J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by pavelski

Everything you learned will have to be relearned in powder!

If you are talking about serious powder(up to chest). There is no turns as you know it. It is fall line skiing in which you FLOAT, yes float!

No set edges. No hard left or right turns.

This is when your heart is in your mouth! You feel you are going too fast yet you need the speed to float.

Allow me an example.

If ever you have been on large motored boat, you must increase power, thus speed to "plane" over water. Resistance thus is minimal. It is called among boaters, "getting over the hump"! That is what you must do, but the hump is your brain!

The same is true in powder skiing. You must have enough confidence in your skiing ability to go faster, and if you have the correct technique you will feel like being on clouds. No resistance!

People will tell you to lean back on heels! No way Stay centered on skis!
People will tell you to do wild exaggerated up/down movements! No


Rather than tell you how to ski powder, let me tell you some "tricks" to prepare you for the powder!

1. Believe in you self to do it.
In skiing powder there is no half measure. You must commit yourself totally! You can not hold back! Just think ,,,,that white stuff is soft and nothing can happen!

2. Going fall line , nothing will happen if you are in correct position. It is when YOU become afraid and; try to turn quickly, lean back or just try to stop from fear that you will have problems.


Now here is how to learn to ski powder.

Select a steep ( yes steeper than you would normally ski) section that is uniform, wide with run off section. The run off is your psychological parachute!

Do not stop to look at section when you enter this steeper section since the first turn is the most difficult. You need the speed!

Look straight down. Do not listen to that voice that is saying, " too fast too fast,,,, you idiot think of your legs, your wife, your job,,,,,"
Just listen to your heart increase beats!

Stay fall line. Do not deviate more than 1 meter on each side!

The secret is the rhythm once you have tamed your fear!
Strange as it may seem, once you are in good position, done your first turn, the skis will occilate up and down like a tuning fork! You must now get in rhythm with this up down movement. Here is the essence of powder skiing,,,you must be in sync with the ski as it moves up and down!

At top cycle, you can direct skis ( always fall line) but to left or right.

At bottom cycle, close mouth, enjoy sight of rushing snow passed you, enjoy quietness! Enjoy softness of skis on snow! Keep cool even when that voice is begging you to slow down!!!!!

The second you give up on yourself, the second you become afraid, the second you have negative thoughts that is when you will have problems!
If you do wipe out,,,make it spectacular. Do not fight fall ( if it comes) but then you believe in your skiing ability. Falling is a word you do not know!

Pleasure in powder only comes to those that push their limits. It is an internal battle not a physical one ,,,,since skiing in powder is one of the most peaceful, relaxed experiences you can ever have.

Really you float...

Trust yourself!

That 10 seconds in powder will become 30 then 60 seconds but it will last a life time!

Hope this will help!!!!

SDKITSCH,
You have to provide more information to get precise answer.
If you were an intermediate skier when you "retired" from skiing and it was several years ago, I suspect you have no idea what "shaped or parabolic" skis are and waht they can do. Then you should rent!

Uninformed skiers think that since it has snowed 40 cm. they MUST rent powder or "fat" skis. These skis are designed to float on snow by being very wide and very soft flex. They also require a different skiing technique!
Most large ski resorts groom their runs ( even after huge storm) so there are groomed runs to use. I suspect you will have great trouble to ski powder so first learn to ski on groomed runs!

If you have not skied for some years , leave your boards at home rent intermediate level boards like Rossi Z4 or 5, Atomic Metrons B5, or other same level skis. You will have a new experience.

Also take lessons right away since there is a new way to ski! Much easier and effective. While you are at Whistler ask for Mike Wright a level 3 ski instructor who is one of the best in the resort.

I am sure , at the shop they will try to rent you some very short skis. Be wise do not go too far!

Once you try different skis and find one type you like, stop over at Vancouver and buy from local sports store on main shopping street ( sorry forgot name) on the way home!

DO NOT buy in Whistler. Prices too high.

In conclusion, yes rent while on holiday but rent different skis every day! Some ski shops have rental package deal in which you can try all high level skis and then have rental price included in the total sales price. You do the math!
I found all prices at Whistler too high! From the coffee, to the beer, to the boot service! The rent prices are very high for shop owners!

For the persons listed in the class please send in your video observations and comments if you are entered for the free ski vices at end of course.

At present only one person has given report.

I have found at least 25 errors.

Thank you so much for posting the YOU TUBE site for all to view.

Do you have the major errors seen?

Turbolover,
Like in sex and dancing no amount of "viewing" will help you. You have to do it!
There are basic skills or positions you must master. If you can do the following, you will be better that 90% of beginer skiers.

1. Do not look at skis while skiing

2. Keep pressure on big toe not on heel

3. Do not wave arms about. Keep them steady!

4. Stay on easy runs

5.Let skis do turning not you!

Another Christmas has gone by and now you are looking at all the "gifts" Santa gave you. Everyone knows you are a "fanatic" skier so in front of you are the many gifts you received. Some appreciated but some you wonder;how to use them, how you can change them or how you can pass them along to others.

Here are my list of "skiing gifts" that are the very worst ones ever!!!

1. Plastic ski /pole carriers
You have all seen this articles hanging locked over ski racks, rails etc...
Forgotten or just donated to ski center for the Summer clean up crew.
Useless plastic articles. 5 minutes of "correct" ski carrying technique will convince all skiers never to buy these articles. I will use my as a small tree tutor!

