Skiing

Earlier in the year I took part in some research for the Canadian Avalanche Centre who in collaboration with the Simon Fraser University were conducting a study on avalanche awareness of out-of-bounds skiers and snowboarders. The goal is to develop better avalanche awareness materials for this group.

Analysis of the data collected is ongoing but as a thank you they sent me a copy of their pocket book and reminder card entitled "Avaluator" which was based on initial research cumulating in 2006. I received mine in the post yesterday and it looks to be a useful tool to aid decision making and a check list for those venturing off piste.

Obviously this type of publication is no substitute for training and using a guide but it aims to provide skiers and boarders with a tool which will enable them to avoid obvious mistakes and "set them on a path of learning and practising good habits".



For more information see the Canadian Avalanche Centre web site at:

http://www.avalanche.ca/default.aspx?DN=428,4,558,3,Documents

And Pascal Haegeli's site at:

http://www.avisualanche.ca/adfar1/avaluator.html


Update:

Following a couple of emails to Pascal, he comments:

"The Avaluator combines two methods for personal risk management on backcountry trips in avalanche terrain.

The Trip Planner allows the user to pick reasonable trip destinations based on the regional danger rating from the avalanche bulletin and a trip rating that expresses the exposure of the trip to avalanche hazard in general. For more background in terrain ratings visit:

http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/banff/visit/visit7a1_e.asp
http://www.avalanche.ca/default.aspx?DN=646,428,4,558,3,Documents

The Obvious Clue Method was developed by Ian McCammon based on US avalanche accident data. The idea is that the more clues are present, the more similar your situation to past avalanche accidents. You can find more background on this method in the following papers:

http://www.avisualanche.ca/downloads/2004_ISSW_DecisionFrameworks.pdf
http://www.avisualanche.ca/downloads/2006_ISSW_McCammonHaegeli.pdf
http://avalancheinfo.net/ADFAR%20Proj%20Docs/CAAReviewEuropeanDecisionFrameworks.pdf

There are two parts to the recommendations of the Avaluator:

1) The colors on the Trip Planner Chart and the Obvious Clue Scale (green-yellow-red) are expert recommendations about what level of training and experience is necessary to safely travel in avalanche terrain under the given conditions.

2) In the booklet we also provide estimates on the percentage of historic US avalanche accident that could have been prevented if the accident parties would have followed these guidelines. A comparison of US and Canadian avalanche accidents showed that their characteristics are comparable and these percentages are applicable in Canada as well.

So while the Avaluator contains some common sense recommendations, the user should be aware that the recommendations were developed by North American experts and that the percentage of prevented accidents is based on North American accident statistics.

The Avaluator does not have any capabilities to predict individual avalanches. It is built on historic avalanche accidents from North America and its goal is to make users aware of conditions that have resulted in accidents in the past. The recommendations of the Avaluator provide the users with a sense of how much training and experience is necessary to safely travel in avalanche terrain under different conditions. The Avaluator provides a new accident perspective to complement the existing avalanche safety methods such as snow science, group management and rescue skills."

Winter and skiing seem a long way away sitting here with the sun shining and a gentle breeze blowing across the garden.

Even though it's early Summer there are things we can do to help set up our skiing for the Winter. Perhaps one of the simplest is walking up the stairs. It's the perfect chance to develop a key skill which will speed your up skiing development, it's free and one no one need know !

In order to climb the stairs you need to use your legs effectively, as you do when skiing. Because you've been walking up stairs quite successfully for years it's likely you don't give it a second thought, but if you think about it the movements you make are actually quite complex.

So the next time you walk up the stairs try and pay close attention to feelings you get from your feet and legs. Are you stomping ? Is your footfall soft ? Where are your feet landing ? Does the left feel different to the right ? Use all the 'feedback' mechanisms available to you. Feel, listen and maybe take a quick look at what's going on too.

Then walk up the stairs again. This time modify your movements based on what you have just felt. Maybe make your steps softer, or their placement more accurate. Or if you noticed a difference between the left and the right see if you can even it up. Each time you walk up the stairs or go for a walk, try and be aware of your footfall and how your legs are moving.

