Ski Instructing - Help

S

sambob

Member
Hey, so after 18 years of skiing i'm doing my level 1 instructor next month, any tips on what to expect? Do's and don'ts etc... also if anyone's got some carvers they fancy lending me :P don't think ill be looked at seriously if i rock up in twin tips.
 
listen to what the examiner says, they are assessing you so they want to see you ski how they would ski

learn your lesson plan, go do a few runs where you'll be teaching to scope out a few places to stop and do drills (breaks the run up and takes up more time)

remember kids lessons should be fun, play games around the skiing

be positive, be confident. you're not going to make anyone want to come skiing again by being boring

good luck!

ps, if you know what lesson you'll be teaching pm me and i can help you with a lesson plan
 
At level one its no as important but certainly as you go up higher getting your boots soaked in will be super important. The drills they will have you doing require a really good fit to be able to drive the skis correctly. Don't expect to be doing your higher levels in your spk's or full tilts. Now I disagree with most instructors that you need race boots but you will need some well fitted boots
 
thanks for the feedback, and i have Salomon RS 90's mold fitted, make my feet cramp like a mother fucker though, worst waste of £250 ever they were... As for level one i know i'l be able to do it with these boots but as for 3 and 4 when i eventually get there i'll buy some race specific boots and ski's.
 
If your current boots are causing you issues def go get them fitted before your course. Where did you have them fitted and what footbeds did you get. Also are you teaching indoors? If you can get up to the brighams at cas and have them fitted. The benefit is you can take them for a ski straight away.

As I said before dont worry about race boots if your in a wide boot like the rs you will not be fitting into a race boot. Well fitting boots are more important then what they are intended for
 
You won't need carve skis if you are only doing your level 1. As long as you can get some performance out of the skis doing a medium radius parallel turn then your examiners should pass you.

Which system are you being assessed in? NZSIA PSIA BASI CSIA? I'm not sure about the others but if they are anything like the NZSIA exams then you will get a run through of all the teaching scenarios that you can expect to be examined on. Bring a note pad and pencil and take notes of every exercise that they run through for each scenario. If you get told the teaching scenario you are going to be examined on the day before then practice it in your lounge room with parents/friends that night.

If you have been skiing for 18 years then you should be fine.
 
side note: i passed level 2 with hot doggers, just need the stiffer tounges!

if you are doing basi can i recommend getting out of it as quickly as possible and moving to another organisation, basi is up there as one if not the most expensive to register and run with
 
Yeah up to level 2 you will be ok, but certainly if you want to go for the higher levels you will want your equipment dailed in. I used to work with a lot of instructors and there is a big difference between level 2 and 3.

Overall enjoy why you do, it's a treat getting to work on snow.
 
PSIA level 1 is ridiculously easy. I was nervous too, but it was cake walk. Even on 191 surface one lifes. They are my teaching skis and the examiner got a kick out of it. And you dont need race boots for the upper levels. The head freestyle coach got his level 3 in hot doggers. Equipment doesnt out weigh the experience of the skier.
 
its more about how you present yourself in front of the group. don't get me wrong the knowledge of what you are teaching is important too, but they teach you everything you will need to know the day before the examination.
 
If you fail your level one kill yourself. I've seen people that have never skied before learn how to ski in 5 days and pass it. Its basically a joke.
 
I passed level 1 and 2 CSIA on center mounted twin tips. It was no big deal, just do what the examiner tells you to do. As long as your a good skier. If your a little rusty on your technique get some carving skis as they make all that stuff easier.

For level 3 and 4 you'd definitely need carving skis as the level of performance and nerdyness go through the roof.
 
i got my level 1 this year on centerd maidens, all basic stuff, if youve been skiing for 18 years youll probly be the best in the class
 
Afterbang like the steezy motherfucker you are everywhere you go, they will love that at the PSIA exam. Youll win the exam instantly.
 
thanks everyone, not gonna waste the money on some ski's that i'll never use again now, also i'm with BASI, and they are expensive as fuck, think it cost me £600 for the level 1, £42 membership, and i have to pass another first aid course (£100+) (even though i'm already first aid qualified) and i have to do the working with children thing (forgot its name) and again I've just finished Uni and my whole course was sports coaching so I've already got that too!

Whats hotdoggers? sounds interesting, may have to walk away from BASI and take one of these other routes. Also will these others governing bodies allow me to walk in with my BASI level 1 and start at level 2? bit of a bummer if not!

As for the person who asked where i got my boots fitted, i got them fitted at Sheffield Snow & Rock a few years back, only recently started skiing regular again, used 3 times in 3 years, past 5 months i've been hitting Cas twice a month at least, having to stay off the snow right now though, broke some ribs and dislocated a shoulder 5 week ago and im still in bits.
 
snow & rock Sheffield, and as for footbeds i literally have no idea, i've been meaning to go get refitted and i'm considering new insoles, i'll drop in @ Cas next time i go and have a word with a boot fitter.
 
yeh 18 years ... 3-16 i skied A LOT but since i turned 16 paying your own way in life takes its toll lol, 16-20 didnt ski much but now i try to ski at least 6-10 hours a month @ Cas, just haven't been in a assessment environment on ski's for so long its got me worked up, i went Wednesday though and ran threw all the basics, i can carve big or small, ski on either leg and turn fine, switch isnt a problem, my main problem is i've got in the really bad habit or not using my poles when i turn, this will be my downfall if any.
 
For Level 1, park skis should be fine. It's pretty easy as long as you listen to what the instructor says and try your hardest to do what they tell you. Possibly most importantly make sure you ski safe all the time (respect slow signs and stuff) or they'll just not want to pass you. And be positive and not shy at all.

Just try hard and you''ll be fine!
 
Yea man don't stress it. Learning to pole plant is pretty easy, for level 1 at least. They don't care too much about timing and position of pole plants till level 2 and 3. Just don't put too much thought into carving, the Canadian system at least, doesn't teach carving (turning by only putting the ski on edge) they describe turning as a combination of putting them on edge and pivoting the ski. You can find videos on YouTube of the level 1 standards. But don't worry about it too much.
 
do your level 1 with basi and then go for level 2 elsewhere

if i remember correctly even if you fail the candian level 2 you will still get csia level 1, it transfers over
 
Like many people said above, level 1 is super easy. Just make sure you study for the written exam. The ski part is a piece of cake.

Also I did mine on some old rossi s1 jibs and im training for my level 2 on 4frnt turbos. Twins are fine.
 
HOT-DOGGER-Ski-Boots.jpg

 
Go with another teaching system if you can. I work with some Brits and they all say basi is over complicated and expensive. Apparently your level 1 is only dry slopes? The basi is derived from CSIA anyways and the visa level 1 costs about 400 and doesn't require the rest of those courses.
 
yeah except for 50 percent off on patagonia, lange, smith, atomic, rossignol, poc, hestra, technica, nordica, marker plus a bunch other...
 
this is a really good response.

dont worry about your equipement unless its hurts. twin tips are fine for 1 &2 you need carvers for 3s but race boots still arent necessary. i ski on a slalom ski everyday and 140 flex race boots but i have been instructing for 3 years and i am a massive shin driver ( anything less than 130 flex i just fold in half) one of my buddies is a level 3 and a rookier examiner, much better skier than me, and weights about 20 kilos more than me too, and he wear a dalbello krypon pro.

 
If the organization you're doing it with (CSIA, PSIA, BASI etc) publishes standards for what you have to be able to do in terms of your skiing, figure out if you can actually meet those standards. Most of the time the wording (and video) for this stuff is really vague though.

 
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