What's your skiing level?

[Monique]

That level of mutual trust can be very helpful.

Frex, when the instructor is challenging your long-standing understand or body mechanics - you need the trust to open up your mind and entertain the possibilities and the drills. At least, that's how it's been for me.

 

[Choucas]

Who cares? If you're out there having fun in all snow and weather conditions, it doesn't matter if you're experiencing your first day on skis, racing the Lauberhorn or heli-skiing. In the sphere of your skiing experience, you are testing yourself, growing, learning, and most of all enjoying. If you're worrying about a bunch of technical nonsense while you're sliding down the hill, you're missing the whole point.

 

[David Chaus]

^^^^^ Blasphemy!!!!

If I can't do a quick fly-by MA and note where someone is inclinating but not angulating, or doesn't have enough weight on the downhill ski, or they dropped their hands....well....well...then the whole skiing experience is a bust. I'd feel lost without the opportunity to critique others.

 

[Monique]

Who cares? If you're out there having fun in all snow and weather conditions, it doesn't matter if you're experiencing your first day on skis, racing the Lauberhorn or heli-skiing. In the sphere of your skiing experience, you are testing yourself, growing, learning, and most of all enjoying. If you're worrying about a bunch of technical nonsense while you're sliding down the hill, you're missing the whole point.

Yup, must be nonsense if it's not important to you.

Hint: just because you don't care for something doesn't mean it's a waste for everyone else.

 

[michael]

Who cares? If you're out there having fun in all snow and weather conditions, it doesn't matter if you're experiencing your first day on skis, racing the Lauberhorn or heli-skiing. In the sphere of your skiing experience, you are testing yourself, growing, learning, and most of all enjoying. If you're worrying about a bunch of technical nonsense while you're sliding down the hill, you're missing the whole point.

One of the things I love most about lessons is getting my nerd on and understanding the technical stuff. Bonus points for that understanding being a shortcut to more difficult terrain/conditions. Also, my instructor loves that he can get his nerd on in our lessons. Total win for both of us.

Additionally, I've been told several times and read in many places that skiing oftentimes requires one to do the exact opposite of what your brain is screaming needs to be done. For me, understanding the technical aspects helps me silence that screaming.

 

[nay]

“The more you know, the more you know you don't know.”

― Aristotle

The unhelpful creak of wisdom.

 

[markojp]

As I've said on that other site ( ), unless money is exchanging hands or someone specifically asks for feedback, and so long as they pose no safety threat, I don't care a bit how others enjoy the sport or get down the hill.

 

[KingGrump]

The unhelpful creak of wisdom.

It is only unhelpful if you choose it to be.

 

[nay]

It is only unhelpful if you choose it to be.

Middle age is no place for a prince.

 

[Mendieta]

Mmm ... not sure where this thread is going. The pugski motto is 'Ski discussion at a higher level". I embrace that. When I don't particularly like a post, I simply ignore it. The mountain is large and there is room for all of us, including a poor skier like myself.

The intent of my OP, and the content of most of the hundreds posts along the way (thank you all for the massive response), was not to brag about how good each one is, but rather to see who is our public here. About 80% or more are past the 'perpetual intermediate' stage, which can be confirmed by any video or picture of our members (again, not mine). But nobody cares much, or brags about it. This is a lovely bunch. An I would sit most of you at my table.

Why do (many of us) care about form? Because it makes skiing safer, more terrain available, and definitely, more snow conditions available to us. We are not racing Mikaela. We are trying to enjoy the snow with family and friends. The better we ski, the more we enjoy, for longer time, with less fatigue, and less risk. What's not to love?

Cheers!

 

[skibob]

FWIW, I thought Nay's point was that the Aristotle quote was unactionable. You can't act on the basis of what you don't know. But skiing is more of a "doing" than a "knowing" anyway (which is a point Aristotle might have made). I didn't really take it as a stab at @KingGrump at all. More playful than anything else. My $.02. Keep the change!

 

[François Pugh]

The great thing about skiing and many other arts is that no matter your level, there is always room for improvement. The more you know the better it gets.

 

[Nancy Hummel]

I read a sentence in a book about Buddhism which said:

"You're perfect but there is always room for improvement."

I think it applies to skiing.

 

[Jerez]

Pugski is like Lake Woebeggon. All the skiers are above average.

 

[Tricia]

Pugski is like Lake Woebeggon. All the skiers are above average.

Its exactly like that......
where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average."

 

[Monique]

I will definitely cop to being a child ;-)

 

[David Chaus]

I will cop to being good looking.

 

[scott43]

I'll cop to being..oh wait a minute...

 

[markojp]

I will cop to being good looking.

At least that makes one of us.

 

[Tricia]

Its exactly like that......
where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking, and all the children are above average."

I'll cop to being..oh wait a minute...

.... to being above average looking?