Help Needed: Working my self to death!! Advise please

[kenkat08]

Hi I can ski good on the beginner slope and the intermediate slope but when I go up to the more advanced steeper slopes I carve alot more to keep my speed down and its not a smooth carving process....it's more like I'm digging in so hard that I'm stopping between each turn and I am working my self to death by the time I get down the mountain I'm exhausted and my knees are killing me....is this technique? Skis? Both? Or just that I'm afraid of the speed? Any advice greatly appreciated!! I ski at Massanutten in VA

 

[geargrrl]

Where are you at with lessons?

 

[Serafina]

Best advice I can give is to take a lesson. The instructor is going to be in a good position to see what you're doing, and tell you how to address it. The problem you describe could be coming from just about anywhere from your shoulders to your feet, or some combination of those, and each one of those issues would require a totally different "fix".

 

[kenkat08]

[QUOTE ="Seafina, post: 285272, member: 3261"]Best advice I can give is to take a lesson. The instructor is going to be in a good position to see what you're doing, and tell you how to address it. The problem you describe could be coming from just about anywhere from your shoulders to your feet, or some combination of those, and each one of those issues would require a totally different "fix".[/QUOTE]

I have taken 5-2 hour private lessons I think you'll are rt though it may be time for another lesson. ...my hubby is going to kill me with all the money I spend on skiing.....he's the 1 that introduced me to it though. ...so is really his fault

Oh also I am 5ft 3 in and ski on K2 superfree 140....does that sound rt?

 

[abc]

Oh also I am 5ft 3 in and ski on K2 superfree 140....does that sound rt?

Sounds a bit short. Next size up (148'ish) might be more appropriate.

Still, that's not likely be the cause of your issue. You need a couple more lessons.

At your level, you'll do just as well in group lessons which is a whole lot cheaper.

 

[snow addict]

I think if you are not sure what's going on with your skiing it's better to take a private lesson and communicate with your instructor to make sure your issues are identified and addressed. Unless the group is small approach might be more general focused on common issues that skiers can have at your stage. It may still be helpful and better than no lesson.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Hi I can ski good on the beginner slope and the intermediate slope but when I go up to the more advanced steeper slopes I carve alot more to keep my speed down and its not a smooth carving process....it's more like I'm digging in so hard that I'm stopping between each turn and I am working my self to death by the time I get down the mountain I'm exhausted and my knees are killing me....is this technique? Skis? Both? Or just that I'm afraid of the speed? Any advice greatly appreciated!! I ski at Massanutten in VA

Hey there,

You're not carving. Carving is a technique that skiers use to go faster. If you're digging so hard that you're stopping - that's something else. I agree with all the other women who've suggested a lesson.

If you're doing well on greens and blues, but struggling on steeper slopes - either you're afraid of the speed, or the technique you've been using so far has outlived its usefulness. In either case, continuing to go down steeper slopes isn't doing you any good. You're not going to get better just by continuing to ski the steeper stuff the same old way - been there, done that, got the tee shirt. At best, doing that, you will ingrain bad habits. At worst, you'll damage your knees. So until you do get a chance to talk to an instructor, I recommend sticking to slopes that don't hurt your knees.

Also - maybe this is obvious, maybe not - when you meet your instructor, TELL them specifically what you want to work on. Don't stay quiet and just assume that whatever the instructor wants to work on will address your particular concerns. Make sure that when the lesson is over, you understand how what you've learned relates to your specific concerns about braking hard on steeps, tiring yourself out, and hurting your knees.

 

[maggie198]

^^^ This. It certainly sounds like you're afraid of picking up speed, which is a valid consern. As a result you're probably leaning more uphill with your body, and skidding your turns to slow yourself down. A tiring process to be sure. I would agree with the Divas that suggest lessons are in order to help you learn better technique for skiing steeper terrain. Privates may help you learn faster, but if an instructor thinks you're missing on the basic skills they're probably going to want to work on less intimidating terrain. There's a lot to be gained from group lessons and clinics at this stage, if you're in with the same level of skier that you're at. Especially fun for you would be single day women's clinics. Elk mountain in PA will be having their last one in early March. Would make for a good weekend trip perhaps...

