years - what's limiting my skiing isn't technical largely - it's combinations of fitness, accumulated injuries, head games, other stresses. I really want to be on my A game before I'm spending on raising the bar. When that game takes 30+ days in a season before I'm hitting it by then I just want to enjoy it not be broken down and rebuild.
 
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Kneale Brownson

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Approach them about setting up something for adults like their program for children, GB_Ski. Or ask if they'll have one instructor available for you each day your daughter is in lessons.
 

mdf

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That is why I often get personal requests from Taos instructors to take a student skiing in the afternoon for some extra curricula excitement. Sorry to attach one to your group during the past Taos gathering. IIRC, you guys were rather hard on him. He had to take a day off after doing one run with you guys. The instructor told me he was much more receptive to her technical instruction after that little excursion with you guys.

No problems, I didn't mind. And, dirty little secret -- I skied that run much better while keeping an eye on him and acting all casual than I did the next lap after he gave up.
 

GB_Ski

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Approach them about setting up something for adults like their program for children, GB_Ski. Or ask if they'll have one instructor available for you each day your daughter is in lessons.

Do I just call them up and ask? How do I know if a particular instructor is good or fit well with my goals?

what's limiting my skiing isn't technical largely - it's combinations of fitness, accumulated injuries, head games, other stresses.
At least you have the techniques. You can manage your fitness, avoiding injuries, and other stresses without attending ski school. I can keep myself strong, eat good diet, and stay relatively injuries free. My problem is my techniques. Before looking at ski school forum, I didn't know what A-frame is, or top-bottom separation. Video analysis is for pros, hosers like me have no access to or the need to. Now that I know, I'm happy to pay but can't figure out how.
 

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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And an additional major factor I've found increasingly the past couple of years - what's limiting my skiing isn't technical largely - it's combinations of fitness, accumulated injuries, head games, other stresses. I really want to be on my A game before I'm spending on raising the bar. When that game takes 30+ days in a season before I'm hitting it by then I just want to enjoy it not be broken down and rebuild.

Nailed my issues. It's fitness and psychological. My head is in a much better place this year than last year and as the season progresses I'm feeling more confident in my abilities. But it takes longer every year to get to that point. To then have to contend with finding a group that's in the same space as I'm in finally is pretty much impossible. And private lessons are far too expensive.

I wish our resort had two sessions of extended programs. I'd be in the mid-Feb to season close group.
 

Kneale Brownson

Making fresh tracks forever on the other side
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Go to the ski school desk, GB, and ask to talk to the ski school supervisor (director). Or call ahead and make an appointment with him/her.
 

Erik Timmerman

So much better than a pro
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Problem is as you advance group lessons become more of a risky proposition - do you get the tour guide, the guys who just want to blast around and skip lift lines, the group that expects mainly to be stopping for coffee, the tedious over analyzer who wants to debate every micro aspect of the physics of a turn, do you want to ski bumps or trees, or crud or perfect on piste carves. Occasionally that's all gelled well for me but on other occasions I've been bored rigid as th "expert" guy and his ADHD son (17 or so) flounder down the moguls before son skis off somewhere without telling the group and we all hang out at the bottom of the lift for 30 minutes while he is wrangled.

I'm not saying your experience is wrong, but as a guy who teaches these lessons, I don't think I've ever had any of the scenarios above in my advanced groups. I've definitely had splits that were less than ideal, but that's pretty rare and usually manageable. Honestly, I've had much worse splits and crazy expectations in private lessons.
 

Magi

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I'm not saying your experience is wrong, but as a guy who teaches these lessons, I don't think I've ever had any of the scenarios above in my advanced groups. I've definitely had splits that were less than ideal, but that's pretty rare and usually manageable. Honestly, I've had much worse splits and crazy expectations in private lessons.

I'll second this.
 

Sibhusky

Whitefish, MT
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I've been put with people who only want to get mountain tours and meet other skiers. Our seasonal programs are full of them. People move here and sign up for lessons, not because they really want to do drills, but because they are unfamiliar with the mountain and want company exploring. Very frustrating for me since I've been here for 15 years. I've done the exploring. I moved myself to another group last time. Better to go "down" a group where they still want to learn rather than cramp the explorers' style wanting drills.
I'm not saying your experience is wrong, but as a guy who teaches these lessons, I don't think I've ever had any of the scenarios above in my advanced groups. I've definitely had splits that were less than ideal, but that's pretty rare and usually manageable. Honestly, I've had much worse splits and crazy expectations in private lessons.

I'll second this.
 
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