What I want to achieve this year...

1. Able to ski blue trail
2. Parallel turn
3. No broken bones
4. pick up some hot girls on the slope

"Kenny" wrote in message
t...
1. Able to ski blue trail
2. Parallel turn
3. No broken bones
4. pick up some hot girls on the slope


Could you explain, in terms of your own perception,
where your skiing is right now? That is, how do you
turn?

How do you *feel* about your turns? Do you have
the confidence that, when you want to turn, and you
start to execute, you *will* turn?

Could you verbalize your own impression of how
skiing works? If you want to turn a certain direction,
or stop, or slide a ways, what must you do?

Do you have perhaps a short list of two or three
things that *must* be happening in order for the
turn to suceed? Of course, there's no end to how
specific and precise technique can get, but, how
about basic, essential "elements"?

Do you have an idea of what you must do to
control your speed?

What sort of equipment do you have, or would
you like to have? How critical do you think this
is?

I do feel the need to point out that, with today's
equipment, and the type of skiing you're likely
to do, injury is highly unlikely. Today, the biggest
percentage of *skiers* that get hurt are the ones
getting air in the park or on terrain features, basically
people that are really going for it.

Nonetheless, the best advice one could give is to
take intelligent, step by step risks. Go a *little*
faster, and a little steeper day by day.

I imagine being able to get the women is the least
of your worries. I'm sure you can do that, and,
truly it seems, no matter where you ski, they *are*
there to meet.

"foot2foot" wrote in message
...
"Kenny" wrote in message
t...



Could you verbalize your own impression of how
skiing works? If you want to turn a certain direction,
or stop, or slide a ways, what must you do?


that's something i've been thinking about recently as i still pretty much
stink. i like to understand things technically before i do them, and i
believe that i understand the concept behind carving, but i'm not sure how
much i actually *am* carving. i think i've had a little too much *old
style* instruction and it's screwed me up. that said, it has given me
ability to get down most blues one way or another.

i am a prime candidate for more lessons, but let me try to explain what *i*
do.

as i am perpendicular to the fall line traveling left and want to turn
right, i do put the pressure on my left big toe, but i also kick the heel
out a little uphill and i let that outside (uphill) ski get a little in
front of the other ski. as i get into the turn, i either lift or slide the
inside ski to make it more or less parallel to the other ski (and even up
the tips) and the turn is completed. i've read, (but don't fully
understand/appreciate) the controversy about lifting or nor lifting that
ski, and i guess i'm really supposed to put pressure on that right little
toe, but i have trouble doing so to truly get on edge.

this technique (or lack thereof), probably is the reason i hockey stop to
control speed because when i kick out that heel, it's easy to kick it out a
lot and essentially hockey stop (or turn back uphill aggressively and ski up
till i reduce my speed).

"David Rothman" wrote in message

as i am perpendicular to the fall line traveling left and want to turn
right, i do put the pressure on my left big toe, but i also kick the heel
out a little uphill and i let that outside (uphill) ski get a little in
front of the other ski. as i get into the turn, i either lift or slide the
inside ski to make it more or less parallel to the other ski (and even up
the tips) and the turn is completed. i've read, (but don't fully
understand/appreciate) the controversy about lifting or nor lifting that
ski, and i guess i'm really supposed to put pressure on that right little
toe, but i have trouble doing so to truly get on edge.

I would say it might help to pressure the *ball of the
foot* on the outside ski, and actually *lift* the toes, at
first anyway. Later on you probably won't feel the
need to lift the toes.

Besides that,

First off, a good thing to learn might be the element of
lead change. Somewhere in the initiation, or first part of
a turn, you make a lead change. You move the *inside*
ski *ahead* of the *outside ski*. You lead with the
inside ski.

This happens as one of the very first things you do to
start a turn.

Lead change. This really frees everything up. If you're
skiing alpine, leading with the outside ski amounts to
fighting yourself. Make a lead change.

You can either pull the outside ski back, push the
inside ski ahead, or scissors, a combination of both.
Situation, terrain and preference will affect your choice
of method. Most instructors today will tell you that
you don't need much of a lead. But a lead change is
still a basic part of a turn. It's a tool, to master and
use however *you* want to use it.

I think you might find that lead change will minimize
the need to lift the inside ski.

