Does skiing come as naturally to you as other sports?

[cinnabon]

I guess I'm better at skiing than I am at other things because I put a lot more time into it than anything else. Malcolm Galdwell, the fellow who wrote "Blink," has a book out now called "Outliers, The Story of Success," where he explores what makes successful people successful. And one of the things he talks about (I haven't read the book, but I've heard him interviewed) is what he calls the "10,000 Hour Rule." Which is basically this: You have to put 10,000 hours into something before you get really good at it. That's essentially 10 years. As dloveski said, it's "time in the saddle." So if skiing is at all natural to me, it's only because I've done a lot to ingrain it into my muscle memory.

Absolutely! There is no other sport I've put even remotely the amount of time and effort I have put into skiing. But I wonder if part of the reason I chose this is because I have some natural ability at it? Plus, as others have said, you have to be somewhat of a thrill seeker or risk taker to even want to do it. So although the hours and years of effort are essential, it's not like any random person off the street could necesarily decide to be a decent skier and be successful at it. I think it's a combination of putting in the effort and possessing at least some natural traits which are favorable to the sport.

Interesting discussion.

Out of all the sports I began before I was 18, I excelled in track, skiing, gymnastics, roller skating and ice skating. These are all basically 'solo' sports. Something about sports that combine speed and balance have always appealed to me and may be why I picked up mtn biking and inline skating later. I probably would have stayed with the mtn biking more if I didn't separate my shoulder at a crucial time in my skills development.

Golf and tennis - similar in terms of no real team participation, but the requisite hand/eye coordination was frustrating to me as a kid. Tennis I might try again but there is 0 interest for golf and I don't think I will ever like it.

Team sports were the worst for me - basketball, football, hockey... I lost interest before I could achieve any level of skill. Softball/baseball... the interest was there, and I had to systematically teach myself how to hit and throw effectively - it was not natural at all. Volleyball was the same, I taught myself because there was great interest and I believe it was the potential for co-ed fun that made softball/baseball/volleyball interesting enough to continue. You can argue that basketball, football and hockey could also be co-ed but there is something about the physical competition in these sports that made it less fun for me.

Much of this is true of me as well - if you substitute diving for track, that's my early resume as well. I think the balance needed for gymnastics and skating really helps with skiing. But yes, it was always the solo sports for me, and the only team sport I really played as a kid was softball, which is individual in a way in terms of what you are doing at any given time (as opposed to a team running down a field all chasing the same ball).

 

[whitewater girl]

I think all of us have an inner athlete. But I do think that there are factors that inhibit women from discovering their potential:

1) societal barriers (don't want to look foolish, lack of institutional or familial support or opportunities to nurture athletic skills).

2) personal barriers: setting our own limits---thinking that we are not athletic and can't possibly ski/run/____ as well as the others and always comparing ourselves to the best and convincing ourselves if we can't be perfect, then why try?

3) physical barriers: body and/or health limitations (including age).

A good friend of mine (and a beautiful skier) convinced me a few years ago that no one is 'born' a naturally-great skier. He stresses it's just good old fashioned TITS. (Time in the saddle). It makes sense. Think about learning any skill at work---the more we do, the more competent we become. Setting realistic goals, working at it day after day, and suddenly you get it.

And my role models are these 60, 70, 80 year old skiers who ski everyday. And the blind skier to travels annually, by himself, to Utah to ski the blacks. All of these folks do this for the sheer love of skiing---despite physical and other challenges. They are the most inspirational athletes of all.

I love that answer! I would like to add:

4. different learning styles commonly found between men and women
and
5. gear issues

because women have only been accepted as "equal"(?!) participants in sports for the last few decades, most teaching styles & gear design descends from a "male-dominated" mindset...it's getting better all the time (and some of the younger Diva's might find this view & all the talk about Title IX silly), but for many of us this is where our attitudes & self image in regards to ourselves & athletics comes from...

...like many, I feel I'm NOT a natural athlete and have to work hard & persistantly to achieve...though I find I'm a much better athlete with some teachers and amongst some groups than with others (unfortunatly, the best teachers & the best groups for me don't always go hand in hand :()...

