Know anyone who learned to ski after 50? Be honest.

[jwtravel]

@jwtravel You need to learn the power of your edges. Try standing on your skis perpendicular to the fall line with the uphill edges dug in to keep you stationary. Slowly allow the downhill edges to drop until you start sliding sidewise down the hill. Bring those downhill edges back up to stop you from sliding. Keep doing this until you believe your edges will actually stop you from sliding, then try using your edges again in your turns. This is a very basic drill that I recall from my early lesson days.

So far, in my 11 total days of skiing as an adult, I have zero belief that my edges can stop me if I’m on any slope steeper than a bunny hill. They can help slow me down, but I need lots of real estate and friction to get completely stopped. I think it’s me, BUT my skis and boots were rentals. This trip illustrated how much difference a boot fit can make, so maybe I’ve been using dull edges without being able to know how dull they are due to lack of experience. I am committing to getting custom fit boots this spring or summer, maybe I will get skis as well.

 

[jwtravel]

Wow, I am being given a free education in here. Thanks to everyone. I’m going to have to unlearn some stuff, but if I hadn’t been able to stay upright early on, at least enough to get some enjoyment, I wouldn’t have gone back after about 3 days of falling. It appears that there are an infinite number of teaching methods to impart how to turn on skis. No two of them match up perfectly from my reading and YouTubeing

 

[Mendieta]

So far, in my 11 total days of skiing as an adult, I have zero belief that my edges can stop me if I’m on any slope steeper than a bunny hill. They can help slow me down, but I need lots of real estate and friction to get completely stopped. I think it’s me, BUT my skis and boots were rentals. This trip illustrated how much difference a boot fit can make, so maybe I’ve been using dull edges without being able to know how dull they are due to lack of experience. I am committing to getting custom fit boots this spring or summer, maybe I will get skis as well.

Yes. Sharpening your edges is easy and it makes a huge difference. I do it all the time. Lots of info here in the tuning section and you can always ask. Also, yes, you can get beginner-intermediate skis for very little. You can ask in the gear section here. Properly fitted boots with a flex appropriate to your current skill level makes an even bigger impact.

Wow, I am being given a free education in here. Thanks to everyone. I’m going to have to unlearn some stuff, but if I hadn’t been able to stay upright early on, at least enough to get some enjoyment, I wouldn’t have gone back after about 3 days of falling. It appears that there are an infinite number of teaching methods to impart how to turn on skis. No two of them match up perfectly from my reading and YouTubeing

I agree. @LiquidFeet and @Kneale Brownson are real deal instructors. I would listen to them. You are right, they are helping you for free. Instructors tends to be super nice people. They definitely don't make a posh living out of it. MOst of the time they don't make a living at all, out of it. They do it for the love of the sport and the desire to help others. I took several lessons with different instructors and I found, in contrast to what you were saying, that the fundamentals are always the same. They might have different styles but that's about it.

Btw, there are lots of people in youtube and elsewhere claiming to have discovered some unique method that is so much better than what the national ski schools teach. Not any different than the ads in youtube from some doctor selling a DVD that will make you 20 years younger by eating some secret combination of kale and almond milk.

Here is a nice video for sideslips, mentioned above. Great drill


And these are the hockey stops that you were, I think, alluding to:


They can actually be linked (you can look that up), but that's too much right now. Once you are comfy in groomed runs, you will probably take some bump lessons. For that, linked hockey stops are a great drill (not that I am any good at it). And once you are comfy in bumps, the mountain will be all yours

 

[Marker]

I did a narrow, steep enough blue at Granite Peak that I side slipped down the first 50 feet of it or so until I had more real estate to make turns. However, all I could manage was to keep myself slowed down. My rental ski edges’ quality or my skill quality could not produce a complete stop. I have to assume it’s still me and that I just need to do it more. Until I feel confident, speed is the biggest fear I have when trying to be patient in turns. I think I need to do tons more off-season work on my balance to be able to trust myself at higher speeds, then my turn patience will grow and the edges taking over won’t make me lose my balance and fall.

