How different is Dryslope to the real thing?

swskier wrote:with it nearly being a year since i last set foot on skis! :mrgreen:
Chris

You mean you dont put them on in the house when noones around and ski down the stairs?!

Personally never been on a dry slope although i have touched one as a youth at an athletics meeting. Didnt look to enticing. Would probably opt for chill factor e snowdome instead these days.

I have to say I have never been on a dry slope, and not have I been appealed by it. I know Ellestine goes twice a week, so I guess it helps with keeping up with technique and fitness, but there is only so much you can do on a 10 second run down a series of doormats.

I'm going to the dryslope again but the lessons are all booked up so I have to go to open practice. My friends who is a good skiier is coming so he'll be able to give me a few tips.

Anyone got any tips on what I should practice?

82ross wrote:

swskier wrote:with it nearly being a year since i last set foot on skis! :mrgreen:
Chris

You mean you dont put them on in the house when noones around and ski down the stairs?!

Not a bad idea, except for the stairs part.
A little carpet skiing is a great way to figure out angulation. Using stools, boxes, or exercise ball for support, try to copy the good form you see in photos of instructors and racers. Think about how it feels, what's contracted and what's stretched. How much you can inclinate, but still bring your body's mass closer and over the skis. Remember how it felt on the carpet, when you're out skiing.


Trencher

Depending on how far you've got;

Ploughed turns: try touching the outside of your ski boot with your outside hand (downhill hand) as you turn. This will help with creating the pressure on the ski required to make it turn without sliding away.

Narrow Plough: Try and hold a narrow plough shape. More difficult to hold but made easier by increasing the edge angle or lean of the skis.

Progressing from Ploughed turns: Piza and chips - Plough your turns (pizza) but then straighten them for the traverse (chips).

Parallel turns: Tantrum steps - stamp each foot whilst skiing the traverse and through the turn. A good one for anyone to try. More difficult than it sounds.


I'm no expert at all this but have spent hours watching others feeling humiliated by them all :D

ellistine wrote:Depending on how far you've got;

Ploughed turns: try touching the outside of your ski boot with your outside hand (downhill hand) as you turn. This will help with creating the pressure on the ski required to make it turn without sliding away.

Narrow Plough: Try and hold a narrow plough shape. More difficult to hold but made easier by increasing the edge angle or lean of the skis.

Progressing from Ploughed turns: Piza and chips - Plough your turns (pizza) but then straighten them for the traverse (chips).

Parallel turns: Tantrum steps - stamp each foot whilst skiing the traverse and through the turn. A good one for anyone to try. More difficult than it sounds.


I'm no expert at all this but have spent hours watching others feeling humiliated by them all :D

Thanks! I'll try those, I've found some good begginer videos which talk about the "pizza and chips" turn you talked about although he called it a stemchrisie turn or something.

I tried the stamping thing last time just going straight down, my ski came off!! The only time I fell over was trying to get my boot back into the binding!

Regards,
Tom

yeah the stamping (or 1000 steps as its sometimes called) is best done across the hill rather than down it lol.

What sort of level skier are you?

bennyboy wrote:yeah the stamping (or 1000 steps as its sometimes called) is best done across the hill rather than down it lol.

What sort of level skier are you?

I'm a complete begginer at the moment but I hope to be a slightly more experienced begginer before I go! I hope my skis don't fall off too often when I'm there because it was quite difficult getting it back on!

Regards,
Tom