What Would You Ask Of A Ski Instructor?

[Living Proof]

There is a on-going thread about ski instruction where there is some discussion about what to tell or ask of an instructor at the beginning of a lesson. I think it's a fascinating question, and, requires some introspection about what to expect given we pay a fair amount of $$$. The better we communicate expectations, hopefully, the better the lesson experience.

When I returned to skiing 10 years ago and following 10 years off, I took a lesson at Alta. I remember thinking that I was just spending so much energy skiing that it was exhausting, so, my request was to ski more efficiently. That's an open-ended request, so, the instructor had a lot of areas where she could find solutions. I left the lesson feeling very satisfied, well worth the investment. There is only so much one can absorb in a few hours.

BTW, I take 3 or 4 golf lessons each year, and, my pro and I always start out with trying to define a reasonable goal to achieve in 30 minutes.

Your question would be?

I may return later and tell what I'd ask to achieve now, it will take a little time to think it through.

 

[cantunamunch]

"If I buy 40 hours can I get a bulk discount?"


Seriously, buying lessons by the hour makes me think of buying tattoos by the line.

 

[jmeb]

...Seriously, buying lessons by the hour makes me think of buying tattoos by the line.

Is there another way to buy lessons at most places?

 

[Living Proof]

"If I buy 40 hours can I get a bulk discount?"

Seriously, buying lessons by the hour makes me think of buying tattoos by the line.

Seriously, if you want to start a rant thread about the cost of buying ski lessons, feel free....but, it's been a very well travel road.
The point of going so far off topic on the first reply is ?????

 

[cantunamunch]

Seriously, if you want to start a rant thread about the cost of buying ski lessons, feel free....but, it's been a very well travel road.
The point of going so far off topic on the first reply is ?????

I was very much on topic. Given an hour, the instructor can give you tips, bandaids and crutches. Given 40 hours of instruction the instructor can completely rebuild your skiing from first principles.

Thanks for the invite, but my post has absolutely nothing to do with actual cost. It has everything to do with not being able to get barbecue brisket if the cook only has 20 minutes, and so not bothering to ask.

By phrasing it the way I did, I was saying "I have enough crutches, both new and antique, I need a coherent skills rebuild to make any progress at all". Which is exactly what you asked for, no?

 

[Warp Daddy]

Id like to ask the guy teaching a Perfect Turn lesson why in hell he took my wife ,a green circle novice , thru a patch of ice on a drop off and told her to turn on it ,rather than ski thru it THEN initiate the turn .??

. A real WTF moment she ended up in surgery an hour later with a plate and six screws and it was our first day of an extended out of state anniversary ski trip .i was pissed .

She had skied all morning with me with zero problems , so i bought her this lesson with a pro while i went free skiing .....worst mistake i ever made .

 

[Karl B]

"If I buy 40 hours can I get a bulk discount?"

I teach at a small resort in S.E. Michigan and believe or not we do offer a discount. We will sell you 6 one hour lessons for the price of 5.

Sorry to hi-jack the thread.

Karl

 

[KevinF]

This is an interesting question to me... I subscribe to the theory that there's a very limited number of things you can really do on skis... you can push and pull on them in various ways, you can tip them to varying degrees and you can rotate them around varying axis's. i.e., the movement patterns you use in whatever terrain type (bumps, trees, powder, ice, whatever) is causing you difficulty are the same movement patterns that you use elsewhere... there's just some terrain that highlights the deficiencies in your movements more than others. The old saying of "it's not that you can't ski XXX, it's that you can't ski" is undeniably harsh, but also has some truth to it.

So I usually go with a pretty open mind figuring that good instructors can quickly see what's wrong even on easy terrain. Again, as I (and others) mentioned in the "what's wrong with ski instruction" thread, it helps to keep using the same instructor you can work on fixing one core issue before moving on to others. In that respect (of always using the same instructor), I kind of know what I'm doing "wrong" from a technical perspective, but I obviously can't see myself ski. I think it improves (I practice, I really do!) and go back to work with him some more on more refinement, etc.

