which lesson?
Thanks! That’s what I’m leaning towards.. Might see if Mr.h0z can lend me some $$ for a few weeks..
I wouldn’t stress about it. Just rock up to the lesson area, read the signs for each level and make your best guess as to which one you’d fit into. Chances are there’ll be a range of abilities in each group anyway. When the instructors show up, have a chat to them and I’m sure they’ll sort you out.
Private lessons are great, but yeah very expensive and over all too quickly.
Yeh, I was leaning towards intermediate, (been reading the info on perishers site,) and thought that would be me.. And make sense to do beginner, then intermediate.. (did beginner 3 years ago, lol) but when reading the vague description.. Advanced appealed to me more, and intermediate sounded like alot of stuff I can do already. Might go the group.. And then get a private later on in the season.. Because I do like the sound of the private lessons.. Just not the cost! Hehe..
and I’m loving boarding so much (more than any other sport/hobby - except photography maybe) so I want to progress as much as I can each year, 
I caught a bit of your riding the other day. I would say you are intermediate but will be advanced with a few more days under your belt. Your next goal should be to get carving down pat, then just work on park - if that’s your thing.
yeah digital that is what I was saying…I reckon save your money until you can afford a private.
Can’t say I agree with you on this one. In my instructor days I used to go for twice the time because I thought the cost of private lessons was such a rip for the customer. I reckon there would be only 1-2 instructors per hill in Aus that would be able to give you good value for money on a private (level 3/4 ?? - I forget how the Aussie system works), but these guys will be off doing other things like coaching clinics or request privates for people with too much money.
If you ‘must’ take a lesson (personally I think you’d be better off just going snowboarding), one of the tricks is to grab an intermediate / advanced group lesson. If it’s not school holidays or a busy weekend, often you will be by yourself or with one other. Tell the instructor who is sorting the lessons what you can do and what you want to learn. They should put you in one of the top groups. Be aware that they get kids telling them all the time how awesome they are and that they should be in the top group. They will try to group all the non begginer riders together to save money, but you should speak up if you think you’ve been downgraded. You don’t want to be the best rider in the group. Instructors love giving int / adv lessons beause a. they get to work, b. begginer lessons suck, so don’t be afaid to bump yourself up a level.
If for some reason you are not happy with the lesson, got back and tell the ski school about. As long as you are nice about it, they should credit you with another lesson.
Maybe there’s a BW member that is a Perisher local that can spend some time with you in exchange for you buying them lunch or something????
If you can ride the steeper blues and blacks without side-slipping your way down, you’re probably in advanced, at least you would be at Hotham. Anyway, just jump in one and talk to the instructors and find out where they’ll be riding. I’m sure they’ll sort you out.
Thanks aj/mud!
I’m pretty sure I’m going to get an intermediate lesson on the Monday I’m down (15th) will be first day back at school too.. So hopefully quiet.. I’ll ask at the perisher center if intermediate will be right for me,
thanks everyone for the input and info!
A few things…
It sounds to me like you’d be better suited to an advanced lesson. At this stage, you want to be challenged so you can learn new skills and progress. The truth is this usually happens when we’re riding with people better than us (not saying that’s the case) and you’re taken out of your comfort zone a bit.
I tend to disagree with the private lesson suggestion, IF you get a good instructor. A good instructor should be able to cater to everyone’s needs in a group lesson. The key here: speak to the manager/supervisor and be honest about where you’re at and what you want to get out of the lesson. Don’t be afraid to say, “I want a good instructor”. You are a client paying good money, and if you’re up front, they will try their best to cater to your needs. Speak to them ahead of time.
Get in touch with Andy Aitken on here. I know he’s really busy down there, but he’s a great instructor and maybe he can take you for a couple of runs at some point during your trip. I’m sure he could give you some really good tips and then you can go grab some beers. No pressure, Andy haha.
Yeh I think I’ve progressed faster than I feel I usually would because Mr.h0z pushes me.. (well more I try to keep up.. And hit the jumps he does and feed off him.. - he has been teaching me jumps and spins.. And I taught him to tail press, thank you snowboard addiction!) his brother is also better and so are 2-3 other guys in the group.. Also I find helping a few of the guys out who are newer than me is helping me too!
I’ll contact Andy and see if he is free, even if its not for long.. Just a few runs or something, anything helps!
thanks jez!
No worries, Holly.
Worth mentioning: sometimes it’s not about how we progress in the lesson, but what we learn in the lesson. Whether that be through understanding of technique, or visually watching a demonstration, the progression usually comes after the lesson, when we have a chance to train ourselves through repetition and feel.
What I’m saying is, don’t be afraid to put yourself in a class that you perceive to be slightly above your skill level. Challenging yourself is the best way to learn. And as I said, a good instructor will cater to your needs.
Worth mentioning: sometimes it’s not about how we progress in the lesson, but what we learn in the lesson. Whether that be through understanding of technique, or visually watching a demonstration, the progression usually comes after the lesson, when we have a chance to train ourselves through repetition and feel.
this is why I want to do a lesson.. Not because I really feel I need one, but because I want to keep advancing, and improving
Are you coming to the Shred? Such a great way to progress. I feel those who come to the Shred progress so well during the week.
Like already mentioned riding more and longer sessions helped me. No smoko or lunch, ride till 2 for a quick feed then go till ya stuffed. I rode with some great boarders in Nozawa this year and just keeping up with them helped heaps.
Believe it or not riding with quality skiers can help also. if they turn heaps follow their lines and youll be pumping faster harder shorter carves and the skidded turns dissappear.
My goal is to stick with my mogul skier mate and get those damn bumps sorted. Argggh!
Yeh I’m coming to the shred.. But can only do 1-2 days.. Prob the wed and Thurs or Thurs and fri, the week before we are doing balmoral boards shred for 1-2 days aswell.. Lol. And the week after we are back for the week.. (we had planned and book our week long trips back in feb/march (I put my holidays in for work in march..) but next year I’ll try to save some more days to stay longer at the shred!
and deebs, this is why I follow Mr.h0z and his bro.. They used to leave me for dead and be sitting at the bottom.of the run waiting..
usually I don’t stop for lunch.. Just eat prepacked lunch on the lifts or wait at the bottom of a run for 10 mins, only really stop if I’ve hurt myself a bit or I need to go to the bathroom lol some times we all meet up and have a group lunch and a drink or 2.. But id rather be out boarding.. So try to limit that time to no more than 30 mins
While its awesome riding with a heap of friends I get so frustrated with all the phone calls chat about where to meet which run to do next should we have lunch at so and so. ...does my head in. Luckily a couple of em are yeah yeah whatever lets go.
agreed on that point deebs,