4 ms·

When I was learning how to ski there was one helpful advice from computer science that became the most important advice I'd ever told myself (when it comes to l

When I was learning how to ski there was one helpful advice from computer science that became the most important advice I'd ever told myself (when it comes to learning how to ski). I was thinking about finite state machines at the time. The advice is: you need to know whether you are in a: good state, acceptable failure state, unacceptable failure state. The rule: never ever ever ever get into an unacceptable failure state. Moreover, define an unacceptable failure state as such. In my case, an unacceptable failure state had anything to do with potential chances to get irreversible damage. I am athletic in a few ways (e.g. running) but skiing hits all my bad points (balance, flexibility and reaction time). Learning how to ski was quite hellish for me, but my GF pushed me and I basically had little choice. On the one hand I'm grateful, on the other hand I still remember the pain too well. So, how to get in an acceptable failure state all the time? I realized I needed to learn how to fall. The irony was that my ski-instructor never told me this, he simply taught me some very basic skiing skills but that's it. Once you learn how to fail, you can get into an acceptable failure state :) You'll be bruised, but it's better than skiing of a cliff. For a long while (2 years), falling was the only way reliable way for me to break. Yes I could do a snowplough but it simply slowed my acceleration in the beginning and later it slowed my speed up to a point. I had to learn the hockey stop in order to find another way to reliably break. Your mileage may vary though ;-) Good state, acceptable failure state, unacceptable failure state. Combine that with some basic ski lessons and a helpful skiing partner and you'll learn how to ski. I started at 27 against my will and can ski okay-ish on a red piste a few years later.

dncornholio 5y ago
I took another advice from computer science: Don't be afraid to break things. If you're afraid to fall, you will fall awkward and painful. But if you're prepared to fall, it will have less consequences. Also: always wear goggles and helmet.
- mettamage 5y ago
  Yea, I agree with don't be afraid to fall. When I say fall, I mean: falling sideways.
bujak300 5y ago
Recently I saw kids on the slopes learning to ski with like a braking parachute attached to torso and hands - if they spread out the hands it would open a 2sqm "wing" and they would slow down a lot, genius
pjmorris 5y ago
As a non-athletic native Floridian who made some adventurous friends, I started skiing at 38 by tagging along when some went on a ski trip (Utah.) Knowing my deficits, I signed up for lessons all six days of the trip, and could hockey stop by the end of the trip. For the next five years, I made sure to take at least one lesson day on every ski trip. I agree with the notion of staying out of unacceptable failure states. I managed that by having experienced guides with me at all times. My favorite piece of advice came from the instructor on day 1: 'Skiing is like dancing with gravity, and the mountain always leads.'
fps-hero 5y ago
When comparing skiing with snowboarding, the one thing you always hear is skiing is far easier learn than snowboarding, which is largely true. What no-one tells you is it’s far easier as a beginner to get yourself in a truely dangerous situation on skis. The worst fall on skis was on my first day. As an experienced snowboarder, I was zooming down the beginner slopes in no time, so naturally I thought I’d punch in my lift ticket. The thing with skiing is you feel like you have great control, but when you hit a slope that’s a little too steep, or a little too icy and you start to rocket down the hill with no way to turn out of it, that’s when it gets dicey. It’s terrifying losing control, going way to fast to stop, and you can’t just fall backwards out of it. Your strapped in for the ride. I had to fall sideways at decent speed, which feels like having the wind knocked out of you, not fun. And my skis when rocketing down to the bottom of the hill to add insult to injury. The thing with snowboarding is it’s nearly impossible to find yourself in that kind of situation as a beginner. If your out of your depth, you can always fallback to skidding down the hill sideways and leafing it down. You never go that fast starting out, because going fast requires edge control that you won’t have. If you do happen to flat board down a hill, you’ll quickly find yourself catching an edge and eating snow, a swift reminder to never try that again. The first week of snowboarding where you are constantly falling over sets you up well for preparing to ball out safely. By the time you can carve a slope, you’ll have no trouble balling out of any sketchy situation.
- octoberfranklin 5y ago
  Plus the fact that both feet are connected to the same piece of equipment via non-release bindings eliminates a whole class of injuries. In theory if the ski turns into a lever rotating your knee the bindings are supposed to release. That doesn't always happen. I don't know if skiing is easier to learn, but the learning phase is certainly more enjoyable. Less time sitting on your butt, and poles take less effort than clicking out one foot and skating.
- mettamage 5y ago
  > The thing with skiing is you feel like you have great control, but when you hit a slope that’s a little too steep, or a little too icy and you start to rocket down the hill with no way to turn out of it I'd always fall sideways, like you mentioned later in your comment. Like I said, I practiced it beforehand. Other than that, this quote rings really true to me. Interesting comparison, I've never snowboarded, good to know it's not as crazy as skiing. From a beginner perspective that is.
CarVac 5y ago
My skiing tip is that your natural reflex to lean back if you feel unsafe is the most dangerous habit beginners have. Your skis are more stable and easier controlled with your weight forward 100% of the time, and it is less work too.
dugmartin 5y ago
I took a private lesson the first time I went cross country skiing and 2 or 3 minutes into it, after getting on the skis, the instructor said something like "the only thing you are probably thinking about right now is falling, so lets get that over with" and then rapidly pushed me sideways and I fell. That worked remarkably well to help me focus on the content of the rest of the lesson.
jvvw 5y ago
This reminds me of my elder son who didn't walk until when he was 18 months old. Before he finally learned he spent several months repeatedly 'practising' falling over. Eventually he seemed to decide that he could fall over happily and was then happy to try walking.

