Skiing Backwards

[Telluride Ski Babe]

The picking up people rule is based upon liability. Too many instructors being injured I assume. I would also assume this does not prohibit an instructor from helping a student off with their skis so they can get up on their own, but I don't know for sure.

 

[PNWSkier]

Yes, I love falling leaf. Also just plain side-slipping, which a lot of people seem to have a lot of trouble with (and many have never learned). I always include it in my lessons, and while most of my students (not young) draw the line at going backwards and doing 360s, these are things I often play around with when skiing with friends.

I had an instructor once who spent a lot of time teaching us side slipping. While I was annoyed at the time b/c we were not actually skiing, I've thanked him many times in my head since then!

 

[SkiBam]

I had an instructor once who spent a lot of time teaching us side slipping. While I was annoyed at the time b/c we were not actually skiing, I've thanked him many times in my head since then!

And that's exactly what I tell them: one day you'll thank me for this!

 

[missyd]

From 6-14yrs old I had to visit ski school 2 weeks every morning but sat/sun in winter holidays. I did not like it then ... but today I am happy that I properly lernt to ski. Side slipping IS important ...

 

[AnnKH]

When I was a kid, our city park and rec department had a ski bus (in the Minneapolis area). We skied Tuesday and Thursday nights, and all day Saturday, all season. There were two instructors - one for beginners, one for advanced beginners/intermediates - and they gave lessons during the week. On Saturdays, the beginner instructor skied all day with a group of kids, and while it was essentially an all-day lesson, he taught us to play. We skied backwards, did 360s, sat on our tails and skied between his legs, played follow the leader. We used to have contests to see hom many 360s we could do in a row; we did a few freestyle moves (one ski over the back).
We thought it was all just for fun - it wasn't until years later that I realized how much of my balance came from those games!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

^^^ And how about the slow-mo version of "crack the whip," with 2 skiers facing one another, each holding the end of one pole? And starting a downhill "circle," pulling the other one around. Therein combining side-slipping, edge engagement/disengagement and paying close attention to partner. (done on a quiet, wide-open slope only, please) And a 180 involved with each circle. The kids never realize what a huge lesson they are getting while doing this! Because the object is to synch well enough to not throw off the partner's balance at any point in the "circle."

Middle school and up at advanced levels loved this drill, and given the space, DH would teach it all the time on school-bus-evenings.