The Ski Blog

Here's a Top Tip for your first Family Ski Holiday

The children’s book all skiers have been waiting for!

Any parent with children who ski will tell you that the first week is crucial and not without stress and worry. 

Will they take to skiing? How will they cope with the equipment, the cold, the environment? What if they hate ski school and refuse to go back? The first week or two is make or break - it could either mean a future of great family ski holidays or zero family ski holidays.

A trio of British ski instructors, all ex-GB team racers, have come together to tackle this problem and have published a great little book for children called "Jacob's First Ski Holiday".

The book which is aimed at 4 to 8 year olds is guaranteed to bring extra excitement in the build up to a child’s first ski holiday.

Written by the founders of Maison Sport, they have used their experience of ski teaching and love for the sport to create a book that will increase the chances of a successful and enjoyable ski holiday for young children.

The book features illustrations and descriptions of various key techniques the children will learn during their first lesson, in a subtle and exciting way. It also aims to show how much of an adventure the children will go on during their holiday, taking away some of the unknowns that can make the experience daunting for a child.

Nick Robinson, one of the team behind the book explains:

"Sometimes the first hour of a children’s skiing experience can be quite challenging, they often have no understanding of what skiing is and more importantly why they now have to walk around in giant shoes (ski boots), with ridiculously slippy planks of wood stuck to their feet (skis). They then spend the next hour trying to walk around with said planks of wood attached to giant shoes, sliding and slipping everywhere. This can be disheartening and that’s why the book tries to show them all the adventures they will discover once they can ski. 

We have huge passion for the industry and have great memories skiing as a child, we feel this is a great way to pass this on." 

With beautiful illustrations the book helps to paint a picture of what a child can expect on their first ski holiday and helps to get them excited and looking forward to the experience, whilst familiarising them with some of skiing basics. The idea is to give them the book before the holiday so they can start to learn what to expect.

To find out more and how to purchase the book take a look at https://jacobsadventures.com/ !

 

Skiing moguls with Ben Cavet, world class skier, and Avoriaz Alpine Ski School

Having finished last season second on the World Cup Mogul circuit, Ben Cavet took time out to run a clinic on skiing moguls with Avoriaz Alpine Ski School!

If you've ever wanted to ski moguls, rather than just be thrown around by them, take a look at this video and contact Avoriaz Alpine Ski School for more information on how you can do it!

How new ski designs are speeding up the learning curve

New concepts in ski design are literally speeding up the learning curve. First, there was the invention of carving skis. This helped skiers to turn more easily on firm snow.  Then came the extra wide off-piste skis. Off-piste skis are much wider than the carving skis. This allows for better float in deeper snow, which has again helped to speed-up the learning for wanna-be off-piste skiers.

Also more recently, yet another new design concept, the "rocker" shaped skis.  This fairly new rocker or reverse camber design, makes learning to ski in deep snow even easier than before.  Conventional skis were cambered in their shape. Where as the clever new reverse camber design has lifted the tip and tail of the ski upwards. This new design is dramatically helping two key areas in skiing: balance and turning.

How do the rocker designed skis help for balance?

The front of the skis are bent upwards towards the skier. This provides for more forward balance support, preventing the tips of the skis from diving deep into the snow.  This is revolutionary.  In fact, this one design improvement alone is helping many people to master off-piste & deep powder snow skiing. 

On conventional skis, it would have taken a skier much more balance practicing and forward face planting in the snow to learn the skills required to stop the ski tips from diving deep into the snow.

How do the rocker designed skis help for turning?

As the front and back of the skis are bent upwards towards the skier, they sit higher up in the snow pack than the middle of the ski.  This means there is less snow encasing the front and back of the skis.  Less snow equates to less resistance around the front and back of the skis.  This reduction of resistance allows easier rotation or pivoting movement of the skis. In simple terms, twisting the skis becomes easier.

Remember safety first!

There is a downside to this speeding up of the learning curve. It is now possible for an intermediate skier to venture off-piste into potentially dangerous terrain and snow conditions without having learned avalanche awareness skills through experience and time.  In the past, it would have taken an intermediate level skier years to master the correct off-piste technique, and in doing so, they should have also had the time to develope mountain awareness and avalanche safety skills.

With this in mind, it is highly reccommended to learn off-piste skiing with a qualified ski instructor who can also help with the mountain awareness skills needed to ski safely off piste.

 

By Mark Gear, head ski instructor at All Mountain Performance Chamonix.

