From turkey tent sales and ski shows to the nip in the air, signals abound that the ski season will soon be upon us. As passionate skiers we can't help but start to make ski plans, get our gear in check, and perhaps even think about goals for the season.
What helps you to get better as a skier? One key is mileage. Whether you were lucky enough to get that mileage as a child or are now building it as an adult, to get better at skiing you need to spend time skiing. Now is the perfect time to lay out your ski plan for the year - whether it's marking up a calendar, inputting it into Outlook, or (like me) a detailed Excel spreadsheet, commit now to the number of days you plan to ski this season. Then try to beat it.
Of course we all know that repeating the same thing over and over expecting a different result is the very definition of insanity. Guided mileage is key. Start the year with a lesson. The first ski day after the summer break is magical. Just when you're thinking "will I remember how to do this?" your body takes over and you recall why you love skiing. This sensation of your body taking over is what is often referred to as muscle memory. The beginning of the season when your muscle memory is just being reactivated is the perfect time to break bad habits before they are reinforced.
Once the season is underway, check back in periodically with lessons to measure your progress and to find new ways to develop your skills. But remember to also spend time free skiing and integrating this knowledge. Discovery is an important part of the learning process.
Challenge yourself. Try new things. Define now what your goal for the season is going to be. The opportunities are endless - skiing black diamond runs on your next vacation to a big mountain, getting comfortable in the moguls, racing the gates efficiently, or becoming a ski instructor. The best goals are SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Speak to an instructor about steps you can take to reach your individual goal.
The ski season will soon be upon us. Make it your most successful season yet!
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Straddling East and West
Last winter my dreams came true. I was able to spend the entire winter living in the mountains, skiing every day, instructing and training with an incredible ski school, and oh yeah, taking in the Olympic alpine events in person. I turned the layoff from my corporate job into the opportunity of a lifetime.
Last winter's blog posts were written from Whistler, usually after a hard day's skiing. Since returning to Toronto, I've had the opportunity to reflect on some of the differences between skiing and instructing in the East versus the West.
Days at Whistler Blackcomb began with early moring training sessions for the instructors. There I quickly learned a couple things. These skiers skiied fast! Aand they don't stop. I was initially held back by my Ontario obsession with trying to make each turn perfect. I had to learn to just go for it and let my skis run. An invigorating way to start the day for sure! I also had to build up my endurance. My muscles and my cardio had to take me the equivalent distance of at least five Ontario-length runs without stopping.
So when could an Ontario insrtuctor excel? Perhaps not surprisingly in more technical conditions - on the odd day that we didn't have fresh snow or worked on skills like short radius turns. Then my "skinny skis"" (carving skis) came in handy! As did my regimen of meticulously waxing and edging my skis - something that is less of a focus for skiers that are always used to fresh snow.
One thing that has always bothered me as a skier in Ontario was so-called skiers who couldn't be "bothered" to ski in Ontario and limited their skiing to the one week or two they could get away each year. I love skiing too much to go a sinlge weekend without skiing. While Ontario does not present the challenging terrain that the west has to offer, there are many opportunities to improve your skiing - ski gates, moguls, trees. Heck, if that fails to challenge you, try skiing backwards or head into the terrain park!
The hardest part of my experience was winter ending and leaving Whistler. I would have stayed in a heartbeat if I could have figured out a way to integrate my professional life into the community. So I am back in Toronto where I have started my own company and will be instructing for High Park this winter. But I will still be straddling East and West as I have also committed to teaching at least four weeks for Whistler Blackcomb. You will be hearing from me from both places come this winter so stay tuned....
Last winter's blog posts were written from Whistler, usually after a hard day's skiing. Since returning to Toronto, I've had the opportunity to reflect on some of the differences between skiing and instructing in the East versus the West.
Days at Whistler Blackcomb began with early moring training sessions for the instructors. There I quickly learned a couple things. These skiers skiied fast! Aand they don't stop. I was initially held back by my Ontario obsession with trying to make each turn perfect. I had to learn to just go for it and let my skis run. An invigorating way to start the day for sure! I also had to build up my endurance. My muscles and my cardio had to take me the equivalent distance of at least five Ontario-length runs without stopping.
So when could an Ontario insrtuctor excel? Perhaps not surprisingly in more technical conditions - on the odd day that we didn't have fresh snow or worked on skills like short radius turns. Then my "skinny skis"" (carving skis) came in handy! As did my regimen of meticulously waxing and edging my skis - something that is less of a focus for skiers that are always used to fresh snow.
One thing that has always bothered me as a skier in Ontario was so-called skiers who couldn't be "bothered" to ski in Ontario and limited their skiing to the one week or two they could get away each year. I love skiing too much to go a sinlge weekend without skiing. While Ontario does not present the challenging terrain that the west has to offer, there are many opportunities to improve your skiing - ski gates, moguls, trees. Heck, if that fails to challenge you, try skiing backwards or head into the terrain park!
The hardest part of my experience was winter ending and leaving Whistler. I would have stayed in a heartbeat if I could have figured out a way to integrate my professional life into the community. So I am back in Toronto where I have started my own company and will be instructing for High Park this winter. But I will still be straddling East and West as I have also committed to teaching at least four weeks for Whistler Blackcomb. You will be hearing from me from both places come this winter so stay tuned....
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