Self evaluation

[awf170]

The whole 8 pages of arguing in the "can GSS ski" thread got me wondering. What do you think of your own skiing? Are you usually negative about it? Positive? Indecisive? Or do you just not really care?

For me personally, I'm all over the place. I would say that about 50% of the time I think I'm a pretty sloppy and out of control skier, 30% I think I'm good but nothing great, and another 20% I think I rip. This can change multiple times over the day based on how I felt on the last couple runs and the conditions. My guess is the difference between feeling super sloppy and like a very good skier is super minor and could barely even be noticeable in a video, but while I'm skiing it feels like a huge difference.

You?

 

[Dr Skimeister]

I'm almost always thinking I can be better, but rarely doing anything to make that happen.

 

[jack97]

I'll be happy if I can ski like Win.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

It just depends..I have days when I feel like everything is clicking and I have days where I feel like I'm not at the top of my game. In Jackson Hole, I skied for 10 days straight. The first day, I was easing back into skiing steeps, powder, along with the long runs and thin air. A few days into my trip I felt supersolid and was skiing 2k-3k vert runs non-stop and my legs felt awesome. By the last day I was burnt out and tired and only made it to 1:30PM and that's the day I sprained my thumb. Every once in a while I have an out of control run where I feel like a wet noodle but usually I feel like I'm in control...even if I'm hauling ass. On days when the snow is deep slop or granuler..I try to stay more centered and save my getting low carving for when it's edgeable hardpack or hero snow. Being a skier, especially here in the east means always changing your style up. When I ski in a group..or under a chairlift..I ski way more dynamicly and agressively and sometimes when I'm alone.I just like to straight run and make zero turns. My main goal is to start waxing my skis more..New manmade snow on a day when the temperature hits the upper 30s or 40s can stink because the manmade gets sticky and slow..with dry ski bases..I create alot more drag which is frustrating and can effect my skiing..I hate when people pass me and a friend of mine whose a slower skier was passing me yesterday on the flats because he had recently waxed...As I get older..I analyze my skiing and skiing in general more..

 

[severine]

I suck. Plain and simple.

 

[Greg]

Back in 2004, I was thinking I was a pretty decent skier. Then I got my ass handed to me at Hunter the first time I met JimG. and his buddy Karl. Since [thread="2383"]that day[/thread], I decided to get more serious about my skiing. I already had a budding addiction to skiing bumps. I had gotten hooked a few seasons before at Loon when I finally was able to hold a line. I have an old video of that day somewhere. It's pretty funny to watch.

In 2006, I discovered the seeded bumps at Sundown. It's been a really great thing for my skiing to have an icy bump run 25 minutes away. It's sort of become my practice area. I've skied those bumps several hundred times and all that repetition seems to be paying off, even though it's just a short low-angle bump run. I had some breakthroughs last year and this season I'm working on more consistency. I still need to fine tune things on steeper pitched bumps, but I'm improving.

Due to all the practice at the home hill, when I'm up north, I don't at all focus on technique and just enjoy the experience and have fun. The skills I've built down here in the flat lands seem to work anywhere. Last season I started getting into tree skiing more and I'm starting to feel more comfortable there too.

All in all, I'm happy with my progress even though I still have a ton to learn. As I've said many times, it's all about the miles. You can take lessons, have the best equipment money can buy, and read every ski instruction book there is, but at the end of the day you just gotta ski a lot. Jim told me that back in 2004 and I've been trying to log as many days as life will alllow since then. He was right.

 

[cbcbd]

I thought I was all right and then I skied with Austin... now I know I have a lot of practice to do

 

[Warp Daddy]

Just like the Joe Walsh song says I'm an ordinary average guy who luvs this sport !

Depending on conditions i can be in "the zone" and really rip for a 64yr old guy . Because of daily conditioniong year round I can ski top to bottom non stop for 4-5 hrs but then i start get sloppy making little mistakes so its time to quit before breaking anything more

At my age bumps and tough glades are a thing of the past

But make no mistake " I'm a Legend in MY own Mind"

 

[MRGisevil]

I really don't like my skiing at all and actively work to progress it as much as my tempermental back allows. I tend to discourage easily, though- that's what all the vid this year is for. I like to be able to look back and say "OK- I am getting a little better", or "Need to turn it up a notch" so I don't get depressed over the fact that I'm 'not moving forward'. At the same time, I try not to worry about it too too much or it just wouldn't be any fun.

 

[Grassi21]

That's the beauty of getting old .. you worry about it less and less..

