Messages posted by : pavelski
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First what "attracted" your attention on this post title?
The learning or the fast terms! I hope both, because the goal of this post is to provide information on some possible solutions to learning "correct/effective skiing" as quickly as possible1 By chance for the past two years I am teaching two very new skiers how to ski! Both started at 0 and both are taught at same hill and with same teaching technique! Both have excellent equipment and both had same skiing time and skiing lessons! Yet one has progressed like a rocket, while the other still is having problems! Since I video tape both,,I viewed over and over their skiing wondering what factors make for better skiing improvement and what "retards" skiing improvement! Learning to ski is a complex multi-varied learning situation but these two skiers helped me isolate some key parameters to learning quickly! Here is my initial conclusion on why skier A is near the expert level after only 2 years of ski instruction and skier B is still and weak intermediate level! Here are my observations; 1. Understanding the dynamics of correct skiing technique.It is essential,,no it is absolutely essential for a skier to understand some very basic concepts and techniques about how to "carve" a ski! Skier A took the time to read, took the time to study pictures and ask pertinent questions about this! Skier B did not! As a result Skier A had the essential correct positions in his mind,,even if initially he did not physically manifest them! There was yet no LINK between the theory and practice! 2, Trust. Skier A trusted me has instructor and followed me as if there was a magnet or rope between us! I chose the speed and skiing line for his learning! Slowly pushing his level of speed tolerance and difficulty level, without him noticing it! In psychological terms ( for you educators) this is called "successive approximation"! Slowly bringing the learner to learning goal in small incremental steps! Skier A followed with no hesitation, no alarm and no resistance! Skier B had "difficulty" accepting my lines! I would hear him deviate on the turns going to high or too low on turns! As I picked so speed, our gap would widen indicating he was hesitating! Skier B was not trusting me as much! 3.The flame. This last essential learning element is called many things. "Le feu sacré" in French! The "grrr factor" in American slang! The desire..the will to ski! I have concluded it is genetic, internal and very much part of a person's personality! Some people in whatever they do strive to improve! Strive to get better! I have coached Rugby, Olympic wrestlers and skiers and all elite athletes have this! All skiers who want to improve to expert level must have this key factor! Skier A has it. Skier B is slowly finding it! The flames lights,,then a wind blows it off! I re-light it,,it shines until something makes it dimm! A poor run! A steep section! Of course there are many other factors which "help" in learning how to ski,but in my mind the three above elements are essential entry elements all successful skiers must have to become "experts"! Skier A is at the doorway to expert level after 2 years of skiing! Skier B will take more time! You decide what skier you are? |
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I though I had listed all the major ski sins known to man on that last post on this topic,,but skiers are either very imaginative people or very very sinful! You decide!
First a comment if you all do not mind. There is a fine line between a ski sin and just thoughtless behavior.My partner who was on this field research study of skiing sin noted that many sinful skiers were not really sinning since they were not aware of the 10 skiing commandments! I suspect few skiers know the famous skiers 10 commandments,,so here was our criteria for this year's truly awful ski sins; 1. dangerous behavior which could harm animals, humans and ski equipment! 2.behavior that is so extreme, ridiculous or socially inappropriate that a child would know it was not acceptable 3.behavior which troubled so much the skiers who witnessed this action that they had nightmares for several weeks and had to take Valium! As always in Pavel's stories all events occurred and witnessed by research staff along for study! I realize some events might shock some young minds,,thus if you are under 21 please send PM to Dave to be authorized to continue read this post! If you under aged person continue reading this post you will soon have blurred vision your noses will grow long and you will have many bad dreams,,,,so stop NOW! For you "older" skiers now is the time to get tea, or in Dave Mac's case wiskey before you continue! You will not be able to stop! For skiers over 60 go to bathroom now! Dave: Pause for 10 minutes site!!!!!!!! All back....oh oh I see Jan is just joining us ( his wife let him continue)! Here we go! SIN 1 It is early in the morning at this great inn with great fireplace and great central area. There is coffee, tea, toasts, porridge served! All is mellow until we all hear coming from hall way,,,clump clump..clump loud thumping noise that wakes up ever person in every room along the hall! From the door appears a.....dare I say skier! No No I cannot give such compliments to a total sinner of social grace! Picture this! A huge overweight man dressed in -40c ski suit 2 hours before lifts open! Ski boots on and goggles around neck! The beautiful wood floor all marked as the dragging skis making long long grooves on floor! We all are speechless! Dropping the skis on the sofa! No no the LEATHER SOFA! he passes in front of the polite line and helps himself! No comment needed in this sin, perhaps however the way