Skiing Made Easier is the follow-up to Skiing Made Easy. It is based
on what I learnt while training to be a ski instructor with BASI, and on
many happy seasons of ski teaching at the ESF in Val Thorens.
Demonstrations are performed by Marina, Elodie, Kasper and Griff. I
demonstrate some of the more mundane techniques myself, as well as all
the mistakes.
The photos and diagrams are an important part of the book. They
illustrate the ski technique (and other points under 'by the way'
sub-headings) described in the text.
The photos include composite images of a carved turn, a short turn,
bumps skiing, and powder skiing off piste.
Among the diagrams, one shows different lines/turn shapes when carving,
and another depicts a suggested line through bumps.
The book references a number of YouTube videos to illustrate points of
ski technique and other matters such as physical training exercises and
ski servicing.
Skiing Made Easier picks up where Skiing Made Easy left off, and the
first chapter is Refining Your Parallel Turns.
The chapters on ski technique beyond basic parallel turns are Carving,
Short Turns, Bumps and Off Piste.
Then there are further chapters on Avalanche and Mountain Safety, Ski
Psychology, Physical Preparation, Ski Servicing and Alpine Wildlife.
'Common faults' sections identify mistakes that are often made when
learning each ski discipline, and how to correct them.
Under 'Exercises' sub-headings I recommend drills to correct some
common faults and to develop and improve your skills.
'By the way' passages contain information about many of the little bits
of skiing knowhow that people often assume you just know, but you may
not.
Who Is the Book For?
The book is aimed at a range of skiers.
If you've mastered basic parallel turns and want to improve further,
the book is for you.
Equally, it will be valuable to you if you have much more skiing
experience - for example, if you're in the process of qualifying to be a
ski instructor.
I hope that the chapters on Ski Psychology and Physical Preparation
will be of interest to keen skiers of all levels.
Skiing Made Easier starts with a Refining Your Parallel Turns
chapter.
It includes a reminder of the main points about basic parallel turns,
and some common faults and how to fix them.
One of the 'by the way' sections contains advice about ski boots.
Chapter 2: Carving
Chapter 2 is about Carving. Once you've mastered basic parallel
turns, carving is the logical next step.
The chapter includes tips on getting started ('the early stages of
learning to carve'), then detailed technique for carving.
A 'by the way' section has information about carving in ski racing.
Chapter 3: Short Turns
Chapter 3 focuses on short turns.
I go through technique for classic short turns, including the concept
of rotational separation.
Suggested exercises include bracage, spiess, tic-tacs and dolphin
turns.
There are 'by the way' sections on slushy snow, skating, and the
deckchair trick.
Chapter 4: Bumps
Chapter 4 starts with information about bumps skiing, including its
development as a freestyle discipline from the late 1960s onwards.
There's detailed guidance on mogul skiing technique, and how to apply
it to bumps on steeper slopes.
The final section deals briefly with other freestyle disciplines such
as half pipe and snowpark.
Chapter 5: Off Piste
Chapter 5 covers off piste, starting with an 'about' section which
includes advice about equipment.
'The early stages of off piste' has suggestions for getting started
in powder. 'Skiing off piste' goes through technique in detail - not
only for powder, but also for other snow types.
The chapter finishes with a brief introduction to ski touring.
Chapter 6: Avalanche and Mountain Safety
The chapter on avalanche and mountain safety is a good introduction
to the subject, but not a substitute for full reference works or
on-snow training.
The sub-sections of the chapter are books and courses, risks,
equipment, preparing a trip, skiing an itinerary, avalanches, and
accident procedure.
Key elements include assessing avalanche risk and conducting
transceiver searches.
Chapter 7: Ski Psychology
This chapter is largely based on two ski psychology books, Inner
Skiing and Skiing Out of Your Mind.
I discuss fear, relaxation, concentration, visualisation, operant
learning, constructive thinking, falling, and belief and confidence.
Even the biggest sceptic will get something out of learning ski
psychology.
Chapter 8: Physical Preparation
Physical preparation is optional, but any fitness training you do in
advance of a ski trip will make your skiing better and more enjoyable.
Chapter 8 covers warm-up, stretching and cool-down, aerobic fitness,
leg strength and power, core strength, and balance and coordination.
Chapter 9: Ski Servicing
This chapter on ski servicing focuses on sharpening your edges and
waxing your bases.
I link to a good ski servicing video so you can see the techniques I
mention applied in practice.
I also mention repairs to ski bases, base grinds, and waxing your
sidewalls.
Chapter 10: Alpine Wildlife
Chapter 10 isn't a comprehensive guide to Alpine wildlife, but a look
at a few of the animals and birds you're most likely to see while in a
European ski resort in Winter.
Animals mentioned include mountain hares, foxes, marmots, ibexes and
chamois; among the birds featured are ptarmigans, Alpine choughs, snow
finches and Alpine accentors.
