Skiing - how much skiing have people done to ski like that

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rayonline

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#242304 20-Oct-2018 20:51

I learnt to skin in 2009 when was 30 and it was until to 2018 I got another seasons pass, in between it was really just the 1 or 2 day trip up there with other families, kids and friends building snowmen and the few that took a lesson at the learners.

You see these many people able to properly parallel ski in the blues and even higher levels. How many skiing have these people done? Have they largely learnt it when they were young? Do they do a number weeks of skiing every year?

Cheers.

blackjack17

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#2111642 20-Oct-2018 21:05

I learnt to ski when I was 6 and have been skiing nearly every year since (37 now). I taught my wife to ski (don't ever do that) when she was 30 (she is 38 now) she is okay on blues and easy blacks. Have taught other friends to ski and they are on blues and blacks in a couple of days.

Once you have the basic technique down it is all about attitude and confidence. You will never be good if you are afraid of falling.

Just got back tonight from 2 days of amazing spring skiing.

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throbb

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#2111651 20-Oct-2018 21:33

I'd say a couple of full days, kind of like riding a bike, once you learn you don't really forget. Though may take a couple of runs to get up to speed after a couple years off.

afe66

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#2111656 20-Oct-2018 21:43

I think to progress you need to have decent blocks at a time especially at the beginning.

A couple of days a year wont make much difference as you barely remember what you did the other year.

You need a block week with lessons as minimum to learn and retain skills where you concentrate on what your doing, not shepherding kids.

And do this at least once per year, possibly twice in the first year.

Get some of your own boots as sore feet will kill your holiday.

I would expect that after two weeks of lessons you should be parallelling on groomed slopes well.

I first learnt when I was in mid teens where we would spend a week of August school holidays every year or so but it wasnt until I restarted in my 30a when I could spend a regular week at least doing this each year that things really improved. Also vary your fields a little. Maybe head to Wanaka where you can try Cardrona for 4-5 days then remarkables for two. Both have quite long gentle runs.

blackjack17

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#2111658 20-Oct-2018 22:16

The key is to ski with people that are better than you and follow along regardless what that inner voice is telling you

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wellygary

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#2111664 20-Oct-2018 23:25

blackjack17:
The key is to ski with people that are better than you and follow along regardless what that inner voice is telling you

This , very much this
It can either be mates , or an instructor , you get better but being pushed

Once you have good confidence turning and stopping , seek out steeper and steeper slopes

As long as they are wide and open you can make a steep slope as flat as you want by just going across the slope as fast as you feel comfortable..

Ah the good old waterfall express , heading for the great recycling bin next week

rayonline

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#2111858 21-Oct-2018 14:08

My own mate are the instructors. No one I know likes to ski. Each 2 or 3yrs we've done the 2 day ski weekend over the school holidays so parents can go without taking leave. 1 day ski in the learners area while the parents sit in the cafe maybe the some of them do the sightseeing pass. The second day they rather go to Taupo or whip over to Palmerston North before back to Wellington.

I can stop and turn, I basically can do a bit of parallel at the green area like the Wintergarden. The blues like Boneyard I am still doing the wedge and maybe after the turn straightening the skis. Funny that when I did this in 2009 with a private instructor that was all I did also. Did 2 lessons this year started skiing too late due to a cough and then the weather wasn't that great, booked 4 nights and all the days Turoa was closed. Was there over this last Monday to Saturday but most of the instructors have left including my one I had earlier in the year.

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afe66

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#2112041 21-Oct-2018 19:59

Your not going to progress at all unfortunately if you go skiing that rarely.

If you want a ski holiday, take a week off, stay in wanaka and go to Cardrona. It's got huge numbers of instructors and really invested in learner part of market.

Yes its expensive but that's just the way it is.

If it's your holiday pick where you want to go not what others do.

rayonline

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#2112044 21-Oct-2018 20:07

This year I had a cough so didn't go skiing until September I stayed 5 nights, skied 3 due to weather. The week right after that 4 nights but Turoa was closed every day. I then just did the last/this week 6 days but most of the instructors have left. What I am up to now - I can do Boneyard pretty OK but I am snowploughing down with maybe my skis going parallel at the end of the turn.

I don't know if I am a slow learner. In 1997 took a group lesson, got pretty much left behind gave up. 2009, I went up several weeks of that 5 or so weekends I think I had private lessons every Saturday and Sunday but it took me 3 weeks (6 lessons) before leaving Happy Valley. But then when I was there also with the same instructor I was still snowploughing.

Batman

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#2112067 22-Oct-2018 00:09

you need a different instructor.

there are about 4-5 ways of skiing and perhaps you suit one of them that your instructor is not identifying.

there are 3 components to skiing well.

1. knowing where to put your weight and where to put your weight on which part of which ski and when and why. the 4-5 ways is how complicated you want to make this bit. eg the 3 michelin star roast potato vs the pub meal.

2. time on snow. the more time spent the better you ski. with or without doing a lot of drills to nail your balance.

3. ski boot fit.

I don't recommend blindly following someone down when you have not had all these 3 in some degree of instruction. Unless you want a scenic helicopter ride to the hospital ...

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#2159576 12-Jan-2019 09:11

this thing popped up in my feed for some reason. someone must have posted then deleted.

in the off season you can work on your balance by taking ice skating lessons. ice skating is much harder than skiing. my kids who are good ice hockey players took to skiing like duck to water. hence i'm making the link.

bhavikk

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#2170405 30-Jan-2019 20:27

The key is confidence with control and the speed. Just remember turning helps shave speed off, so once you can turn u can slowly build up the speed. Going consecutive days helps as well because it reinforces what you have learnt.

Also getting lessons helps. I got couple of lessons when I first started and then got another a few years ago to iron out some bad technique. I learnt in my mid 20s (33 now), the biggest improvement I saw was when I went on a 3 week ski trip overseas, where the snow was more forgiving when you fall.

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everettpsycho

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#2170498 30-Jan-2019 23:13

bhavikk:
The key is confidence with control and the speed. Just remember turning helps shave speed off, so once you can turn u can slowly build up the speed. Going consecutive days helps as well because it reinforces what you have learnt.

Also getting lessons helps. I got couple of lessons when I first started and then got another a few years ago to iron out some bad technique. I learnt in my mid 20s (33 now), the biggest improvement I saw was when I went on a 3 week ski trip overseas, where the snow was more forgiving when you fall.

I only started skiing last year and I can definitely see how being comfortable on the ice rink helps, I'm no Pro skater but after only 4 days of lessons I think I was doing pretty well on mt Hutt.

Caught up with friends on the last of our days and they took us up the top which the instructors hadn't done, one skiid off to the next lip and one stuck with us and we ended up doing a good few runs with them. The instructors were really good there though, definitely felt like I went from nothing to confident enough to try things but know how to get myself out of trouble in just 4 days. The last runs with our friends were great for cementing the knowledge, doing the run at the top was a new challenge bit then finishing on Broadway as I'd found my feet half way down meant I got practice at going a bit faster on the steeper areas.