I forgot how to ski

[sorcamc]

I had made so much progress, but last weekend, my first weekend back, I feel like I completely forgot everything. I had control on the flats and slight pitch, but as soon as there was a headwall, I was a mess. I used to be a speedy/fearless/point em and let em go skier, but I was so tentative and chicken!! My upper body was rotating, my pole planting was horrendous and I was totally OFF...I am hoping it was conditions...I just felt OFF. Tell me this will fix itself!

 

[surfsnowgirl]

Your first weekend of the season or your first weekend back from injury. Sorry if I missed this on an another thread.

 

[Jilly]

First day is all about stance, balance and sliding forward. Don't sweat it. Just get back out there.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

My first day of my season on 11/30 was TERRIBLE. New skis combined with first day of the season "I don't remember how to ski" syndrome. I ended that day going ok do I hate my skis or do I need a million lessons cause I've apparently forgotten everything I learned last season. It gets better real fast so hang in there, take a couple lessons and it will all be OK very soon. You'll feel better each time you go out.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I felt like that a few weeks ago. It wasn't my first day on skis - I'd had a lot - but it was my first ski day on consequential terrain - double blacks, steeps, deep snow, etc. I wish my skiing were always on point, but some days it's just not. I suspect that's what distinguishes experts - that they are able to ski at a high level and not have large fluctuations in their comfort level and abilities.

My upper body was rotating, my pole planting was horrendous and I was totally OFF

It's normal to have on days and off days. Your comment is pretty interesting - you *know* what was happening. So how can you fix it? Maybe it will just fix itself. Maybe a lesson would help. Maybe, knowing what's wrong, you can coach yourself with a few key ideas. Why was your upper body rotating? Would skiing a few runs with your poles balanced across your forearms help with that? What about pivot slips or just sideslips on either side to get a handle on edge control? What about your pole plants was horrendous - were they not happening, poorly timed, what?

And, as people tell me all the time on bad days, maybe take it back a few notches. If you usually ski blacks, ski some blues. If you usually ski blues, ski greens. If you usually ski greens, try the bunny hill. Sometimes you have to take a step back to move forward. I've found that when I resist this, I dig the hole much deeper. It was also very helpful for me in getting back on my mountain bike this season, when I was dealing with a lot of fear - by riding very gentle terrain, I quickly got my confidence back and was soon riding stuff I'd never attempted.

 

[Skier31]

Agree with everything that has been said. Go ski your favorite "easy" run. Do it over and over until you start getting your groove back. It will happen!

 

[sorcamc]

funny you say because I was thinking, I am going to go back on the blues and find my mojo again and if I can't do it, I will hop into a lesson. When I felt my upper body rotating, my very next run I held my poles out like I was carrying the cafeteria tray and that helped with that problem...but then another problem developed..when I was pole planting, I felt like a gorilla...like my arms were King Kong or something- just really aggressive and rigid..don't even know how to describe it!! And then I also noticed that I am not pressuring my edges properly at all. I almost feel like I'm all downhill ski and not pressuring the uphill ski at all. Then to top that off, I felt like I was staying in the turn too long (normally I rush my turns) and I wasn't feeling the energy to transition. I am HOPING that its because I was stressed because it was DD's first day back since ACL surgery, so she was my first priority.

I also had some diva drama at the end of last season with ski friends..and I think that I have emotional angst about it still..It honestly kind of robbed my love of skiing because they were a big part of why I loved the activity :( I have to move on from that because I really did enjoy skiing and want to find my happy place again. It goes to show how mental this sport is.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

I think skiing is just as much mental as it is physical. My problem is mental, I'm splendid at psyching myself out. Perhaps put your poles aside for a few runs. I was forced to do this in my last lesson and it turned out to be the best thing I ever did.

 

[bounceswoosh]

funny you say because I was thinking, I am going to go back on the blues and find my mojo again and if I can't do it, I will hop into a lesson. When I felt my upper body rotating, my very next run I held my poles out like I was carrying the cafeteria tray and that helped with that problem...but then another problem developed..when I was pole planting, I felt like a gorilla...like my arms were King Kong or something- just really aggressive and rigid..don't even know how to describe it!! And then I also noticed that I am not pressuring my edges properly at all. I almost feel like I'm all downhill ski and not pressuring the uphill ski at all. Then to top that off, I felt like I was staying in the turn too long (normally I rush my turns) and I wasn't feeling the energy to transition. I am HOPING that its because I was stressed because it was DD's first day back since ACL surgery, so she was my first priority.

I also had some diva drama at the end of last season with ski friends..and I think that I have emotional angst about it still..It honestly kind of robbed my love of skiing because they were a big part of why I loved the activity :( I have to move on from that because I really did enjoy skiing and want to find my happy place again. It goes to show how mental this sport is.

I struggle with uneven edge pressure, too. It can help to think of initiating the turn with the inside big toe, or to think of lifting the arch of your inside foot, or to think of rotating your inside knee into the turn (also called "showing off the tattoo," not that many people get tattoos on their inner thighs! Ow!). For the last one, I've even had instructors have us physically push our knees with our hands - so, for a left turn, push the left knee to the left with your hands. Then right turn pushing the right knee to the right. Obviously do this on an easy run.

And yes, being distracted by other concerns can definitely mess with your mojo.

