Courses
Winter – Hokkaido, Japan
Hokkaido, Japan – February 2014 Powder Camps
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February 2014 DATES TBC
Price: £449 (Course Only)
**Please note that to book the Academy Powder Camp, you must book the accommodation package with Ski Independence.
Read Previous powder Camp Blogs:
- 2009
- 2010
- 2011
About the Powder Ski Camp
There will be 7 days skiing in total in Japan. The Powder Ski Camp will run on 5 full days in Niseko with 2 free ski days. The Camp is designed to build and develop skill and confidence, to enable people to ski all terrains with a specific emphasis on Powder skiing. Skills are developed during the coaching by practicing specific exercises that benefit the main topic of skiing powder. Progressively, the new levels of skill are tested in powder to build confidence.
The powder ski camp caters for skiers from Level 3 to Level 6 on the Academy system. Some skiers may be between Level 2 and Level 3. If this is the case and you are unsure of your level, please contact Warren Smith directly through the contact page of the Academy website to arrange a telephone interview to decide your level.
For further details regarding Ski Course Coaching content, Group and skier levels, please read through the Academy website.
Booking the Powder Camp
The Warren Smith Ski Academy Powder Camp in Niseko, Japan will be taking place from 09 February – 19th February 2012. The Camp will cost £449 (course fee only) please book online here.
To make a booking for travel arrangements
Please call Annika at Ski Independence on 0131 243 8096 or e-mail: annika@ski-i.com. Deposit is £350 per person.
Provisional itinerary for Hokkaido
No flights included for participants – flights for clients are booked on an individual basis to assure the best available flight price.
- Friday 10th Feb – Arrival in Sapporo/New Chitose airport
Transfer to Niseko
8 nights / Green Leaf Hotel in Niseko – daily breakfast included
- Saturday 11th Feb – Free ski day with Warren and Academy Team in Niseko
Free evening
- Sunday 12th Feb – Powder Academy with Warren and Academy Team in Niseko
Free evening
- Monday 13th Feb – Powder Academy with Warren and Academy Team in Niseko
Free evening
- Tuesday 14th Feb – Powder Academy with Warren and Academy Team in Niseko
Free evening
- Wednesday 15th Feb – Powder Academy with Warren and Academy Team in Niseko
Free evening
- Thursday 16th Feb – Powder Academy with Warren and Academy Team in Niseko
Free evening
- Friday 17th Feb – Freeski day in Niseko
Free evening
- Saturday 18th Feb – Transfer to Sapporo/New Chitose airport
(arrival in UK 19 February)
There will be 7 days skiing in total on the trip, 5 of which will be powder skiing and technique training, the remaining 2days for you to free ski together and practice the technique.
NB – We will be filming all skiers on the camps and running two video analysis sessions whilst in Utah. The video analysis sessions will take place on two evenings before dinner from 6.30pm until 8pm. It usually makes a big difference the next day with what you’re working on so it’s a good idea to bring a notepad and pen to make notes. The powder camp groups are a maximum of 8 persons.
Please note that all skiers attending the powder ski camp will need to be wearing an avalanche transceiver at all times whilst on the mountain. It will also be obligatory to be wearing a back pack with a shovel and probe.
Powder Ski Camp Flight details
Please contact Annika at Ski Independence for flight information
Flights to Japan book up very quickly, you need to book early to secure the best price. To ensure you get the right flight option please call Annika at Ski Independence on 0131 243 8096 or e-mail: annika@ski-i.com for further information and to book.
Powder Ski Camp Accommodation details
Green Leaf Hotel Niseko
The Green Leaf Hotels is a full service hotel located in a quiet and slopeside position with easy access to the Niseko Village ski area. The buzzing town of Niseko-Hirafu is just a short 15 minute ride away and busses operate until 2am.
Two local artists have helped to create a contemporary and welcoming atmosphere with their personal touch reflected in art and decoration found throughout the hotel. The Green Leaf Hotel features a comfortable lounge with fire place and bar, a restaurant that serves choices of international and Japanese breakfast lunch and dinner, as well as an outdoor roof top bar with fire pit and stunning views across the valley. Furthermore you’ll find a Japanese hot spring (Onsen) and Spa.
The hotel is the ideal base for the Ski Academy Powder Camps with it’s ski-in, ski- out facilities, the ski hire shop and cinema/conference room for video analysis sessions. With bars and spa facilities there is no need to leave the hotel if you don’t want to!
Price includes:
- Return transfers between Sapporo New Chitose airport and Niseko.
