Ski Faster: Lisa Feinberg Densmore's Guide to High Performance Skiing and Racing [Hardcover]

Lisa Feinberg Densmore (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 24, 1999

Ski Faster

Learn to ski as expert racers do, even if you never plan to enter a starting gate.

You don't need nerves of steel and a passion for flying down slopes at 85 mph to benefit from the competitive-level advice and insider anecdotes in this book. In fact, even if moving at 15 mph on the intermediate slope makes you nervous, Ski Faster is for you . . . if you want to ski better . . . have more fun on the slopes . . . and learn how to carve those new shaped skis like a pro.

"The best skiers are ski racers," writes Densmore, pointing out the technical impact of champions such as Jean Claude Killy, Stein Ericksen, and Ingemar Stenmark. In this book, Densmore shows all skiers how to apply champion racing techniques not only to gain speed but to improve skill. Ski Faster shows you how to

• Prepare for and enjoy any kind of alpine race, no matter what your present skill level
• Tell a slalom course from a Giant slalom or Super G
• Get more fun out of skiing by mastering better technique
• Ski professionally with improved form and better-carved turns
• Understand how the new shaped skis improve your carving and racing potential

With pro-level guidance on training and conditioning . . . on-snow and dry-land drills . . . waxing tricks . . . faster starts . . . course tactics . . . mental preparation, including conquering fear of speed . . . tips from top racers . . . and over a hundred illustrations that make it all easier to understand, Ski Faster is the finest race-preparation manual available.

"A must-have in any Alpine master's ski library." --Bill Skinner, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Masters Coordinator and Park City Resort Masters Coach

"The most complete ski racing book written! It's an encyclopedia that reads like a personal diary of a ski racer. Whatever your interest or ability, this book will help you ski better and Ski Faster!" --Dave Merriam, Director of the Stowe Ski and Snowboard School and Head Coach of the PSIA Demonstration Team

"Lisa Feinberg Densmore has compiled a comprehensive digest of pertinent concepts, details, and personal accounts to form an improvement road map for recreational skiers, beginning-to-seasoned racers, instructors, coaches, parents, and fans. I'll recommend this book to many people." --David Ojala, Program Director, Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team

Editorial Reviews

Review

Here are six tips to ski faster: Hands forward; Eyes looking ahead; Weight mostly on downhill ski; Skis parallel; Wide stance, lower upper body; Torso aimed toward fall line. (Ski Magazine 19991201)

While the book is aimed at aspiring racers, there's plenty for recreational skiers. And it really is true: Ski faster and you'll ski better. 'Ski Faster' is a solid gift for that young racer, or the older would-be racer on your list. (Boston Globe 19991201)

For a racing guide, Ski Faster is amazingly well written, clear, useful and interesting throughout. (SKi Press )

It covers everything you would ever want to know about the sport, from dryland training and equipment selection, to on-snow training tactics by ski racing discipline. It also contains the most detailed waxing and ski preparation guide ever available to the public. (USSA Alpine Masters )

From the Publisher

"A must-have in any Alpine master's ski library."--Bill Skinner, U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association Masters Coordinator and Park City Resort Masters Coach "The most complete ski racing book written! It's an encyclopedia that reads like a personal diary of a ski racer. Whatever your interest or ability, this book will help you ski better and Ski Faster!"--Dave Merriam, Director of the Stowe Ski and Snowboard School and Head Coach of the PSIA Demonstration Team "Lisa Feinberg Densmore has compiled a comprehensive digest of pertinent concepts, details, and personal accounts to form an improvement road map for recreational skiers, beginning-to-seasoned racers, instructors, coaches, parents, and fans. I'll recommend this book to many people."--David Ojala, Program Director, Mammoth Mountain Ski and Snowboard Team Skiing

Downhill Skiing

Alpine Skiing

Ski Race Conditioning

Slalom Courses

Super G

Giant Slalom

Shaped Skis

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 218 pages
• Publisher: International Marine/Ragged Mountain Press; 1 edition (August 24, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071343814
• ISBN-13: 978-0071343817
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #774,105 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #46 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Skiing > Downhill

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE one-stop resource for racing instruction, October 23, 2003

By 

Patrick B. Moore "If you're not living on the... (Hartford, CT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ski Faster: Lisa Feinberg Densmore's Guide to High Performance Skiing and Racing (Hardcover)

I was in an REI store in Baltimore a few years ago when I stumbled on this book and promptly bought it. I had read a few other similar guides but I was still having difficulty grasping the concept of a proper Giant Slalom turn. Lisa Feinberg Densmore's SKI FASTER clearly and succinctly got the message across. Helpful photos of the "wrong" way as well as the "right" way really gave me an understanding of what I should be striving for. Although I have a long way to go, this nifty tome has helped me shave significant seconds off my recreational race league times. I have only one request. Lisa, when are you going to put it all on video? I've searched the web looking for an instructional video for recreational GS racers and none exist! With your broadcast background, you'd be a natural to produce one. As my club's racing captain, I an assure you there is a market out there!

Pat Moore
Race Captain
Mt. Laurel Skiers
www.mtlski.com
New Britain, CT

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent for good skiers trying to get better, June 6, 2005

By 

GEORGE R. FISHER (Boston MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Ski Faster: Lisa Feinberg Densmore's Guide to High Performance Skiing and Racing (Hardcover)

I was skiing on NASTAR courses and consistently getting Bronze medals; I was a pretty good skier and I could get down any slope but I could not break out of the Novice NASTAR category.

Technique, not aggressiveness, is everything in improving your racing times. This book will help.

Following this book's advice, I am now in the Expert NASTAR category consistently getting Silver medals and often getting Gold.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An essential trainer, February 23, 2006

By 

Philip J. Purcell (Canberra, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ski Faster: Lisa Feinberg Densmore's Guide to High Performance Skiing and Racing (Hardcover)

Lisa Densmore's book has proven to be a especially good buy as it illuminates the core of modern high performance skiing. A close reading yielded real benefits. The advice on preparation for a season's activity has also proven most beneficial. The clarity and authority of the writing invites reading this well presented book time and again.