 

[sorcamc]

Skiing Poconos this weekend, so if we get some fresh snow, that would be helpful, but then I have to deal with **GASP** powder!! I dont even know WHAT I will do then

 

[nopoleskier]

Oh.. keep at it!! I always say "the First day (and the first run) Never count "(unless they are fantastic!) absolutely agree with the stress/mental part.. it's really 1% perspiration and 99% concentration some days! Enjoy the snow.. try and relax and if you can jump in a lesson it may just bring it all back pronto! here's to a wonderful weekend in the powder!

 

[contesstant]

You'll get it back, I promise! I've skied 32 days this year, and my first run every.single.time is a mess! But, my first 10 days or so back out were bad, so I took a lesson and it helped a lot. Hang in there and try to just ENJOY it, try not to work so hard or be so perfect. Just go relax and have fun!

 

[Bluestsky]

Speaking from the first hand, or I should say first head experience. Was skiing for the first time in about 2 feet of powder yesterday and was pretty shaky. The instructor and a student, a guy, went for it first, then another student, a woman, who fell down. I started down repeating to myself what the instructor's just said...no sudden moves, round your turn, no sudden moves... All was good until on correctly executed turn I saw 2 poles (marking a stone?) in the narrow stretch of the run. Trying to avoid them made an irregular sharp turn and went down head first into the lovely soft snow. Me, a snowman now, got up, took two rounded turns and did another face down. I don't know why it happened, but after that my nervousness left me and I finished the run without another dive. So, what I'm trying to say is what other divas already have. Bad days, or bad runs do happen and we put ourselves down. Then do it again, and again, and good, no, fantastic days and runs are there again!

 

[num]

You're definitely not alone, many of us have experienced something similar. I'm sure you'll get your mojo back. Just relax and keep at it.

I had a forgot how to ski day one day out of the blue. I think it was my second season on skis, and it wasn't my first day of the season nor was I coming off an injury, it was just a random day with no issues otherwise. Since I didn't have tons of skill to begin with, losing my groove left me at damn near square one as a skier. It was like totally forgetting how to ski. It was the weirdest feeling, and I was really bummed. I remember hopping on here to make a thread about it once I got home, and when people responded saying things like "everyone has their off days, I'm sure it will be fine" I felt like the total blank that I drew when skiing had to be something different from just an off day. Turns out I was just fine on the hill again shortly after. There as no explanation that I could see in hindsight either, but it was done with and I was back to swooshing around and grinning my way down the hill.

Hopefully everything clicks again the next time you get out to ski. Even if it feels like it, I don't think we can lose it all. I bet you'll be back to owning the mountain in no time.

 

[Serafina]

It's so mental. If I wind up in really low visibility conditions - blowing snow, flat light, fog, cloud cover - my ski technique goes right to hell. I wound up in a whiteout several years ago and to my total horror realized that I'd started doing pizza turns. I just stopped and gave myself a little lecture, told myself to pull it together, took a few deep breaths, and went back to what I usually do when I need to be super conservative, which is a bunch of short radius turns, very finished off, to prevent picking up speed on the transition.

Same thing happens to Mr. S. In fact, I can always tell when he's gotten rattled by something because suddenly he shows up doing stem-christi turns.

Just have to let this one go, and not get it stuck in your mind. Go cruise for a while until you get your mojo back, then try the more challenging stuff.

 

[Albertan ski girl]

My biggest problem is always that I'm so tense. On the first day of the season, I'm nervous, my body is stiff and none of the movements feel natural, and everything is a challenge. I just keep telling myself to relax. The second day and onwards is always great! So get back out there!

 

[sorcamc]

I didn't go today..it was just too windy and I didn't want to become more frustrated. I'm looking forward to skiing tomorrow. I also think that I need to stretch before I go. The past year, I feel my hips have gotten very tight, so if I loosen up before I go out, Im hoping that will help. Thanks so much for all the encouragement. Its just good to know I;m not alone

 

[lady_Salina]

You might not be as bad as you think either. Many years ago when I learned to ski, I did what I was told, I went back and fourth across the hill every turn while keeping my body down hill. Always thinking, turn my feet, shoulders down hill, across the hill, slow down start my next turn. Pole, shoulders down hill, turn my feet, across the hill, draw C's and S's with me skis and start again. For 2 or 3 years I did this. This is how I would learn and stay in control and not be scared. Then people started coming to me and saying... "Are you an instructor?" I'd say, "Oh no, I'm just learning.." A friend finally pulled me aside and said really you are not just learning anymore, you should go do your instructors course and see what they say. I passed that course. I guess I want to say, Just keep going, turn those skis cautiously across the hill and pole and start your next turn. Over and over. I have taught for many many years now. No matter how many people think I ski beautifully, I come down that hill feeling self conscious and awkward pondering what a mess I must look and how awkward that turn felt rather than enjoying all the sensations sometimes. Turn the skis as slow and awkwardly as you want and each turn will get better when you get used to the feeling. Worry about your own comfort zone and no one else's speed or hills. Go have fun on the green hills and when you move along to challenge yourself on the blue hills, just make one turn at a time until it all comes together.

 

[sorcamc]

Today was incredible!! I felt amazing. Started on blues, moved to black and felt incredible. It must have been the conditions that had me down. I still felt that I wasn't skiing both legs well..placing too much pressure on inside..but, I started rolling my knees both out (need to figure out why I am not trusting my right as much), but it all clicked today and I felt great! I even had someone tell me I had very nice form. The thing I said before every run is "dont over think..relax, enjoy". It definitely was a top 10 ski day

 

[num]

Glad to hear it