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

[Tony S]

I like this game!

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Josh normally wins. Put my pole straps back around my wrists per his advice. He convinced me that skiing style is just deviations from efficient movements. Got in my head all last season trying to solve the zipper line skiing riddle. I'm just a hack ski bum and he is the real deal. He can dismiss my pole ideas as useless info as long as he lets me ski on his heels.

 

[Josh Matta]

I am even more curious now that I think Reilly and apparent nate do this, but me and Erik Lipton do not?

What started as pure troll has actually turned into what is this move actually doing. I tried this today on the hill, and all its seemed to make me do was shrug my shoulder up, which was awkward. I do not think it was good awkward though but at one point in time tipping my ski so they were upside down felt awkward as all hell. I was legit wanting a good reason to keep trying it.

 

[dbostedo]

Could someone explain the flashlight (or stabbing the frog) thing more? I'm not getting it.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

If pole plants are "stabs" they are too active and reduce flow. The most important part of pole touches is the reach that contributes to offensive movement into the turn.

 

[Tricia]

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.

 

[Tricia]

Could someone explain the flashlight (or stabbing the frog) thing more? I'm not getting it.

I can explain the flashlight in person but have no idea how to put in into words in a post.
Since I own a ski forum there is some interesting irony in this. Just sayin'

 

[Ogg]

I am even more curious now that I think Reilly and apparent nate do this, but me and Erik Lipton do not?

What started as pure troll has actually turned into what is this move actually doing. I tried this today on the hill, and all its seemed to make me do was shrug my shoulder up, which was awkward. I do not think it was good awkward though but at one point in time tipping my ski so they were upside down felt awkward as all hell. I was legit wanting a good reason to keep trying it.

Maybe they're using shorter poles.

 

[markojp]

Still have no idea what you are saying there @Josh Matta

"Complete the turn" seems to be advice for the beginning skier, to avoid gaining speed by turning until they come completely around and back across the fall line. i.e. if you don't finish the turn, you will gain speed with each turn until you lose control and crash. Seemed to be the most basic thing I figured out on the first day.

Not sure how that applies to the intermediate progressing to advanced, but maybe there more to it where "ski the slow line fast" means something for the advancing skier. (?)

Slow line fast.. any WC SL or GS. Any video of Eric Lipton skiing bumps. Try following the line of any example above and maintaining the same speed. Chances are slim to none that we'll keep up.

 

[Tony S]

The most important part of pole touches is the reach that contributes to offensive movement into the turn.

Tricia already used the mic drop icon, but this is wonderfully concise.

 

[Marker]

If pole plants are "stabs" they are too active and reduce flow. The most important part of pole touches is the reach that contributes to offensive movement into the turn.

This is what my instructor wanted me to understand a few years back when he insisted I work on pole plants almost the entire lesson. I had (have?) a bad habit with the flashlight hand that leads to defensive skiing. Of course he kept it interesting by taking me into different and sometimes uncomfortable terrain.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Know that the answers will vary wildly and a lot of stuff won't apply to everyone but am curious what piece(s) of advice helped you improve the most.

I think for me it was learning to ALLOW. That is, manipulate the equipment and ALLOW it to work for you. LET GO and allow your body to move into a turn. I think it started with someone telling me to get perpendicular with the slope to start a change of direction.

 

[Tricia]

Tricia already used the mic drop icon, but this is wonderfully concise.

I drop the mic all the time.

 

[dbostedo]

I drop the mic all the time.

Yeah... being that clumsy, it's amazing that you can ski

 

[BLspruce2]

I started skiing in my early forties by joining a beer league program full of really great skiers having never skied. While I had never skied I did not have bad habits to break as everything was new. I did know how to skate which did not seem so different to me than skiing balance wise. Starting with 165 length slalom skis made learning to turn easy and I started skiing as if I was skating down hill. I don't think I finished a race the first year as I was always crashing out. A couple of things I was told were keep your hands in front, pressure the fronts of your boots, press forward, look ahead not down, concentrate on your feet and the rest will follow, use you wrists for light pole plants, complete your turns etc. All basic stuff I think. Things that helped were following instructors free skiing fast, looking at video tape of myself skiing ( a big help and easy with todays camera - phones), doing drills on easy slopes and studying youtube videos for tips on how to ski. Also I found that good women skiers have the best flow and technique stylistically. Their tips and manner of skiing always seemed smoother and calmer than men's and were a great help and inspiration on how to ski better.

 

[Wilhelmson]

I don't know what my level is, but I'd say just learning to relax and not make inefficient movements - from putting on gear, helping my kids, to skiing to returning home. I see some families that get so discombobulated and sometimes frustrated getting ready that they must be exhausted by the time they start skiing.