- 8 nights’ accommodation at Green Leaf hotel in Niseko based on 2 persons sharing a standard room, including daily breakfast
- 7 day lift pass in Niseko
- Single occupancy supplement for 8 nights price £640
Please note that all prices include taxes and fuel surcharges as at 27.10.11. Ski Independence reserves the right to charge additional tax/fuel surcharges should these increase before you confirm your booking. Once your booking is confirmed, prices will NOT change.
Costs for basic travel itinerary (excluding powder course):
- 8 nights in Standard Room excluding flights £1759 per person*
(Based on two people sharing a room breakfast included)
Insurance
Under no circumstances should you travel without comprehensive ski insurance cover. Due to change in Government regulation we are no longer able to provide ski insurance. Instead this process will now be handled directly by our supplier MPI Brokers. To buy ski insurance please call MPI Brokers on 0845 180 0625 or visit wwww.ski-i.com/insurance to qualify for an on-line discount.
Notes:
- Prices include daily breakfast; lunches and dinners are not included in the price and are paid independently.
- If you’d prefer to share a room with another Academy participant (rather than pay the ‘single room supplement’), we can offer hotel rooms on a ‘room-share’ basis, subject to the agreement of both persons and the availability of a suitable sharer – please call us for full details.
- Please note that all skiers attending the powder ski camp will need to be wearing an avalanche transceiver at all times whilst on the mountain. It will also be obligatory to be wearing a back pack with a shovel and probe.
All holidays are subject to Ski Independence’s normal holiday agreement and booking conditions as detailed in the current Ski Independence Ski USA & Canada winter 11/12 brochure. If you’d like a copy of this brochure, please contact us. All packages are subject to space, and are strictly offered on a ‘first-come-first-served’ basis.
Reading more about Academy & Japan Powder Camps
- To read reviews and press articles on the courses, click here.
- To watch video of Warren Skiing Japan, click Windows Media or QuickTime.
- To read the blog of the 2009 trip, click here.
- To read the blog of the 2010 trip, click here.
- To read the blog of the 2011 trip, click here.
- To view Ski Independence website, click here.
Who is it for
The powder ski camp caters for skiers from Level 3 to Level 6 on the Academy GROUP AND SKIER LEVELS system. Some skiers maybe be between Level 2 and Level 3. If this is the case and you are unsure of your level, please contact Warren Smith directly through the CONTACT page of the Academy website to arrange a telephone interview to decide your level.
Ski Course Coaching Content
On the course you will cover several of the following topics:
Skier Symmetry
All skiers that come on the Academy courses, whether in Group 1 or Group 6, have a problem maintaining symmetry whilst turning. Perfect symmetry is skiing from turn to turn with your hips, knees and feet the same distance apart allowing both skis to be identical in angles. It’s common for most skiers to ski with either their knees dropping closer together or their feet splitting wider apart. Both of these create the classic A-Frame stance.
The A-Frame stance makes it difficult to carve, ski powder, moguls, steeps and generally built on your ski technique as your ski edge angles will always be different. On the courses we address this issue and leave you with a strong, symmetrical stance that allows you to build good ski technique on.
Whilst developing your ski symmetry we will work on biomechanical aspects such as switching on certain muscle groups that help maintain the ideal stance, checking your ski boots to make sure they are set up correctly and integrating the 0-Frame stance into your skiing. Having skier symmetry is crucial in preventing knee injury, fatigue, accidents whilst skiing and allowing you to reach your true skiing potential.
Ankle Flex
One of the biggest areas of development on the courses in Ankle Flex development. Most skiers join us with a lack of ankle flex. Most skier flex at the knee more than the ankle and this puts the skiers weight back. Once it’s back it makes it hard to steer and almost impossible to ski steeps, moguls and freeride terrain. You thighs end up being used to help you stand up rather than being used to help you steer the skis.
The reason that most skiers have a lack ankle flex is that a lot of skiers learn to ski in boots that are to stiff for them to flex so the joint that does all the flexing is the knee. A lot of skiers also suffer from having calf muscles that are to tight to be able to move and flex the ski boot.
With specific ankle flex development exercises you will learn to dominate your ski boots and flex them so as to allow you to be in balance and maintain leverage in the legs to have powder to steer. Once you have this flex you automatically have power and in turn confidence. The learning process increases dramatically with this flex and your skiing take a major step change in its level.