2. Anti-ski cross attachments
We all at one point had ski crossing problems. A skiing phase! The worst article to stop ski crossing is this contraption. It is like the famous rubber crutch which looks good to non-skiers but when you do glue on or drill on you very quickly realize the added problems it creates.

3. The hollow ski pole wine container!
Some skiers love to be fully equiped and do not realize the difference from "survival" material and social material. These poles are actually a "traveling bar". Handles screw on ,,allowing wine, rum or other drinks to be stored. A very small cup is provided!

4. Snow scrapper
Another gadget that is screwed or glue to top of ski. Used to take out snow from soles of ski boots. Again seems perfect to non-skiers. They do not know that top of bindings can do same function.

5. Wax pads.
Small package of 10 pads with wax on all pads. Just take out wipe and ski. Seems great and cheap at 25 euros! Except; after two turns all wax is gone. You pollute the ski area with pads! You block base "pores" with chemicals that will take you 30 minutes to take out.


6. Goggles with electric fan
To the skier that has it all. These goggles have a battery set in the elastic and a small fan which creates just enough wind to make you blink at least 10 times per second.
An excellent option on these goggles is a "high speed" option which will create a "venturi- effect" very much like Formula 1 cars so that you can actually "take off" for at least 15 seconds
The only "practical" use of these goggles is in the bar to blow away the "condensation" from the body heat of all the skiers around you. There was one women who also discovered by chance that if she wore these goggles in a bar, she could sprinkle some serious perfume near the fan, thus creating a wider "kill zone"!

7. Some gifts are "dated"! They reflect the buying strategies of the donor!
Some people fined "deals", then buy out all the inventory. Slowly every year they pass along their treasures to others. Here are some;
-boot tree. You have no idea what a boots tree is? Well you must be 50 or less. Next time you are alone with a +50 skier ask what a boot tree is. You will get an excellent historical thesis about the evolution of ski boots.

-Long thong. Yes yes I know this is a "family" oriented site. The thongs I am referring to are straps. Those old skiers were very liberated and I am sure they will tell you a great deal about suffering and long thongs so again ask them to tell you about their "long thong" ski adventures. Yes the stories are all true. Ha,,,, the pleasures of long thongs!!!!

-ski edge sections. Another great ski gift in the 1960's. A must if you were a serious Spring skier. In those days you had to be trained by a watch maker in using a tiny jeweler's screwdriver to get all the screws into the ski.

-wine sac. In skiing there are traditions that appear from nowhere and reflect a period. The wine bladder was such a "tool"! Another series of lessons were needed to learn how to use this instrument. A beginner was quickly identified with wine all over white jacket,wet lips on spout, and wine in left ear!

I must confess I have kept the worst gift for last.

All my friends know I am a ski gypsy, ready to go anywhere to ski. This year they promised not to give me useless ski gifts so they got together and bought me :
-three month ski pass to Wengen
-two weeks in ski chalet in December 2006
-Free guide service this week.
- the very best powder skis,,, Atomic Sugar Daddys which I can use on my European powder trip!!!

I hope you all have more snow in 2007!
Cheers!

PS
Go ahead tell us the great gifts you got!

I suggest all members of this site visit Jobster's replies.

She has new identity.See the new picture which reflects a "new skier'.

We have sent both pictures to the CIA photo-interpretations division and I have just got back the report. It is classified so I can not present the full report however here are some elements.

The old picture was centered on the face with a "unique" facial expression!
This demonstrated her strong will and character.She cares more about her "pleasures" than what people think of her. However the full face framed picture focuses on her face. The initial social cues from face all converge on;active,healthy,slightly impish subject who likes to be non-conformist.

Female subject in picture appears young and "adolescent" however the surrounding items on head face indicate she is older and "aware" of facial gesture. She is very much aware of the visual medium and its impact on others!
In conclusion this first picture is a reflection of a mature person who in skiing context lets out her "id", allows her rebellious nature to come out. She downplays her "feminine" aspects and highlights her social desire to be accepted by all, more as a "fun" skiing partner than as a "women skier". Do not give pink skis to this lady. She will follow the boys and best them!


The second picture provides a dramatic different image1

It is a full body shot from above with her in a "fallen" posture. Yet still smiling.
This second picture is a more "mature" illustration of subject. More willing to show limits of her technique, yet willing to share with others her limitations. The texture of the snow under magnification indicates it was a -5c day with "heavy" snow which acted at "glue" thus the fall was acceptable.
Micro-analysis of her skiing equipment indicates; well stocked ski material, willing to spend far above typical skier, buys more for performance than fashion. Note smile after fall. Again indicates maturity. Accepts falls as part of skiing activity.

Micro-analysis of hair indicates that she does not visit often hair stylists and photo-chemical analysis of the products she puts on face indicates she uses products more for protection from wind and sun than to enhance natural beauty.

What is most revealing is the contrast in picture types and picture postures. This might reflect a major change in emotional/social values. Jung describes this as the "identity shift"! We , at the CIA predict that she will change again her picture in a few months in order to share with others her changes to her "new' skier identity. We will monitor her visual chances and report.

I know exactly from where you come from!
I have plastic binds for each type of wax, with labels to indicate temperature range. However when I travel I just throw some bars in my wax bag. I changed wax companies a few years ago, but had some old wax and uf course I used "old" soft wax on hard cold day!

These are all learning experiences since I learned what a "slow ski" meant!

You just gave an excellent reason why beginner tuners must keep log of work done"

I also keep a large color coded chart just in front of my bench to "remind me" which wax to use!