Photo: Nick Quinn, Snoworks Instructor with group. ©www.dynamicpictures.co.uk SKI COURSES DEDICATED TO INTERMEDIATE SKIERS WANTING TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE INTERMEDIATE PLATEAU Snoworks has built it’s reputation on courses for all-mountain skiing and for many skiers looking at Snoworks courses it may seem daunting. But did you know Snoworks also specialise in courses for intermediate skiers? It’s called All-Terrain for Level 3. Snoworks level 3: Blue and Red Run skiers. Most intermediate skiers are quite happy skiing Blue and Red runs that are well groomed with good snow and clear visibility. Bu ..read more

Phil Smith from Snoworks Ski Courses discusses what you can expect if you book on an All-Terrain Ski Course. Oh the nightmare of organising ski holidays. Who’s coming, who will you ski with, will you be fast enough, what happens if you can’t see, it snows, you end up going onto a slope too difficult or you hit some ice? Skiing holidays are often make or break and occasionally it can be a lottery. How about going on a holiday with all your friends, learning how to cope with all the conditions, be taken to the best and most suitable slopes for your level, ski with people of the same ability and ..read more

Imagine being able to cope with everything the mountain throws at you. All types of terrain, all types of snow conditions, all types of weather and all types of hazards. Not an easy task or is it? Phil Smith from Snoworks Ski Courses explains ‘Going Divergent’ Does This Statements Sound Familiar To You?“Yesterday everything seemed to be going really well but today I just can’t get it together.” If it does then it could be time to look at the way you learn to ski and the way you ski because what you may actually be saying is something like – “Yesterday I was so lucky, the snow, the weather, the ..read more

Phil Smith, director of Snoworks Ski Courses discusses the art of skiing free. Free 1. Not imprisoned or enslaved, being at liberty. 2. Not controlled by obligation or the will of another. 3. Not affected or restricted by a given condition or circumstance. 4. Not subject to external restraint. 5. Not literal or exact. 6. Unguarded in expression or manner. 7. Given, made, or done of ones own accord. 8. Not fixed in position, capable of relatively unrestricted motion. 9. Not bound, fastened or attached. Maybe it’s just who we are and the trait of humans that we need rules. Rules that govern ever ..read more

Phil Smith, Snoworks Director, discusses how the goal for perceived technical excellence should be replaced with the goal of moving freely. The urge to want to know ‘how to ski correctly’ could be what is holding many skiers back from improving. I would struggle to describe accurately the movements needed to make a cup of tea let alone slide down the side of a mountain with two planks strapped to my feet. A quick google search showed me there are on average 600 muscles in the human body, along with 206 bones and a total of 360 joints. That’s a lot of muscles, bones and joints to coordinate eve ..read more

Phil Smith, Snoworks director talks about his perception of technique and skill and his journey from judged to measured performance. Technique, Technique, Technique. Most ski lessons are all about technique. But have you ever stopped to think “Am I actually improving”. “Yes I know I’m improving because my instructors tells me so.” But are you, how do you know for sure? Much of ski teaching and coaching is very subjective. Subjective meaning somebodies opinion. A friend, relative, trainer, coach, instructor, partner. Many sports are objective, measured either by time, weight, goals, wins, again ..read more

Phil Smith, Director of Snoworks Ski Courses talks about one of the lesser known skills of skiing, twisting. Photo: Mike, Lee and Emma, Snoworks instructors, discussing the finer points of twisting, over a coffee of course. Photographed by Polly Baldwin Dynamic Pictures, Ski Equipment – Salomon, socks and 1st layer – Falke. It still amazes me how many skiers have never heard of twisting skis. The ability to twist your skis is akin to using the handlebars on your bike, the steering wheel on your car, the rudder on a boat. Without it you’re like a ship without a rudder. The concept or twisting s ..read more

There are countless books written on the subject of snowcraft and off-piste safety along with numerous training, all readily available. But sometimes even experts and experienced off-piste skiers get caught out in off-piste incidents. With so much information and training readily available how can this happen? In answer to this question, research and training is delving further into the psychology of decision making in off-piste terrain and making as much information available on this subject as snowcraft. Ian McCammon, an avalanche researcher from the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lan ..read more

Imagine whichever instructor you have you can learn something. Imagine every run you take and every turn you make you can learn something. Imagine being able to discover things for yourself, create learning and improve more or less all the time you are on skis. Imagine being able to use every instructor to your advantage. Phil Smith, director of Snoworks Ski Courses explains how. INTRODUCING MOSSTON Muska Mosston was an educator, an observer of teacher and learner relationships. He noticed that there were many different relationships that developed between teachers and learners. Some teachers ..read more

Phil Smith, Director of Snoworks Ski Courses explains why so many intermediate skiers could be missing out on so much more. Everyday when I’m out on the slopes teaching I look around and see countless intermediate skiers that have the potential to do so much more with their skiing. Maybe what I’m seeing is what they want to do, maybe it’s what intermediate skiers think intermediate skiers do, maybe they don’t know what is possible and could be missing out on so much more with just a little bit of help and advice. The traditional method of booking a skiing holiday could be back to front. To giv ..read more