I'm not as old as OldersnownoarderME ;-) but I try to keep the same attitude. But skiing with Greg, 2knees, and bvibert often keeps me wanting to improve. My self evaluation is all over the place. 2 seasons ago I considered myself a high intermediate. Then I started skiing with the before mentioned crew and realized I would be lucky to be considered a middle of the road intermediate. I think this season I progressed to the high end of the intermediate scale. In general I think the variable conditions in New Englans keep me in check. If I get out on a day with some nair or high temps the soft snow makes me feel like a stud. But if I follow that up with an icy hardpack day I'm quickly brought down to earth.

 

[severine]

Alright, I'll post seriously....

I still consider myself a low intermediate. I want to do better, but I get frustrated and seized by fear. Fear of speed. Fear of crowds. Fear of heights (and therefore pitch). I get a little crazy sometimes and just go for it, but sometimes that backfires, too.

I don't want to be perfect. I have no desire for that. I just want to have fun. But it's hard not to be critical of form, etc. when surrounding yourself with others who are better skiers. When I ski alone, I don't worry about those things and I generally have a good time. When I ski with others, though, I have to keep up (which can be a good thing for me... keeps me from letting fear paralyze).

 

[skibum9995]

It all depends on the terrain. Although I haven't seen any video of myself, I feel that I can carve groomers of any pitch with pretty good form. Once I get off the groomers I have no form at all. I can ski pretty much anything but it doesn't look pretty. I just flat out suck at bumps but I don't care and have no desire to ski them on a regular basis.

 

[KevinF]

I still consider myself a low intermediate. I want to do better, but I get frustrated and seized by fear. Fear of speed. Fear of crowds. Fear of heights (and therefore pitch). I get a little crazy sometimes and just go for it, but sometimes that backfires, too.

I forget who said it, but (more or less): "Everybody has fear. A person who has no fear belongs in a mental institution. That or returning punts in the NFL".

Anybody who says that they honestly don't get scared at some point needs to try a bit harder. Doing something unknown -- whether it's going faster, or skiing steeper terrain, or new snow conditions -- is un-nerving. Leaving behind the safety and security of what your confident doing is scary. No two ways about that.

 

[2knees]

The whole 8 pages of arguing in the "can GSS ski" thread got me wondering. What do you think of your own skiing? Are you usually negative about it? Positive? Indecisive? Or do you just not really care?

I spend far too much time bitching at myself while i ski. always been that way. for the most part i consider myself a decent recreational skier and leave it at that. I want to primarily improve my bump technique. that is something that is always on my mind. i just dont seem to ever actually follow through on any of it.

 

[Beetlenut]

Well I tend to agree with the majority here. Sometimes I feel like I'm skiing great, other times I know I'm sucking wind. Visibility is a big factor for me. If the light is really flat, and I can't see the terrain changes, I tend to be tentative, and that kills any chance for good aggressive skiing. Since I've never seen my self ski, I'm not sure what I feel, translates to what I actually look like. But I'm always trying to improve. Either way, even a bad day of skiing beats most anything else I could be doing.

 

[andyzee]

I'm ok, can handle speed and steeps. Got a long way to go in the bumps and need to improve my form. Do I care, not really. Main thing to me is having a good time in the great outdoors, and there I'm a pro

 

[deadheadskier]

I would classify myself as an advanced skier. I can handle anything thrown at me that doesn't require mandatory air. I don't 'huck' much anymore unless I really feel like it and the landing looks safe.

I'm not an overly aggresive skier and I really don't focus too much on my form except sometimes when I'm carving and I feel my turns skid and realize I'm not weighted correctly over my skis.

I pretty much just try and have fun, challenge myself and remain in control.

 

[campgottagopee]

Consider myself a confident basher---don't give a damn about form anymore and feel as though can get down about anything thrown at me

 

[Mildcat]

I think this about sums it up.

That's the beauty of getting old .. you worry about it less and less..

I'm just having fun. Not trying to impress anyone. Not racing or being competitive. Maybe some friendly trash talking every once in a while with some friends but that's about it.

 

[riverc0il]

Charlie Schussler once summed up my own self evaluation pretty well by saying "when you need to make a turn, it is always there" or something to that effect. Being a big guy treading the delicate line between power and finesse, I will never be as graceful as I would like to be and my style, although practical, makes it look like I am working too hard (perhaps I am). But my overall self evaluation is pretty much right where I wanted to be eight years ago when I first said I wanted to be able to ski anything, anytime, anywhere... not just get down something but look decent and do it with some style to boot.

My biggest concern at this point is taking a step backward due to not skiing enough challenging terrain. Low angle powder glades has really softened up my approach. Cutting my teeth on some Cannon bark this weekend reminded me how I got to the point that I am at and reminded me of the need to keep pushing and finding challenging terrain. You want to get better? Ski just beyond your ability level... often. I lost some ground on the steep and tight but the turns are still there when I need them.