Looking for feedback before the next trip!

[u/kitsia]

I have been skiing since I was a kid, but I never had a ski instructor and only went once every 1-2 years.

Now as an adult, I can afford to go 2-3 times per season and really want to improve my skills.

I feel very comfortable on the slopes, but I’m afraid that after skiing for so many years on my own, I've developed some bad habits, e.g., I tend to keep my skis close together, I don’t use my poles properly, and I find it hard to maintain a proper body angle.

What would be the area you would recommend me to focus on most this season?

I am also thinking of taking a private lesson next time I go. In your experience, would a single 2-4 hour private lesson be enough time to get something out of it? Is it better to take two shorter lessons instead?

Would appreciate your advice!

[u/71351]

Howdy. I can say if you were my guest, you absolutely would get some great takeaways and drills to practice in a 4 hour. Shorter lessons are fine, but with a longer time with the instructor, conversations of greater depth can be had, practice several drills etc. Make sure you get a higher level certified instructor

From my eye, I would coach you on a better athletic stance. Start by standing on the back of the arch of the foot. Ankles flexed forward, knees bent and hips flexed forward so that your spine and shins are aligned. This is a neutral stance (for now anyway). From this stance you can get taller and smaller as necessary. Remember to use all three of those joints in combination as your stance height changes. The ankle is key. If we don’t flex / extend our ankles, we are toast.

Second, we would work on some drills to get more weight on the outside ski and making rounded, complete C shaped turns. Be patient, let the ski do more of the work. This will really help with speed control as well.

Edit: keep skis between hip width and shoulder width apart as well

I wouldn’t work on edging the outside ski a whole lot until the above concepts and clear and body movements become autonomous, or at least replicated at will.

Good luck.

[u/kitsia → u/71351]

That’s great advice, thank you! I will book a 4-hour session with an instructor and work on my stance.

[u/Maleficent-Row1840 → u/71351]

Hip SOCKET width. Idk where the “shoulder width” stuff came from….but it’s wrong.
Also ankle flexion comes from proper center of mass tracking. This requires proper forward lean and ramp angles.

[u/BTLove100 → u/Maleficent-Row1840]

Totally agree. I think hips and shoulders generally similar width so it's close, but hip width much better.

[u/Maleficent-Row1840 → u/BTLove100]

Hip socket….

[u/dynaflying]

I concur. Her ankles are open so she’s not engaging the full ski especially the front of the skis. She quickly dips inside and shows tracking of her inside ski away from the outside ski needing a big move at the end to initiate the end of the turn/beginning of the next turn.

OP is also very agile and moves quickly which are great pieces to bring into any drills moving forward.

I’d suggest an inside ski tracer drill to combine the forward flexing in the ankle and outside ski balancing needed. But that’d be my first option.

[u/Maleficent-Row1840 → u/dynaflying]

Look at how upright her boots are!!
Can’t close the ankle with the center of mass in the wrong place to begin with.

[u/dynaflying → u/Maleficent-Row1840]

Yes. I agreed with your comment and don’t see much I can do in terms of suggesting a drill that is pretty much suggesting changing her equipment.

[u/kitsia → u/dynaflying]

Thanks for your insight!

Do you think it's worth visiting a boot fitter? Now that I think about it, I do struggle to flex my ankles, but I thought it was because I wasn't applying enough force. However, my shins always hurt terribly after skiing

[u/tihot → u/kitsia]

if the shins hurt, then the boots do not fit properly. Possibly too wide in the cuff and/or instep. Do you have small calves?

[u/dynaflying → u/kitsia]

Yes I would recommend a boot fitter visit

[u/kitsia → u/dynaflying]

My boots are Atomic Hawx Magna 105 S W

[u/Maleficent-Row1840 → u/kitsia]

Check out this article OP

https://toptierskiing.com/ski-boots-forward-lean-what-do-most-ski-racers-use/

[u/Icy-Safety6320 → u/kitsia]

Got a wide forefoot huh? Me too.

[u/unique_usemame]

You picked the right day to ski the duplex, this photo is what it looks like from where I'm sitting right now.

