MySkiScore.com
A better approach to skiing
How can you make your family, friends, or yourself become skiers or ski better?
See
How you move
Compare
To Ski Moves
Succeed
With clear goals
Golfers have a score now skiers can too
Before skiing score
First time score
Skier score
Great Planning
(Video 1 crashing kids and adults)
Fewer than 20 percent of first timers who take a lesson become skiers.
But most don't take lessons and have an even harder time
A great plan creates success including weather, conditions, crowds, equipment, and the resort
Skiing with friends
Most try to learn on their own or from family or friends
They go to runs that are too difficult and it causes fear, frustration, or accidents.
With this "just do it" approach more than 80 percent do not become skiers.
Harder than it looks
Many think they will just have fun learn naturally but end up with these problems leaning back, turning from their shoulders, and leaning in
A one hour beginner lesson is many think is needed, but kids often regress and ski straight down with their skis in a wedge shape
Expecting that it is easy leaves most feeling like skiing is not for them.
A game changing approach
MySkiScore.com provides clear visual goals on the right slope.
Discover challenges beyond harder slopes that make skiing more engaging and safer.
Replace natural moves with Ski Moves.
Ski Moves™
(video 2 finish of a parallel turn on flat hill with flex and tip, one leg skier, sit skier, biker, Shiffrin slow mo)
These three simple moves are a challenge to develop and maintain because they are opposite the way we naturally move.
Simple does not mean easy!
1- Standing- start with an athletic stance
2- Turning- happens from the ground up.
3- Tipping- smoothly moving over the turn, this the essence of skiing.
Use the ankles to progressively move forward and then tip the upper body over the turn.
Precise timing keeps you moving over the turn- More on Ski Moves
Natural Moves
(video 3 stand on hill no skis, walk and turn, lean uphill, then skier doing)
Skiers like the challenge and freedom of trying to learn on their own, but end up using natural moves
Natural moves provide a sense of success because they work in some situations.
But these three natural moves make skiing more difficult, less safe, and keep most from becoming skiers.
It is also a challenge for intermediate and advanced skiers to replace natural moves with Ski Moves.
1- The first natural moves is leaning back on a slope so you use more of the tail of the ski. It is the biggest problem for skiers.
2- It causes even more natural turning with the upper body (shoulders and hips)
3- And that causes even more natural leaning inside the turn rather than tipping over the turn.
Natural moves cause skiers to move from the top down rather than the feet up.
They make it hard to ski slower, make smaller turns, make parallel turns, and to ski in control- More on natural moves
See the difference
(Video 4 split screen ski moves vs natural with drawings)
It is hard to know how you ski.
What we feel is often not what we are doing.
Our visual approach allows you to compare how you feel to how you are really moving.
Patience
This simple approach is not easy so don't get frustrated.
It takes patience, clear goals, and specific feedback.
Don't be in a rush, it takes time.
Before skiing
(video 5 the indoor ski moves)
Practice Ski Moves before skiing for the first time to know what to do and how to do it. It is harder outside on a slope.
73 percent of skiers ski less than six times a year, it is hard to improve at anything without more practice.
Practice between ski outings to improve.
Beginner lessons
Taking a lesson provides guidance and feedback, but less expensive beginner group lessons are often large with some fast learners and those who need a much slower pace.
If you need a slower pace you may think you don't have the ability to ski.
Fast learners can feel bored, especially because the newest instructors tend to teach these lessons and they may not see you need a faster pace.
Pacing
It is important to know when you are ready for a harder run. After a lesson your friends may be in a hurry to take you to more challenging runs. They may even be disappointed when your lesson ends on beginner slopes.
Harder runs can make you frustrated and reinforce defensive natural moves that put you in survival mode.
When you are done, you are relieved and don't plan to return for any more 'fun".
Safety
If you go to slopes that are too challenging, it is dangerous for you and other skiers.
You can't drive a car or skydive without training but people think it is ok to head down a slope on skis and everyone will be safe.