If it was a normal blue, then sharpness of edges should not be the whole story. You just need to tip those skis a little more on edge to get them to bit into the snow, assuming it is snow and not hard ice. I know it can be bewildering when things we suggest don't seem to work at first. You just need to play around with the on-snow feel of your edges to increase your confidence in them.

Believe me I understand about falling. I was 6'6" and 230 lb when I started to learn to ski at 50, falling often was not fun for me.

 

[Tony Storaro]

@jwtravel You need to learn the power of your edges.

 

[Marker]

View attachment 126746

At Killington, there is a snowboard shop called Darkside.

I think they also have shops at other local resorts.

 

[Blue Streak]

Someone with 11 days of experience doesn’t usually need to worry so much about being able to shave with his edges. A more common problem is not directing enough pressure to the outside ski.

 

[Marker]

No need to shave. Even dull edges should work fine with this drill on normal blue slopes.

 

[justaute]

So far, in my 11 total days of skiing as an adult, I have zero belief that my edges can stop me if I’m on any slope steeper than a bunny hill. They can help slow me down, but I need lots of real estate and friction to get completely stopped. I think it’s me, BUT my skis and boots were rentals. This trip illustrated how much difference a boot fit can make, so maybe I’ve been using dull edges without being able to know how dull they are due to lack of experience. I am committing to getting custom fit boots this spring or summer, maybe I will get skis as well.

This video is shows the edging technique pretty well.

 

[Tony Storaro]

This video is shows the edging technique pretty well.

All of Darren's vids are great and very much recommended.

After all, with a name like Darren Turner you are guaranteed to know a thing or two about making skis go left and right.

 

[jwtravel]

This video is shows the edging technique pretty well.

Yes, I have seen these and feel like I’m doing the correct moves, just not getting the amount of braking I need. Maybe my brain/body is afraid of that last little bit of edging and I will eventually get it as my balance improves. I’m going to keep ice skating because it has done more for my skiing than skiing has done for my skiing.

 

[Sibhusky]

It's early days yet, in my opinion, to expect much of yourself. But, posting video taken by a friend (in landscape mode!) and posted here, can help get some free advice. I don't think you want too much analysis at this point, and certainly not throwing a bunch of technical terms at you (like some here like to do) but certainly they should be able to tell you a single glaring item to work on. Then, when that bit is better, a new video, and the next item. After a few iterations, there won't be huge glaring problems, but you'll get to the stage where it might be nitpicking for your purposes, but a big deal for people on this board. (L0L!) THEN you might start shelling out the big money for private lessons. I know people rich enough to pay for private lessons so they can cut the liftlines, but I think it's a better use of your money to wait until you've got the lingo and basic movements down.

 

[KingGrump]

Just to reiterate the suggestion of necessities of lessons as mentioned by several posts up thread.
Often skiers will watch videos on you tube. Then they go out and practice the movements and drills demonstrated in the video. More often than not, they will think they nailed it. More often than not, they will be wrong.

I have seen the same delusions in real life lessons. The instructor will demonstrate a movement/drill. The student will perform the same movement/drill. Very often, they will excitedly exclaimed "I got it. I got it." Often the instructor will shake his head side way and mouth silently "Nope."

Self delusion runs deep. A good pair of eye at the right time is crucial.

 

[scott43]

Self delusion runs deep. A good pair of eye at the right time is crucial.

So I was chatting with a guy..former pro freeskier...can't remember his name. Anyway he was down in Beaver Creek for an annual old boys getaway and they were skiing with a current female pro and instructor, apparently very good. Anyways, she says "You know..you should watch the position of your hands when you do such and such.." and the old freeskiers says, I'd never even been aware I was doing this dip motion. So yeah..even at the highest levels, you may not be doing it as well as you think you are.

