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Racing = better at freestyle?

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ChuckTesta
Posts: 960 - Karma: 258
alot of the kids at my mountain that are good used to or still do race and i know a couple pros used to race..like jon....so does racing make you better?
Oct 29 2011 6:55PM
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J_MAC
Posts: 572 - Karma: 127
having been a former ski racer means 100% you will b better at jibbing. It takes 10 000 hours to become truly pro at anything and having those 2 planks atachet to your feet and doing anything with them will make you a better skier overall
Oct 30 2011 2:50PM
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JIBpsy^^
Posts: 2851 - Karma: 36
I imagine racing makes you a better pipe skier where edges and carving are super important.
Oct 30 2011 3:47PM
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Dr.Newschoolers
Posts: 1357 - Karma: 508
I wish i used to race
Oct 30 2011 3:58PM
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dispatchQ_main
Posts: 2619 - Karma: 629
Nothings more fun then going straight at top speed. Who needs edges anyways?
Oct 30 2011 4:09PM
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dan4060
Posts: 1458 - Karma: 847
There is a limit to how good someone is going to get without technical skills.  How many great big mountain skiers are there out there without good edging skills?  None.

Most of the park skiers who have become great big mountain skiers have backgrounds in racing, moguls, or both.  Tanner, CR, Jon Henrik Windstedt, Candide.....They all have strong backgrounds.

To the OP, yes, racing will help you become a better skier.
Oct 30 2011 4:11PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
I think other shit helps too though besides racing and skiing in general. Took up dirt jumping and mountain biking this summer and I feel way more conf
Oct 30 2011 7:57PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Fuck having troubles with mobile. As I was saying dirt jumping makes
Oct 30 2011 7:58PM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Holy tits I'll reply later when I'm not on mobile.
Oct 30 2011 7:59PM
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PON3
Posts: 3817 - Karma: 783
Yes.

Also the same can be said about bmx. All my friends that ride bmx and that race are soo good and can boost the shit out of a box,quater, or jump. Racing in any background just gives you better control of what your doing.
Oct 31 2011 1:29AM
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kungfusteeze
Posts: 700 - Karma: 47
It helps a bunch. I know kids that are 14 and have infinitely more control on skis then I do. It makes me feel so lame haha.
Oct 31 2011 3:54AM
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Thenowhereman42
Posts: 5682 - Karma: 65
Not really at all. It helps you land jumps more confidently and be able to better judge your speed going in to things, but that's about it. Once your in the air its all gymnastics and rails are another thing entirely.
Oct 31 2011 4:19AM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
I never disagreed with the fact that racing, or better yet (in my opinion) moguls will make you a better skier. I simply was saying that soon we will see a whole generation of kids just givener in the park with no technical background whatsoever. There survivors will become pro skiers who learned how to ski in the park.

Personally I think that is awesome and that those kids truly remind me of what freestyle skiing is all about.

Same goes for the chinese aerial team. You can get all upset of the fact that they are "not skiers" but the fact is THEY are the ones throwing triples 50+ feet high in the air and landing on frozen chunks of ice in their first year of skiing. If that isn't fucking badass skiing right there I don't know what is.
Oct 31 2011 1:00PM
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steezy.stew
Posts: 1137 - Karma: 568
I feel that by starting racing, you are better exposed all the aspects of skiing versus the new age park rats who have developed their abilities by just skiing within the boundaries of the park. Also kids who race generally start at a younger age, which can be a factor as well.
Oct 31 2011 1:06PM
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UFOsarereal
Posts: 2285 - Karma: 1,132
no because racing sucks out part of your soul & makes you want to 'beat' other skiers
Oct 31 2011 1:09PM
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Lord.Quasimoto
Posts: 958 - Karma: 33
helps you land jumps, helps you judge speed, but ya it doesn't really help you at all eh?

