Worst ski advice you've ever received.

[MilkyWookiee]

Which is why the CSIA teaches "fast track to parallel" if the student is capable.

So what's considered capable? For example, I first skied at age 4. Is the average 4 year old "capable?"
I don't think kids are really developed enough to start learning sports before 5 or 6. Personally I think the goal of putting a 4 yr old on skis should be teaching them what gear and snow feel like, and taking directions from an adult other than mom or dad. So I think teaching little ones to wedge instead of waiting for them to develop the motor skills to turn is doing everyone involved a disservice. But I guess that's a topic for a separate thread...

 

[newboots]

Although this advice wasn't given to me, it was in a terrible 2-hour group lesson I took last season (male instructor, two other women in the class) and I can't help but share it. By the end of the lesson, the instructor had provided zero feedback to any of us, but asked if we had any questions. One of the other women spoke up and said, "Yes, do you have any advice for me?" The instructor's reply was, "Don't take any wooden nickels." (And that was all he said. No, it wasn't just a joke leading into some real advice).

You know, all of these are absurd and laughable, but for some reason this one really gets to me. A man is allowed to teach a coed class when he either hates women, or can’t even SEE them ski? Like you three were invisible! Money back! Letters of complaint! Wake up dude, this is the 90s! Oh wait, the 90s are years ago and you are living in the 50s!

Oh, I’m fuming. Now I’ll never get any sleep! He shouldn’t be allowed to live. Well, ok. He shouldn’t be allowed to work with the public. What a Neanderthal.

Signed,

Grumpy and mad

 

[newboots]

@alison wong - I should add that speed scares me, too, and although I’m happy to get a little faster as I progress, there is SO much more to love about skiing! Like ... the mountains! Perfecting a turn! Getting better at fending off mansplaining jerks on the lift!

Oops. I thought I had calmed down. That instructor of @mountainwest really made me mad. I’m old enough to remember when that was our lot in life.

Signed,

A proud activist of the Second Wave

 

[alison wong]

I should add that speed scares me, too

No...way.... are you sure? I remembered seeing your signature line has something like: "I like speed..."?

 

[MilkyWookiee]

Oh wait, the 90s are years ago

Uhhh? Crap. There goes half my wardrobe.

 

[newboots]

No...way.... are you sure? I remembered seeing your signature line has something like: "I like speed..."?

Hahah! That’s true! I posted that my first year, on the first day when going downhill wasn’t terrifying but was actually fun! I might have been a bit elated and manic at the time.

Now that I’m skiing on the big-girl trails (blue) and I see how fast other people ski, it makes my first-year comment a little naive.

 

[Jilly]

I've taught fast track to someone that has skated before or XC skied before. You need to be able to balance on the skis. And you need to be athletic. It's not for all and especially not kids. But kids get out of the wedge fast. It's the adults. But remember if you stand in a wedge looking straight down the hill, what happens to your one leg, when you match your legs together. NOTHING! One leg doesn't move, when you match them. So that is one of the reasons that wedge is taught. It's a base of support. Yes it has to be unlearned, but the idea is not to make it permanent in the first place. It's a tool. In fact I will start a run with a wedge and match my uphill ski as I turn. Everything is stable on that downhill ski.

 

[alison wong]

I think teaching a technique with the intention of unteaching it is a bit counterproductive.

You are absolutely correct. My ski friend's husband made the very same remark when we first started out skiing together. He said parallel is hard and until this day, he still can't get rid of the wedge (i.e. still on pizza after ~20 yrs of skiing). It really takes practice and milage to shake off the wedge (for me at least).

 

[Skier31]

You are absolutely correct. My ski friend's husband made the very same remark when we first started out skiing together. He said parallel is hard and until this day, he still can't get rid of the wedge (i.e. still on pizza after ~20 yrs of skiing). It really takes practice and milage to shake off the wedge (for me at least).

This is not the point of this thread but since there have been several posts about the wedge turn, I feel compelled to comment.

The wedge turn which focuses on leg rotation to form the wedge as opposes to the “push your heels out to a wedge” does not have to be unlearned.

The proper wedge easily turns into a parallel turn.

I will happy demonstrate at Diva West 2019 for any of you who are interested.

 

[santacruz skier]

This is not the point of this thread but since there have been several posts about the wedge turn, I feel compelled to comment.

The wedge turn which focuses on leg rotation to form the wedge as opposes to the “push your heels out to a wedge” does not have to be unlearned.

The proper wedge easily turns into a parallel turn.

I will happy demonstrate at Diva West 2019 for any of you who are interested.

Darn wish I didn't have conflict with another trip!

 

[mountainwest]

You know, all of these are absurd and laughable, but for some reason this one really gets to me. A man is allowed to teach a coed class when he either hates women, or can’t even SEE them ski? Like you three were invisible! Money back! Letters of complaint! Wake up dude, this is the 90s! Oh wait, the 90s are years ago and you are living in the 50s!

Oh, I’m fuming. Now I’ll never get any sleep! He shouldn’t be allowed to live. Well, ok. He shouldn’t be allowed to work with the public.