 

[jwtravel]

It's early days yet, in my opinion, to expect much of yourself. But, posting video taken by a friend (in landscape mode!) and posted here, can help get some free advice. I don't think you want too much analysis at this point, and certainly not throwing a bunch of technical terms at you (like some here like to do) but certainly they should be able to tell you a single glaring item to work on. Then, when that bit is better, a new video, and the next item. After a few iterations, there won't be huge glaring problems, but you'll get to the stage where it might be nitpicking for your purposes, but a big deal for people on this board. (L0L!) THEN you might start shelling out the big money for private lessons. I know people rich enough to pay for private lessons so they can cut the liftlines, but I think it's a better use of your money to wait until you've got the lingo and basic movements down.

Before skiing again, I’m going to spend entire offseason ice skating because it is awakening balance muscles that have been dormant for a score or more. Balance on ice skates is much more difficult than on skis BUT the same muscles and synapses seem to be used for both. As my balance improves, I will be braver in trying to ride my edges in a turn. So far, even feeble attempts to set the edge have led to scary moments of not feeling in control of my body.

 

[Corgski]

Yes, I have seen these and feel like I’m doing the correct moves, just not getting the amount of braking I need. Maybe my brain/body is afraid of that last little bit of edging and I will eventually get it as my balance improves. I’m going to keep ice skating because it has done more for my skiing than skiing has done for my skiing.

I do not know much about the more advanced Elate Media videos but the approach taken in his beginner and intermediate progressions are best avoided. I gather the progression he teaches used to be fairly standard but it is no longer taught and also contradicts what your Winter Park instructor told you. I tried using them at some point in my first 10 days and do recall struggling with feeling out of control. Among other problems, there are things he does in the videos that makes his moves work that is not really adequately described to the viewer, you may think you are doing the same thing but you are not (his fault, not yours). There are more suitable videos out there. Dynamic balance is one thing, the way you describe feeling out of control sounds like more of a technique issue.

 

[Blue Streak]

Before skiing again, I’m going to spend entire offseason ice skating because it is awakening balance muscles that have been dormant for a score or more. Balance on ice skates is much more difficult than on skis BUT the same muscles and synapses seem to be used for both. As my balance improves, I will be braver in trying to ride my edges in a turn. So far, even feeble attempts to set the edge have led to scary moments of not feeling in control of my body.

Mastering the skill of edging takes time, and it's a little ridiculous to be obsessed with "setting an edge" so early in the journey. And by the way, being able to flatten an edge is just as important, if not more so.
Early on, it is really important to be able to learn to turn the legs, and your quest for edge angle without developing other skills concurrently could create all manner of problems.
Edging is important, but so is rotary and pressure. You need to develop all three.
Ice skating is great exercise, and there will be many transferable movements, but it is not skiing.
Invest in lessons. You will have good ones and not-so-good ones, but you will be much better off in the long run.

 

[jwtravel]

Mastering the skill of edging takes time, and it's a little ridiculous to be obsessed with "setting an edge" so early in the journey. And by the way, being able to flatten an edge is just as important, if not more so.
Early on, it is really important to be able to learn to turn the legs, and your quest for edge angle without developing other skills concurrently could create all manner of problems.
Edging is important, but so is rotary and pressure. You need to develop all three.
Ice skating is great exercise, and there will be many transferable movements, but it is not skiing.
Invest in lessons. You will have good ones and not-so-good ones, but you will be much better off in the long run.

Thanks. Rotary is sort of my go to at this point. I’m probably expecting way too much this early, but I now enjoy it more than I’m afraid of it. That is a good threshold to have crossed.

 

[Blue Streak]

Thanks. Rotary is sort of my go to at this point. I’m probably expecting way too much this early, but I now enjoy it more than I’m afraid of it. That is a good threshold to have crossed.

It’s funny. The more I ski, the more I think to myself, “you suck,” which just drives me to work harder on my skills.

 

[KingGrump]

It’s funny. The more I ski, the more I think to myself, “you suck,” which just drives me to work harder on my skills.

We'll always suck. Hopefully suck a little less with each iteration.