we got him out fast may interest Jan who may see him next year! Casually I tapped him on shoulder and asked what room he was in!Then I ever so slowly mentioned that people with boots on in the general area are billed double rate,,,,so before manager comes he should take boots off! Instantaneously he was taking off his boots while we all watched with glee in our eyes! Then when he was up! I again tapped him on the shoulder and quietly said, "oh,,forgot to tell you take there is a fine of $100 for any skis INSIDE inn!" In an instant off the sofa went to skis! Sin 2 At the ski resort there is a large carpeted foyer with many desks to greet skiers! (its a chi chi resort)! It is a general public area! As I am putting my boots on in front of the fireplace ( I did say it was chi chi), I see two "boarders" coming in with boards and large bags! They begin to strip in order to put on baggy pants, tents, flour bags on head etc.... I happen to have my video so I taped all process and then walked over to them and said, "great great show! Amazing moves! I just taped you and you can tell your parents you will be on UTUBE in an hour" The pleading began! You see,,the essence of a ski sin is that it is not done out of ignorance! They knew it was not socially appropriate to strip in THIS spot! They did not care,,,until they found out their parents would know! SIN 3. This is a very rare sin! This sin you will not believe occurred so I have a source you can all contact via PM to confirm that it did happen! It is a rare sin because it is an "administrative" sin! A sin that is so odious that if I did not have a strong ego it would mark me for life! We have a tradition in my family! Every Spring after skiing we have one Corona beer which we drink after a great day of skiing! We hide this beer in snow bank until it is very very cold! Since my sons were not with me,,I decided to introduce this tradition to my research assistant! I enter into a local grocery store and buy 12 Coronas! At cash counter they ask me for my ID! I am stunned! Then pleased,,then insulted! I exclaim, "this is a joke! See this white hair, see this beard , I had my puberty several decades ago!It seems clear that I am at least well over 50!" "Sorry sir, but must ask all for ID" is the reply! A pause in the battle of ID's happens! The battle lines are set! All eyes are on me! This is clearly an attack on my honor! I had to think of a quick counter-attack!( because I was not going to show my ID, since I did not have one since I left high school 40 years ago)! With a dramatic flip of my hand I wipe out a driver's car with all sorts of numbers! You know those 22 digit numbers that no one knows! "See here....I was born in 1842" I exclaim so give me my Coronas! "Thank you sir, here is your change" said the robot! Out we went,,with my partner doing the math in his head! He always wanted to know my age! Just like a lot of you on this site! Just do the math! Then laugth! Or perhaps I was really born in 1842! Sin 4! This sin I hope you never do,because if ever you do this sin,,,,you will never ever ski with me! In my books this sin is a personal no no! I take this sin personally! It touches me to the core of my being! In all skiing relationships there is the Alpha skier and the rest! You can always tell the Alpha skier since he/she is the one who takes off at top first! All follow after! He/she takes the best line! The steepest run! The quickest line as all fall back! One of the duties of the "others" is to prepare the Coronas for the Alpha! This means selecting a correct cooling area! It has to be perfect, just like when a bird selects a spot to place her egg!Then at end of hot sunny day,,the Corona is brought and the bonding ceremony is done! At this point you are asking,,,"ok ok Pavel WHAT is the terrible sin?" The terrible sin is forgetting to place Corona in stream! You see when you ski all day,,,,I mean all day with no lunch and just sips of water and nuts you begin to fantasies about that Corona! You begin to feel that cold cold liquid entering into you body,,giving that buzz! It happened! The sin was done! I am now looking for another research assistant for my 2009 ski projects! You must be able to ski for 5 days continously and adapt to at least 20 pair of skis! No complaining allowed about old men skiing too fast! Applications must be sent via PM! Hope you sinners will now confess and promise not to repeat! |
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Dave Mac,
Forgot to tell you! Yes I have a minimum of 50 years until new lube job according to company that made knees! However in my case they are "monitoring" me since the have never had a person ski 3 months after operation. I had to send them some video and letter from physician who skied with me! Really I am so stable it reminds me of my 20 year old knees!Rock solid turns! ( and no pain after 5 days of solid skiing from 8 am to 4 PM)!!!! |
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Dave Mac,
Donot stay in Park City too expensive and not central to all centers. Sandy is the place to stay! Quality Inns are 45-60$ with pool, sauna, spa! They also have discount prices! From Sandy you can get to Alta Snowbird in 15 minutes since you are at the entrance of all the canyones! The trick is to get all food at local grocery, lots of drinks and never ski to bottom of base! Stay in bowls! Will be there for 3 weeks in March 2009 since I am ski bumming it with another older delinquent! WE have decided to run away from our families! My sons do not understand me! They will not let me stay out late at night! They hid my skis! We are driving there in camper and living the gypsy life! |
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Have a pair of serious Sl skis for serious racer only!
