Skiing / Considering Ski School / Val Disere

[russy01]

Good Afternoon,

Off out to Val D'isere for 2 weeks soon and am considering getting a bit of instruction as over 2 weeks I have plenty of time to practice and improve.

I haven't Skied much in the past (5-6 weeks) but being young and fit I am pretty on it and can stay on my feet on most things thrown at me. However for my two last trips I feel that I have not made much progress - therefore I am considering getting instruction on this next trip to give me some pointers.

I have two weeks in Val and am thinking of having maybe a half day lesson say 3-4days in when I am back on it. The instructor can then hopefully give me a load of pointers and leave me with 7-10days to really make progress.

What do you think? Have any of you chaps done similar and made great improvement? Is half a day enough to get anything from?

Any recommendations of instructors in Val?

Cheers,

Russ

[Cheib]

I don't think you will achieve much in one half day lesson to be honest....personally I would say you'd need a minimum of three lessons and preferably close together to get any real improvement. With six weeks experience you'll have a really good base of experience but (and this is a generic statement from how I remember myself at that stage) there are a lot of areas you can work on to improve, there's no quick fix unfortunately!

It is all about the quality of the instruction though so hopefully someone can recommend a good instructor in Val for you. I haven't been there so can't help I am afraid.

If you really want to improve I'd really recommend doing a one week ski course with Warren Smith in Verbier http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/courses/abou... It's really high quality instruction and at £400 for five days tuition is not cheap but against the cost of private lessons it's actually not bad. It's really designed to take people like you and turn them into good all mountain skiers. I've done it and a few of my mates have....I don't know anyone who has shown or felt a really big improvement in the course of a week.

[russy01]

Cheib said:

I don't think you will achieve much in one half day lesson to be honest....personally I would say you'd need a minimum of three lessons and preferably close together to get any real improvement. With six weeks experience you'll have a really good base of experience but (and this is a generic statement from how I remember myself at that stage) there are a lot of areas you can work on to improve, there's no quick fix unfortunately!

It is all about the quality of the instruction though so hopefully someone can recommend a good instructor in Val for you. I haven't been there so can't help I am afraid.

If you really want to improve I'd really recommend doing a one week ski course with Warren Smith in Verbier http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/courses/abou... It's really high quality instruction and at £400 for five days tuition is not cheap but against the cost of private lessons it's actually not bad. It's really designed to take people like you and turn them into good all mountain skiers. I've done it and a few of my mates have....I don't know anyone who has shown or felt a really big improvement in the course of a week.

Thanks, Ill have a look.

I understand that a lesson or even three isnt going to transform my skiing, I just want to be pushed in the right direction and at least have the basics outlined. As I have said before I am happy to fly down pretty much anything at any speed (with my confidence making up for lack of technique). However when things get narrow and more technical massive holes in my homemade technique appear. I am hoping that there are massive flaws in my technique, an instructor can highlight these and then I can work on it for the rest of the trip.
Im not looking to start jumping out of helis, I just want to feel more confident on more narrow runs and see why my Right turn is soooo bad compared to my left!!

I contacted an old Ski Instructor friend who is based out in AUS - he has pals in Val so hes going to try and hook me up.

[Cheib]

What you describe when things get steeper and narrower is fairly typical and will come! One thing that is quite often a problem for intermediates is lifting the inside ski when they turn...even if you do that a little bit it means all the weight is on the outside ski and when things get steep and tight that become a big problem very quickly. It's very easy to get away with on a red or blue pistes but when things get bumpy or steep you need to have your weight on both skis!

[russy01]

Cheib said:

What you describe when things get steeper and narrower is fairly typical and will come! One thing that is quite often a problem for intermediates is lifting the inside ski when they turn...even if you do that a little bit it means all the weight is on the outside ski and when things get steep and tight that become a big problem very quickly. It's very easy to get away with on a red or blue pistes but when things get bumpy or steep you need to have your weight on both skis!

Yea its just about time on snow I suppose (providing you have the basics correct.) I am comfortable with most gradients as I am not scared of speed and I have a strong left turn which I rely on if things get messy. But the issue is getting my skis round to the right quickly, so really narrow pistes often make me a little nervous.

As for lifting the inside Ski, I am not too bad on this and I never actually lift/properly step inside ski into a turn, but I know what you mean and thinking about hard turns/stops I can imagine most of my weight on the outside.

All this talk of skiing is getting me excited now! Only a couple weeks to go now - just need to figure out how to get there now, fly or drive.

[Cheib]

In this video there's a section where he is skiing very slowly at 3.20 and shortly after on piste. That's basically what you need to practice.....start doing it on a gentle blue piste and then find something almost flat as it's actually harder because gravity doesn't help you. If you can do that it will transform your skiing.

Most people that think they don't lift actually do....quite often just the heel. Especially when it gets steep/tight. Watch other people when you are out there you'll notice how every intermediate does it and a lot of people that can actually ski well do it.

[Janosh]

Hi mate, my recommendation would be in TDC in Val d'Isere.

They're good guys & passionate skiers.

[russy01]

Cheib said:

In this video there's a section where he is skiing very slowly at 3.20 and shortly after on piste. That's basically what you need to practice.....start doing it on a gentle blue piste and then find something almost flat as it's actually harder because gravity doesn't help you. If you can do that it will transform your skiing.

Most people that think they don't lift actually do....quite often just the heel. Especially when it gets steep/tight. Watch other people when you are out there you'll notice how every intermediate does it and a lot of people that can actually ski well do it.

No video pal?

Yea there are good skiers and then good skiers. My instructor pal was decent, happy to jump out of a heli decent - however when he started his intensive instructor course they literally ripped his technique to shreds and he pretty much started back at the basics! Now though he's immense, it's unbelievable what you can do with the practise and big enough balls!

I'll check out this TDC place.

[eps]

Surely its better to go for lessons straight off the bat, as opposed to skiing badly for 3-4 days and then try and correct all of that? Then you can put into practice what you've been taught.

The only way to improve your skiing is to get out there and do it. 2-3 weeks a year will see you improve a step level up. Going skiing for 1 week at a time you are unlikely to improve that much. Would you be any good at driving for instance if you did it 1 week a year or anything else for that matter?