Metal or Mental Edge

By Roddy Willis

Presumably if you are reading this article, then the chances are that at some point you have had a ski lesson. Your instructor might have told you to do ‘something’ with your legs and body so that your skis do ‘something’ on the snow?

There really are only four ingredients to make a ski work - all four are used in varying degrees in every turn your skis make on snow – You can tilt (edge), twist (rotate) or bend (weight and unweight) and not forgetting to add some velocity (sliding on the snow). Yes, this is all great stuff and all helpful with the basics of skiing. For me there is way more to skiing than just a few mechanical body movements. If this is the sort of lesson you want then let me know and I’ll direct you to one of the zillions of instructors who teach this way. If you want something more keep reading.

Unless you’ve lived on another planet this summer then you will know that the Olympics were in London. If you watched any of the games on TV then you will have heard the pundits talking about the difference between the good and the great. They weren’t talking about anything as tangible as physical strength or athletic skill - the hot topic of the 2012 games was the mental state of the competitors – the positive-self-believe and the knowledge that you’re able to-pull-it-out-of-the-bag on the big day.

What is it that you need to be more than just good on your skis? To ski perfect powder turns, shred the bumps or land a cliff drop. Well it’s probably something to do with this summers’ hot topic – You need a positive mental state.

One of the first skills I like my clients to acquire and use is – Positive-self-talk

What is Positive-self-talk?  - To have a clearer picture of Positive-self-talk, it might be easier to imagine Negative-self-talk. Imagine this: I want you to fill your mind with every negative thought you have ever had about everything ever and skiing – Now with those thoughts running round your mind I want you stand at the top of a ski slope and produce your best performance! Does that work for you? Or imagine a ski instructor that constantly tells you what you are doing wrong and not what you are doing right. Or they tell you ‘don’t be scared’ and now you can only think about ‘being scared’.

In essence Positive-self-talk is the words, both unspoken and spoken, which we use and are directly related to the results we achieve. This may appear simplistic, but the use of positive language is intertwined with our self-believe. Many top athletes use Positive-self-talk and like anything it requires training and practice to to-pull-it-out-of-the-bag whenever you choose.

Perhaps now is the time to eliminate any internal-negative-chatter. This may or may not take some work and time, it really depends on you. Start using language linked to the results you want…how about talking about the smooth line through the powder, that pathway appearing through the moguls or a successful cliff drop landing, you will start to see and feel changes in your skiing and maybe your life….

In my next articles for the Chalets Direct blog I’ll be outlining a few more simple mental techniques you can use not only for skiing but in your everyday life. So, stay tuned-in and learn how to twist, bend and shake your mind into shape and give yourself the mental edge on your next trip.

Roddy Willis is a Verbier based ski instructor and holds the Swiss Patente he is also a qualified Sports Mental Performance Coach

Pre-Season Equipment Check

With your cardiovascular and core strength work-outs well under way, it's that time of year again to start thinking about the dreaded commute to the airport with all your luggage and equipment. Before it all gets packed away in the ski bags though, it's well worth a check over so as to not let you down when you're skiing and spoil your holiday.

via skiblog.chaletsdirect.com

With many people about to set off for their first ski holiday of the season we thought it a good time to re-post this great blog from Mark Gear, Chamonix ski guru from All Mountain Performance.
How to make sure your gear is in shape for hitting the slopes!

To see the full post click here!

Ski Tips: How to ski a drop off

 

Ski tips from Mark Gear

How to ski off a drop off this season without hurting yourself. Of course no guarantees!

 

 

This is what the ski movie guys do, they don't just jump and hope.

 

Here are a few top tips for how to ski a drop off.  Watch the sequence of shots.

 

• Pick your jump carefully.  Jumping can be dangerous.  Its always best to start small.

 

• Always visually check out a jump or drop is safe before leaping off. The landing and run-out should be clear of obstacles and allow you enough space to land and make turns to slow down. Speed picks up fast in the air so you will need plenty of open space for confidence to land well and ski away.

 

• It is important to ensure that the landing is not flat. The landing area should slope away from the jump.  Flat landings should be avoided as the impact is greater.

 

• Snow texture and depth should be checked before jumping so you know what to expect when you land.  For example, deep and heavy snow will slow you down on landing and could throw you forwards over the skis as you land. Hard snow is going to offer a fast landing and a harder impact.  If the snow is hard, you may want to find a smaller drop.

