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Fear and are these Ski Boards?

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  • Fear and are these Ski Boards?

    Hi all,

    First I want to say thank you for all the excellent information on this forum. I wish I had found you before I bought my ski's which I am not sure if they are classed as ski boards and wanted to ask about. I have tried and tried to ski for about five years and it just freaks me out when I get to anything remotely steeper than a bunny hill. I totally freeze. I so want to ski and I am going again next week but this time I am taking these instead to see if I can finally conquer my fear. I have tried them on one or two runs but not with much enthusiasm because of the fear but I have devoured all the info on this website and am hoping this time will be a non-freezing game changer. I so want to ski and succeed. (I am a bit older and creakier than most of you guys too) I just wondered what you guys think of these and if they are ok and if you can give me any tips to conquer this fear of slopes issue and finally make my way down a half-decent slope and feel the peace, harmony, flow, I see mentioned here so often. I hope all of this doesn't sound like a mad woman raving but thanks in advance.

  • #2
    Technically those are classified as blades, but you'll have a good time on them especially if you stick to the well groomed pistes.

    For me, the most important thing to learn is to stop properly - a proper hockey stop - and to reduce speed by sliding the edges. Once you master that you'll feel that you can be in control.

    And as I said in the other thread, I'll be happy to come out to spend a couple of hours in a morning to help you.
    Current: '20 Spruce Slingshot 119s, '20 Spruce Crossbow 115s, '18 Spruce Osprey 132s (touring), '21 Rvl8 SII 104s, '21 Summit Invertigos 118s
    Also: '11 Allz Elaila 94s, '12 Rvl8 Rockered Condor 110s, '15 Spruce Osprey 132s , '18 Spruce Crossbow 115s
    Previous: Gaspo Hot Wax 84s, Mantrax 98s, Summit Nomad 99s, Spruce Yellow 120s, Eman Uprise 104s

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by ysb33r View Post
      Technically those are classified as blades, but you'll have a good time on them especially if you stick to the well groomed pistes.

      For me, the most important thing to learn is to stop properly - a proper hockey stop - and to reduce speed by sliding the edges. Once you master that you'll feel that you can be in control.

      And as I said in the other thread, I'll be happy to come out to spend a couple of hours in a morning to help you.
      Thank you for the great tips. I will practice those bits.

      Comment


      • #4
        Maggis, there's an old saying in car racing circles "Run What Ya Brung". At 99cm those boards will be fine to lean on for couple of years at least.

        Try taking a couple of lessons if you can. Be careful of people that want to take you up to the top of the mountain and then just laugh or abandon you (YSB won't do that). That's an old time trick between young guys. I assume you've already have the hang of pizza and french fries.

        Don't be afraid to use the whole width of the run and and just zig zag all the way down. People downhill always have the rightaway, so don't worry about people running into you. It's the responsibility of the uphill skiers to avoid you.

        Are you comfortable with getting on and off chair lifts yet? If there's a lift that goes half way up the mountain, just stay at that run. Keep taking that same short lift repeatedly till you're comfortable getting on and off a chair lift smoothly.

        As far as steeps go, don't point em straight down the fall line. Learn to control your speed and be able to stop any time you want. When you go over a lip, don't go straight over it. Slide off the lip at an angle so you don't pick up too much speed too quickly. That will also set up nicely for making the first turn back across the fall line.

        One technique is called the Falling Leaf where as you traverse across the fall line you actually go uphill slightly to control speed or even stop and then turn downhill and back across the run to just keep repeating that slight uphill arc on both sides of the run.

        Also, keep your hands pointing down the fall line. Try to keep your shoulders square across the fall line and pivot with your lower body. If you feel yourself getting wonky, throw your hands down the fall line.

        When you're feeling fear, remember to keep breathing. The difference between fear and exhilaration is breathing. When your startled or frightened it's a natural reaction to suck in wind and hold your breath. Don't do that. If a fighter can get the opponent to hold their breath the fight will be over quickly. Fear & exhilaration will transmute back & forth between the two depending on whether or not you're breathing. Read up on Tactical Breathing techniques. That will help a lot to control fear.

        Also, don't shirk the apri ski responsibility

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by shortydude View Post
          Maggis, there's an old saying in car racing circles "Run What Ya Brung". At 99cm those boards will be fine to lean on for couple of years at least.

          When you're feeling fear, remember to keep breathing. The difference between fear and exhilaration is breathing. When your startled or frightened it's a natural reaction to suck in wind and hold your breath. Don't do that. If a fighter can get the opponent to hold their breath the fight will be over quickly. Fear & exhilaration will transmute back & forth between the two depending on whether or not you're breathing. Read up on Tactical Breathing techniques. That will help a lot to control fear.

          Also, don't shirk the apri ski responsibility
          Thank you, great tips I will take them with me.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Maggis1 View Post
            I have tried them on one or two runs but not with much enthusiasm because of the fear but I have devoured all the info on this website and am hoping this time will be a non-freezing game changer. I so want to ski and succeed. (I am a bit older and creakier than most of you guys too) I just wondered what you guys think of these and if they are ok and if you can give me any tips to conquer this fear of slopes issue and finally make my way down a half-decent slope and feel the peace, harmony, flow, I see mentioned here so often.
            I really got into skiing (without much success) around 40 yo, got my first skiboards at about 45 and everything changed radically for an unimaginable best. So I'd say old dogs do learn new tricks
            Regarding actual learning, I'm very much into learning by myself, usually by reading lots of things to first understand what am I trying to do, for that my biggest break was by reading "Breakthrough on skis" (https://www.amazon.com/Breakthrough-...dp/0679750819/) and watching the (quite old) guy on VHS. Now you'll find those videos on Youtube ( https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...ate+ski+lesson )
            On skiboards everything is easier, coming to you in a more natural way, similar to skating if you ever tried, so you don't necessarily have to use that ski style, but to me it remains a very useful skill, especially when the slopes are steeper.

            Myself: RVL8 2011 KTP, Spruce 125 LE, RVL8 "Drooling Clouds" RCs, Spruce 2016 Osprey
            Daughter: Twoowt Pirania 95cm; RVL8 2015 Blunt XL; RVL8 2021 SII; Spruce Crossbows
            Past: RVL8 2010 Revolt Trees, RVL8 2014 Condor, RVL8 2009 ALPdors, Spruce 120 Yellow/Red

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            • #7
              Those blades should be great for you, and the hockey stop advice from ysb33r is spot on. The linked video show you how to do the hockey stop, and them start linking them into controlled turns. Have fun.

              Just these, nothing else !

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              • #8
                That video is pretty good at showing keeping your shoulders square across and hands pointed down the fall line.

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                • #9
                  Thank you for all the helpful advice.

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