Be kind to yourself

[Bud Man]

If we were as unfair with our wives, friends or family, as we are with ourselves, they would probably say were are unreasonable and just leave us.

 

As skiers, we set the bar high, then push and push until we reach it, and when we do finally reach it, we say; “not good enough”, and set the bar even higher.

 

Get a paper calendar and make a list of some small reasonable obtainable goals this season. Number your goals. After skiing, write the number representing those goals on the day. And when you look at your calendar, give yourself credit and feel good.

Goal examples:

1) Run two consecutive passes of your next to toughest pass.

2) Run six consecutive passes of the line length under that.

3) Ski six pass of whatever line you choose with great form.

 

The point is to make the goals reasonable. If you set goals like pick up six more buoy than last year, you are probably just setting yourself up for disappointment. We ski to have fun. So don’t ever get disappointed because you thought you should have skied better.

 

In a way goals are just stepping stones through our skiing experience and we should enjoy walking along the stones in whatever direction our skiing skill goes.

 

The reason this came to mind was; I had an off day today. I missed a pass a few times that I normally do not miss. I actually missed it one time yesterday also. So I let the line out some and had a lot of fun just skiing. We do not have to ski close to our toughest passes to have fun.

 

[6balls]

I run 35 consistently, and 38 infrequently. At times, though, I go out and run 8 back to back 28 openers for a set and just enjoy it. My ski partners look at me like I'm crazy, but I leave the lake happy cuz there was no pressure on me...they leave it upset again missing their tough pass. Life is frenetic enough that getting away to ski has become my serenity.

I actually like skiing less w/the guys that feel the need to chop the rope, no matter what, as long as you're out the end gates. I'm a competitor so then I chop it, too, but feel like then I'm training how to scramble, not how to run clean. Occasionally, I'll run down the line like a tournament, but mostly save it for tourneys. Run an opener, some 32's, some 35's. Take a poke at 38 and if doesn't go put it on 28 to finish.

[Bulldog]

Always remember: "A bad day of skiing is better than a good day at work!" Just my two cents. I hate spring almost more than winter…..

[Bud Man]

I’m like you 6ball, it seems like the goal of a lot of people is to be a better survivor, where I really want to be a better skier.

 

It is fun to fight for and get six buoys on the toughest pass, but it is also fun and easier on the body to ski any pass smoothly.

 

But it is all good.

 

[RichardDoane]

My best practice sets are BTB 28, 32, and 35's, they leave you feeling that you've finally got it figured out. This season I'd like to add BTB 38's as well (without too much scrambling)

[Laz]

One day I noticed that I often feel little stressed as I leave work for the ski lake. I couldn't think of anything at work causing this until I eventually realized it was not work. I had performance anxiety for my upcoming ski set. WTF? I love skiing.

 

When I know I'm skiing that day, I spend all day fantasizing about my upcoming trip to the lake. But there has to be some deep personality defect that pushes me to chase buoys. I have one friend who is content to ski at 30mph and 15' off every time for the last 10 years. I think he's crazy and missing the point. Maybe I'm the crazy one.

[Razorskier1]

I rarely practice my hardest passes (38 and 39). If I have time for two sets, I run a tournament set (28, 32, 35, 38, etc) to wherever I get down the line. If I fall at 38, I might take one more try. Then I lengthen it out to 35, run 2-4 passes at that line and call it. Second set I might not even shorten to 35, but run 10-12 32 off passes and just relax and run clean. Always leave the water with a smile!

[Old MS Accout]

I spoke to Jay L a few years back and he explained to me how he jumped from a 2@38 skier to running 39 all the time. He would get to 38 and take as many wacks at it as possible. To get good at 38, you have to ski it. It is a big leep from 35. Look, if you are running 32/35, you know how to ski. You can improve your technique by running 35 back to back and there is nothing wrong with that but you need to get the timing down for the next pass. You do the same thing at 38/39 as 35 but it is just timing and training your senses to deal with timing differances at 38.

[Bud Man]

Both training techniques are different and seem to have merit. I have through time tried both and I can tell you through my experience that ………………. I’m sorry, what was the question? Oh yea, that reminds me, I have trouble remembering.

[Razorskier1]

MS is probably right here. My training plan is driven by the time I have available and how much of that time I want to spend splashing into the lake (which I hate) vs. skiing (which I love). Most mornings I have time for one or two pretty fast sets interspersed with 2-3 other skiers before I come to work. Under that constraint, I don't like spending time in the lake at 3 ball waiting for the boat to come back, so I usually don't take that many shots at 38-39. When I ski on the weekends and am on a private site with more time, I run more 38 passes and take more shots at 39. Just can't make myself do it when I'm operating on a short time frame at 6:15AM on a public lake and just want to ski.

[Old MS Accout]

I am for both training tech. My point is to make sure you get enough of each.

[jimbrake]

I agree with MS (and Jay L). I'll generally spend too much time on 32 and 35 trying to "perfect" them, but do my best at 38 when I keep hammering away at it. The timing, speed, forces all begin to feel routine and normal that way. No matter how well you run 35, the feeling at 38 will be a surprise if you haven't spent much time at it. That said, it is fun to run passes where you feel so dialed in. My first set of the year will be this Friday. I'm going off the dock at 38, damn it. Maybe not.

[kstateskier]

For alot of years I simply ski'd up the rope till i fell... But I didn't seem to be getting much better. Then I started running BTB's before I would cut line. Add in a higher level of fitness and you have the ability to give the same level of effort in your 4th, 5th, 6th and beyond passes where you really need to improve your skiing.

 

Now I try and balance my sets between BTB's and simply skiing up the rope in an effort to be mentally prepared to ski in a tournament where you get one shot to get it right.

[normanwenzel]

Like it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! will be trying it. Just want to ski with the big dawgs someday.

[Weappa]

damn, I just want to ski like Norm