 

• Once you are happy that all you are going to hit if you get it wrong is snow, there's not alot to it other than take a deep breath, point the skis and jump!

 

• Take enough of a run up to get some speed off the jump.  It really helps to make a positive, intentional jump upwards and forwards into the air. 

 

• Hold the hands forwards for the flight also pulling your knees up towards your chest. This will help keep your balance and stability in the air, also setting you up for the landing phase of your drop.

 

• Whilst in the air, you will need to angle your skis to match the angle of the slope gradient.  You don't want to land too far forwards or backwards on the skis.

 

• When coming into land, allow your legs to extend a little.  This is like droping your landing gear. It will set you up for absorbtion on landing.

 

• Land absorbing the impact, standing up and skiing away hearing the applause from the nearby chair lift.

 

By Mark Gear Head Coach, All Mountain Performance

Mark runs off piste & freeride ski courses in Chamonix where you can actually learn how to do this. Of course, you choose the size of your jump.

How new equipment is making learning to ski off piste much easier

 

Learning to ski off piste is getting so much easier.

With the latest modern off piste skis these days, it can be much quicker to learn to ski off piste than in the past using more conventional skis.

The invention of fat skis that are much wider under the foot is speeding up the learning curve for wanna-be off piste skiers. The new skis give much more stability in deeper snow conditions and allow for better control as they simply float more, thus making things alot easier to learn to ski off piste.

Also in more recent years, ski manufacturer's are making skis with a "rocker shape". This again makes learning to ski off piste much easier than before as the skis really have been made for the job. The tips and tails of the skis are made to be higher than the center of the ski giving them the "rocker shape". This makes pivoting the skis in deeper snow much easier than a ski with a conventional camber, as the tips and tails of the skis do not catch in the snow so much.

Rocker shaped skis also help for balance allowing the skier to stand up and forwards over the skis. On rockers, you are far less likley to be forward face planting! The tips of the skis do not want to dive downwards into the deep snow as they are bent upwards, creating a far easier feeling when skiing knee-to-waist deep snow.

Technique on the new skis has changed a lot also. In deep powder snow using conventional skis with a normal camber, the skier would have to push on the skis so as to bend them into adverse camber. The rocker skis are already bent into adverse camber, this means far less physical energy wasted poping up and down as we used to on skinny skis. The fat rockers allow us to concentrate on the smoothness of those curves. This also allows us to use more leg steering with a little less edge tilt to help slash off speed when needed.

By head coach Mark Gear from All Mountain Performance in Chamonix.

Check out these links for off piste courses in Chamonix:

Find Your Ski Level

Book Courses

Pre-Season Equipment Check

With your cardiovascular and core strength work-outs well under way, it's that time of year again to start thinking about the dreaded commute to the airport with all your luggage and equipment. Before it all gets packed away in the ski bags though, it's well worth a check over so as to not let you down when you're skiing and spoil your holiday.

There's nothing worse than finishing skiing for the day and then having to search around for a replacement part in the freezing cold, taking time out of your precious apres-ski. There's a few visual checks that can be easily done at home with enough time to rectify, if necessary, before leaving for your holiday.

Boots

Shell: Have a look all over the shell for cracks. A plastic boot shattering whilst skiing is not a good thing to happen, and can cause serious injury. Check the heel piece on the bottom. If this is very worn and it's possible to change it, do so.These are not only for walking in the streets, it helps the way the binding closes. If it's too worn, the binding may not click shut causing what's called 'pre-release'. If it's not changeable, maybe now's the time to think about buying new boots! Whilst walking, try not to scrape the heel, you'll just wear the boot out quicker.

Clips/Buckles: Are theses fatigued? Quite often the pin sheers meaning you can't close it and an ill-fitting boot means you can't transmit the movement of the foot onto the ski. These buckles are easily changed with rivets. Most ski shops should be able to source a replacement.

Skis

Are the edges nice and sharp? Most ski edges are sharpened to 90°. Rough edges and burrs can hinder the grip on the ice – meaning some slopes are not entirely pleasurable!

What about wax? Did you wax your skis after your last holiday? The plastic bases of the ski need to 'drink' wax to keep them healthy - and a well waxed ski slides a lot better than one that is dry.

It's better to store the skis over the summer with wax on. If you didn't do this, get them waxed at the same time as getting the edges sharpened.

Poles

Check the pole straps are still attached to the handle.