speed is the most important factor when considering hitting a jump. if you fuck up the speed on a big jump you are going to ride away in pain / injury. no question there.
Oct 31 2011 1:26PM
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
I thought the whole park scene was supposed to be an attempt to break away from the freestyle and racing notion of "proper" 
Oct 31 2011 1:31PM
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tbayskier
Posts: 1137 - Karma: 1,640
yes, but a huge part of skiing is having a good base to work from
Oct 31 2011 1:55PM
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Utard
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 305
When I was younger I used to wish that I raced. Then I woke up and realized I ski at snowbird and that hucking my tiny corpse off cliffs instead of smashing it into plastic poles was significantly better for my skiing and more fun.
Oct 31 2011 2:00PM
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Ian.Ham
Posts: 1687 - Karma: 1,153
Racing = Better Skier
Better Skier = Better Jumper, Jibber, etc.
Oct 31 2011 2:03PM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
thats a great way to put it
Oct 31 2011 2:08PM
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
Spandex is more aerodynamic, it would make you a better jumper.
Oct 31 2011 2:19PM
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
They go there to SKI RAILS, NOT MAKE TURNS.  People ski for different reasons.  Why does skiing make everyone so judgmental?
Oct 31 2011 2:29PM
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Mr.Luke
Posts: 2441 - Karma: 166
if you race you definetely will have more control over how you ski. But if you don't ski park for a long time nd then start again you'll look like a gaper.
Oct 31 2011 2:30PM
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tbayskier
Posts: 1137 - Karma: 1,640
because you look like a dumbass snowplowing down the park then tossing a sketchy cork 7. 
Oct 31 2011 2:30PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,686
and don't break when they fall on their hips.
Oct 31 2011 3:33PM
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KravtZ
Posts: 6637 - Karma: 2,629
Those "park rat" kids are the clowns who cant make a god dam turn outside of a straight line into a jump or a rail to slow down. Those ar ethe kids that when they get older and realize how awsome the mountain is outside of the terrain park are going to look like shit because they can't make a proper turn. Its pretty clear already how awful some of these park rats are at skiing just watching htem ski down a hill on a daily basis.
Oct 31 2011 3:36PM
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chicken
Posts: 6843 - Karma: 2,123
I also find that usually the kids who call themselves "all-mountain skiers" or comment on how park rats can't make turns are just saying that because they suck at skiing park.
Oct 31 2011 3:43PM
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
I think you are onto something..... that's the logic I use for being an all mountain skier haha.  But I could care less how park kids ski outside the park, and I'm positive they don't give a shit that an "all mountain skier" can carve....
Oct 31 2011 3:47PM
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Utard
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 305
Yeah if I had a nickel for every "all mountain skier" I've met who could only make it down about 70% of the runs at Snowbird I'd have at least $.085
Nov 1 2011 10:05PM
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roddy116
Posts: 10627 - Karma: 7,423
ya dude it gives you much better basic skiing skills.
Nov 1 2011 10:26PM
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CheddarJack
Posts: 5203 - Karma: 7,380
Racing is what got me much better than half-decent at skiing when I was younger. So indirectly, it does.
Here it is simplistically:

RACING -> BETTER SKIER

BETTER SKIER -> BETTER FREESTYLE
Nov 1 2011 10:35PM
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FerrisBueller
Posts: 8280 - Karma: 5,173
.
Nov 1 2011 10:37PM
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ndye
Posts: 3756 - Karma: 7,094
I think racing allows kids to ski more with coaching then not racing, especially when young. The best skier in my crew never raced, but he was also home schooled and got to spend a lot of time on the mountain. I am tired of these kids who say that racing is the most important foundation to be built off of. Its just bull, if you learn to ski on your own, the biggest disadvantage for you is that you never got the on mountain or coaching time of someone who grew up in the programs. If you grew up in a freestyle program and then switched to racing, you would probably be better at racing then someone who just started racing, that should be obvious. I think it is all about time on skis.

Never raced, never will, and i dont think i suck?
Nov 2 2011 12:17AM
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ndye
Posts: 3756 - Karma: 7,094
also building off my previous post, i have recently been to a lot of races for local high schools, besides for a few kids, it is downright embarrassing. Chill in the lodge, take your run, lodge for an hour, take second run, lodge, done for the day. Its quite aggravating to think that it is supposedly THESE kids who will be better than me at jibbing once they get into it because of their background. In reality, it will be the kids who are dedicated to the sport who are guna get good, usually that stems from having parents who love the sport and therefor the child races as soon as possible. It has nothing to do with the racing, just the people who are guna be incredible, are likely to have raced because of their situation. These will be the kids who ski the most and get the most on mountain time!
Nov 2 2011 12:27AM
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Legoman
Posts: 533 - Karma: 13
I tried to teach a kid this year (park lesson) and he would have been able to progress 100 time more if he understood the basics of skiing.