Thigh Steering
Most skiers who attend the courses, even Ski Instructor level, steer their skis by foot steering. Steering the skis by foot steering is usually what you get taught in your first week of ski school tuition. Unfortunately it usually stays with you through your skiing life. Foot steering is weak and although it might get you through your first week of skiing it won’t be so efficient for more advanced skiing. Foot steering can also put stress on the knee joint.
Thigh steering is a much more powerful way of steering your skis and allows you to steer with more confidence on steeper slopes, in moguls and in freeride terrain. It also allows you to carve more effectively and move onto skiing higher speeds without loosing control.
For thigh steering to switch on we develop specific exercises that provoke you to use the muscles in the legs that control this movement. Once you find the muscles (usually takes about 15 minutes to switch them on) you will immediately feel stronger on your skiing and more secure. Once we have you doing this, other aspects of skiing we show you during the week are easily absorbed and changes takes place in your technique with ease.
Left + Right Turn Differences
All skiers suffer from having a weaker turn direction. At the Academy we are fully aware of the importance for the skier first feel the difference between left and right turns and them understand why there is a weakness with one side. With the sport of skiing you are only as good as your weakest turn. This is obvious especially in powder, slush, steeps and in moguls.
Skiers generally have a weaker turn due to left and right side differences with the brain, injuries to certain sides of the body, imbalances on the left and right side of the body and equipment that might not be set up correctly.
With the use of video analysis, exercises and biomechanical awareness we make you aware of your weaker direction, show you it on video and then built up with specific exercises that benefit the weaker side of the body. Once you are balanced the sport of skiing will feel different to you and the foundation of you skiing will be strong and secure.
Middle Body Strength
Nearly all skiers that join the Academy courses are never using there middle body strength to its full potential. Many skiers break at the waist when skiing moguls, powder or just carving at higher speeds. The more dynamic skiing becomes the more you need to active your core whilst skiing to keep the middle body strong and avoid it collapsing. On the course you’ll learn how to activate your core whilst skiing with simple exercises that are easy to integrate into your normal skiing technique.
4 Wheel Drive for All Terrain
To assist your Moguls, Steeps, Variables and Freeride terrain skiing you’ll learn how to develop your pole plant timing and arm positioning. This gives your pole plant more overall strength and it will support your body effectively when initiating your turns in these terrains.
Individual Feedback
Every skier that joins a course has their own individual skiing style. An important part of the Academy course is to offer each skier feedback on their own technique specific to them. This takes places at various times during the week.
Other Course Content
As well as the above content various other aspects are also covered such as Short Radius Turns, Developing Leg Lean, Progressive Steering, Loading the Skis, Skidding and lots more. Many skiers attend several course during the year whether Winter in Verbier, Spring in UK or summer in Saas-Fee.
Group + Skier Levels
The Powder Camp in Japan will be open to Academy levels 3, 4, 5 and 6. Please study these levels carefully and make sure that you are at the standard to book. To easily identify the levels of skiers and groups running on an Academy week you can use the system below. If you are unsure that you are at the right level, please contact Warren Smith directly through the CONTACT page of the Academy website to arrange a telephone interview to deceide your level.
Group 3 Advanced Intermediate
This group consists of skiers who can make parallel turns with confidence on blues and reds. When they attempt black runs or steeper gradients they lose their technique and the body weight drops back. Skiers in this group can generally get down moguls, steeps and freeride terrain but with a weak or/and confidence lacking technique.
Group 4 Advanced
This group consists of skiers who can ski with confidence on Blues, Reds and Black runs. They can carve effectively from turn to turn on nicely groomed snow but are not so consistent when the snow is icy or un-groomed. Skiers in this group can get down steeps, moguls and freeride terrain with confidence and a semi consistent technique but loose control approximately 30% of the time. Skiers at this level want to develop performance towards skiing 40 degrees slopes with good technique and direct (zip) line moguls.
Group 5 Expert / Instructor
This group consists of skiers who can ski all terrains comfortably but want to be able to ski higher speeds through greater dynamics, ski steeper fall line moguls with a greater range of absorption and extension, make higher speed GS freeride turns in powder and variable snow conditions and generally master a solid technique. Skiers in this group would cover the basics of race training, steep couloirs, instructor exam technical requirements, freeride performance and higher speeds.
Group 6 Athlete / Performer
This group consists of skiers wishing to compete or who already compete in freeskiing competitions, Alpine Racing competition or freestyle skiing disciplines such as moguls, half pipe, big air, slope style or rails. In this group you will also find skiers who are training for there BASI 1 technical exam and Euro Speed Test.