If you ever do lift a ski, lift only *the tail*. Leave the
tip on the snow. If you do that, you'll be OK if you
lift a ski. It's easier to learn to carve, or just to ski,
by skiing one footed at first. Almost all the weight on
the outside ski. The earlier you shift weight to the
outside ski, the better you'll carve.

this technique (or lack thereof), probably is the reason i hockey stop to
control speed because when i kick out that heel, it's easy to kick it out
a
lot and essentially hockey stop (or turn back uphill aggressively and ski
up
till i reduce my speed).

With today's skis and boots, it helps to move the
hips down the hill toward the center of the turn. I
think that might help a lot with your desire to be
able to turn without this heel slide you describe.
That, as well as the lead change and early weight
transfer.


I'd like to stop here and see what you think, but
before I do I want to mention two more elements.


You must understand and use Crossover, and
Home Position.

You are probably familiar with those though.

Thanks for the insight.... I took one starter lesson two years ago and one
private lesson early this year, I can pretty much turn and stop when I want
to, but I am not smooth. I skid to slow down, skis are pretty far apart. I
can slide sideway to stop......... and so on.

I got two books (anyone can be an expert skier 1&2) and I am reading and
visualize how would I do it and doing the balance exercise......

Hopefully I can catch up to my 10yr old this year.

Kenny @ NH




"foot2foot" wrote in message
...
"Kenny" wrote in message
t...
1. Able to ski blue trail
2. Parallel turn
3. No broken bones
4. pick up some hot girls on the slope


Could you explain, in terms of your own perception,
where your skiing is right now? That is, how do you
turn?

How do you *feel* about your turns? Do you have
the confidence that, when you want to turn, and you
start to execute, you *will* turn?

Could you verbalize your own impression of how
skiing works? If you want to turn a certain direction,
or stop, or slide a ways, what must you do?

Do you have perhaps a short list of two or three
things that *must* be happening in order for the
turn to suceed? Of course, there's no end to how
specific and precise technique can get, but, how
about basic, essential "elements"?

Do you have an idea of what you must do to
control your speed?

What sort of equipment do you have, or would
you like to have? How critical do you think this
is?

I do feel the need to point out that, with today's
equipment, and the type of skiing you're likely
to do, injury is highly unlikely. Today, the biggest
percentage of *skiers* that get hurt are the ones
getting air in the park or on terrain features, basically
people that are really going for it.

Nonetheless, the best advice one could give is to
take intelligent, step by step risks. Go a *little*
faster, and a little steeper day by day.

I imagine being able to get the women is the least
of your worries. I'm sure you can do that, and,
truly it seems, no matter where you ski, they *are*
there to meet.

Here's one you can try. Stand facing straight ahead,
shoulders square, feet parallel. Hold your hands in a
skiing position. Now sight down one leg, line up your
knee so it's centered above the toe next to the big toe.
Then, stand on that foot alone.

Then try to hop around on it, still maintaining the
same alignment, shoulders square, knee above second
toe, foot square ahead in relation to the torso, hips
and shoulders.

Notice that keeping your balance has more to do
with what you do with your hips than with any
other part of your body. Mostly it's a lateral
movement of the hips that helps you keep balance.

You can do this drill in the shower, or standing in
line at the market. I don't think I'd hold my hands
in the skiing position while I did it in line at the market,
but it will work otherwise.

"Kenny" wrote in message
. ..
Thanks for the insight.... I took one starter lesson two years ago and one
private lesson early this year, I can pretty much turn and stop when I
want
to, but I am not smooth. I skid to slow down, skis are pretty far apart. I
can slide sideway to stop......... and so on.

I got two books (anyone can be an expert skier 1&2) and I am reading and
visualize how would I do it and doing the balance exercise......

Hopefully I can catch up to my 10yr old this year.

Kenny @ NH




"foot2foot" wrote in message
...
"Kenny" wrote in message
t...
1. Able to ski blue trail
2. Parallel turn
3. No broken bones
4. pick up some hot girls on the slope


Could you explain, in terms of your own perception,
where your skiing is right now? That is, how do you
turn?

How do you *feel* about your turns? Do you have
the confidence that, when you want to turn, and you
start to execute, you *will* turn?

