Beyond the intermediate plateau: a masterclass for middling skiers
Can a bog-standard ‘mum-skier’ be transformed in three days?
That was the question posed by the Financial Times Weekend editor Janine Gibson in her recent article for FT Weekend featuring myself, Mark Jones.
The article wanted to explore, how someone can be taught, intensively but meaningfully, through the intermediate plateau of there current skiing ability.
The goals were quite specific, be able to face bad and good weather with equanimity.
There are three phases of learning and the middle phase is the only one that matters: repetition.
On the first day, I filmed Janine skiing despite poor weather and the obvious self-consciousness she felt. Watching the footage together over a hot chocolate, she immediately noticed her style and joked that she skied like “someone’s mum.” I reassured her we had three days and three key things to focus on.
I explained my philosophy: skiing isn’t about big body movements anymore — it starts with the feet. The most important phase of learning is repetition, and the first exercise was pedalling, moving weight from one ski to the other as if riding a bike. It’s simple, but transformative.
Once she grasped pedalling, we moved on to controlling speed with two methods: arc length and skidding. These techniques are what separate intermediate skiers from good skiers — the timing of speed, linked arcs, and controlled skidding all help navigate tricky terrain safely. Despite challenging visibility and deep powder, she applied the drills diligently, focusing on one movement at a time. Her balance and posture were better than expected, which made the process smoother and allowed us to progress quickly.
It was incredible to see her skiing fluently, using all the techniques we’d worked on.
By the third day, the conditions were perfect. The snow had settled, the sun was out, and I could finally push her to more advanced terrain. It was incredible to see her skiing fluently, using all the techniques we’d worked on: pedalling, rolling the downhill foot, skiing up the arc, and controlled skidding. She followed naturally, unphased by steep slopes or challenging runs. I could tell she had internalized the principles; she was skiing with control, fluidity, and confidence, no longer relying on compensations for bad habits.
Seeing Janine handle a long, steep run with complete ease was immensely satisfying. All the repetition, focus on the feet, and simple metaphors had paid off. She had moved past the intermediate plateau in just three days.
My philosophy had worked: small, deliberate steps, repeated until instinctive, and always starting from the feet. Skiing properly, she discovered, is not exhausting — it’s empowering. With the right guidance, anyone can achieve this transformation.
It was great to be asked to be part of the feature for the Financial Times, and many thanks to Janine for her time and her article, which is available to read here, on the FT website.