What about the basket at the bottom? Is one missing, or split slightly? A pole that disappears into the snow can injure you as it sticks in and pulls you back off your skis. Baskets are relatively easy to change, but there are different sizes, diameters of holes and systems of fitting them to the pole. If one of them is damaged, it's better to take the pole to a ski shop where they can check it out, remove the damaged one and find the correct sized replacement. Don't forget though, having different coloured baskets is not the end of the world, you won't notice it after a short while!

Goggles

The lenses shouldn't be cracked. Today, at the Grands Montets in Chamonix, we saw people with misted up goggles. This wasn't helping the situation in the weather conditions we had up there. If the lenses are cracked, either replace the lense, or buy some new ones (double-lensed are best), it'll make your holiday much more pleasurable if you can see! Once you have bought them, don't touch the lense on the inside with your fingers, use a soft cloth to clean them instead.

 

These checks really shouldn't take long, but should give you a bit more peace of mind for attacking the slopes on the first day.

The weather is not playing ball as we write, but already the amount of snow is good for this time of the season. Even on the renowned rocky slopes of Chamonix, we weren't hitting too many rocks off-piste last Saturday.

 

Top Tips from the Ski Gurus - Preparing for your Ski Holiday

It's already the beginning of October. Summer stuff is safely being stored away and anticipation for the winter is building. The first snow has already fallen in the Alps and many high altitude glacier resorts are now opening. Within a few weeks the ski shows will have rolled into the UK's major cities and rolled out again. It's hard not to love this time of year if you're a skier or boarder!

Many of you may be taking your first 2010-2011 ski holiday in a matter of weeks, and many more will be watching weather reports, looking out for availability and planning when to take your ski and snowboard trips.

We thought it would be a good idea to ask our Ski Gurus what kind of wintersports preparation people could be doing right now.

Q: What type of physical preparation should people be doing?

Roddy Willis, Alpine Mojo:
If you are leading an active life and doing regular exercise (3-4 one hour sessions a week) and you are not planning on heading to the Olympics next winter then you you should be fit enough for your holiday skiing. However if you are expecting to perform like an Olympian on your next ski holiday but have a training regime consisting of ‘two pints of lager and a packet of crisps PLEASE’… then you should look to start your pre ski fitness program 6 – 8 weeks minimum before heading out to the mountains.

You could head to your local gym and treat yourself to a personal trainer for a couple of hours, he or she will help you with a personally designed fitness program leading up to your holiday.

Simon Halliwell, All Mountain Performance:
Running is great as an aerobic exerciser. Cycling is also good. Do some hills with interval training too if you can. Even regular brisk walking is something you can do which costs nothing.

If you're not already exercising regularly then improving your aerobic fitness is a start - a session or two with a trainer would help you set realistic goals for yourself and give you something to work towards.

If you can get to the gym it'd be good to work the quads, ham-strings and glutes in particular, and to strengthen up the knee joints too. If you don't know what you're doing though always seek advice from a professional.

Q: What about beginners – do they need to be doing something in particular?

Roddy, AM:
Beginners need no real specific fitness skills – if you have sat in an office chair for the last 51 weeks then it might be a good idea to do some exercise before heading out to the mountains! Maybe start with walking or cycling for 30 minutes everyday for 4-6 weeks before your trip.

It is amazing how many people new to skiing turn up at their 1^st lesson, having arrived late in the resort the night before and then headed out for a few too many glasses of the finest local brew, a little out of shape, and then expect their bodies to perform! Yes it is very tempting and fun to start the après ski party before the skiing has even started but it is not the best way to start your love affair with skiing! And it will be a love affair!

Simon, AMP:
I often think this is more important to be fit than higher level skiers as you end up straining to get the skis to do what you want them to do.

Without some muscle tone before, you could be aching for some time afterwards.

 

Q: What about balance exercises? Will this be useful for ski preparation? Eg using a fit ball, wobble board, cool board?

Roddy, AM:
Swiss balls to all that you might say!

But ultimately skiing and snowboarding are about balancing on a small amount of metal edge whilst travelling at speed over unpredictable terrain.

So all off snow exercise that increases your ability to balance are great and will help your technique on and off the piste!

Q: Does core strength come into the equation?

Simon, AMP:
Very important. A lot of people don't even know this exists. Core strength means that the small "hidden" muscles are also strong, which means they will better be able to support the bigger muscle groups in thighs, calves, buttocks etc. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so if there is a big imbalance between muscles the weaker ones will suffer.