 

[Josh Matta]

This is an interesting question to me... I subscribe to the theory that there's a very limited number of things you can really do on skis... you can push and pull on them in various ways, you can tip them to varying degrees and you can rotate them around varying axis's..

This is fact for the skills we can apply. Take the Theory(at least the non scientific definition out of it).

As a high end Ski coach who studies just about everything in the sport. What I actually look for for other coaching me are these things.

Can you tell me something about what I am doing that I do not already know?

Can you actually help me improve?

 

[Jilly]

Interesting as I'm about to embark on a serious of 10 lessons. What do I want to achieve? Well first is to obtain the perfection to get my CSIA 3. That said, what do I need to do? Should be a interesting Sunday...

 

[Philpug]

Are we back on track here? I believe there are many ways to save on lessons buy buying in advance.

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Interesting as I'm about to embark on a serious of 10 lessons. What do I want to achieve? Well first is to obtain the perfection to get my CSIA 3. That said, what do I need to do? Should be a interesting Sunday...

See if you can gain the knowledge to coach yourself to L3. Others can help you, but only you can do it.

 

[Tricia]

Id like to ask the guy teaching a Perfect Turn lesson why in hell he took my wife ,a green circle novice , thru a patch of ice on a drop off and told her to turn on it ,rather than ski thru it THEN initiate the turn .??

. A real WTF moment she ended up in surgery an hour later with a plate and six screws and it was our first day of an extended out of state anniversary ski trip .i was pissed .

She had skied all morning with me with zero problems , so i bought her this lesson with a pro while i went free skiing .....worst mistake i ever made .

Holy Crap!

 

[Tricia]

@Living Proof - Good question.
I think the question a skier should ask the instructor is based on where the skier is in his/her experience.
I would really like to get rid of head games when it comes to drops and jumps.
I would ask the instructor if there is a technique to help with the head game part of it all.

 

[Josh Matta]

Do you guys have progression park? Especially one built with hips and spines? I find those extremely useful for the jump parts as you can take people of the hip and have them go little or big with nice transtion for the landing either way.

Drops........well a different story.

 

[Philpug]

Do you guys have progression park? Especially one built with hips and spines? I find those extremely useful for the jump parts as you can take people of the hip and have them go little or big with nice transtion for the landing either way.

Drops........well a different story.

We do have a baby terrain park and do play in that from time to time. I know well enough that spouses don't teach spouses how to ski...or anything for that matter but we know that ends up being more of a guideline than a steadfast rule :my bad:. As afar as the drops, A-basin is great for that because the King Cornice has such a nice progression of starting small and getting as big as most mortals will want. @dean_spirito has been a great help to @Tricia and others in that area.

 

[Ron]

I have a little different take on this. Given that not everyone skis the same and that some instructors have different strengths, how do you select an instructor? I would also like to add that I think the option to buy several lessons with the same instructor is an excellent idea.

 

[Living Proof]

I have a little different take on this. Given that not everyone skis the same and that some instructors have different strengths, how do you select an instructor? I would also like to add that I think the option to buy several lessons with the same instructor is an excellent idea.

If you have the right instructor, then shut up and listen! Of course, there has to be a dialogue and very good instructor will pull information from a student. How to find that person is a whole other issue, especially for the general public buying a single transaction.. I do envy those who ski regularly at a large area with a big instructor pool because recommendations are somewhat easier to get.

 

[Ron]

If you have the right instructor, then shut up and listen! Of course, there has to be a dialogue and very good instructor will pull information from a student. How to find that person is a whole other issue, especially for the general public buying a single transaction.. I do envy those who ski regularly at a large area with a big instructor pool because recommendations are somewhat easier to get.

that's the point!

 

[HeluvaSkier]

I usually ask instructors to stay behind me and out of the way.