Could you verbalize your own impression of how
skiing works? If you want to turn a certain direction,
or stop, or slide a ways, what must you do?

Do you have perhaps a short list of two or three
things that *must* be happening in order for the
turn to suceed? Of course, there's no end to how
specific and precise technique can get, but, how
about basic, essential "elements"?

Do you have an idea of what you must do to
control your speed?

What sort of equipment do you have, or would
you like to have? How critical do you think this
is?

I do feel the need to point out that, with today's
equipment, and the type of skiing you're likely
to do, injury is highly unlikely. Today, the biggest
percentage of *skiers* that get hurt are the ones
getting air in the park or on terrain features, basically
people that are really going for it.

Nonetheless, the best advice one could give is to
take intelligent, step by step risks. Go a *little*
faster, and a little steeper day by day.

I imagine being able to get the women is the least
of your worries. I'm sure you can do that, and,
truly it seems, no matter where you ski, they *are*
there to meet.

"David Rothman" wrote in message t...
i am a prime candidate for more lessons, but let me try to explain what *i*
do.

as i am perpendicular to the fall line traveling left and want to turn
right, i do put the pressure on my left big toe, but i also kick the heel
out a little uphill and i let that outside (uphill) ski get a little in
front of the other ski. as i get into the turn, i either lift or slide the
inside ski to make it more or less parallel to the other ski (and even up
the tips) and the turn is completed. i've read, (but don't fully
understand/appreciate) the controversy about lifting or nor lifting that
ski, and i guess i'm really supposed to put pressure on that right little
toe, but i have trouble doing so to truly get on edge.

this technique (or lack thereof), probably is the reason i hockey stop to
control speed because when i kick out that heel, it's easy to kick it out a
lot and essentially hockey stop (or turn back uphill aggressively and ski up
till i reduce my speed).

What you describe, David, is turning the tails of the skis, which
usually is the mark of someone wishing to get through the turn to the
slow-down phase as rapidly as possible.

What more precise skiers practice is turning the tips of the
skis--both skis--with the intent of changing direction more than
putting on the brakes.

The reason for engaging the little toe side in the snow (note that you
don't need to STAND on that toe side) is that it assures that your
hips are more to the inside of the turn, which lets you edge both skis
better.

You need to spend a bunch of time on more shallow terrain learning to
roll both skis on edge to begin turns.

Here's one you can try. Stand facing straight ahead,
shoulders square, feet parallel. Hold your hands in a
skiing position. Now sight down one leg, line up your
knee so it's centered above the toe next to the big toe.
Then, stand on that foot alone.

Then try to hop around on it, still maintaining the
same alignment, shoulders square, knee above second
toe, foot square ahead in relation to the torso, hips
and shoulders.

Notice that keeping your balance has more to do
with what you do with your hips than with any
other part of your body. Mostly it's a lateral
movement of the hips that helps you keep balance.

You can do this drill in the shower, or standing in
line at the market. I don't think I'd hold my hands
in the skiing position while I did it in line at the market,
but it will work otherwise.

"Kenny" wrote in message
. ..
Thanks for the insight.... I took one starter lesson two years ago and one
private lesson early this year, I can pretty much turn and stop when I
want
to, but I am not smooth. I skid to slow down, skis are pretty far apart. I
can slide sideway to stop......... and so on.

I got two books (anyone can be an expert skier 1&2) and I am reading and
visualize how would I do it and doing the balance exercise......

Hopefully I can catch up to my 10yr old this year.

Kenny @ NH




"foot2foot" wrote in message
...
"Kenny" wrote in message
t...
1. Able to ski blue trail
2. Parallel turn
3. No broken bones
4. pick up some hot girls on the slope


Could you explain, in terms of your own perception,
where your skiing is right now? That is, how do you
turn?

How do you *feel* about your turns? Do you have
the confidence that, when you want to turn, and you
start to execute, you *will* turn?

Could you verbalize your own impression of how
skiing works? If you want to turn a certain direction,
or stop, or slide a ways, what must you do?

Do you have perhaps a short list of two or three
things that *must* be happening in order for the
turn to suceed? Of course, there's no end to how
specific and precise technique can get, but, how
about basic, essential "elements"?

Do you have an idea of what you must do to
control your speed?

