Did you learn anything this year?

[Horton]

?

[A_B]

Not to start a ski season at 265 pounds. I am skiing much better at 250, but still 50 pounds too heavy for serious shortline skiing.

[usaski1]

I learned I'm pretty bone-headed and stuck in my ways in slalom, but coach-able in trick. I learned that I don't have to be in tip top fit shape to ski well. I never knew how much the word "drought" would impact my life.. but it has.

[ForrestGump]

1. Counter-Rotation at the apex can be overdone. (Horton)

2. Binding needs to be tight over front toe and instep(KLP)

3. hip alignment on onside lean is critical to the ability to move out off the 2nd wake into offside turn. (Trent)

[chris_logan]

Always have a proven and reliable backup ski (just in case) so you don't spend half of your summer waiting on a new stick to come in.

[A_B]

@ShaneH, the only person on the planet that takes #1 to the extreme is young Miss Ross. Everyone else is considerably falling short of what is possible...

[ski6jones]

Use the entire ski (not just the tail).

 

Handle low and on the hip. I've always known this but need to relearn it a couple of times each season, like last night, again!

[gator1]

yes

[Razorskier1]

I learn something every year - if I didn't I wouldn't ski. This year my visit to Chet's helped me enormously. I just wish I could remember the stuff I learned the year before so I didn't spend half the season re-learning what I already knew before I could apply any of the new stuff!

[chris_logan]

@gator1 an accurate and concise answer to @Horton 's open ended question...

[Than_Bogan]

Always learning. Still inching better at 42, and don't see any reason the inching will stop.

 

Plus, I can keep learning the same stuff again, since I forget so much!!

[Waternut]

Totally agree with @razorskier1. If I'm not learning how to be better, I'd probably stop.

 

My technique has greatly improved. I also learned stock fin settings really are best until you start getting into the shorter line lengths. Tiny changes do matter and you really need to figure out how your ski company measures your ski's fin. Rotating my front boot really helped me feel more comfortable on my offside. Palm protectors under my gloves has been the best modification to my gear all year. I've skied so much more this year because my hands weren't destroyed.

[jimbrake]

Always learning and unfortunately, relearning. I always start out every year with very few and simple "must do" thoughts and ski relatively well early on. My season then usually devolves into trying to figure out which of the many moving targets is most important to focus on. By the end of my season I'm usually back to understanding how to keep it simple and what really are the must do's for me.

 

One thing I learned this year is to not neglect my equipment setup by only focusing on myself and my technique. I always think every mistake can be fixed by working on me, when in fact I've learned that my setup can always be improved/maximized to work its best. Sometimes I come up with band-aid fixes in technique that are really compensating for something my equipment is not doing very well. I will still always work on me, but now I'll make sure there's not something I can change in my setup to help out.

[Texas6]

Have to agree with @OB on that one. There is no substitute for time on the water.

[TylerR]

@mattp @webbdawg Reb and Mosley Are always correct.

[jRoe]

Learned that the ski really does matter...Its not always the skier, like you think it is.. nano1 baby!

[ral]

Starting the season just now, and I need to agree with @OB. All the visualizing, reading and thinking did not help squat...

[Horton]

@ShaneH tell us more about counter rotation

[jipster43]

I learned that I really needed to concentrate on implementing Horton's straight back leg and flexed front ankle technique. I'll be practicing that all winter long.

[Chef23]

I learned a bunch of stuff about my skiing. I am also with @AB about needing to get lighter.

[brody]

time on the water, good coaching, and when possible video

[jipster43]

I also learned that getting my wife addicted to the sport equates to way more guilt-free sets.

[rayn]

I learned that one straight week with Chet Raley is good and you can learn alot, but you really need constant reenforcement or you will not keep making progress.

[Rico226]

Best to always ski around the turn buoys, not over the top of them !

[crashman]

Progressing slowly and correctly is less painful than trying to progress too quickly!

[Zman]

Three things...

1. My Achilles tendon healed great, yea.

2. What @OB said for time on the water - and mine has been way too little.

3. And, seaweed sux. Fixing that now, which will fix number 2

OK, 4 things - I need to get to WSA more often!

[SkiJay]

That the key to my center of mass resides in my rear hip (left hip for RFF). For me hips up means left hip up, and move the hips through the edge change means move the left hip through.

[ForrestGump]

@horton You just want me to openly admit to who clued me in.

[BobF]

I learned that switching back and forth between skis all season will not make you a better skier.

[jcamp]

That not being able to do a rigorous work out plan in the winter (from injury) comes back to haunt you in the summer.

[Wish]

Video in slow mo tells the real story. Even if you "feel" like you had that one thing finally locked into muscle memory. So basically video hurts my feelings but it's worth it.

 

Straight legged into 135 well before the ball is a hard habit to break.

[RichardDoane]

rupturing an eardrum sucks, but drinking Horton's KiloKai ROCKS !

[skidawg]

Dual Lock Sucks

[Horton]

@ShaneH confess

[OTF]

1). Technique and rhythm are more important to focus on to me than ball count

2.) easier to learn at -28 than -22 or -15

3.) I should of bought a Strada at the beginning of the season instead of in the last month.

4.) living on a man made ski lake is priceless

5.) living next to @MS has a price.......and that price is ski ski ski ski ski ski ski ski ski ski rain or shine, Hurtin or healed.

6.) getting your kids involved with watersports............also priceless

7.) There are not enough summer days and never will be.

[inland]

I learn something new every time I ski. Sometimes I learn more about how to retain what I previously learned, if that makes sense. Most importantly, this season I learned the following.

 

1. Handle low at the hips at all times, hips forward.

2. Stop pulling past the first wake.

3. Zero ball! No drifting.

4. Cold water makes the ski do goofy things.

 

I learned more, but 1-3 are most important to me right now.

[crashman]

I just learned that late September skiing... In Indiana... In trunks...is awesome!

[Andy]

@crashman it's pretty good in Michigan too!

[andjules]

@crashman @Andy - It was pretty good in Ontario too, 3hrs north of Toronto. Shorts and a rashguard... admittedly only because I didn't have a wetsuit with me, but still, very survivable.

[andjules]

@rico I agree:

1- @Horton's straight back leg theory works for me

[TDL]

Squeezing the but cheeks during the glide and through the gates helps set up a nice one ball.

Chest up during the turn helps keep more ski in the water.

[Bill22]

Yes, I learned some better skiing technique. Most importantly I learned to leave the Insta-Slalom at home if it is windy.

[Omland]

Yes.

 

From Jodi Fisher I learned to work on my body alignment and get wider at the gates.

 

Parker Staver helped me with my edge change timing, initiating the turn earlier and had me drop my 15 off pass.

 

Focus on a couple of key items that help my skiing, don't try and focus on too much each pass.

 

Video helps me see what I'm actually doing vs. what I think I'm doing (I swear I look like Chris Parish until I see video).

 

Slow down early season, you don't have to PB on day 1, save the body a bit.

[thager]

I learned more last weekend being around great skiers than I have years. Watch and imitate what they do.