Agreed. I’m still mad about it 9 months later. That lesson was why I wanted to try to become a ski instructor myself this year. I think women deserve better.

 

[Tvan]

Worst skiing advice: “You only need one ski jacket.”

 

[elemmac]

Up to this date, I am still trying to figure out: is skiing ONLY for folks who like speed?

There are two types of skiers, those that use speed to learn technique, and those that use technique to learn speed. One is a must safer and "cleaner" learning path than the other.

 

[marzNC]

There are two types of skiers, those that use speed to learn technique, and those that use technique to learn speed. One is a must safer and "cleaner" learning path than the other.

But there are skiers who seem to only ski because of the speed. I had a group lesson for Over 50 skiers a few years ago with a man who hadn't had a lesson as an adult. After the lesson, in which the L3 instructor had to work extremely hard to get him to do a simple drill correctly even on blue and ultimately green terrain, I found out what the man consider a "good day" of skiing. It meant bombing down the steepest groomer (2 min down, 7 min chairlift ride up) so often that his legs hurt so much that he could barely walk to his car.

For intermediates in the Mid-Atlantic, easy to get the idea that the goal of skiing is to go fast, meaning almost straight lining the blue/black groomers. Goes with what could be considered bad advice at a certain stage of learning that "if you aren't falling, then you aren't trying hard enough."

 

[liquidfeet]

Lots of people (not instructors, though) think the goal of skiing is to go fast with confidence.

When I first started skiing (as an adult), I joined a ski club and followed its group of dedicated skiers around the mountain on weekends. We all bought the same season pass, and carpooled. These people liked to go fast on New England hard-snow groomers. They did not ski bumps, they did not ski well in spring slop, they did not ski trees (which in New England are bump runs). Their goal was to see who got to the bottom first. Whoever got to the bottom first was the best skier, to them. I tried to keep up, skidding my way down on icy slopes. I often wondered "Is this safe?" because it didn't feel safe. But knowing nothing about skiing, I trusted them.

I eventually stopped skiing with them this when they kidded too many times about skiing around "moving gates" in the beginner area, scaring the bejeebers out of new skiers as they zoomed around them.

Then I became a ski instructor and learned just exactly how unsafe their skiing was (and mine, following them), why they didn't ski bumps, and how they were wrong that they were the best skiers on the mountain. What self-delusion!

 

[nopoleskier]

too many times about skiing around "moving gates" in the beginner area, scaring the bejeebers out of new skiers as they zoomed around them.

That really pisses me off ! I've been used as a gate (the kid racers at Okemo do that) I did complain to the MT. they ski free get a closed trail and then have to be rude in the SLow zone?!!! Not Cool.

I like to say never ski faster than you can fall...
Skiing fast one still needs to be able to immediately stop should you come upon a fallen skier, yard sale, other interruption in the trail... Controlling ones speed is #1 in my classes, once you learn how to use those skis for braking speed isn't as terrifying but agree it sure is when learning especially as an adult. kids are rubber bands and don't have to go to work on Monday. Why I love skiing it is individual sport, go at your own pace, be safe and please ski in control.

As for the Pizza.. I agree w/ @Skier31 and add: after 55yrs skiing I sometimes still use it to put on the brakes (lift lines comes to mind) it is a skill that I think everyone can have in their bag of tricks. I sure wouldn't want that to be the only way to control speed, talk about leg burn (another thread)

 

[Fluffy Kitty]

Worst skiing advice: “You only need one ski jacket.”

People are nuts! (Although, I have to admit, I really only have one jacket dedicated to skiing.)

You wanna hear nuts? You won't believe this, but every time I mention, while riding on the lift, how much trouble I am having in powder: "You should sit back a little." Every. Time.

Now I ask for powder advice just to see what people say. Every. Time. I get the same answer.

 

[contesstant]

Honestly, I think the worst advice I've gotten is too MUCH advice from too many people all in the course of a season, or a few weeks. Meaning, information overload.

 

[marzNC]

I like to say never ski faster than you can fall...

That reminds me of bad advice given to a friend at Massanutten. She learned as a adult when the family got started because her youngest daughter had a Girl Scout ski weekend in WV. She did the never-ever lesson at Mnut, and person a beginner lesson or two after that. What stuck in her mind was the idea of falling as a last resort when out of control when going "too fast." Unfortunately that's what she remembered a few years later when skiing on a black trail (blue at any big mountain). She ended up sliding off the side of the trail (all manmade snow) and broke her leg.

 

[BlizzardBabe]

Up to this date, I am still trying to figure out: is skiing ONLY for folks who like speed?
.

It absolutely is NOT, so don't fret about it, @alison wong . I once had a group lesson with a great instructor in Telluride. On day 3 he took us to the steepest groomed slope on the mountain and promised a free beer to the person who could ski it the s l o w e s t. What a great lesson. Anyone can point 'em down the fall line and fly. The good skiers are those who can ski in control at any speed they choose.