Northern Rockies/Alberta The “git good scrub” sunshine thread

[Yepow]

So what did I learn today?

I can sideslip OK, though I suspect I don't get quite close to neutral and close it off too soon.
I'm not super flexible, so the facing down the hill with skis perpendicular was more difficult than expected. Some flexibility work to do here in the off-season.

I cannot pivot slip successfully. I got so I could release to down the hill (even that was a mess in places at the beginning, not at the same speed with both skis, ...) but then once in the fall line I couldn't keep it going smoothly. (as pictured by the sliding mess).

The one success I think we might have had today was connecting the feeling of being "neutral" for a bit with "roll the ankles". Trying to be a little less NOWWWW!!! at transition and realize before we can rush to the new edges (and overedge like I do early, locking in) we can actually experience the neutral-ish. And what rolling ankles is feels a little different. Maybe

Clouds rolled in after a nice sunny day about 3something PM, light got flat, slush started to get quite hard quite quickly so I noped out a bit early today.

I did speak to my instructor who graciously gave me 15 minutes of his time before the opening bell. My lack of talent and body awareness and mechanics holds me back here for sure. You know how some people are coachable? Well, I am in games and intellectual pursuits, but I am staggeringly poor at making adjustments based on what people tell me about my body mechanics.

There will be no quick fix here. I have a LOT to work on and I just hope I can improve faster than I calcify and my body and coordination atrophies.

 

[James]

Great reports.
I will vote for “worst thread title ever” however. Painful to see it. Wth is “scrub”?

 

[Jenny]

I’m very much enjoying the pictures and commentary. We’ll be up there at the end of April.

 

[dbostedo]

Great reports.
I will vote for “worst thread title ever” however. Painful to see it. Wth is “scrub”?

I believe the OP is referring to himself as a scrub... i.e. a poor skier. So this trip to Sunshine is for the scrub to get get ("git") good at skiing. I.e. "git good scrub!" as though it's a command.

Though I'm not sure I'm reading that right.

 

[James]

I believe the OP is referring to himself as a scrub... i.e. a poor skier. So this trip to Sunshine is for the scrub to get get ("git") good at skiing. I.e. "git good scrub!" as though it's a command.

Though I'm not sure I'm reading that right.

I want good grammar and good taste.

 

[Yepow]

Great reports.
I will vote for “worst thread title ever” however. Painful to see it. Wth is “scrub”?

Excellent, if this is what you're voting me "worst ever" at today, I will TAKE IT.

A "scrub" is someone who has generally found a local maximum at some sort of competitive endeavor and refuses to get better. "Git good scrub" is more or less a meme which suggests someone should just get over themselves and improve (and, that they suck).

 

[Yepow]

View attachment 164992
I want good grammar and good taste.

And I want to ski like you. Deal.

 

[LiquidFeet]

There's a mug for that.

 

[Fuller]

A comma would help. as in: "git good, scrub" but that would not meet the moment would it?

But you have to hand it to @Yepow, in about a month he's started a couple of 10 page threads and entertained us with his plucky grit and determination. Well done.

 

[Yepow]

A comma would help. as in: "git good, scrub" but that would not meet the moment would it?

But you have to hand it to @Yepow, in about a month he's started a couple of 10 page threads and entertained us with his plucky grit and determination. Well done.

I am SkiTalk's "Rudy"!*

*note, the movie Rudy is from 1993; I haven't seen it in 29 years and it's probably wildly ableist and condescending and doesn't stand the test of time, this is just a one-liner joke, don't read too much into it

 

[tromano]

So what did I learn today?

I can sideslip OK, though I suspect I don't get quite close to neutral and close it off too soon.
I'm not super flexible, so the facing down the hill with skis perpendicular was more difficult than expected. Some flexibility work to do here in the off-season.

I cannot pivot slip successfully. I got so I could release to down the hill (even that was a mess in places at the beginning, not at the same speed with both skis, ...) but then once in the fall line I couldn't keep it going smoothly. (as pictured by the sliding mess).

The one success I think we might have had today was connecting the feeling of being "neutral" for a bit with "roll the ankles". Trying to be a little less NOWWWW!!! at transition and realize before we can rush to the new edges (and overedge like I do early, locking in) we can actually experience the neutral-ish. And what rolling ankles is feels a little different. Maybe

Clouds rolled in after a nice sunny day about 3something PM, light got flat, slush started to get quite hard quite quickly so I noped out a bit early today.

