EeveeCanSki
Certified Ski Diva
Hi everyone…I’m a newbie skier here, 4 days total on the slope over three seasons. I’ve been (very) slowly gauging my desire and commitment to pursue the sport, and this year after purchasing a pair of boots suitable to my narrow feet, had a breakthrough on my third outing ever, where I felt like I was floating down a hill. Granted it was the bunny hill, but I was linking turns well (small wedge, wedge christies), truly feeling the transition from flat to edge, beginning to use my edges, having fun following my instructor down, and we tackled a steeper green with success at the hill I visited and I was feeling great. This was two weeks ago, after about eleven months between outings. I was so encouraged by this that, and with the support of my skiing SO, I purchased skis. These were a different model from my rentals, something a local shop recommended because I could grow with them, and were longer (136 cm rental vs 142 cm purchase, these skis come to my chin, I’m 5’4”). My goal for the next few seasons is to ski with confidence and control on greens and longer green cruisers, so therefore mellow, but still fun, so I would think I’d be stable enough on something shorter. Also if I’m to be realistic, we may go 2-4 times in a season.
This past weekend, I took the new skis out, and holy cow, I felt like I forgot everything from two weeks ago. I once again took a lesson (this time at a different hill a bit closer to us, with a different instructor), and I explained that I had new skis, slightly longer than what I used before. He was patient and understanding, helped me with some warm-up runs to get my feet under me, and I felt that the skis weren’t getting away from me while coasting in a straight line. Turning was a completely different story—I could not gently guide and steer my uphill ski next to my downhill ski. The skis felt heavy and unwieldy. These moves were happening completely on autopilot two weeks ago and felt natural. This day, however, even with the instructor’s guidance (and he was excellent), I felt that for anything he asked me to do which should have felt somewhat familiar with became hazardous and I would freeze. My instructor would come get me, I would tell him what was going on and how I felt, we found ways to work through my anxiety and get down the hill together, and I just attempted the skills—more turning, finding lines--as best as I could. He complimented me on my sense of control and balance and my ability to ride the chairlift—all wonderful accomplishments when new. No surprise about the balance for me…I’ve been figure skating off and on for many years, and I have a good sense of how to hold my core for this. Plus I love the sensation of gliding, which came naturally with that sport and makes sense to me with skiing too.
Now, I fully expected that the new skis would feel different, but not so different to the point of feeling like I was regressing, hence the frustration…I probably made some progress I don’t have the perspective for yet because the feeling of defeat is still raw with me this morning, even reminding myself, that was only my 4th day out. I spoke to the ski school director about my experience and he was so kind as to offer me a free group lesson this season to try again at his hill while I work through these skills. He was also kind enough to speak with me a bit about differences in ski construction, and it led me to think—I did so well on the skis from two weeks ago, perhaps I should rent that very model again, and compare on the same day what feels best between the skis I purchased and the rental skis. I wish I had thought to do so this past weekend. It very well could be that the rentals had a better profile for me and I needed to further gain skills on that or a similar ski before taking on a slightly longer ski, and as my instructor said, even a couple inches can feel like miles under your feet.
So going forward, I am considering the following—take another lesson (Level 2 was recommended for me) on the longer skis, and take another group lesson the same day on the shorter skis, and compare how I feel and my performance. Would this be a good strategy for my next time out? Or take another private for two hours—spend part of the time on my ski, then part of the time on the rental, and compare movements and control between the two scenarios with professional input? Or take my lesson on the longer skis, pop the shorter skis back on my boots on my own time since I know how they feel from before?
I want to stick with this sport, but with this feeling I’m wondering why I still have the drive today to go again—I felt so horrible Saturday that it took all I had to hold back crying out of frustration until we got back to our car…then it all just came pouring out. I felt like I smacked myself repeatedly with a cold wet fish, and that perhaps I deserved it because I had better expectations for myself and I didn't perform up to them. I hoped more to feel like I was moving forward, not getting stuck and worse, feeling panic creep in. Driving from the resort in tears was the last thing I wanted when I left my ski session prior all smiles. My SO consoled me as best as he could and promised he would stand by me in whatever way possible if I want to keep going in this endeavor.