Pilates and Yoga are good for this! Getting good instruction in Pilates or Yoga means you can practice easily at home. These kinds of activities will also improve flexibility.

Q: What about stretching - post workout stuff? Is this important?

Roddy, AM:
When we exercise we use our muscles – muscles work by contracting (shortening). If you spend the day using muscles you are constantly asking them to get shorter and at the end of the day they will tell you that they are shorter! However without stretching, your muscles will decide to stay short because you asked them to do that didn’t you!

So at the end of the day take control of your muscles and stretch them out and let them relax they deserve a rest!

Simon, AMP:
Stretching is super important.

I try to warm up again when I get home after skiing in order to do some stretching every night to avoid injuries. Don't stretch muscles cold - they need to be warm, so if you've spent the last 2 hours on apres ski a swift walk back to your chalet could help getting them warm again.

 

Food for thought! The important thing to remember is that skiing and snowboarding are physical activities performed at altitude. It's going to pose some physical challenges to your body if it's not used to it. You don't have to have tri-athlete fitness, but if your's is a sedentary lifestyle getting out and getting moving will increase your enjoyment and you'll certainly feel better for it!

Introducing Chalets Direct's technical ski gurus for Winter 2010-11

An ounce of steering is worth a ton of rowing someone once said. This is never more true than in the world of wintersports. One tip from a good instructor can save you hours of pain and help you use your body more efficiently and effectively, and so reduce the risk of straining muscles and possible injury.

Used well, the equipment beneath our feet are fabulous tools which can get you to places you never thought you'd see or experience. Sadly, for many of us, our skis and snowboards are cumbersome planks which can lead to humiliation, frustration and a lot of time spent horizontal on the snow.

Well help is at hand. Last winter we were fortunate to have regular blogs from the two directors of All Mountain Performance, a premier Chamonix-based ski training school which specialises in courses for intermediate skiers and above. During the winter they posted regular bulletins to give you tips and tricks - how to tune back in on your first ski of the season, how to ski bumps and basic guidelines for carving turns for example. Mark and Simon will be contributing again this season.

They will be joined this year by Roddy Willis of Alpine Mojo in Verbier. Alpine Mojo is a team of fun and inspirational ski instructors and coaches who want to help you make big changes to your skiing. Roddy has already written a piece for us this summer on the mental aspect of ski instruction.

Read on to find out more on the Chalets Direct Ski Gurus.

Mark Gear

Director/ coach for AMP  
BASI ISTD level 4 Ski Teacher
Alpine performance coach
Full French equivalence
European speed test holder

Mark made Chamonix his home in 1996 to become the first British qualified instructor to work for a Chamonix ski school. A few years on he is now one of the few holders of the highly regarded French equivalence and is one of the UK’s leading ski instructors.

He has also competed in International FIS ski racing just for fun! and now likes to compete in freeride comps. He has also trained and helped many ski instructors to pass their exams. Mark founded All Mountain Performance in 2004 to offer skiers a fresh approach to modern ski tuition, specialising in all terrain performance courses. His fun and innovative ski teaching philosophies have earned him a renowned reputation for excellent results.

Simon Halliwell

Director/ coach for AMP
BASI Level 4 ISTD
Alpine Performance Coach 1
European speed test holder (Eurotest)
Full French equivalence
BSc (Hons) Science of Sport and Exercise

Simon’s passion for skiing started at the early age of 3 as a result of ski crazy parents. Since then he has skied all over Europe, with two seasons in Park City, Utah, and moved to the Chamonix Valley in 2002.

He has gained a wealth of experience and the highest possible international qualification. His energy and sense of fun on his skis shines through. Simon is gifted with excellent teaching skills and enjoys seeing client’s enthusiasm build as their skiing develops.

Roddy Willis

Roddy tried an office job in the 80's and quickly realised it wasn't for him.

He decided to head for the Alps in 1988 and has never really looked back, working in a number of different jobs from hotel dish washer to ski school technical director, and managing to do nearly three full ski seasons whilst getting a degree in furniture design.

The common thread running throughout the past 22 years is Roddy's love of the mountains and skiing. Roddy is a born communicator and combines this with his love of skiing and vast experience to help his clients achieve goals beyond their expectations.

We're very excited to have these guys on board. They all share a tremendous skill, knowledge and passion for skiing which comes accross the moment you speak to them.

We hope you enjoy reading their bulletins and hope it inspires you to learn and develop your skills on snow.