Skiing Ability Definitions for Ride and Glide Ski Club (2020)

Now that we're on snow we want to make sure we get you into the correct group based on your ability.  Remember this is a Technique Club, not a Training/Workout Club.  True you will get a workout doing these drills, especially at the advanced level, but that's not why we are here.  We're here teach you how to go Further, Faster, and Longer with less effort

First I guess I should define what I think makes a Beginner, an Intermediate, and an Advanced skier. I don't believe we have any advanced classic skiers.  Our goal is to get you to the intermediate level were you look like you could go fast if you wanted to and then it takes concerted effort to move to the next level in classic

I can define a beginner classic or skate skier and an advanced skater.  Any student not fitting the description for these levels falls in the Intermediate group. 

BEGINNER: (Any One of the following points defines a student as a beginner)

Quantitative:

    1) Never skied before or very few times

    2) Never had any instruction, Inexperienced

    3) Never had any instruction, Experienced,  but may have bad habits.  Needs to be looked at by Coach for evaluation of proficiency to determine group assignment.

These levels are meant to keep you with other students who are moving at a similar pace.  That keeps the groups more consistent and easier to teach.  The teaching is pretty much the same beginner to intermediate, it's just the intensity and the attention to details that change.

Subjective:  If below describes you,  you should be in the beginner group

Classic (beginner)

    1) Just shuffles along or walks on skis

    2) Uses poles mostly for balance and stability

    3) Little or no weight shift from leg to leg

    4) Does not achieve much glide

    5) Has poor balance, falls frequently

Classic (intermediate)

    1) Kick and glide with good rhythm and balance: "kick" means using full weight on one leg to initiate the force that translates into glide; "glide" means balancing on one foot while gliding in the Classic Diagonal Position.

    2) Able to negotiate downhills safely, by snowplow and schuss.

    3) Balance is stable enough to support weight transfer, in movements like step-turning corners or changing lanes.

    4) Can double pole for slight uphills; has knowledge of kick-double pole

    5) Transitions between techniques has some fluidity

One indication of a good classic skier is that the tail of the ski comes off the snow.  This is not an intentional lifting of the tail, but it's the result of good forward lean and extension related to the speed and extent of the glide. If you have the majority of these skills but significant problems on others, the coaches may suggest you spend a few sessions with the beginner group to improve those deficiencies, before you return to the intermediate group for more work on the details.

Skate (Beginner)

    1) Poor V1 timing or no V1 at all

    2) Stays in the middle, does not get out over the skis

    3) Limited glide before having to fall back to other ski

    4) Insists on field skating all the time

    5) Poor Free Skate, minimal glide

Do all of these and student graduates to Intermediate

    1) Climb the first hill in the woods on the Green Tail at Lake Elmo or the Donut at Elm Creek using V1 without breaking into a field skate

    2) Good V1 on one side on easy terrain

    3) Defined Field Skate on one side in good conditions.  (YES!, That's a Field Skate)

    4) Somewhat less proficient V2 but it should be recognizable in good conditions (can still have balance problems)

    5) Good smooth Free Skate without poles

ADVANCED: (ALL the following points define a student as advanced)