UKC

I turned 50 in 2014 and decided to learn to ski; which I have now done at the MK Snowzone. I have been cleared to use the main slope but I feel that I am too fast, I track across the slope but as soon as I turn I pick up speed and spend the rest of the time trying to slow down and avoid other skiers, pillars and walls (both of the latter I have visited while learning) .

I try to keep my weight (a lot of it) forward, weight on the down hill ski for turning but it seems to just run away with me, skid sideward, I try to head uphill to control the speed but it's not working. Is it that I am new to the sport and to me just seem to be going fast when in reality I'm not... any suggestions or advise?

In reply to Richard Smith:

Are you certain that your boots are tight enough? You will have next to no control over direction or speed if your shoes don't fit properly.

In reply to Richard Smith:

Without having seen you ski it's hard to know but my first thought is that it's probably to do with what your upper body is doing. Look up some stuff about contra-rotation of the upper body, hand position (keep your hands up where you can see them ALL the time - don't drop the hand that's on the pole you just planted, etc.)

The idea is that as you complete the turn your chest is still pointing down the slope which brings the skis across the fall line and controls your speed as you exit the turn so you're ready to set up for the next one without having to traverse for miles trying to slow down and dodge the fixtures.

In reply to Richard Smith:

You gather speed during the portion of the turn that your skis point down (or close to) the fall line. If you are gaining too much speed you may be spending too much time in that position i.e. not making the turn quickly enough or not fully completing the turn.

The things AdrianC says will help with this.

In reply to Richard Smith:
Congrats on discovering skiing! I too ski at the MK centre.

Lots of good answers so far. Things I'd add:
1. Get a lesson. Worth the money to avoid early bad habits and confidence-loss

2. Speed and control are relative. You will pick up speed as you turn. Until you get comfortable with (and even learn to enjoy) that feeling, you may feel out of control. The things your body naturally does in this situation. (E.g. lean uphill, attempt to turn faster, etc.) can actually make you lose more control and skid or slide around more, and you may tense up and start to fear each turn. Get comfortable with turning by doing one at a time. Allow yourself to traverse to a halt after each turn. And for those moments you don't think this will slow you down enough, get comfortable doing ice hockey style stops. Once you feel more confident with individual turns, try to link a couple at a time. Posture is important, but confidence is the key.

3. If you are slipping too much downwards when traversing, your stance may be wrong. Your feet and knees should be shoulder width apart, and your knees both bent uphill so your weight is on your ski edges not bottoms. It's really hard to slide downhill in this position. To make this even more effective, tip your pelvis uphill a little and look downhill. Sounds contorted, but it all helps to put your weight on those edges.

34 The MK slope can be busy. Other beginners will be erratic and you're right to be conscious of them as you go. Better skiers may zoom past and make you feel nervous. Pick quieter times if you can.

In reply to Richard Smith:
My advice when teaching beginners is to practice making the turn starting from a complete stand-still and keep turning until you come to a complete stop.

If your downhill (outside) ski is slipping in the turn it may be because you are bracing your legs in the turn rather than bending them. Stand up tall into the turn, then turn until your pointing down the fall line, then bend the knees and ankles to absorb the force as you go through the second half of the turn.

You will probably find turning one way is easier than the other

In reply to Pete Houghton:

Yes they fit fine.

In reply to Potemkin:

MK was very bust when I done lessons 4 & 5, it was the Tuesday between Christmas and New Year. I was going last Tuesday but was ill, I might go tomorrow as I'm off work tomorrow but I will see how I feel as I'm still recovering. Not having been skiing for a couple of weeks I'm missing it and really want to go again to practice.

You are right there has been some good advice which I will take note and put into practice.

Thank you for you help.

In reply to Richard Smith:

It's impossible to tell just from your description what's happening, you really need someone to see you ski. Have you thought about a one to one session with a good ski instructor? Also if you can get out of the fridge and onto a real slope. I know it's not so easy from MK but if you can get up to Scotland when the weather's settled down a bit it could help having a bit more room.

In reply to Richard Smith:

MK is basically rubbish. The artificial snow is often dirty and granular, the slope is very shallow and very short, and it's often crowded. I think you have exhausted its limited possibilities. Book a week or even two in a big Alpine resort, have some lessons, and you won't look back. I used to take my kids to MK but once you can ski basic parallel turns there's not much point in using it - and it's shockingly expensive for what it is. If you enjoy it, the real thing will blow your mind. Bon ski!