If you ski into the rail completley backseat, chances are your not going to magically right yourself when you get on a rail.

The same goes for skiing switch, if you cant ski forward its going to be hard for you to do it backwards.

Its not really racing that gives you that, its more being used to being coached and adapting your body and applying different skills.

Its also an attitude thing, if your used to being given advice and learning from it you will pick things up faster.
Nov 2 2011 5:35AM
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MBskier95
Posts: 128 - Karma: 25

It kinda is nessary you need to know how to actually ski and carve good before you go try the park, it will just come to you better

Nov 2 2011 10:42AM
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AGOF
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 3,602
when we talk about racing we aren't talking about high school racing. further prooving your ignorance on this subject. for the most part, high school racing is a complete joke
Nov 2 2011 4:18PM
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Bmo.
Posts: 4907 - Karma: 2,667
hey ther guy lets settle down a bit. my HS league was pretty intense, i learned a lot and loved it. maybe u dont travel as much as other leagues, but its certainly not a joke
Nov 2 2011 4:38PM
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Errl
Posts: 2082 - Karma: 451
this. im a level 2 and instructing REALLY helps with all around skiing. it makes you sit back and break down every piece of skiing and how they all come together. ive only been in the park for about 3 seasons, but i feel like its definitely helping out.

as for racing, i wasnt ever really into racing. but i can also see how that would definitely give you a huge advantage(s) when getting down and dirty in the park
Nov 2 2011 4:46PM
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AGOF
Posts: 2038 - Karma: 3,602
coaching and competition is on a completely other level in USSA/FIS than in high school. where did you go to hs at?
Nov 2 2011 5:23PM
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duimiesteez
Posts: 113 - Karma: 140
it definitely helps a lot. you dont need to but id recommend just doing racing for a year then heading to park. youll have a much better feel for edges and whatnot. thats what i did and i feel it was a good move
Nov 2 2011 6:32PM
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Utard
Posts: 2132 - Karma: 305
Like other people have said there's nothing inherent to racing itself that makes people ski better, it's the coaching that comes with that. I personally never raced but I spent a few years in a freeride program in elementary school and it's the coaching that really helps you progress
Nov 2 2011 7:03PM
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afterbang_me
Posts: 385 - Karma: 152
Im not sure what you are saying.  are you saying "all mountain skiers" cant make it down 70% of snowbird? or that most "all mountain skiers" are better?
Nov 2 2011 7:21PM
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ndye
Posts: 3756 - Karma: 7,094
Aside from what i said about racing in that case, my point still remains.
Nov 2 2011 7:29PM
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LittleFoot
Posts: 1667 - Karma: 57
maybe but you won't have any style.
Nov 2 2011 7:36PM
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CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,943
no
Nov 6 2011 2:12PM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
Some of the best skiers I've ever skied with were at one point racers.v Makes you a better skier overall and it also gets you up on the hill. So a lot of racers spend many days in the park before and after their races
Nov 6 2011 2:26PM
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casual
Posts: 6712 - Karma: 6,748
spot on. the kids making this sort of criticism are pretty blatantly trying to feel better about the fact that they can carve turns on groomers. yet, here they are on a freeski site worshiping park skiing while being too scared to hit a flat rail. there's no right way to ski, and there's no right way to approach it. why anyone would be bothered by a kid who has no interest in making "proper" turns but who likea sliding rails is beyond me. it's just so transparent that those kids feel threatened or cheated bc even though daddy spent years teaching them to find their edges, they still can't do a 360. the truth is that those same "park rat" kids will probably become lifelong skiers and will figure out how to turn when it suits them. you guys are crabby blowhards who sound like total bummers and zero fun.
Nov 6 2011 3:14PM
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Broseph_Stalin
Posts: 3745 - Karma: 178
if you suck at actually skiing and making turns and stuff, i couldn't imagine that person being comfortable in the park, or at least enough to have style. there is nothing wrong with just starting skiing because youve seen the latest gopro commercial, but its just known that you wont be as good as the kid who has been racing as a kid, at least at jumping.
Nov 6 2011 3:27PM
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ChuckTesta
Posts: 960 - Karma: 258
hmmm interesting ....i was thinking about joining my highschool race team im a freshman....thoughts.
Nov 8 2011 9:58PM
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