This simple activity helps you develop your 'internal' feedback skills, in this case a heightened awareness of what your legs and feet are doing. This is a key skill which will help you improve your skiing. By accurately feeling what's happening under your feet means that you are able to modify your movements and make fine adjustments, and then feel the difference.

When you get back on skis this will pay dividends. Your heightened awareness of whats happening under your feet will enable you to know better how you are skiing. You can then change how you are skiing and feel the difference. When working with your ski Coach or Instructor you will be able to compare your 'internal' feedback, i.e. how your performance felt to you, to your Coaches verbal feedback, how your run it looked to him.

By having more accurate information and a fuller understanding of how you are skiing you will be able to progress faster.

I just caught a section of Derren Brown's 'trick or treat' program on Channel 4 and the theme was negative reinforcement.

He was conducting an experiment with a tight rope walker, a good one at that, not only could he walk a tight rope, he could skip at the same time. . . . . . .

After seeing the guy do his stuff on the high wire Derren Brown asked him to repeat the performance, BUT while thinking "I must NOT fall". The "Do NOT fall" message was reinforced by adding an inflatable crash mat and Derren Brown repeated the instruction "Do NOT fall" several times and just before he started.

Guess what ?

The same tight rope walker who had a moment ago walked the high wire, skipped with a skipping rope and all without any safety net "went to pot". His balance was poor, his movements less accurate and eventually he fell to the mat.

This graphically demonstrates how focusing on a negative element of your performance simply reinforces that negative. In the case of the tight rope walker, focusing on "not falling" caused him to eventually fall.

So in a simple skiing example, when your ski instructor says "Don't let your hands drop back" and you keep that as your focus on your next run, as likely as not you'll end up doing exactly the thing you were trying to avoid and the instructor was trying to address.

For success it's far more effective to focus on the positive. In the case of the "hands" a more helpful instruction from the Instructor, and focus for you could be "Keep your hands forward".

It's all to easy for instructors to fall into the trap of using 'Negative' instructions with their clients, so should your Instructor say "don't do" such and such, gently turn the request around and ask them to tell you what you should be doing !

ps. It should be possible to see the program again for 30 days using C4s on demand service - see http://www.4od.com

Top golfers use 'stepping stones' !

Watching BBC Breakfast over my toast and coffee the other morning, the program switched into sports mode with an interview with Justin Rose the top English golfer competing in the US Masters.

Justin, currently ranked top European and 9th in the World was being interviewed about his excellent start to the event, topping the leader board after the 1st day.

During the interview he described how winning major tournaments such as the US Masters was his long term career goal and how he has broken this goal down into smaller goals, winning specific tournaments of increasing importance.

I nearly choked on my coffee when he described these intermediate goals as 'stepping stones'. This is exactly the same way as I describe the goal setting process to my skiing clients and on my web site.

The idea is to break down a 'big' goal into smaller, more achievable sub goals (or stepping stones) which lead you towards the 'big' one. These stepping stones cover not just outcomes or results but also incorporate elements such as technique, equipment, fitness, tactics or psychology depending on your relative position to your 'big' goal.

Justin was also using the 'stepping stone' idea to manage the possibility of not winning at the Masters. During the interview he stated that he still had a few steps to go before he expected to win events such as the Masters - not that it wouldn't be nice. This meant he could try his best for the win without too much self imposed pressure, as should he loose, he still had his pre planned 'stepping stones' which will lead him to success.

The great thing for skiers everywhere is that this approach is not confined to top level sports people but available to everyone. Start now - decide what your 'big' goal is and take it from there !

Focus and Concentration in skiing

Snow, Sky, Snow, Crash. It had been going so well, I was just 2 gates from the end of a GS race course.

The race in question being part of the qualification process for a ski instructor licence. The idea is to ski the GS course within a percentage time set by a pro ski racer. You get 2 go's and the best time counts. The first run was going fantastically and a few gates from the end I found myself thinking "bloody hell, I've nearly done this, just let it be over!"