 

[floridakeysskibum]

I hear ya flgirl

 

[floridakeysskibum]

I was fortunate enough to have parents who wanted to get rid of my extra energy at a young age, and grew up right around the corner of a ski hill in michigan. So skiing now seems like second nature to me, and I am extremely grateful to have learned such a difficult sport at such a young age.I started at age 6--I was one of those kids that needed to be on ridaline (sp?), but never was put on it, and being cramped up in the house during the winter was no fun for anyone in my household!! I've taken quite a few years off since living in florida, but started again last year, and it was just like riding a bike, and I've missed it so much. And skiing in the powder, there is nothing like it in the world, so addicting. Dreaming of it now---ahhh!

 

[SnowHot]

I was fortunate enough to have parents who wanted to get rid of my extra energy at a young age, and grew up right around the corner of a ski hill in michigan. So skiing now seems like second nature to me, and I am extremely grateful to have learned such a difficult sport at such a young age.I started at age 6--I was one of those kids that needed to be on ridaline (sp?), but never was put on it, and being cramped up in the house during the winter was no fun for anyone in my household!! I've taken quite a few years off since living in florida, but started again last year, and it was just like riding a bike, and I've missed it so much. And skiing in the powder, there is nothing like it in the world, so addicting. Dreaming of it now---ahhh!

Isn't it amazing how much you can jones for skiing, even if its on a 400 ft vert hill around the corner?
The second my skis hit the snow, last weekend, my whole body calmed, yet I was giddy with excitement.........ahhhhh, that's what I needed!!!

 

[SnowflakeADK]

The second my skis hit the snow, last weekend, my whole body calmed, yet I was giddy with excitement.........ahhhhh, that's what I needed!!!

It's so funny (and true) that you should mention this. Monday, a co-worker who is also a ski fanatic, took one look at me and said "you look good"....and went on to describe it as calmer....more relaxed. He was sooooo right! My first day out was Sunday, and that is precisely how I felt.


I'm amazed that I feel this way about skiing because it hasn't come necessarily easy for me. Not in my opinion anyway. I'm going into my fourth season and I feel like I should be further along than I am. (A commitment to taking lessons this year may prove to be invaluable) I did ski minimally for 2 seasons as a teen and it seemed so much easier then. I'm sure the reason is a number of factors...age, fitness, more gremlins as I've grown older and have more responsibility.

As a young girl I was very athletic and any sport I decided to participate in I picked up the skills rapidly....not so much with the skiing now....but it's a labor of love.

 

[floridakeysskibum]

snowhot, I think we were seperated at birth.

 

[michpc]

My former roommate who's a figure skater is a complete natural at skiing, I'm so jealous! She's skied about 4 times ever and is a pretty solid skier. No fair! I can't remember how I was at skiing back when I started in middle school (other than a vague memory of our first time up the real lift and basically just bombing down the hill and a self-induced whipe out to avoid mowing anyone down!). I do know that it seems to have come back pretty naturally since I started back up last year. Hopefully I can improve more this season.

But I've always been into sports and athletic activities: gymnastics, soccer, dance, horseback riding, track, and then rugby. My knees don't thank me!

 

[CMCM]

I've always been naturally athletic and good at most things I tried. But skiing was a challenge. I now realize it was because I only tried it sporadically until recently. When I came back to serious skiing a few years ago, and over 50 at that, I was determined to get as accomplished as I possibly could be, but I still had a fear factor to overcome (fear of broken bones at this point in life). Once I got ALL the right equipment I realized to my surprise that skiing was something I could do fairly well. For me, the equipment really made all the difference: warm clothing so I wasn't cold and miserable (I learned I could have fun skiing in any weather), well fitting boots, good skis, a good helmet/liner to keep my head warm, googles, and finally, a firm commitment to ski as much as I could in order to get in a lot of MILEAGE and learn how to do this. With all these things in place, I found I wanted to ski as much as I could. I went from unsure and apprehensive to absolutely loving this sport. I'm not a speed demon and probably never will be, but the fear is gone and I ski as fast as I want to!

 

[snow_goddess85]

I think the only reason I am any good at skiing is because I learned when I was little. All technical sports I have learned as an adult have taken a lot of work for me to advance my skill level.

 

[valli]

Skiing has come much more easily to me than some other sports, like softball, although I'm far from a competitive skier. I stopped skiing for about 8 years, and then came back to it three years ago, and to my surprise with new skis and a few lessons I'm skiing better than I did as a teenager. It could be that it uses some of the same core and leg muscles as horseback riding, and I've ridden competitively most of my life. I wish I'd started skiing earlier though, since I started at 13, and I think my daughters will be much better skiers since they've been skiing since they were 3 and 2. I figure I've got about two years before my older daughter laps me, so I might as well enjoy them!