Backseat skiing

Snowbride 2011

Hi, I'm over in Sauze D'oulx at the moment and need some advice. I've have had to take a day off skiing today as my thighs are killing me, it's both lack of fitness and the fact that I've always been a backseat skier. I know in theory the position I should be in (athletic stance) but can just never seen to achieve it for more than 10 seconds before I revert back to the thigh killer position.  I would consider myself a red run confident skier but bad positioning is just ruining my time here. I had signed up for ski school in the hopes of improving but as my 'instructor' (he's actually just been an expensive ski guide) has already told us he doesn't speak English, I don't have much hope.  I've been checking online for a few quick tricks I can try tomorrow, such as bringing my pelvis more forward, but was wondering if any of the experienced boardies have any tips or have overcome this problem....

Thanks in advance

Fattes

It’s a fairly common problem you are fighting gravity and gravity will win. It’s a safety mechanism for comfort and habit in most cases. Get a Good Instructor! Failing that, try the below.

Practice on shallow blue pistes until it becomes habit, trying to get it right on steeper pistes will only cause you to revert to safety stance of leaning back when you are out of your comforts zone.

Think about getting Knees over toes bum over heels and trying to keep them there,

Use Pole Plants to initiate the turn and the pull the body and hips down the hill and over the front of the skis You Tube Ivica Kostelić free skiing or just skiing generally and you will see it. He pole plants constantly and is technically one of the best skiers on the planet.

You Tube Bode Miller Pole Plant instructions, another great example.

Imagine Ryan Gosling/George Clooney/Bradd Pitt/ Johnny Depp / Meghan Fox Delete as appropriate standing on the tip of your skis and try and get your hips as close as you can to them while keeping your shoulders forward over the tips of your skis

Stretch your arms out as far as you can in from of you, what happens your body? Then balance your poles across the top of your wrists and keep them there while skiing.

If none of the above works come visit me for a lesson and I shall endeavor to get you out of your bad habits.

It takes time to back out and replace a habit so it will not happen in a day and you will revert to that type of skiing if you find yourself out of your comfort zone.

WARNING; There may be other causes and without seeing your skiing this is just rough adivice that is quite generic to back seat skiing.

Snowbride 2011

Thanks Fattes, you're a star. I'll practice, practice some more and then keep practicing for the rest of this week.... I'll probably need to become a ski school dropout this week to have time to work on my bad habits but don't think I'll be missing much in class anyway! I'm in mayrhofen in a few weeks so if i'm failing miserably I'll get in touch to organise a lesson.

olaola

Snowbride 2011 wrote: »

Thanks Fattes, you're a star. I'll practice, practice some more and then keep practicing for the rest of this week.... I'll probably need to become a ski school dropout this week to have time to work on my bad habits but don't think I'll be missing much in class anyway! I'm in mayrhofen in a few weeks so if i'm failing miserably I'll get in touch to organise a lesson.

Could you ask the ski school to change classes? Or just harass the instructor for more critique and instruction?

Fattes

Could you ask the ski school to change classes? Or just harass the instructor for more critique and instruction

This is the problem with Italian ski instructors, is you have to be a sub 80 Point FIS (140 is Olympic qualification standard) racer to qualify for their instructor training programs. Being an excellent racer does not make you a good instructor and as for the French see the below link.

They don’t care they have your money and they get paid weather they teach you or not, some of the standard of instruction is shocking in both nations due to the protectionist nature of how they have their industry set up.
Personal experience on average, the Swiss and Austrian instructors generally deliver a better more consistent produce than the French and Italians.

Great skiers do not make great instructors and vice versa.

http://www.planetski.eu/news/4683

Snowbride 2011

I did look into changing class but was told they were all full. I have to agree on the comment re standards, most instruction I've received in Austria has been excellent....Italy has been hit and miss at best.

I have a few YouTube videos to watch over the coming weeks! plus I've decided to opt for a few hours of private lessons when we go to mayrhofen in a few weeks. It seems to be the way forward for me

Fattes

Snowbride 2011; If you can get up to The SKi club of Ireland for a practice session before you go I can make sure I am around to give you some pointers, As for lessons in Mayrhofen try Roy, Good guy.

Roy Butterfield at WW.ZILLERTHRILLER.COM.

opinion guy

Fattes wrote: »

WARNING; There may be other causes and without seeing your skiing this is just rough adivice that is quite generic to back seat skiing.

I think this is a good point also. I had this problem in the past myself but as it turned out I had a muscular restriction in my hip. Once I got that addressed via physio/massage etc (took a while), the technique kind of sorted itself out. I'm still a bit weaker turning on that side of course but you can't expect miracles.

opinion guy

Fattes wrote: »

http://www.planetski.eu/news/4683

:rolleyes:

I wonder is this legit under EU rules - is it not anti-competitive ?
Smacks of cartel behaviour frankly

Fattes

I wonder is this legit under EU rules - is it not anti-competitive ?
Smacks of cartel behaviour frankly

Yep legal as the french rules are the same if you are French or not, also if the Austrians, French and Swiss stopped squabbling about standardizing the qualifications it would be solved in the morning.

But you will never guess which country objects to it the French.

Its pure Cartel just like the ski rental in St Anton etc their mountains their rules.