The Do’s and Don’ts Of Skiing For Beginners
This is a guest blog by Amber Kingsley.
Amber is a freelance writer for RedSeven and loves sharing her tips for winter destinations. As an avid skier and snowboarder herself, she knows how intimidating that first ride can be but hopes these tips will encourage other wanna-be snow bunnies to give the slopes a try.
Nothing can ruin the perfect winter holiday by skipping out on the slopes. If you’re just starting out and you’re intimidated by the eight year olds dashing by you on their miniature skis like there’s no tomorrow, don’t worry. There are a few tips you should look into before your first (or second) lesson, just to know what to expect and what you can do to make things easier for you so you can enjoy the snow covered mountains of your favorite winter destinations.
DO: Bend those ankles
As a beginner, bending your knees is the golden rule. But what they’re not telling you is that you’re not actually bending your knees per se, but your ankles. The knees follow along and this gives you a good stance. What it does is get your shanks to slide to the front of your boots, which in turn will make you have a better control over whatever you’re doing (we won’t call it skiing just yet). Bending your ankles also makes your whole body absorb shocks (like bumpy terrain) Check that your heel is sitting comfortably in your heel cap to make sure you’re doing it right.
DON’T: Lean forward
This is a general advice plenty of instructors tend to give, but if you’re smart you’ll aim to be central and avoid leaning forward. This way, you’ll be able to use the entire ski and turning will be a lot more precise. Leaning forward is a very imprecise suggestion anyway and what you should get out if it is the need to vertically align your body over your hips and over your feet. Stand up straight and see how that modifies your stance. You’re not going jet-fast, like pro skiers who actually need extreme body bending!
DO: Wear the right gear
Wearing jeans make you look silly. Wearing jeans also makes you never want to go skiing again, so try and avoid going to your first lesson in your regular clothes. Falling will be on the agenda for your first lessons, so you and the snow will get acquainted quite well and, if you’re not wearing special clothing, your encounter will get a little too intimate. If you don’t have a good pair of boots, snow pants and a warm jacket, you might as well just watch the sports channel at home. All of these items are usually rentable in resorts, so there’s no excuse to go unprepared.
DON’T: Learn from your friends
A good idea when you’re new to skiing is getting an instructor. With a teacher, you’re on neutral ground. The rules are unspoken and set because of the formal relationship you both know you have. Skiing is difficult and can get frustrating at first, so learning from someone close to you might turn into a disaster. If that someone is your lover or your spouse, you run the risk of directing the whole anger towards them and quitting the whole thing sooner than you should. Even if your friend is a professional skier, you’re still on safer ground with someone you’re not familiar with.
DO: Look forward
A long time ago, when you started riding a bike, you were told not to look at the wheel because, guess what, you were at risk of falling. Skiing is the same. When you look at the tips of your skis you lose focus and you end up missing obstacles or losing your direction. Look at least ten feet away to make sure you can anticipate whatever might come at you (or whatever you might ski into).
DON’T: Be a couch potato
If you’ve booked a two week skiing trip in advance and all you can do before you get there is google weather conditions and buy gear online, you might also mentally prepare yourself for a physical shock. Ok, you might be an athlete or you might work out three time per week. If that’s the case, there’s nothing to worry about, google away.
But if that’s not you, you might be faced with a problem when you reach the slope. Skiing is really challenging for your body and it will drain you (in the best way possible, really) of your energy. Getting your body in shape before the whole ordeal will make sure your muscles won’t protest on your second day of skiing.
Finally, take a moment to breathe and don’t worry about how bad your first lessons are. Hint: they’re all bad. Nobody is graceful on his first day. We all looked like idiots in the beginning. But the feeling you get when you look over the white slope with confidence, without worrying you might fall or hit something, is hard to compare to anything else.