I did speak to my instructor who graciously gave me 15 minutes of his time before the opening bell. My lack of talent and body awareness and mechanics holds me back here for sure. You know how some people are coachable? Well, I am in games and intellectual pursuits, but I am staggeringly poor at making adjustments based on what people tell me about my body mechanics.

There will be no quick fix here. I have a LOT to work on and I just hope I can improve faster than I calcify and my body and coordination atrophies. View attachment 164987

Athleticism and is a skill, if it's underdeveloped in you, then likely the more you learn, the faster you will learn. So go out and learn a new sport this off season. If you want to learn balance, I would recommend fly fishing in freestone streams.

 

[Seldomski]

annot pivot slip successfully. I got so I could release to down the hill (even that was a mess in places at the beginning, not at the same speed with both skis, ...) but then once in the fall line I couldn't keep it going smoothly. (as pictured by the sliding mess).

One thing that really trips me up in pivot slips is lead change. If I pull the uphill ski too far back, it blocks the skid. So I actively think about exaggerating the lead change with each rotation.

 

[James]

One thing that really trips me up in pivot slips is lead change. If I pull the uphill ski too far back, it blocks the skid. So I actively think about exaggerating the lead change with each rotation.

What am I missing or what happens?

There shouldn’t be a need to “think” about lead change in a pivot slip. Legs turning in pelvis will do it naturally with facing different directions. You also don’t pull feet back during it. A pivot slip is not a turn.

A fairly wide stance is usually easier with pretty good fore/aft off set. (Lead) I have seen people do it very narrow., so it’s possible but not recommended.

Theoretically, your feet are as if on railroad tracks and go straight down. No side to side movement. Not sure that’s actually done though.

 

[Seldomski]

What am I missing or what happens?

Hmm, I think what happens is the weight goes to the uphill ski if you pull it back too far? You end up on that edge and can dig in and abruptly stop or shoot across the hill, depending on where your balance is. I am not sure exactly, I just know that allowing the ski tip lead to shuffle instead of thinking about pulling the foot back helps do the slips right down the fall line. I won't get a chance to practice this for 9 months, my season is done :-(

 

[James]

I just know that allowing the ski tip lead to shuffle instead of thinking about pulling the foot back helps do the slips right down the fall line.

Yes, that’s it. Allow it to happen.

 

[Yepow]

Athleticism and is a skill, if it's underdeveloped in you, then likely the more you learn, the faster you will learn. So go out and learn a new sport this off season. If you want to learn balance, I would recommend fly fishing in freestone streams.

I would like to learn to rollerblade and I have good rollerblades. My feet always used to cramp in them, and I was never particularly good at the balance... feels like this would translate. I lift heavy things 4x a week and that is fun (type 2 fun mind you) to have done, but not much on the balance/dynamics side of things...

 

[Yepow]

What am I missing or what happens?

There shouldn’t be a need to “think” about lead change in a pivot slip. Legs turning in pelvis will do it naturally with facing different directions. You also don’t pull feet back during it. A pivot slip is not a turn.

A fairly wide stance is usually easier with pretty good fore/aft off set. (Lead) I have seen people do it very narrow., so it’s possible but not recommended.

Theoretically, your feet are as if on railroad tracks and go straight down. No side to side movement. Not sure that’s actually done though.

Thanks, it's clear I was doing this wrong, I think I need to go back to just sideslipping to get a nice long controlled slip (was doing it too short) and then get slipping at a good clip really nicely dialed in before mucking around with pivoting. Good news is there's lots of room for improvement and for once a clear path that I now think I understand.

 

[Jilly]

Inline skating is a great off season sport. Also one of the exercises for edging on skis is called "rollerblade turns". If you can find a few gentle hills, you can transfer a lot of things over to inline.

 

[James]

think I need to go back to just sideslipping to get a nice long controlled slip (was doing it too short) and then get slipping at a good clip really nicely dialed in before mucking around with pivoting.

Yes. You need to be able to do it in a corridor.
Then move on to falling leaf.
It’s likely you’re trying to slide downhill while leaning uphill.

It’s not just a skill development excercise. It’s pretty essential for skiing say tight woods with bumps, getting around obstacles.

 

[Yepow]

Yes. You need to be able to do it in a corridor.
Then move on to falling leaf.
It’s likely you’re trying to slide downhill while leaning uphill.

It’s not just a skill development excercise. It’s pretty essential for skiing say tight woods with bumps, getting around obstacles.

A fantastic thing to work on on a refrozen day where it’s not likely to melt much until very late afternoon if at all. Thank you!