If you like data, hard facts and you want to improve your skiing….read on : this post is for you.
What is Carv?
Carv is a system that was developed a few years ago to measure key skiing performance factors, such as pressure under foot and location of that pressure, edge angle, edge angle change, turn shape, etc. Over the years the app has been developed into a great tool for measuring progress, identifying and practicing against one’s weaknesses, or improving one’s strengths not to mention a social media tool “à la Strava», with local and global leaderboards, etc.
What does it do ?
When you go out with a Carv, you get an overall «Ski IQ» number for each segment of continuous skiing that day – this alone gives you a sense of how you are doing overall as you compare your “Ski IQ” after running the same trail a few times.
But when you delve into each overall IQ number you can see the individual metric that are combined into the overall IQ, and the app will let you know which one will offer the best opportunity of improvements – the low hanging fruit- There are then tutorial videos to help you improve on your chosen metric.
The data can be presented in various different ways – you are sure to find one that “talks to you” regardless of how your brain works.
There are also modes where the app suggests exercises and coaches you through the exercise, and gives you feedback either at the bottom on your phone– or turn by turn, through connected earpieces.
All in all, Carv is a great tool for self improvement, loaded with different teaching modes for different types of learners.
Can you give an example of Carv data?
Here is nice run with a Ski IQ of 126 shown on the built-in resort map. From the app, you can click on any turn and get a specific ski IQ for that turn.
Let’s delve in the run and look at the 4 high level metrics that make up the overall IQ: we did not do as well on pressure as on the other metrics.
Let us look in details at pressure: Pressure smoothness (how gradually pressure is created and then eliminated throughout the turn) was not great – Coach, what can we do to improve this; and look at our score after a few runs ?
Can I try Carv ?
Yes – Cole Sports at Park City Mountain resort offers 3-day free demos.
Why take a lesson if Carv can replace the instructor ?
First – I use Carv Myself, despite the fact that I can get all the coaching and feed back I want from my fellow trainers at Vail Park City.
No one, unless funding is unlimited, can get 100% coached time while on the mountain. To put it simply:
- A good coach / instructor will look at your overall skiing picture with you and help you analyze the data, and determine direction and intermediate OK goals based on your long term objectives; and then will set a path for you – perhaps a series of exercises, or drills, some visual by skiing in front of you showing you what to do or not to do and how, and offering initial feed back as you start executing the plan.
- Once this is done and you are on your improvement journey with Carv as an assistant to help you measure progress, Carv is unbeatable for objectively measuring outcomes, things like edge angles, turn shape, edge smoothness, pressure management, etc. It can give you live feed back, instantaneously, all the time, in whatever format you prefer – All studies show that the most instantaneous the feedback, the more effective it is.
Ski a couple days, improve your ski IQ, then meet your human coach again, discuss any difficulties, take stock of progress, determine a new / modified direction, prepare an exercise plan, practice through it, and then go again skiing with Carv.
With this approach, you can demultiply the impact of the lessons you take and turbo-charge your learning!
Come Carv with me!
Do not hesitate to call or write if you want to explore Carv supported lessons
