A term to never use,,,,on slope and off slope!!

pavelski wrote: 90% of skiers do just 3 major "errors" and if they could avoid these they will enjoy skiing so much more.

In my opinion not taking lessons is like learning how to build a house while building it ( and often you do not have right tools )

What are those 3 "errors"?

Yes just three, but they are THE three you will see in all resorts all over the world!

I remember posting them some time ago,,,but can not find posting ( lost in all other skier sins), so please forgive repetition!

1. Looking at skis or ski tips while skiing.

This is a cardinal ski sin for several reasons. First safety. If you are looking at ski tip,,,well you will not see tree, rock, wall, other skier coming ahead!
You must look at least 5 meters ahead,,like when driving a car. Look where you are going to,,,,,not where you are !

When you walk do you look at your feet? Yet your brain "knows" where you feet are at all times. You have developed an "unconscious" "automatic" neural sensory link up from feet to brain! That is what you want to do when skiing. Allow brain to develop this link up with skis by looking ahead and not at skis!
My skis are an extension of my body now and I never look at them,,,,,well I do once in a while when they have given me a "special" run or have helped me get over a difficult section. Then I look down ,,thank them !


2, This second error,,,well it is the most difficult to get over! 90% of skiers turn by rotating their upper bodies. their shoulders, their arms, their faces ! Watch ,,,you will see this; face turns right, then shoulders turn right, arms and poles then turn right,,,,,several seconds after,,,the skis will follow ( often with some resistance) ! That is why you all ( well some of you ) get sore backs, sore necks and arms!
Go back to easy slopes, learn to let skis do work for you by "suggesting" to then via knees to turn. Be patient skis have a mind of their own,,,,,once you and the ski are 'friends" they will do what you suggest ! Note the word "suggest" !
Forcing a ski to turn with your body will cause you grief,,,since skis always wins! It waits and waits and when you think you are "master",,,,it will go left when you say right! Learn to be friends with skis rather than "dominator", boss, or ,,,,,,,,


3. The third skiing mistake has many names! You all know it and will say, "ha,,,,,I have seen that, I have done that,,,,has Pavel seen me" ?

Here is the scene. Going down a great slope,,,,you get "carried away" in your excitement, your thrill, your sheer skiing brilliance and,,,,,,you realize you have too much speed. ! The trees are a blur,,,,,the skiers seem so slow,,,,,,that wind seems to be sooooooo strong ! Then you feel it ! That vibration from the ski tips!
The ski sin is,,,,,,, sitting back. Skiing with tails of skis! Thigh torture! The toilet skier! The flapper skier! etc,,,,,
You have all seen it ! Perhaps still doing it !
Don"t since you are heading for the "ski patrol" cottage !

Think about it! You have a pair of 160 cm skis but are just using 30 cm. of the tail part of the ski! ( and going fast )!
What will happen ?

Iceman, hope this has helped you!

This message was not "referring" to anyone. All persons mentions are not real. Are incidents are imagined ! So if you think I am referring to you,,,,write to Dave the site guru !

With great respect to all skiers,
Pavel

Sin 1 - guilty in the past, particularly when I first skied in powder. Result? Yep, embarrassing fall.

Sin 2 - used to rotate my shoulders too much to try to initiate a turn. It takes a while to realise you're doing it, and longer to correct it.

Sin 3 - Nah, always low down at speed and over the tips. I've never actually seen anyone just fall back and wipe out because of them leaning back, but I have a mate whos daughter skis with her bottom sticking RIGHT out; she looks like a toy skier on remote control!!!

Tony,
There was a famous skier called Wayne Wong who was great. He "created" some skiing "moves" that younger skiers now do and one famous picture you often see is called the "Wong Banger".

Picture this.

Fast fast skiing in spring moguls. Go into "valley" of moguls, lean wayyyyyy back so that 90% of ski is off the top of mogul and 10% of ski tail is on crest of mogul!

On that 10% zone, Wayne Wong would pivot on crest of mogul, explode out of mogul into next valley ! Just like that girl!

I must admit for many years I skied way back in moguls trying to make that Wong Banger !

We are all guilty of some skiing sins! Why be perfect ?

I get scared I crouch! Odd. Lower centre if gravity = less distance to fall = actually harder to turn!! Vicious circle!

Iceman wrote:I get scared I crouch! Odd. Lower centre if gravity = less distance to fall = actually harder to turn!! Vicious circle!

Just crouch forward not back.

As always,,Trencher is right on the mark.

The key for many skiers is to lean forward,,use that 40% tip zone thus be "ahead" of the turn!

As far as that "term" FALL,,,,,never never think of that while skiing !

If in your mind you think;
fall, hurt, insurance, break, blood, crash, pain, ,,,in short negative thoughts,,,,,well you are "holding back ",,,!!! Chances are you will hurst yourself !

Imagine if on your marriage day you think of; fall, hurt, insurance, breakup, blood, crash, emotional pain,,,,,so why while skiing! It should be the happiest day of your life ( wedding and skiing) !

Enjoy skiing. Relax ! Trust your skis! Trust your ability!

It will happen !!

Yes Trencher is on the mark !

I thought adults were taught to snow plough because it is what children automatically do. It occurred to me that maybe they didn't take allometry (the change in size-related proportions due to growth. It is a widely observed phenomenon in animals. A large animal and a small animal have different proportions) in to account when coming to this conclusion. This could be the reason why adults especially larger ones struggle with it.

The Czechs have developed a method of teaching children to ski without snow ploughing



They have also developed a range of teaching skis http://www.big-ski.com/
I don't think there's anything revolutionary about the method, it looks like an updated version of the graduated length method which dates back to the 1950s.