Confidence, or the lack of it, can be a major hurdle in improving your skiing. It could be that you’ve never done it before and you’re apprehensive about falling over or using the ski lift. You may already ski but your family, or partner, is so much better than you and they’re always waiting for you when you’re skiing together. Perhaps you’ve had an injury but would love to go on another ski holiday but are worried that it might make it worse.
The solution to these problems is to get some lessons at your local dry ski slope. Lessons that will give you a good start in your skiing career. Lessons that will restore your confidence and develop your skills. Having the right ones can make a real difference to your skiing ability, your confidence and your mindset. They should be fun and there is no need to feel nervous about taking some.
So, you’ve decided to have a lesson and you’re wondering what to expect?
As a beginner… you will be kitted out with your boots, skis, poles and a helmet. You will be shown how to put your boots on and how to carry your equipment. Out on the slopes, you will start off with an explanation of what everything is for and how to put the skis on. The lesson starts slowly and you gradually move up the slope as you progress from simple sliding exercises to making a snowplough shape with your skis. This is all at your own pace and you will be helped along the way by your instructor who will be more than happy to answer your questions.
Once you can snowplough, you will be shown how to use the button lift. This is much more straight forward that it looks and is nothing to worry about. In simple terms, you just stand there and let it pull you up the slope – it’s just the same as skiing downhill except you’re going uphill! At the first level of the slope, you will step down a little and receive some instruction on how to do some snowplough turning. Again, this is straightforward, you simply point your skis where you want them to go. This is all done at your own pace and there is loads of time to practise your new skills. It doesn’t matter if you don’t get it straight away, it will come and each time you do it, it will get better.
If you’ve skied before… once you’ve got your equipment, your instructor will ask you about your skiing history and what you would like to get out of the lesson. This may mean that you need to start from the basics or from a lower level on the slope. It could be that you are happy to ski from the top of the slope but there is something holding you back and that’s the area for development. What’s important here is that the ski lesson is all about your needs, to help you to progress and to increase your confidence. There is no point in rushing to the top of the slope if you’re going to be scared and fall over. We will be governed by how you feel and how you’re skiing. You will be given instruction and feedback to help you to achieve your goals.
We hear all too often about skiers on their first ski holiday spending all week on the nursery slopes missing out on their friends’ adventures as they explore the mountain. So how will my lessons make a difference?
Imagine this is your first time on a ski holiday, you now know all about your equipment and how to use it. You can use the lifts on the nursery slopes. You can turn your skis and control your speed. These are the fundamental skills needed to set you up for a great holiday. Having more lessons to develop these skills when you are on holiday will allow you to ski more of the mountain safely and increase your enjoyment. By having the lessons before at your local dry ski slope, you avoid being stuck on the nursery slope for the week.
If you’ve been struggling with your confidence, you will feel that you now have the skillset and greater confidence to enjoy skiing the mountain. The lessons will have helped you to push past your previous concerns and limits. You will be better equipped to ski that tricky red run that was always your nemesis or perhaps it’s just skiing a little faster. Either way, the work that you put in before your holiday will greatly improve the quality of your time on snow and hopefully leave you feeling like you want to do more.
In summary… ski lessons will help to improve your confidence, develop your skills and increase your understanding.
Terry Jeynes is a Snowsport England Alpine Development Coach Level 4 IVSI. He is based at Gloucester Ski & Snowboard Centre and has years of experience working with all levels of skier ranging from novice through to instructors.
For more information, please visit his website - www.tjskicoaching.co.uk or phone 07413 240925