What sort of equipment do you have, or would
you like to have? How critical do you think this
is?

I do feel the need to point out that, with today's
equipment, and the type of skiing you're likely
to do, injury is highly unlikely. Today, the biggest
percentage of *skiers* that get hurt are the ones
getting air in the park or on terrain features, basically
people that are really going for it.

Nonetheless, the best advice one could give is to
take intelligent, step by step risks. Go a *little*
faster, and a little steeper day by day.

I imagine being able to get the women is the least
of your worries. I'm sure you can do that, and,
truly it seems, no matter where you ski, they *are*
there to meet.

Here's one you can try. Stand facing straight ahead,
shoulders square, feet parallel. Hold your hands in a
skiing position. Now sight down one leg, line up your
knee so it's centered above the toe next to the big toe.
Then, stand on that foot alone.

Then try to hop around on it, still maintaining the
same alignment, shoulders square, knee above second
toe, foot square ahead in relation to the torso, hips
and shoulders.

Notice that keeping your balance has more to do
with what you do with your hips than with any
other part of your body. Mostly it's a lateral
movement of the hips that helps you keep balance.

You can do this drill in the shower, or standing in
line at the market. I don't think I'd hold my hands
in the skiing position while I did it in line at the market,
but it will work otherwise.

"Kenny" wrote in message
. ..
Thanks for the insight.... I took one starter lesson two years ago and one
private lesson early this year, I can pretty much turn and stop when I
want
to, but I am not smooth. I skid to slow down, skis are pretty far apart. I
can slide sideway to stop......... and so on.

I got two books (anyone can be an expert skier 1&2) and I am reading and
visualize how would I do it and doing the balance exercise......

Hopefully I can catch up to my 10yr old this year.

Kenny @ NH




"foot2foot" wrote in message
...
"Kenny" wrote in message
t...
1. Able to ski blue trail
2. Parallel turn
3. No broken bones
4. pick up some hot girls on the slope


Could you explain, in terms of your own perception,
where your skiing is right now? That is, how do you
turn?

How do you *feel* about your turns? Do you have
the confidence that, when you want to turn, and you
start to execute, you *will* turn?

Could you verbalize your own impression of how
skiing works? If you want to turn a certain direction,
or stop, or slide a ways, what must you do?

Do you have perhaps a short list of two or three
things that *must* be happening in order for the
turn to suceed? Of course, there's no end to how
specific and precise technique can get, but, how
about basic, essential "elements"?

Do you have an idea of what you must do to
control your speed?

What sort of equipment do you have, or would
you like to have? How critical do you think this
is?

I do feel the need to point out that, with today's
equipment, and the type of skiing you're likely
to do, injury is highly unlikely. Today, the biggest
percentage of *skiers* that get hurt are the ones
getting air in the park or on terrain features, basically
people that are really going for it.

Nonetheless, the best advice one could give is to
take intelligent, step by step risks. Go a *little*
faster, and a little steeper day by day.

I imagine being able to get the women is the least
of your worries. I'm sure you can do that, and,
truly it seems, no matter where you ski, they *are*
there to meet.

"David Rothman" wrote in message t...
"foot2foot" wrote in message
...
"Kenny" wrote in message
t...


i am a prime candidate for more lessons, but let me try to explain what *i*
do.

as i am perpendicular to the fall line traveling left and want to turn
right, i do put the pressure on my left big toe, but i also kick the heel
out a little uphill and i let that outside (uphill) ski get a little in
front of the other ski. as i get into the turn, i either lift or slide the
inside ski to make it more or less parallel to the other ski (and even up
the tips) and the turn is completed. i've read, (but don't fully
understand/appreciate) the controversy about lifting or nor lifting that
ski, and i guess i'm really supposed to put pressure on that right little
toe, but i have trouble doing so to truly get on edge.


There is no controverey about lifting your inside ski. Don't do it.
You can carve with both skis now which gives you better balance and
makes you go faster. Not that you race so you don't need to go faster,
but your balance is still much better. With todays ski technology
putting a ski on edge and changing your weight distribution should
make it turn. I know that sounds crazy, but for the most part it
works. Physically turning the ski with power from you hips along with
singnificant unweighting really isn't necessary anymore.