Best lesson you've ever taken?

[ianpnw]

Many good suggestions here. It depends what you want or need, and what your wife wants or needs. It sounds as though she needs more than a day’s private..

I assume you’re based in the PNW. Gavin at Snowperformance offers privates, weekend clinics and multi-week courses. i can’t speak highly enough of him and his coaches, who teach a very consistent method…perhaps a multi-week course for your wife and a private for you??

Extremely Canadian is also very good - more coaching than instruction, but a weekend of high-speed steep skiing at W/B will certainly sharpen your skills.

I spent many days with Jim Bison and Gavin back in the day - it took a while to drum in some fundamentals. Extremely Canadian was a good next step, but what really made things stick was following my 20 year old son and his buddies round W/B when they lived there for a couple of years. I certainly got used to high(er) speed in variable conditions and terrain. I also got plenty of practice paying the bar tabs, since I seemed to have the only functional credit card in the group….

[pfluffenmeister]

My best lesson happened when I was trying to drive skis that were waaaay too big for me; first gen 194 Kastle MX98s.
Getting off the lift they went straight; four turns down the WROD my quads went into about a 75% cramp.

I had to channel the mean French ski racing coach who, although I never met, was memorialized here by another maggot.
She YELLED at me:

HARMS UP!!! HARMS UP!!!
Knees Forward!!!
Pressure the Shins!!!
DRIVE THE TIPS!!!

She was mean, but she was right.
When I did that, I could drive those skis.
Even elicited whoops of delight from onlookers as I bombed down the WROD.

[tuco]

Don't retreat to groomers when conditions aren't great. Embrace shit-fuck conditions!

Also, to challenge yourself while skiing w/ wife, learn to tele. It'll teach you how to better use your feet and help w/ your balance.

[SoVT Joey]

My best lesson happened when I was trying to drive skis that were waaaay too big for me; first gen 194 Kastle MX98s.
Getting off the lift they went straight; four turns down the WROD my quads went into about a 75% cramp.

I had to channel the mean French ski racing coach who, although I never met, was memorialized here by another maggot.
She YELLED at me:

HARMS UP!!! HARMS UP!!!
Knees Forward!!!
Pressure the Shins!!!
DRIVE THE TIPS!!!

She was mean, but she was right.
When I did that, I could drive those skis.
Even elicited whoops of delight from onlookers as I bombed down the WROD.

this actually makes me think about something I see all the time. Tons of people are on skis that are too long or stiff and their skill level is no where near where it should be to be on them. And tons of people are in way too stiff of a boot. But that is what happens at every shop. Everyone is a pro skier and won’t ever say differently.

it’s always funny when people come in, bought boots and three days later they are coming back because they can’t flex them. Buyers suddenly become way more honest. And sitting there as a tech, we all know exactly which people will be back. Skiing a 110 or a 120 flex teaches a lot more about technique then people think. But it’s not cool unless you are in a 130+ flex boot.

[muted reborn]

I think the problem at this age is you are stuck in your ways and skiing with better people once in your 40s and 50s isn't going to help a lot of people. And simply skiing more days won't help most older people, unless youa re only skiing about 20 days a year IMO. All that advice certainly absolutely 100% helped when I was younger though! As you get older I think you need specific feedback to get out of years of muscle memory. A lesson or two is a great idea. (Without ever seeing the OP ski, there's probably a 90% chance you are doing something weird with your hands, ha.)

I'd take a lesson too if it wasn't so expensive. Getting video of you skiing might also open your eyes too. I don't think anyone of us ski as well as we do in our heads.

To clarify my weak point above, a good skier can demonstrate how to move through terrain creatively and open your eyes on what's possible, but without good fundamentals you ain't doing what he's doing by just skiing with him. An instructor can help you get here.

[gaijin]

I used to work ski school and patrol so was in the scene for a bit. I learned how important language is, and word choice. There were some highly sought-after instructors around and they knew how to communicate, what exactly to say. They'd be booked for privates all year.

Like-- "Yo, I saw you from the lift. Do you know why you stacked when you hit that hole?" "Because it threw me forward?" "No, because you were already forward. Your boots have too much forward lean. Go buy bro-coach's boots for 50$. See if they fit. They're new but don't fit him." I was on Nordica Green Grand Prix, whatever they were, and got an upright Atomic soemthing. It completely changed my style more upright and gave me better suspension.

Another example is growing up racing and having my coaches yell at me to lean forward. (I was a tail-gunner in the SL course). Then a different coach simply said-- push on the front of your boot. Completely changed my thinking.

Words matter. Good instructors/coaches have been at it for decades and know of what they speak. Do a multi-day so the instructor doesn't feel they have to hold anything back for your "next lesson." They do that, too. Their money is in selling hours so they're not gonna give you all their magic in one lesson. Book a multi-day/camp and they'll know there isn't another sell so they'll give you everything they can so you speak highly of them to your friends.

There have also been some rad women's clinics your wife might dig. That's why I'd do for my wife. Get her some lifelong ski friends.

[PB]

......

Also, to challenge yourself while skiing w/ wife, learn to tele. It'll teach you how to better use your feet and help w/ your balance.

