Technique question for firm groomers

[marzNC]

A big part of the reason I haven't taken a lesson since childhood is cost. I've been a single mom for years, and when my daughter was little, I wanted her to learn to ski well asap, so she took lessons every time we went to Tahoe. This went on for probably 5 years. First it was all-day lessons, then half-day, where she would ski with me in the afternoon. Once she got good enough, her pass price had also increased. Now I'm putting her through college. So budget really is a limiting factor. Northstar used to have a free group lesson. I don't remember it being as much about technique as going to check out different parts of the mountain, though.

Completely understand that money for lessons is a luxury. Although having an experienced instructor check your form and provide ideas of what to work on is ideal, have you considered getting a book or checking out a video series? For some people, it can be useful.

 

[santacruz skier]

That's clearly about as low as it comes for a private and a bit unusual. I know it applies for semi-private lessons I do in Utah, usually with just one friend. Is there anywhere in Tahoe where the price per person when doing a lesson with 2-3 other people is more reasonable?

What seems a lot easier to find in ski country is multi-day clinics or multi-week programs. Very hard to find in the southeast.

The Taos Ski Week a true bargain for intermediates or advanced skiers who want to see major improvement in a relatively short period of time because it's about $200 for six consecutive 2.5 hour group lessons with the same instructor. I did one 2.5 group lesson at Taos for $70 per person plus tip. My friend, JC, and I are pretty similar level advanced skiers and were the only students on a non-holiday Monday. There were plenty of other experienced ski instructors available at the morning line up for the few other students who showed up.

Lessons and practice over multiple seasons are not for everyone. For me, it's made my ski trips to new mountains more fun because I have no worries exploring off-piste terrain with my ski buddies. Also means that poor snow conditions don't have as much impact because my technique is more solid. Although what's more important to me is that I now expect to be skiing challenging terrain for a lot more years than I thought.

It's hard to find friends who are interested in lessons/clinics. I'm sure they are beneficial. Yes the Taos Ski Week sounds great. Also a good opportunity to improve bump skills! I would like to try that.... I just spent the last several weeks skiing in Austria and Switzerland trying to figure out the mountains. Mega resorts - one with 54 lifts and the other with 180 lifts... We skied blues, reds, and blacks and in some cases there wasn't much difference... Might have been good to do lessons or clinic just to navigate! Couple times ended up in village far away and had to take taxi or shuttle back to base!

 

[bounceswoosh]

@luliski , just to emphasize something @marzNC already touched on - if you can find 2-3 other people to join you in a private lesson, you can request a particular instructor *and* get a pretty decent price. Breck private lesson prices are high enough to induce a nosebleed, but get a few friends together, and you'll be able to request an instructor and pay something very close to the regular lesson cost. And you know that the other people in your group are also interested in similar terrain, etc.

 

[santacruz skier]

A big part of the reason I haven't taken a lesson since childhood is cost. I've been a single mom for years, and when my daughter was little, I wanted her to learn to ski well asap, so she took lessons every time we went to Tahoe. This went on for probably 5 years. First it was all-day lessons, then half-day, where she would ski with me in the afternoon. Once she got good enough, her pass price had also increased. Now I'm putting her through college. So budget really is a limiting factor. Northstar used to have a free group lesson. I don't remember it being as much about technique as going to check out different parts of the mountain, though.

I remember free group lessons at Northstar. Think was 20 years ago..... Now about $300 for 2 hours...

 

[santacruz skier]

Completely understand that money for lessons is a luxury. Although having an experienced instructor check your form and provide ideas of what to work on is ideal, have you considered getting a book or checking out a video series? For some people, it can be useful.

You know, I'm a visual person and get a lot out of skiing behind someone who's form I will try to emulate. It always improves my skiing. Also ski with music ( not loud) just to feel the rhythm.. Recently after skiing steeper black at lookout Mtn at Northstar, a guy came up to me in line and said he was using me as an example to his daughter as someone who has good form and skied with rhythm... Think it was the music in my ears... Really!

 

[luliski]

Completely understand that money for lessons is a luxury. Although having an experienced instructor check your form and provide ideas of what to work on is ideal, have you considered getting a book or checking out a video series? For some people, it can be useful.

I do read about skiing (one of the reasons I joined this forum was for ideas on improving my skiing). I have found though that I often don't understand written descriptions of skiing movement ( e.g "engaging the tips"). It's not that I slide around on my turns and want to know HOW to engage my tips, I just don't know what engaging my tips means. So I guess I am more visual. I do watch other skiers skiing terrain I would like to be more fluid on and try to figure out what they're doing. I think I'm at the point where I need feedback form a professional, though. I ski with some friends who ski expert terrain, and I think we are similar in terms of skill, but I'm really afraid sometimes following them.

 

[santacruz skier]

I do read about skiing (one of the reasons I joined this forum was for ideas on improving my skiing). I have found though that I often don't understand written descriptions of skiing movement ( e.g "engaging the tips"). It's not that I slide around on my turns and want to know HOW to engage my tips, I just don't know what engaging my tips means. So I guess I am more visual. I do watch other skiers skiing terrain I would like to be more fluid on and try to figure out what they're doing. I think I'm at the point where I need feedback form a professional, though. I ski with some friends who ski expert terrain, and I think we are similar in terms of skill, but I'm really afraid sometimes following them.

