MySkiScore.com
A different approach to skiing
See
How you move
Compare
To Ski Moves
Improve
With clear goals
Few succeed
Only 19 percent of first timers who take a lesson become skiers.
More than half don't take a lesson and have an even harder time.
Skiing with friends
Most learn on their own or from family or friends.
They go to runs that are too difficult and it causes fear, frustration, or accidents.
After a lesson friends often take first timers to slopes that are too difficult thinking that a beginner lesson is all they need to ski with them.
Harder than it looks
People think skiing will fun like tubing without much planning, knowledge, or preparation.
The expectation that it is easy leaves most disappointed and feeling that skiing is too hard for them.
This "just do it" approach does not work well.
A game changing approach
MySkiScore.com provides clear goals that make the first time skiing more successful
The goals are more engaging and safer than just skiing harder slopes for experienced skiers. Some think they reached their potential long before they have.
Golfers have a score to measure their performance and now skiers do too.
Natural Moves
Skiers like the challenge and freedom of trying to learn on their own, but they end up using natural moves rather than Ski Moves.
Natural moves provide a sense of success but they make learning more difficult, skiing less safe, and keep most from becoming skiers.
The first of three natural moves is leaning back on a slope. It is the biggest problem in skiing and causes even more of the second natural move which is turning the with the upper body. This causes more of the third natural move leaning inside the turn.
These three natural moves are opposite Ski Moves.
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. Learn more here
Ski Moves™
The most important move in skiing is the essence of skiing which is smoothly moving over the turn.
Skiing is a sport so it starts with an athletic stance.
Turning happens from the ground up.
Skiers use their ankles to move forward and tip their upper body to the outside of the turn while facing toward that direction.
Precise timing to keep moving until the end of the turn is the key to flowing over the turn. Learn more here
Feel and see
What we feel is often not what we are doing, golfers say feel is not real.
It is hard to know how you ski
Our visual approach allows you to compare how you feel to how you are really moving.
Patience
The goal is to replace the three natural moves with Ski Moves.
This simple approach is not easy because ski moves are opposite these natural moves.
It takes patience, clear goals, and specific feedback to develop and maintain Ski Moves, it is easy to get frustrated or be impatient.
Before skiing
Practice Ski Moves before skiing for the first time to know what to do and how to do it.
73 percent skiers ski less than six times a year, it is hard to improve at anything without more practice.
Practice before every ski trip helps experienced skiers visualize, feel Ski Moves, and improve.
Beginner lessons
Taking a lesson provides guidance and feedback, but less expensive beginner group lessons are often large with a range from fast learners to those who need a much slower pace.
If you need a slower pace you may feel frustrated and think you don't have the ability to ski.
Fast learners can feel bored.
Pacing
It is important to know when you are ready for a harder run. Your friends may think you know how to ski after a lesson and just need more challenge.
This can make you frustrated and reinforce natural moves that are defensive and put you in survival mode.
When it is over 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.
It seems obvious that you can't try skydiving without training but people traditionally think it is ok to put on skis and head down a slope without training and everyone will be safe.
Private Lessons
Everyone learns in their own way and at their own pace which makes private lessons better.
Private training is a trend in sports for best results.
Progress
Your progress depends on your age, fitness, ability, goals, and amount of quality practice.
The frequency, intensity, duration, and type of practice are important.
Many think they just need one lesson and will figure the rest out, but it takes more than one lesson. There is often regression after a lesson without visual feedback.
It can be hard to perform during a lesson, you may need some time for self discovery. Our visual comparisons 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, you should reschedule to avoid an expensive bad experience.
The attitude that "we can handle anything" does not work for 81 percent of first timers.
Careful planning creates success.
If you return
Most skiers are self taught, the 19 percent who return are often athletic, thrill seeking, and enjoy learning on their own. The main goals are usually skiing harder runs and going faster.
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 well especially with a lot of inspiration and talent for things like music and art. But in skiing there is the safety of others to be concerned about. Instruction creates more success faster with a good instructor.
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 to see if you are making Ski Moves. Partner with a friend to video each other to analyze your video.
Most people don't look at top gymnasts and think, "I could do that", but many they think they can ski like top skiers because they do not know the amount of time, talent, knowledge, and training involved. 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, many think they are better than they are, others are recreational skiers and do not want to work on improving. Some think they can't improve.
People usually 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 takes more than one lesson to reach these goals and the longer they ski on their own the harder it is to change.
If you become a high level skier that participates in slopestyle, big air, freeskiing, racing, or moguls there are clear goals. But having clear goals from the start creates more success, especially for the 81 percent who do not become skiers.
Ski in control
Ski in control is the first item on "Your Responsibility Code", but many cannot ski in control. Skis with a lot of side cut make caving easier but it is like giving a sports car to anew driver.
An emphasis on carving results in many people skiing faster then they can control. Apps that track vertical feet, maximum speed, and create leader boards make the slopes less safe as skiers compete for top places and push those last runs when they are tired.
Hitting another skier or tree at 30 MPH is like falling off a three story building which causes catastrophic accidents and deaths. Most skiers taking a lesson are looking for more control on steeper slopes and in more challenging conditions.
As skiers age they may quit if they feel skiing is too hard on their body because they can not ski slower. Skiing slower with some skidding gives you more control and helps you ski longer.
Consistency
It is challenging to develop and maintain Ski Moves. It takes a consistent approach. If the goals are changing it is even harder.
Ski Moves are timeless, it is about good execution. A consistent focus is needed.
Looking for different ways to say the same thing is helpful, but looking for new techniques makes learning harder. You hear comments like, "physics doesn't change so good skiing doesn't change" which contrasts with the idea that "skiing is constantly changing".
There are many national techniques that do not exist in other sports like golf, soccer, swimming, or basketball.
Precise timing is the formula that describes how to make Ski Moves, it goes beyond a list of fundamentals.
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
Many people think how you ski does not matter, that you should just have fun. But most first timers do not have fun and so they do not become skiers. The ones who do often struggle to improve or lack control and make the slopes dangerous.
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 natural moves all skiers have in common not just the differences between top skiers.
We worked with US Ski Team's National Development System, the Professional Ski Instructors of America, National Ski Patrol trainers, the US Special Forces trainers, 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.