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Several things going on here -

1. Unless you are under 100#, a 140 is too short. Short skis do not equate soft skis.

2. The Superfree is not a learning ski; it is fairly high performance, so, as such, it has a stronger response to pressure and likely is not as forgiving a ski as you need. At your stage, I recommend something more on the order of a Rossi Temptation 74/76/77 (last number is newest model; other 2 are previous years), low 150's.

3. You need more “mileage.” Why force yourself into terrain right now for which you don’t have the skills? Skiing is a huge “bag of tricks,” and it’s attained over a long period of time. Stay within your comfort zone, making turn after turn - and continue with lessons (group would be okay at this point) to learn skills that will help you conquer steeper terrain.

 

[snow addict]

Several things going on here -

1. Unless you are under 100#, a 140 is too short. Short skis do not equate soft skis.

2. The Superfree is not a learning ski; it is fairly high performance, so, as such, it has a stronger response to pressure and likely is not as forgiving a ski as you need. At your stage, I recommend something more on the order of a Rossi Temptation 74/76/77 (last number is newest model; other 2 are previous years), low 150's.

3. You need more “mileage.” Why force yourself into terrain right now for which you don’t have the skills? Skiing is a huge “bag of tricks,” and it’s attained over a long period of time. Stay within your comfort zone, making turn after turn - and continue with lessons (group would be okay at this point) to learn skills that will help you conquer steeper terrain.

Super free is not a bad ski for learning. It was recommended to me after I spent 5 weeks in immobilizer and 3 weeks in PT with a knee injury. I asked for an easy turning and forgiving ski. I lost so much muscle there was no way I could apply equal pressure on both skis if it had to be relatively high. And the skis were just that - easy turning and forgiving. Fairly docile but I also felt that if needed they could be pushed quite a bit. Ok, I wasn't beginner but I was seriously sh1tting bricks on my first day back on slopes. I couldn't still balance well on two skis and was afraid to fall and get injured again and Super Frees were kind and gentle to me. These ski literally witnessed me growing stronger and getting faster over 25 or so days that I skied them. Maybe they are not a beginner ski, but I passed them on to my beginner friend and she loves them.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Agree that it was a versatile, compliant ski. However, given what the OP has stated, it does not sound to me as though she is able to properly flex it. Whether that is due to its short length or the actual model, I don't know.

 

[snow addict]

Agree that it was a versatile, compliant ski. However, given what the OP has stated, it does not sound to me as though she is able to properly flex it. Whether that is due to its short length or the actual model, I don't know.

They are easy to flex if the maximum pressure I was able to apply with my injured leg was sufficient to flex it. It was really weak. But I think the problem is that the OP seems to be still at the stage when she doesn't fully understand what flexing a ski actually means, which is normal with adult learners. It will be the same with a proper beginner ski as no ski will flex for you itself. Lessons and mileage. Skis should do, they are a beginner length, maybe a bit on a short side, but less chance they will run away

 

[patoswiss]

I get a little scared when I am looking down, down, down, down, down…. *Especially* if the conditions are not ideal. For me it is length of the piste ahead of me. I start thinking about how much speed I can catch if I get out of control, holy moly I'm in trouble!!!! And if there is a curve somewhere down there I am toast!

Get a lesson definitely. And also try to find a shorter steep to conquer. And do it over and over practicing what your instructor teaches you. If you do it once, then twice, then again you will gain more confidence and stop leaning back away from the hill. My mantra is 'Toes down! Toes down!' if I am doing something new. And I rest when I am tired.

Someone on this board said that the speed you think you are going on that steeper downhill is probably much slower than what you are doing on the easier runs. I have proven that to myself over and over.