If it would also help, I can discuss more of the specs of the gear in the appropriate forum for understanding of some of the more gritty mechanical why’s about one ski maybe feeling better than the other, aside from the length, but I wanted to introduce where I'm at with this activity first and what I hope to do with it in the near future. Thanks for reading—any additional perspectives you all have will be helpful, and I am glad to have found this community.
This past weekend, I took the new skis out, and holy cow, I felt like I forgot everything from two weeks ago. I once again took a lesson (this time at a different hill a bit closer to us, with a different instructor), and I explained that I had new skis, slightly longer than what I used before. He was patient and understanding, helped me with some warm-up runs to get my feet under me, and I felt that the skis weren’t getting away from me while coasting in a straight line. Turning was a completely different story—I could not gently guide and steer my uphill ski next to my downhill ski. The skis felt heavy and unwieldy. These moves were happening completely on autopilot two weeks ago and felt natural. This day, however, even with the instructor’s guidance (and he was excellent), I felt that for anything he asked me to do which should have felt somewhat familiar with became hazardous and I would freeze. My instructor would come get me, I would tell him what was going on and how I felt, we found ways to work through my anxiety and get down the hill together, and I just attempted the skills—more turning, finding lines--as best as I could. He complimented me on my sense of control and balance and my ability to ride the chairlift—all wonderful accomplishments when new. No surprise about the balance for me…I’ve been figure skating off and on for many years, and I have a good sense of how to hold my core for this. Plus I love the sensation of gliding, which came naturally with that sport and makes sense to me with skiing too.
Now, I fully expected that the new skis would feel different, but not so different to the point of feeling like I was regressing, hence the frustration…I probably made some progress I don’t have the perspective for yet because the feeling of defeat is still raw with me this morning, even reminding myself, that was only my 4th day out. I spoke to the ski school director about my experience and he was so kind as to offer me a free group lesson this season to try again at his hill while I work through these skills. He was also kind enough to speak with me a bit about differences in ski construction, and it led me to think—I did so well on the skis from two weeks ago, perhaps I should rent that very model again, and compare on the same day what feels best between the skis I purchased and the rental skis. I wish I had thought to do so this past weekend. It very well could be that the rentals had a better profile for me and I needed to further gain skills on that or a similar ski before taking on a slightly longer ski, and as my instructor said, even a couple inches can feel like miles under your feet.
So going forward, I am considering the following—take another lesson (Level 2 was recommended for me) on the longer skis, and take another group lesson the same day on the shorter skis, and compare how I feel and my performance. Would this be a good strategy for my next time out? Or take another private for two hours—spend part of the time on my ski, then part of the time on the rental, and compare movements and control between the two scenarios with professional input? Or take my lesson on the longer skis, pop the shorter skis back on my boots on my own time since I know how they feel from before?
I want to stick with this sport, but with this feeling I’m wondering why I still have the drive today to go again—I felt so horrible Saturday that it took all I had to hold back crying out of frustration until we got back to our car…then it all just came pouring out. I felt like I smacked myself repeatedly with a cold wet fish, and that perhaps I deserved it because I had better expectations for myself and I didn't perform up to them. I hoped more to feel like I was moving forward, not getting stuck and worse, feeling panic creep in. Driving from the resort in tears was the last thing I wanted when I left my ski session prior all smiles. My SO consoled me as best as he could and promised he would stand by me in whatever way possible if I want to keep going in this endeavor.
If it would also help, I can discuss more of the specs of the gear in the appropriate forum for understanding of some of the more gritty mechanical why’s about one ski maybe feeling better than the other, aside from the length, but I wanted to introduce where I'm at with this activity first and what I hope to do with it in the near future. Thanks for reading—any additional perspectives you all have will be helpful, and I am glad to have found this community.
I have to remind myself that I don't have to improve every time I ski, sometimes we all have off-days, and that apres ski doesn't have to be enjoyed 'apres', but during as well 
) I was at a different hill, different instructor, different crowd, and different snow conditions (PP vs LG, the latter of which is what I skied on and had the great day). Also, that I am analytical by nature probably isn't helping me too much here...