Well played, Sir! She'll be laughing uncontrollably at the hilarity!

[babybear]

My husband coaches JH Steep and Deep camps and people really come away from those feeling more confident on skis.
They separate you into skills groups so various levels can progress. One of those camps might be worth it.
Fun excuse to come ski JH for a week too

[plugboots]

This.
My first lesson was at the third ever Steeps camp at Jackson, and initially I went just because it was $100 a day when lift tickets were 60 bucks a day, so for 40 bucks I got line cutting privileges and early patroller’s tram. It was a no-brainer, and I actually learned some shit. I also did the second ever Steeps camp in La Grave, which you could also still do this with the Smart’s.

[dookeyXXX]

It was so weird having skied with him for years and he never offered to coach me. A self taught hack. Then over beers one day I asked him to feel free to coach me. And I got two awesome tips.

I’ve been an instructor out here in Truckee going on 15 years. L2 Alpine cert and CS1 cert. I ski half-assed well.

One of the first things I was taught by OG instructors is to never offer advice unless asked.
Reason: quite a lot of folks don’t appreciate free, unsolicited advice/instruction (Muted Reborn nailed it when he said most people believe they ski better than they actually do).

Back in the day I used to ski a lot with Brklyn and she introduced me to an instructor at Copper whom I skied with for years (free skiing, not lessons). After about 3 years of skiing with the two of them, the instructor says to me “Damn, Dookey, I wanna give you a newspaper to read while you are skiing!”
I looked at her all perplexed and both her and Brklyn laughed and replied “you’re so far in the backseat it looks like you’re taking a shit!”
When I asked the instructor why she had never given me any tips in all the years we’d been skiing together she simply said “You never asked.”
I immediately asked and got all kinds of solid instruction on how to cease being a tail gunner.

For the OP:
One of the best ways to improve your game is to become an instructor and reap the benefits of free clinics.
That was one piece of advice my Copper instructor friend gave me: become an instructor and get paid to become a better skier.
The mountain I work at offers 5 days of diverse training a week to all instructors on staff.
I actually moved to our Teams program three seasons ago and we have 2X a week paid training.

If your work/life doesn’t afford you the opportunity to become an instructor, ask around about who specializes in what you are after (sounds like finesse). The sad thing is that it might take you a few go-arounds a to find an instructor who you click with.

Also, as others have said, one single lesson isn’t gonna fix your problems, just point them out and make you aware of them. Additionally, a good instructor will only have one or two things to work on in a lesson as there have been studies that the average person cannot focus on more than 3 things at any given time; I’ve been taught to ski with the student for a few runs, pick out the most egregious thing and then focus on that with drills and mileage.

[Core Shot]

Well. Now the dookie moniker makes sense. Heh.

Yeah. I get why instructors don’t want to critique friends. They know you suck and they just want to hang out and free ski and have fun.

[dookeyXXX]

Well. Now the dookie moniker makes sense. Heh.

Yeah. I get why instructors don’t want to critique friends. They know you suck and they just want to hang out and free ski and have fun.

Actually, the dookey nickname originated from my time as a rap DJ…but that’s another story best suited for a different thread.

In regards to skiing and having fun, the resort I work at, one of the first things they teach new instructors is to 1. Be Safe 2. Have Fun 3. Teach something only after the first two criteria have been met.

And yeah, none of my non-instructor friends wanna ski with me if I’m gonna nitpick; we have a “no talking shop” policy on the chairlift and only yak about food, movies, books, TV, and travel.

[MontuckyFried]

My husband coaches JH Steep and Deep camps and people really come away from those feeling more confident on skis.

I freaking bet they come out more confident!!! Although, I'd be kind of terrified to ski with him since he might not think anything of exiting the trees right to leaping off a cliff, doing a quadruple flip, then landing switch all the way to the road. Seriously tho, dude's a beast. I still got a magazine stored somewhere with him on the cover. That's great he does coaching. Would be wicked to get a lesson from him FR.

[angler99]

I've never had a lesson and didn't grow up skiing, but I've been lucky to have some buddies that raced D1 in college and grew up in ski academies on the East Coast. One buddy in particular skied on the World Cup and competed in the Olympics. A couple have been coaches. These guys have been instrumental in teaching me a few things. I'd recommend finding a former racer from the East Coast and asking them for some tips. Those guys have had every tip imaginable taught to them and could surely give you some pointers even if they've never coached. It will be a lot cheaper than a lesson and lessons can be such a crapshoot in terms of getting a quality instructor.

[eSock]

I did a couples lesson at Crystal on a powder day cuz the gf didn't have much experience in pow (and I wanted to skip the lines). She got quite a bit out of it but I mostly got generic 'lean forward more' advice. Would echo the split up rec.

[Kirby]

A TGR thread on ski lessons!? I never thought I would see the day.

Ski, have fun, be yourself. There is no "right" way...

[Core Shot]

A TGR thread on ski lessons!? I never thought I would see the day.

Ski, have fun, be yourself. There is no "right" way...

Meh. Lessons are cool. Still never taken one.

