I always take at least one ski off, the heck with this struggling. It puts real stress on my knees to try and do it with skis on. Fortunately I haven't fallen on any steep sheer ice.
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Know anyone who learned to ski after 50? Be honest.
- Thread starter jwtravel
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Not good, insensitive, ignorant, but unfortunately not totally surprising.
One ski off method is what I use, good enough for me. I finally figured out how to get up on ice skates without the wall; skates had to be laced tighter around my ankles than how I had them.
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Here's what I teach adults to do to get up after a fall with both skis still on:
Maneuver to get feet together, side by side. Roll onto your back to do that if necessary. Get onto one hip with the skis together downhill from you. Use a pole to reach between your legs to releast the UPHILL boot from the binding. Tuck that foot under the other leg and roll up onto your uphill knee. Use poles to help you stand.
From watching little kids, here's how younger folks can get up: With feet together (see above), bend the knees and roll onto your stomach with feet up in the air. Spread the tips of the skis out and place them back onto the snow with the tails together, forming a backward wedge. Push backside up into the air using hands in the snow. Move hands downhill until you can stand, using poles to help.
Maneuver to get feet together, side by side. Roll onto your back to do that if necessary. Get onto one hip with the skis together downhill from you. Use a pole to reach between your legs to releast the UPHILL boot from the binding. Tuck that foot under the other leg and roll up onto your uphill knee. Use poles to help you stand.
From watching little kids, here's how younger folks can get up: With feet together (see above), bend the knees and roll onto your stomach with feet up in the air. Spread the tips of the skis out and place them back onto the snow with the tails together, forming a backward wedge. Push backside up into the air using hands in the snow. Move hands downhill until you can stand, using poles to help.
Need to see someone do it, then try it. In most cases, taking one off and then putting it back on is no big deal EXCEPT when I am on a hill steep and slick enough to make putting a ski on difficult. I had a situation like that on a hill at Winter Park where I was a bit tired and I couldn’t find an orientation for the ski where it would sit still long enough to put it on. Thus began my walk and lift ride of shame down the hill.
Hehe, big deal, worry not, everyone has been there.
I remember as it was yesterday when I resumed my skiing 6-7 years ago-I did a couple of hero runs on the easiest green run you can imagine, showing off in front of an awed audience-general age 6 and decided the red run just above is no biggie. Hopped on the lift and crashed when trying to get off. In a Greek snowboarder with same skills level.
Then I somehow made it through the blue part to the entrance of the red and then....I stopped...looked down, man, that's steep. Cold terror. One turn, right on my ass. Stand up, another turn, on my ass again.
And then I decided I've had enough, stepped out of the ski, put them on my shoulder and walked down. And that was that.
Just the other day I was skiing the same mountain and it took me exactly 5 turns to go down the same section which then took me like forever to get down on foot. I am working on making it in 2 turns.
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To put on the UPHILL ski, make sure the other is well on edge two to three feet below the one you want to put on. The distance allows you to have the loose ski flat on the slope and have a good angle to put your boot flat on the ski and close the binding.
If you want to come to Michigan, I can demo both getting up and putting on a ski on a slope
If you want to come to Michigan, I can demo both getting up and putting on a ski on a slope
It may have already been mentioned in this thread and if so never mind. But you have to be standing on your downhill ski to put your uphill ski on. It is nearly impossible to stand on your uphill ski and click into your downhill ski. If your downhill ski is off you have to turn around or take the uphill ski off, put the downhill ski on and then the uphill ski. Kneale I know you capitalized uphill but thought maybe a bit of clarification may be necessary.
In giving lessons, this was one of the hardest things to pound into people's thick heads. They'd insist on keeping on trying it the hard way. Some people are just contrary.
Most beginners have a hard enough time standing on one foot on the big toe edge, let alone on one foot on the little toe edge, LOL.
I get that part
Maybe you have enough examples by now, or don't need them any more. But here's mine.
I started at 62, non-athletic background (although I canice skate and stay on my skates most of the time). This is my fifth year and I recently had a bit of a breakthrough. After a group lesson/turn clinic (these may be better after you have the basics down) with a great instructor, I find myself skiing with much better technique, much less afraid, and enjoying skiing faster! I am an intermediate skier, enjoying blues and the occasional black trail, and I can get down an icy trail without terror. Ski the East! (. . . oops, forgot myself for a moment.)
It's been said by so many people here, but owning boots that have been fitted by a really good bootfitter is essential. Rental boots are like those ice skates that aren't laced tightly enough! (Good boots will improve your edging and help with that hockey stop, too.) Lessons with an instructor who began skiing as an older adult, or who is naturally empathic and attuned to the struggles faced by adult learners are great. (Lessons that offer you nothing helpful are often replaced for free by the ski school if you complain nicely, but persistently.)
A half-day or all-day workshop or clinic can be really helpful; I've made real progress that way. If there's a ski club in your neck of the woods, you will find discounts on trips and (in my ski club anyway) free group lessons!
My first few years were hampered by a boyfriend who began skiing at age 4 and disdained lessons - he thought lessons hampered "being creative" with one's skiing. I would have reached this level much sooner with more lessons, rather than tips from my now-ex!
I started at 62, non-athletic background (although I canice skate and stay on my skates most of the time). This is my fifth year and I recently had a bit of a breakthrough. After a group lesson/turn clinic (these may be better after you have the basics down) with a great instructor, I find myself skiing with much better technique, much less afraid, and enjoying skiing faster! I am an intermediate skier, enjoying blues and the occasional black trail, and I can get down an icy trail without terror. Ski the East! (. . . oops, forgot myself for a moment.)
It's been said by so many people here, but owning boots that have been fitted by a really good bootfitter is essential. Rental boots are like those ice skates that aren't laced tightly enough! (Good boots will improve your edging and help with that hockey stop, too.) Lessons with an instructor who began skiing as an older adult, or who is naturally empathic and attuned to the struggles faced by adult learners are great. (Lessons that offer you nothing helpful are often replaced for free by the ski school if you complain nicely, but persistently.)
A half-day or all-day workshop or clinic can be really helpful; I've made real progress that way. If there's a ski club in your neck of the woods, you will find discounts on trips and (in my ski club anyway) free group lessons!
My first few years were hampered by a boyfriend who began skiing at age 4 and disdained lessons - he thought lessons hampered "being creative" with one's skiing. I would have reached this level much sooner with more lessons, rather than tips from my now-ex!
Andy Mink
Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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Does RELEARNING to ski after 50 count? I skied, then didn't, now do again. Breaking bad or old habits, learning how to ski on equipment from this century was an eye opener. You don't know what you don't know until you know. I am way better now than I ever was before.
Yeah I had to unlearn Arlberg skiing..
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Down, Up and Around. Big swing. What I learned in the late 1940s.
I had to unlearn the old school style of keeping my legs locked together. Everyone (except knowledgeable instructors) thought I was skiing so beautifully! Maybe at one point this looked good, but it sure wasn't efficient.
I didn't LEARN to ski after 50 but I sure sure learned how to ski a whole lot better after 60.
I didn't LEARN to ski after 50 but I sure sure learned how to ski a whole lot better after 60.
And the heel push.. Hard to get on the front of the ski that way..
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Great to hear from you newboots! I'm glad you're enjoying it more, the better we get the more fun it is.
Skied with a 79 year old today that got started 12 years ago. He skied the morning then took a lunch break making it back out to hit the soft spring corn on Superstar. The simple answer to this silly question is yes. @Marker will confirm as he was hanging at out with us on this spring perfect tailgate day.