The next thing I knew, it was. I'd crashed head over heals trying to make the the penultimate gate, so it was back to the top for a final go. I knew I could do it as I'd still got several seconds in hand while recovering after the crash. The second run started 'so so' and I found myself on wrong the line through the 'easy' top gates. This wasn't going well . . . . . . .

The thing is, 'technically' I was easily capable of skiing the course within the time required. My equipment was good and I had the right tactics worked out for the course but my 'head' was not so good. It was not a confidence issue or a problem dealing with the 'pressure', but the lack of concentration & focus. Prior to the crash I had switched my focus from skiing the correct line through the gates to "just finishing" and at the start of the second run I wasn't focused at all, "just skiing".

This is a problem for many recreational skiers (and participents of other sports) when they encounter tricker slopes or challenging conditions:

• A good friend and fellow coach often comments that when he's skiing powder his run goes really well, up until the point he thinks "I can't believe how well this is going" at which point he takes a fall !
• During one of my race training runs I was surprised by an unexpected shadow on the course (it was immediately after lunch). I thought "ah, I'm going into shadow - this could be tricky" and promptly missed the next gate as a result. Doh !
• More randomly I once found myself circulating Oulton Park race circuit on a 250cc race bike thinking "I wonder what's for tea" !!!!

As well as being intrusive and changing your focus, these thoughts often have negative connotations: 

• When things ate going well, the idea forms that your performance would normally be 'worse'.
• I may not finish the race or loose the game.
• This is going to be hard or tricky. 
• or just not paying attention.

Luckily once you become aware of this type of thought it's easy to recognise. When they do pop up it's simply a case re focusing on the task to hand. The line through gates in case of my race or linking the next turns together for my powder friend. It worked for me in my race test, and I finished 5th and made the time.

 

I was recently asked to give some feedback to a couple of fellow instructors.

The first is planning to take their next instructing qualification and wanted a view on their current 'technical' level while the second asked for my thoughts after shadowing his Carving workshop for ski school clients.

Watching both Instructors was thought provoking and hopefully proved very positive for everybody concerned.

One thing that struck me during the week is the importance for Instructors to be able to match the best available slope to the learner skiers ability and the skiing activity planned. This is a fundamental skill for an instructor and is based on the ability to accurately judge the many variables involved, and is a key to a positive outcome for their clients.

The impact of these decisions for skiers in early the stages of learning is even more critical, and is complicated by the lift & piste combinations available in the resort. There are plenty of anecdotes about instructors who have pushed their clients too hard, too soon with negative results. A good instructor will not be afraid to return to easier slopes if need be.

Some resorts are extremely learner friendly and offer an excellent progression of slopes for beginners. Pila in the Aosta Valley Italy and Baqueira in Spanish Pyrenees are excellent resorts offering good piste progression giving lots of options for Instructors and skiers alike.

I found myself unexpectedly taking a class last week in the Pyrenees. The group was a Mother and 3 kids, the youngest only aged 5 or so. I was shocked to realise that non were wearing Sun Glasses or Goggles. When I mentioned that it would be a good idea to put them on it became clear that they had been left in the car.

The Mother and later the Father were unconcerned at the potential damage the sun was doing so I called the lesson to an early end.

Bright sun, high altitude and unprotected eyes don't mix !

Hostau Era Claverola
Good value B&B Accommodation in Salardu, just below Baqueira. Regular bus services or 5 minutes in the car.

email Nuria the manager



Auviatge Miret
During my 06/07 Baqueira Winter season we stayed in a lovely apartment in the village of Garos. Garos is about 1/3 of the way up the valley from the main town of Vielha and the drive up to Baqueira takes around 15 minutes in the car (a fiat Panda in our case!). A Bus service runs up and down the valley and the bus stop is about 3 minutes from the apartment with a convenient 8.15 bus getting me to the Tuc Blac at 8.40 ish in time for coffee before ski school.

Judit was our host and her apartments are new build and of very high quality and include underground parking. Her web site is: www.auviatgemiret.com