Me too! Let's take semi private at N*

 

[luliski]

You know, I'm a visual person and get a lot out of skiing behind someone who's form I will try to emulate. It always improves my skiing. Also ski with music ( not loud) just to feel the rhythm.. Recently after skiing steeper black at lookout Mtn at Northstar, a guy came up to me in line and said he was using me as an example to his daughter as someone who has good form and skied with rhythm... Think it was the music in my ears... Really!

I do this too (well, not the music part)! I saw a guy making the most beautiful turns at Northstar a few weeks ago, and I was tempted to stop to tell him that. But, he probably knows. I can usually tell when my turns are pretty.

 

[luliski]

Me too! Let's take semi private at N*

I'd be up for it! I guess you should find out what's wrong with your knee first!

 

[Skisailor]

How does one engage the tips? i'm familiar with leg rotation, as I like to ski facing down the fall line as much as possible, but I don't understand what an engaged tip is.

What I mean by engaging the tips is that you are getting the edges near the tips of the skis to "bite" early in the turn, and it has the effect of pulling your skis into the turn in a nice round arc.

It requires you to be "forward" (balanced over the balls of the feet) and to initiate the turn by sending your body down the fall line and letting the skis come along, as opposed to simply shifting your weight from side to side to edge the skis.

It's a really fun feeling. Much harder to do on skis with any significant rocker unless you are "in" the snow, not "on" it.

 

[luliski]

What I mean by engaging the tips is that you are getting the edges near the tips of the skis to "bite" early in the turn, and it has the effect of pulling your skis into the turn in a nice round arc.

It requires you to be "forward" (balanced over the balls of the feet) and to initiate the turn by sending your body down the fall line and letting the skis come along, as opposed to simply shifting your weight from side to side to edge the skis.

It's a really fun feeling. Much harder to do on skis with any significant rocker unless you are "in" the snow, not "on" it.

That does sound fun; thanks for the explanation!

 

[vanhoskier]

What I mean by engaging the tips is that you are getting the edges near the tips of the skis to "bite" early in the turn, and it has the effect of pulling your skis into the turn in a nice round arc.

It requires you to be "forward" (balanced over the balls of the feet) and to initiate the turn by sending your body down the fall line and letting the skis come along, as opposed to simply shifting your weight from side to side to edge the skis.

It's a really fun feeling. Much harder to do on skis with any significant rocker unless you are "in" the snow, not "on" it.

Why I'm not a fan of heavily rockered skis.....

 

[Jilly]

Why I'm not a fan of heavily rockered skis.....

Me too! Tip flap drives me nuts!!

 

[nopoleskier]

Me too! Tip flap drives me nuts!!

why I love the Vantage Series and the 2018 Black Pearls 88's have No Flap.. I thought I would die from pain when I tried Rossi S7's years ago.. horrid tip flap..

 

[Jilly]

Be interesting to see what Dynastar has done to the Legends....I can't even watch people skiing the Cham's on hardpack. It looks like 1/2 the ski isn't on the snow.

 

[SallyCat]

Luliski, @ski diva was kind enough to use my phone to get a quick video of me one day in January, and I can't tell you how helpful it was. Painful to watch, but helpful. I could see so many things I was doing wrong, or not doing enough of, and then use that to focus my practice. I recommend it. You could also post the video and ask for movement analysis. I didn't do that because it was super obvious what I needed to correct. But I have seen people, both on this forum and others, receive very positive and constructive feedback.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Luliski, @ski diva was kind enough to use my phone to get a quick video of me one day in January, and I can't tell you how helpful it was. Painful to watch, but helpful. I could see so many things I was doing wrong, or not doing enough of, and then use that to focus my practice. I recommend it. You could also post the video and ask for movement analysis. I didn't do that because it was super obvious what I needed to correct. But I have seen people, both on this forum and others, receive very positive and constructive feedback.

I have tons of video from my lesson with Pete a couple of weeks ago. He was going to get it to me ... but his computer blowed up. So now I'm not sure if/when I'll get them. But we went over them in the video shack the day-of, so at least there's that.

 

[luliski]

Luliski, @ski diva was kind enough to use my phone to get a quick video of me one day in January, and I can't tell you how helpful it was. Painful to watch, but helpful. I could see so many things I was doing wrong, or not doing enough of, and then use that to focus my practice. I recommend it. You could also post the video and ask for movement analysis. I didn't do that because it was super obvious what I needed to correct. But I have seen people, both on this forum and others, receive very positive and constructive feedback.

It's funny, my boyfriend thinks I'm really good, so he took video of me to send to some friends, and all I could see were the "bad" things I was doing! The video is a great idea, I'm going to ask him to do more.

 

[bounceswoosh]

It's funny, my boyfriend thinks I'm really good, so he took video of me to send to some friends, and all I could see were the "bad" things I was doing! The video is a great idea, I'm going to ask him to do more.

Join the club ... except my husband always sees my flaws. Gah!

 

[luliski]

i hope he's constructive and not too critical...