Regret not doing Coombs steep and deep. Didn’t have the money then. Wanted to do a Gordy camp. Had the money but not the time.

Several posters above said follow better skiers. That works too.
I ski like a patroller mostly. Just from watching them. And following.

My bride was east coast bippity boppety way to quick to turn. Tried to get her to skip every other or make 1/3 the turns. She thought I was trying to kill her. Lol. Then she spent a season hanging with the girl crew. And now she skis western style. There’s something to be said for all girls lessons or camps.

Anyone that wants a lesson should do it if they have a half day and the money. And the time.

Epic ski and pugski tend to nerd out on the “perfect” turn. Not my deal. But getting closer to that will always help your personal style.

If you have an awesome skier friend don’t be afraid to ask for a pointer or two. It can’t hurt. And those lessons are free.

[muted reborn]

A TGR thread on ski lessons!? I never thought I would see the day.

Ski, have fun, be yourself. There is no "right" way...

C'mon. If you are skiing hard terrain the wrong way you are gonna fall and hurt yourself - which is not 'having fun'. There is certainly a right way - the way boots and skis were designed for. I suppose if you are out just to meadow skip - you can have sloppy technique and it may never bite you in the ass.

[kokomas]

Bumps at Mary Jane. Dont remember who it was

Sent from my Pixel 7 using Tapatalk

[californiagrown]

C'mon. If you are skiing hard terrain the wrong way you are gonna fall and hurt yourself - which is not 'having fun'. There is certainly a right way - the way boots and skis were designed for. I suppose if you are out just to meadow skip - you can have sloppy technique and it may never bite you in the ass.

Its good to know the "right" way to ski so that can become the autopilot fallback technique. But the best skier on the mountain is the one having the most fun, and variety is the spice of life.

[Huskydoc]

My bride was east coast bippity boppety way to quick to turn. Tried to get her to skip every other or make 1/3 the turns. She thought I was trying to kill her. Lol. .

Holy shit this is it! This is it exactly. Competent ice-coast skier makes these perfect little turns and like re-settles herself in between each one, and goes along perfectly happy down double black bumps. Always in control but bigger turns would somehow make her not in control...

Anywho. Yeah this isn't so much "how to ski" so much as it is "Old dogs who want to learn new tricks".

[MontuckyFried]

Well, clearly there's a "right" way and a "wrong" way. The RIGHT way to learn however, is through the power... of an 80s montage:

[plugboots]

Meh. Regret not doing Coombs steep and deep. Then she spent a season hanging with the girl crew. And now she skis western style. There’s something to be said for all girls lessons or camps.

So I ended up doing four of those steeps camps back then, (and then the one in LaGrave). Mrs. Plug did 2, the first one a year after I did it, and she had a blast, because she was so used to chasing me and my buddies around. (It was fun to ski with gals.). Of course she was skiing with Emily Coombs, Eva Twardokens, and the women patrollers and instructors from Jackson, which didn’t suck.

[old goat]

A TGR thread on ski lessons!? I never thought I would see the day.

Ski, have fun, be yourself. There is no "right" way...

BS. My wife is an athlete. National class on the beam in college ( terrified to cross a log bridge backpacking, but that's another story). When we went to the pool with the kids people would stop swimming and watch her dive. Self taught skier, and fearless. Skied tough terrain like a bat out of hell, including her first day in powder. But when her body started to let her down she had zero technique to fall back on. A couple of bad injuries, a couple of total knees and she hasn't skied in years. I got into lessons but it never took--too late in life. And she was an excellent gymnastics coach herself. (I think part of her problem was the beam--she didn't understand dynamic balance, that you can be in balance in a turn even though, if you were to suddenly stop, you'd fall over sideways. She felt she had to have the skis under her at all times.) If anyone could have been a self taught good skier she was it, but she wasn't.

I'm of the opinion that to be an expert skier you have to start as a kid. I'm sure there are exceptions, and there's no reason you can't start as an adult and have a lot of fun and love the sport, but I think there will always be something missing. (I did learn as a kid, but it didn't help.)

[Core Shot]

Holy shit this is it! This is it exactly. Competent ice-coast skier makes these perfect little turns and like re-settles herself in between each one, and goes along perfectly happy down double black bumps. Always in control but bigger turns would somehow make her not in control...

Anywho. Yeah this isn't so much "how to ski" so much as it is "Old dogs who want to learn new tricks".

That’s going to be a hard one to fix.
Regular lessons can’t teach her to haul ass.
Regular lessons are going to be nerdy finish the turn, angulate etc.

A chicks that rip camp might work. Or. If you can find ripping chick friends to play follow the leader, that might work.

The ice coast chicks that raced gs get it. But if she’s just a rec ice coaster it’s tough.

Same reason east coast bumps suck.
Tuuuuurnnn. Turrrnnnn turrrrn. Slow the pace of turning and enjoy the speed.

Eat up the vert. As easily and smoothly as you can.

If she trusts you, try follow me on groomers. Don’t leave her in the dust. Just set a wider gs turn. Focus on wider stance, some shin pressure, and having hands parallel to the slope (no pole planting). Airplane or gorilla turns.