Hitting another skier or tree at 30 MPH is like falling off a three story building which causes catastrophic accidents
Private Lessons
Everyone learns in their own way and at their own pace
This makes private lessons better.
Private training is a trend in sports for the best experience and results.
Progress
Your progress depends on your age, fitness, ability, goals, and amount of quality practice.
The frequency, duration, intensity, and type of practice are important.
Many think they just need one lesson and will figure the rest out, but there is often regression after a lesson without feedback.
It can be hard to perform during a lesson, you may need some time to practice on your own. Our visual goals provide feedback.
Conditions
If the forecast is for a blizzard, temperatures far below zero, a rain storm the day before followed by a freeze, deep snowfall, or a very warm day creating thick sticky snow, it is best to reschedule to avoid a bad first experience that is often the last.
If it is a very crowded holiday or weekend the people around you can create a lot of fear.
The attitude that "we can handle anything" does not work for more than 80 percent of first timers.
If you return
The 19 percent who return are often athletic, thrill seeking, and enjoy learning on their own.
This approach can be fun but leads to skiing with natural moves that slow improving, limit progress, and are less safe.
Learning on your own can work with a lot of desire and talent, but in skiing there is the safety of others to consider. A good instructor will create success faster.
Do it yourself
If you decide to do it yourself, you can ski more, watch others, and follow good skiers, but it is easier if you know what moves to make.
It is hard to know how your moving, our comparisons help you see if you are making Ski Moves. Partner with a friend to video each other , or visit a resort with Snoweye or Yullr for automated AI video.
Most people don't look at top gymnasts and think, "I could do that", but think they can ski like top skiers because it looks easy and they do not understand the amount of time, talent, knowledge, and training involved. We help you focus on how you ski rather than just skiing harder runs.
Clear goals
Only about 7 percent of skier visits involve lessons. It is hard to know how well you ski so some think they have nothing to improve, others are recreational skiers and do not want to work on improving, but some think they can't improve.
People take lessons when they want more control on challenging slopes or to ski in more difficult conditions. Parents often want their kids to be able to slow down and turn more on steeper slopes or to ski with their skis parallel. It usually takes more than one lesson to reach these goals and the longer you ski on your own the harder it is to change.
If you become a high level skier who participates in slopestyle, big air, freeskiing, racing, or moguls there are clear goals. But having clear goals from the start creates more success faster.
Ski in control
Ski in control is number one on "Your Responsibility Code", but many cannot ski in control.
An emphasis on carving results in many people skiing faster than they can control. Apps that track vertical feet, maximum speed, and create leader boards make the slopes less safe as skiers compete and push those last runs when they are tired.
Skiers may quit because they think the slopes are too dangerous with out of control skiers, or they feel skiing is too hard on their body as they age because they can not ski slower. Skiing slower with some skidding gives you more control and helps you keep skiing for a lifetime.
Consistency
It is challenging to develop and maintain Ski Moves, but when the goals are changing it is even harder.
Ski Moves are timeless, it is about good execution, consistent goals are needed.
Looking for different ways to say the same thing is helpful, but looking for new techniques makes learning harder. Comments like, "physics doesn't change so good skiing doesn't change" contrasts with the idea that "skiing is constantly changing".
Different national techniques do not exist in other sports like golf, soccer, or swimming.
Precise timing is the recipe that describes how to make Ski Moves, it goes beyond a list of fundamental ingrediencies.
Ask your instructor to help you improve your ski score, they want to help you reach your goal and can take video of your skiing.
About
MySkiScore.com was developed, tested, and refined for more than 20 years using video analysis software with skiers of all levels from beginners to top athletes looking at the moves all skiers have in common rather than the differences between top skiers.
We worked with US Ski Team's National Development System, the US Special Forces trainers, National Ski Patrol trainers, the Professional Ski Instructors of America, and training directors from major resorts like Vail to small local resorts.
Thanks to all the coaches and instructors we worked with over the years especially Walt Evans, the former director of the National Development System.