World Cup model which you can not buy in store. SL three hinged and adjustable flex alu plate. 165 cm long. Racing bindings DIN 16! Only for serious racer! Used once to test! $500 ( that is US or CND funds) |
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Trencher,
How come you thought I was thinking of you? I have just finished a day very much like the picture you submitted! As I was on the lifts I thought, "hummmm Trencher should be here carving those runs" and voila appears the picture! Great spring skiing! |
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As always this is a true story! I know it seems far fetched, but if you really knew me many far fetched things seem to happen to me!
In Europe in many churches there are miracle walls! As you walk into the church you see all sorts of support equipment, chairs, collars that were left by people who were cured,,thus did not need the supports! A silent "proof" that there was a "miracle"! Well where I was going to ski for two weeks was a famous huge church with one of the largest miracle walls around! A last count it had well over 2,000 articles! I wanted to compliment my physician and also put "chance" on my side,,,so I planned to visit this miracle wall and donate my knees! Little did I realize I was going to cause a major problem in the hospital because of my simple request! What was it? I just wanted my biological knees! You see I had a small knee tune up and these days you are like a car,,,they just change parts! Cut out old part ,,put in new part voila,,off you go! Well when I go to mechanic,,he always gives me my old piece taken out! Proof that work was done and new piece was installed! I asked my physician for my old biological knees! First there was silence! Then with a strange look he asked me why I wanted old wrecked up used knees? I replied that,,,well they were my body parts and seems I should still have them! I never asked them to discard my body parts! I still own them! Where are they? Also ,,,(and here is the clincher that shocked and pleased my physician) I wanted to donate them to this church in recognition of the "miracle" that happened! I was skiing like a 20 year old! I no longer took pain killers BEFORE skiing! I no longer used a syringe to drain blood from knee! I no longer had to angulate my knees 20 degrees to get a 10 degree angle on ski edge. I no longer had to wait till wife was not around to go stairs,,so that she would not see me go up one step at a time! In short a "miracle happened" and I wanted to offer my old knees to the church miracle wall! I insisted I had never permitted anyone to discard my old knees! I did consult lawyer (my daugther-in-law) and my knees technically are my property! I wanted them! Well the hospital lawyers were called in, and they checked all the forms I signed! They concluded that I was right! Nowhere did I allow anyone to discard my old knees! All I allowed them to do is to insert NEW knees! The old ones were still mine! As all god Catholics know a miracle is only truly fully completed when the person "declares publicly" that the miracle happened! My physician was a devote Catholic so understood! We had to find MY knees!!!!! I could not ski for another 50 years if I did not thank heaven! Seems all concerned agreed but no one had planned to keep my knees! A simple request was now a major technical , religious and sport problem! Would my miracle remain? After consulting several priests it seems that the actual object was not need! A symbol of the article was acceptable to the higher gods! Be chance my physician had done a biopsy and had taken out a bone particle from the knee! The hospital was going to "create" for me a model of my old knees based on the MRI and X-rays, with a "sample" bone inserted into this model! That way I am covered theologically, and hospital lawyers could protect themselves from a lawsuit! What a simple request can cause! So if ever you visit a famous old old church and as you enter the middle door, look up about 3 meters near the large red arch,,you will see hanging two bony knees! They are mine! Well not really mine,,,symbols of was was! What is,,,, is now skiing in Utah! A miracle! Never believed in miracles until now! So if ever you see an old old ,,very old looking skier skiing like a very very very young man,,stop and ask him if he is Pavel! He will tell you all about the miracle of skiing! |
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Caron,
Please forgive silly question. What is ESF lessons? Since I am in education seems I should know all about lessons,,,even more about esf lessons! I know ESL lessons! I know ETS lessons! but ESF! I want to sleep tonight so if you do not mind tell me more about esf! Respectfully, Pavel |
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