dncornholio 5y ago

I took another advice from computer science: Don't be afraid to break things. If you're afraid to fall, you will fall awkward and painful. But if you're prepared to fall, it will have less consequences. Also: always wear goggles and helmet.

mettamage 5y ago
Yea, I agree with don't be afraid to fall. When I say fall, I mean: falling sideways.

bujak300 5y ago

Recently I saw kids on the slopes learning to ski with like a braking parachute attached to torso and hands - if they spread out the hands it would open a 2sqm "wing" and they would slow down a lot, genius

pjmorris 5y ago

As a non-athletic native Floridian who made some adventurous friends, I started skiing at 38 by tagging along when some went on a ski trip (Utah.) Knowing my deficits, I signed up for lessons all six days of the trip, and could hockey stop by the end of the trip. For the next five years, I made sure to take at least one lesson day on every ski trip. I agree with the notion of staying out of unacceptable failure states. I managed that by having experienced guides with me at all times. My favorite piece of advice came from the instructor on day 1: 'Skiing is like dancing with gravity, and the mountain always leads.'

fps-hero 5y ago

When comparing skiing with snowboarding, the one thing you always hear is skiing is far easier learn than snowboarding, which is largely true. What no-one tells you is it’s far easier as a beginner to get yourself in a truely dangerous situation on skis. The worst fall on skis was on my first day. As an experienced snowboarder, I was zooming down the beginner slopes in no time, so naturally I thought I’d punch in my lift ticket. The thing with skiing is you feel like you have great control, but when you hit a slope that’s a little too steep, or a little too icy and you start to rocket down the hill with no way to turn out of it, that’s when it gets dicey. It’s terrifying losing control, going way to fast to stop, and you can’t just fall backwards out of it. Your strapped in for the ride. I had to fall sideways at decent speed, which feels like having the wind knocked out of you, not fun. And my skis when rocketing down to the bottom of the hill to add insult to injury. The thing with snowboarding is it’s nearly impossible to find yourself in that kind of situation as a beginner. If your out of your depth, you can always fallback to skidding down the hill sideways and leafing it down. You never go that fast starting out, because going fast requires edge control that you won’t have. If you do happen to flat board down a hill, you’ll quickly find yourself catching an edge and eating snow, a swift reminder to never try that again. The first week of snowboarding where you are constantly falling over sets you up well for preparing to ball out safely. By the time you can carve a slope, you’ll have no trouble balling out of any sketchy situation.

octoberfranklin 5y ago
Plus the fact that both feet are connected to the same piece of equipment via non-release bindings eliminates a whole class of injuries. In theory if the ski turns into a lever rotating your knee the bindings are supposed to release. That doesn't always happen. I don't know if skiing is easier to learn, but the learning phase is certainly more enjoyable. Less time sitting on your butt, and poles take less effort than clicking out one foot and skating.
mettamage 5y ago
> The thing with skiing is you feel like you have great control, but when you hit a slope that’s a little too steep, or a little too icy and you start to rocket down the hill with no way to turn out of it I'd always fall sideways, like you mentioned later in your comment. Like I said, I practiced it beforehand. Other than that, this quote rings really true to me. Interesting comparison, I've never snowboarded, good to know it's not as crazy as skiing. From a beginner perspective that is.

CarVac 5y ago

My skiing tip is that your natural reflex to lean back if you feel unsafe is the most dangerous habit beginners have. Your skis are more stable and easier controlled with your weight forward 100% of the time, and it is less work too.

dugmartin 5y ago

I took a private lesson the first time I went cross country skiing and 2 or 3 minutes into it, after getting on the skis, the instructor said something like "the only thing you are probably thinking about right now is falling, so lets get that over with" and then rapidly pushed me sideways and I fell. That worked remarkably well to help me focus on the content of the rest of the lesson.

jvvw 5y ago

This reminds me of my elder son who didn't walk until when he was 18 months old. Before he finally learned he spent several months repeatedly 'practising' falling over. Eventually he seemed to decide that he could fall over happily and was then happy to try walking.