 

[abc]

Skis should do, they are a beginner length, maybe a bit on a short side, but less chance they will run away

I have no input on the ski itself. But on the length, I think shorter doesn't always equals better for beginner.

Yesterday, I had a kid in my class whose Mom had the bright idea to just give him HER skis! So the ski was as long as my own (and the kid was a good bit shorter than me). I would have sent them back to the rental shack but his Mom and Dad was no longer there. So I had to make do. Fortunately, he was fairly strong for his size. So although he had a hard time maneuvering the ski on the flat, by the time we started actually skiing, he was able to do a snowplow and wedge turns better than the rest of the class!

Back in the days of long straight skis, shorter maybe better. But with today's already short skis, I don't think going further on shorter ski has any benefit for beginner any more. Ski length should be guided by whether the person can flex the skis. But no shorter, not even for beginners.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Someone on this board said that the speed you think you are going on that steeper downhill is probably much slower than what you are doing on the easier runs. I have proven that to myself over and over.

That's a great point. I know it's true for me.

 

[abc]

Someone on this board said that the speed you think you are going on that steeper downhill is probably much slower than what you are doing on the easier runs. I have proven that to myself over and over.

That's a great point. I know it's true for me.

That's why I stick to more "difficult" terrain!

 

[snow addict]

I have no input on the ski itself. But on the length, I think shorter doesn't always equals better for beginner.

Yesterday, I had a kid in my class whose Mom had the bright idea to just give him HER skis! So the ski was as long as my own (and the kid was a good bit shorter than me). I would have sent them back to the rental shack but his Mom and Dad was no longer there. So I had to make do. Fortunately, he was fairly strong for his size. So although he had a hard time maneuvering the ski on the flat, by the time we started actually skiing, he was able to do a snowplow and wedge turns better than the rest of the class!

Back in the days of long straight skis, shorter maybe better. But with today's already short skis, I don't think going further on shorter ski has any benefit for beginner any more. Ski length should be guided by whether the person can flex the skis. But no shorter, not even for beginners.

I agree shorter doesn't equate better as it allows to cheat too easily so when moving to next length up all these things will start popping out and will need to be worked on. All I meant was that Superfrees at this length won't be "too much" ski by any means.

 

[abc]

I agree shorter doesn't equate better as it allows to cheat too easily so when moving to next length up all these things will start popping out and will need to be worked on. All I meant was that Superfrees at this length won't be "too much" ski by any means.

I too, was taught to believe beginners automatically need shorter skis. But yesterday experience made me stop to think about why.

That kid's ski, while long by today's standard, would have been the length he would have gotten back in the straight ski days. As long as he can bend it, the shape will do the turning just fine.

Hence my thinking that "short ski for beginner" is more likely just a hold over from the straight ski days that may no longer be appropriate in today's skis.

 

[litterbug]

@kenkat08, the good news is as your skills get better skiing gets much less tiring because you'll be more efficient.

But it's really hard to improve on terrain that makes you nervous or requires a struggle to stay in control because struggling tends to drill in all kinds of bad habits you'll just have to unlearn. You haven't said what skills you're working on or what kind of turns (parallel, Christie, wedge) you use, but if you're working that hard there's something in your turns that's not clicking, even if you feel okay on blues or greens.

I wonder, have you had the same instructor for all of your private lessons? How do the lessons go? Is she asking what your goals are and helping you clarify them, teaching in a way that helps you understand what she's getting at, and leaving you with exercises or drills to practice between lessons? Do you come away feeling like you understand more about skiing and what you need to do in order to progress? If you feel like you're not improving, you might need to shake things up a little by communicating more or even trying a different instructor.

Anyhow, it sounds like you're having a lot of fun, which is, of course, the most important thing about skiing. Best of luck with the lessons!

 

[kenkat08]

Woohoo!! Signed up for my lesson for this saturday