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What was the single most important tip or piece of advice you received as you progressed from intermediate to advanced?

Josh Matta

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Question...currently on the mountain and really trying to focus on skiing on my outside/downhill ski. I can definitely feel a good edge angle (with no smearing) when I'm going fast but it's those slower turns that I have trouble committing to (and end up smearing). Is that just a confidence thing that will come with practice? Or am I doing something wrong?


go video?
 

Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
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Josh Matta

Skiing the powder
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4,123
I was referring to you. No smart phone? I

go to an easy slope and try to traverse the slope with only you downhill foot going very slowly. Keep you poles off the snow entirely as well. If you can not keep your poles off the snow, leave them at the bottom.
 

Tony S

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Question...currently on the mountain and really trying to focus on skiing on my outside/downhill ski. I can definitely feel a good edge angle (with no smearing) when I'm going fast but it's those slower turns that I have trouble committing to (and end up smearing). Is that just a confidence thing that will come with practice? Or am I doing something wrong?

If you're trying to make every turn with a locked-in edge (i.e., clean railroad tracks all the way through), that's probably not a useful goal. Arguably you can't really make those turns at low speed (unless you're talking about "shallow s" tracks on a very gentle slope). The fact that there is a skidding component in your low speed turns is not a flaw. It does not, all by itself, mean you're not committing to the turn.

There's a lot of nuance to this, and as a non-instructor I won't go further. I just want to make sure you're not getting discouraged just because you're not skiing arc to arc in every turn in every circumstance. No one does that, especially at slow speeds.
 

geepers

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Question...currently on the mountain and really trying to focus on skiing on my outside/downhill ski. I can definitely feel a good edge angle (with no smearing) when I'm going fast but it's those slower turns that I have trouble committing to (and end up smearing). Is that just a confidence thing that will come with practice? Or am I doing something wrong?

At slow speed there's a need to angulate the upper body to stay balanced over the skis. Counter balancing. At low speed must be patient to allow the skis to start turning with just the small amount of edge. It's easy to become impatient and twist the skis or fall out of balance.
Here's a progressive series of drills that may help. The bit relevant to low speed turns is cued but watch the whole short vid at some point.


Do this stuff on very gentle terrain as you will pick up speed quickly.
 

Tony S

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From my (student's) view, "Complete your turn" is plain English and a concept easily grasped. "Slow line as fast as possible" is just gobbledy gook.

You said, that it's "a concept easily grasped." Not for everyone. In many cases it's not that the student doesn't understand the concept of "complete"; it's that the student doesn't understand the concept of "turn". The typical intermediate confuses changing the direction his skis are pointing with turning. For example, he may think that if he manages to get his skis pointed toward the tress at the edge of the trail, his turn is complete (while somehow not noticing that his body is still hurtling straight down the hill in approximately the same direction it was when his skis were pointing at the lodge).

It's important to convey the idea that a good turn moves your body significantly around the hill with accuracy and precision and intentionality. People pursue ideas like "ski the slow line fast" or "turn to go there" partly in an attempt to communicate this notion.
 

teejaywhy

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You said, that it's "a concept easily grasped." Not for everyone. In many cases it's not that the student doesn't understand the concept of "complete"; it's that the student doesn't understand the concept of "turn". The typical intermediate confuses changing the direction his skis are pointing with turning. For example, he may think that if he manages to get his skis pointed toward the tress at the edge of the trail, his turn is complete (while somehow not noticing that his body is still hurtling straight down the hill in approximately the same direction it was when his skis were pointing at the lodge).

It's important to convey the idea that a good turn moves your body significantly around the hill with accuracy and precision and intentionality. People pursue ideas like "ski the slow line fast" or "turn to go there" partly in an attempt to communicate this notion.

I guess this solidifies my earlier comment that people process information differently and it's very important to find an instructor with whom you can communicate. Also, for me anyway, BIG difference between concepts that are just words on a computer screen vs. a visual demonstration along with the verbal explanation.

I guess I'm the "follow me" learner.
 

Josh Matta

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the issue with following an instructor path with out knowing why they are taking that path, means you will have no chance of replicating it.

Honestly learning tactically choices from line choices can be just as important in the upper levels as actual skills.
 

Tony S

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the issue with following an instructor path with out knowing why they are taking that path, means you will have no chance of replicating it.

Well, but there's a lot to be said for simple physical experience. I.e., it can be super valuable just to know what something feels like.
 

teejaywhy

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the issue with following an instructor path with out knowing why they are taking that path, means you will have no chance of replicating it.

Honestly learning tactically choices from line choices can be just as important in the upper levels as actual skills.

If you can't communicate the idea to the student, have you done your job? Or do you just shrug and say I guess you must not want to understand.
 

Tony S

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I love it when Josh meets a fit interlocutor. :thumb:
 

KingGrump

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Or do you just shrug and say I guess you must not want to understand.

Yes, there are those. I have also skied with those who is not interested in learning.
Then there are those that are not capable of understanding. Mamie is one of those not capable of understanding. She is one of the "follow me" skiers.
People are screwed up.
 

Josh Matta

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If you can't communicate the idea to the student, have you done your job? Or do you just shrug and say I guess you must not want to understand.

in person no i havent done my job with that said I having feeling people on here including you arent watching the video or even trying.

with that said I am not for everyone
 

KingGrump

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Clarification: I do not teach Mamie anything. We hired certified ski instructors for that. Their hourly rate is much lower than than the rates of the divorce lawyers.
 

KevinF

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I think there’s an important distinction between students claiming they “want to understand” and truly being “stuck” in their progression where they truly open their mind.

When I first “learned” pivot slips I took it as a little more than a “stupid human trick” as I didn’t understand the limitations that it would help me get past. Years later I had an “ooooooohhhh” and I was ready to learn them.

Same thing with other concepts, in all kinds of areas of study. Many times learning something new first requires admitting a deficiency in your knowledge which very few people are willing to readily admit.
 

Scruffy

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Getting a single most important tip on skiing is like getting a hot stock tip and playing it without doing your homework; it usually doesn't end well.
 

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