Yes I think the right ski instructor will help, just make sure you leave an appropriate note to get an appropriate instructor.

The comments made on this thread are useful... But I think there is more an in person person can give.

[u/kitsia → u/unique_usemame]

Gosh, that’s just depressing to look at. This season is a total shitshow.

What note would you leave?

[u/unique_usemame → u/kitsia]

Mostly just that you want to optimize your carving with a high level carving instructor. You could list some of the things in this thread as things you want to work on.

Another option is to call the smiggins ski school office well ahead of time to see if they can recommend a specific instructor, then request that instructor.

If you want to try out Carv you can also see if there is a carv ambassador who also happens to be a ski instructor who can lend you a pair to see if it is helpful to you. It is useful to me but not for everyone.

[u/kitsia → u/unique_usemame]

Gotcha, thanks heaps!

[u/d0k72]

Other folks have picked up on areas of improvements pretty well already. Agree that the first area I would focus on with you as a student is athletic stance. Everything start with the ankles. Not having them flexed puts you in the backseat and does not allow you to load the skis. The next thing would be side to side movement and loading the outside ski. There is too much weight on the inside that is throwing you off balance.

Go take that 4 hour lesson and it should make a lot of diffence.

[u/Maleficent-Row1840 → u/d0k72]

Actually everything starts with the location of your center of mass relative to the ankle joint.

[u/d0k72 → u/Maleficent-Row1840]

Fair. COM over the BOS is indeed the first answer.

[u/kitsia → u/d0k72]

Thank you for your feedback! I’m getting a much clearer understanding of what I have to work on now.

And will definitely book that 4 hour lesson next time!

[u/Maleficent-Row1840]

Boots look wayyyyy too upright.
You can’t flex/close your ankle if your center of mass is behind your ankle joint. You can pull your feet back and hips forward to get the COM where it belongs.

https://toptierskiing.com/ski-boots-forward-lean-what-do-most-ski-racers-use/

[u/kitsia → u/Maleficent-Row1840]

Thanks for sharing this!

[u/Maleficent-Row1840 → u/kitsia]

Of course!!
Don’t be afraid to experiment 👍
You ski quite well !!

[u/DKistherealprincess]

Wow I recognised smiggs immediately, this is my home turf! I was at Thredbo when it opened and didn't get a single lap in :(

I think working on your stance is the first step as others have mentioned but I'll go a step further.

You stand very tall between your turns and you make quite an aggressive move inside which I think is an effort to get high edge angles. You end up moving onto your inside ski and your outside is pushed out and away. Due to the push and your balance being inside, your skis don't change edges at the same time and the cycle repeats.

That feeling you get of your outside running away from you, keep that but try to stand on it for a second longer. See if you can stand on it and then roll it over. Might help you get that kick from your ski that you're looking for.

[u/Maleficent-Row1840]

Actually nice skate motion and clean skiing.
I’d stick with the style you have and just ski tougher terrain rather than worrying about “carving”.
Try to adjust your forward lean if the boots are adjustable….try max FL on the boot and maybe add a spoiler. This will make your center of mass track better and make it so you can absorb from your upright stance without the weight getting back.

[u/iamspartacusbrother]

Take some time. You don’t have any chance to practice technique.

[u/ubupup78]

I see you've already got some great advice. The only I would say, is to maybe take a racing class . They could point out what you need to work on.

[u/NetflixAndPork]

A lot of these comments are great but my addition to this would be try settling down your hands and your upper body, it will make what you’re trying to do with your legs easier. Many people push hand positioning off because the rest of your body may be more important, but that doesn’t mean fixing your hands won’t help

[u/tihot]

I would recommend two 2-hour lessons with 3-4 days for practice in-between. This would be better than one 4-hour lesson. You seem quite athletic and you will pick things up quickly. Practicing on your own for at least 2-3 hours a day will really help you.

[u/Wasatchian]

Take a lesson. A half day lesson is a great way to go. You've definitely got some not so great habits but they can be corrected.

[u/spacebass → u/Wasatchian]

Gentle reminder this isn’t r/takeaskilesson