Introduction 

This is not a technical manual on how to ski. It is a book designed to give you some simple tools that will greatly enhance your ski experience beyond what the average ski school teaches you.  This book is not about tipping your skis on edge to facilitate endless skiing on groomed runs. It leaves that world behind, and teaches you how to use an energized ski for carving turns in any terrain. 

Skiing is an individual endeavor and, like many activities, it includes the element of competition. In recreational skiing participants compete with themselves and their focus is internal, rather than directed at an opponent. Most skiers fantasize about becoming proficient enough to jet off into the steep and deep as easily as a duck takes to water, but the reality is far removed from this fantasy as the majority of skiers remain hopelessly trapped in the intermediate stage. There are three important reasons why most skiers throughout the world are hapless prisoners of boring runs.  First, it is the desire to look good that makes skiers Prisoners of the Groomed. This desire keeps us from breaking out of the intermediate trap on our journey to becoming great skiers. The human ego is fragile, and it is difficult for us to step out of our comfort zones and risk looking bad, falling, or generally appearing like “hacks” on skis. Second, our fear of being put in an uncomfortable situation or even physically hurt keeps us from pushing our limits. Third, most skiers have never been exposed to an instructional method that is easy to understand and implement.

Well, it is time to take heart, as this book will give you the means to greatly improve your skiing techniques without you ever looking silly, feeling out of control, or facing significant fear. It will also allow you to do this without quitting you day job.

I think it is fair to say, most of us can be referred to as Weekend Warriors; trying to enjoy the world of outdoor skiing for a few precious weekends while escaping the realities of raising our families and earning a living. We understand completely that the weekend warrior does not have 80 or 90 days a year to devote to becoming an expert skier. That is exactly why we have spent many years developing an innovative new ski teaching method called the Simple Imagery Teaching System™, or SITS™. This learning method allows you to become a fabulous skier without devoting significant time and money to it, and you will still be able to keep up with your day-to-day responsibilities. It’s a simple and effective approach to making you a better skier.