Beginning of Season Blues

[liquidfeet]

Does this happen to anybody else?

Here it is, the beginning of the season, and ski day after ski day I am confronted with the fact that I can't ski like I remember. I've forgotten what I knew at the end of last season!! Some habits are still the same, but the skills I was proudest of last April I find I can't do. I must re-train my body to get back to where I was.

(I'm NOT talking about getting one's ski legs back. I've been skiing 7 days now, and am past that. This is something else altogether.)

Maybe this doesn't happen to long-time skiers. Maybe it doesn't happen to people whose memories don't "improve" over the summer. Maybe it doesn't happen to you. Or maybe it does. So what's up here?

 

[Lynn]

I had a similar experience skiing this season. Went to Beaver Creek for 5 days. First of all, it snowed plenty that first day, 6-8 inches. I've never had a first day on the snow be powder. I was on easy trails to get my legs back, but couldn't SKI! I was falling, crossing tips and felt unable to control anything! Drills were the focus, but I couldn't seem to access anything. The memory of finishing the previous season feeling smooth and confident seemed to be a false one.
So, I booked a day long lesson the next day. It was still snow lightly, but with the feedback of a great teacher, I was able to get back some of the lost muscle memory and move on to new ones as well. It was an investment that was very worthwhile and I have plenty of homework to do the next time I can find some white stuff!

 

[Elangirl]

Try going back to your basics and move forward again. When I teach a lesson, I try to leave each student with a key word or two to remember what we worked on in the lesson.

First, is balance--go out and bounce on your skis--can you lift the inside or uphill ski when you turn? If not, you need to make sure most of your weight is on the outside ski.

I see a lot of fairly good skiers banking into the hill---so look at your shoulders are they moving uphill on your turns? Your shoulders should echo the hill---the uphill one is up and the down hill one is down!! Hold a ballon in your uphill hand and a ten pound weight in your downhill hand.

Move around on your skis and check your position--do you have new boots? Sometimes if they are too stiff, you fall back a little in your stance.

The first few days of skiing I check my stance alot---am I feeling my weight over my arches? Are my shins connecting with my boots? Can I feel my big toe and small toe on the snow? I bounce on a straight run and constantly check whether I am centered or back on my skis.

It will come back, just give yourself some time. And, of course, Go With A Pro and take a lesson.

 

[smpayne]

I made the mistake of trying to demo skis my first day out for the season. I was on unfamiliar terain, it was snowing/raining and visablitiy was lousy and my boots really hurt. I felt like I didn't know what I was doing. I felt like such a cluts the first few hours my first day back, but eventually I got back into the groove. Thankfully, day two was absolutely beautiful.

Fortunately/Unfortunately, I usually ski with my brother, who is way better than I am. He LIKES to give helpful hints for the entire time we are skiing, wheather I want them or not. It actually really does help, especially the first day out. Lean forward, get your hands up, your skidding your turns, don't sit back, blah, blah, blah....

 

[Lynn]

I can't stop myself. I'm sorry....

Klutz, not cluts.

 

[liquidfeet]

Well, now after skiing 8 days so far the beginning of season blues are gone. Maybe this happens to people who have not skied for a loooooong time, thus their bodies do not remember as fast what they are supposed to do. That would explain my situation, anyway.

I skied with a guy last Wednesday who hadn't skied in 20 years, but back then he had been on the race team at his school. He had new skis on Wednesday, so I assume that shaped skis were new to him. His first run that night was his official race run in a night league. New skis, new TYPE of skis, race run, first day on skis in 20 years. So how do you think HE did? Fantastic, of course. Came in behind the pace setter by only 5 seconds. Now that's muscle memory. I'm jealous.

 

[volklgirl]

Hey LF;

Are your league results posted on the Nastar site, or are they just resort results?

My results so far this year have been dismal and of course they're posted on the next for the whole world to see - Arrrrgh!! :-(

 

[ski diva]

New skis, new TYPE of skis, race run, first day on skis in 20 years. So how do you think HE did? Fantastic, of course. Came in behind the pace setter by only 5 seconds. Now that's muscle memory. I'm jealous.

That's pretty funny. Although I can definitely relate. I stopped skiing for about 15 years, and when I started again about 10 or so years ago, I skied exactly the same as I did before I quit. Weird, huh?

 

[volklgirl]

That's pretty funny. Although I can definitely relate. I stopped skiing for about 15 years, and when I started again about 10 or so years ago, I skied exactly the same as I did before I quit. Weird, huh?

Lucky you! I can't even remember how to ski from weekend to weekend :( .

 

[ski diva]

Lucky you! I can't even remember how to ski from weekend to weekend :( .

I'm sure that isn't true at all!

Funny, though, I feel that way now, mostly from one year to the next. Every year before the season starts I'm sure I won't remember how to ski, but every year I somehow pick up where I left off.

After stopping for a long time (15 years or so), it was odd to find myself right back where I'd been. Anyone else have this experience?

Muscle memory is an incredible thing.

All the same, it'd have been better if I'd never stopped. Think of all the lost ski days!

 

[liquidfeet]

Hey LF;

Are your league results posted on the Nastar site, or are they just resort results?

My results so far this year have been dismal and of course they're posted on the next for the whole world to see - Arrrrgh!! :-(

I asked; the results are posted as genuine Nastar results. However, they never asked for my Nastar number. I don't know whether the new results (silver medal; last y ear two gold medals) will show up under the same number or not. I haven't visited the site. Guess I'll go there now! You've got me curious.

OK, went to the site. It's difficult to figure out. But looks like overall I'm really a bronze racer, which makes sense. The THREE individual golds last year don't seem to count, which I guess matches the truth about me, but hurst anyway.