Reality check: as a beginner, how good will I get eventually?

[Kissmark]

Ladies I need a little encouragement/reality check/tough love:

I started skiing late, in my mid 40's. I did some snowboarding since my 20's but I was not serious about it and never got too good at it.
Now with work and kids, at most we can do is 3-5 ski days each year. So after 2 years I am still at the point of "turning with start snowplow end parallel" kinda level.
I am just wondering, given my age and the frequency we are going, will I ever each that point where I can do parallel and go down a green comfortably? how long would it take? or am I gonna stuck here for awhile?

Note I did take a few beginner lessons but private lessons are so expensive I can't do it too often. My husband usually stays with the kids and is busy teaching them that I am left by myself most of the day.

Thank you

 

[horsepowered]

I don't know when/where I heard it, but it was something along the lines of it taking 70 days to become a good skier. That's probably pretty accurate for me - I skied as a kid, took a bunch of years off, and returned around age 30 and had to re-learn on an adult body. I'm better now than I ever was in my teenage years, and while I don't consider myself any sort of expert, I have the technique and confidence to safely get myself down any slope (it might not look pretty, but I'm going to make it in one piece). I even accidentally dropped into my very first double diamond at Arapahoe basin last season, and after surviving, decided it was pretty fun.

I highly recommend lessons - my husband and I both take group lessons as often as we can. I've paid for privates a time or two when I can't find advanced group lessons for adults (some resorts seem to cater their lesson programs to kids only), but 99% of my lessons are small groups of 4-6 adults. Lessons are how I prefer to get introduced to a new-to-me resort - it's like having a tour guide who is there to make sure we're having a good time

 

[SarahXC]

I think you need not despair! Lots of adult learners here. The “mileage”, or “days on snow” or “10,000 hours” is definitely a part of it and as a mid-40’s gal myself I relate to the many demands on my time. For me I found the rollerblade to ski drills really good as I can usually get to a nearby park for an hour much more regularly than I can go skiing.

SKATE TO SKI | en | Rollerblade USA

www.rollerblade.com

 

[Analisa]

It can really vary from person to person. Gear (especially boots) can expedite or hinder that process. Do you rent? Or if you own, did you go to a fitter, and what boot model & size did you end up in (and what's your shoe size)?

The kinetic chain for skiing goes feet --> boots --> bindings --> skis. The rest of the pieces are designed to sit flush with the next. But if we have any gapping in our boots, it means we have to work so much harder to generate enough force to flow through the rest of the chain. And if we've got a lot of ankle lift in our boots, it makes us rely on poor form just to safely and effectively steer the skis. I had a friend who was kind of plateauing at a similar point before this season. She switched from rentals into a professionally fitted boot and started skiing blues with parallel turns 2 days later.

 

[leia1979]

If it fits your budget, I highly recommend a private lesson. I've been sharing them with my husband as there's no difference in cost for one or two people (at least where I ski), but I would benefit most from one totally on my own. Heck, even finding a ski friend who can watch you to help you understand what you're doing would help.

Group lessons have been sometimes great and sometimes awful, in my experience. I was in a truly useless lesson with about 15 people and 2 instructors. A couple ladies I was with got more tips from me than the instructor. I'm not great, but I can tell when someone's in the back seat and can give some visualization ideas to help them stay forward.

In terms of ability, I've been exactly where you are for like ten years because I only went between 0 and 3 times a year. I only started seeing more improvement in the past year or so. Better boots definitely helped because I wasn't working so hard anymore. More regular practice makes a big difference, too.

I love the rollerblade practice @SarahXC! I picked up roller skating (quads) this summer, and I think that has taught me better edging, too. I had to learn to ski down a hill on skates!

 

[Kissmark]

It can really vary from person to person. Gear (especially boots) can expedite or hinder that process. Do you rent? Or if you own, did you go to a fitter, and what boot model & size did you end up in (and what's your shoe size)?

The kinetic chain for skiing goes feet --> boots --> bindings --> skis. The rest of the pieces are designed to sit flush with the next. But if we have any gapping in our boots, it means we have to work so much harder to generate enough force to flow through the rest of the chain. And if we've got a lot of ankle lift in our boots, it makes us rely on poor form just to safely and effectively steer the skis. I had a friend who was kind of plateauing at a similar point before this season. She switched from rentals into a professionally fitted boot and started skiing blues with parallel turns 2 days later.

thank you for the advice and your friend's experience is very encouraging! Since this is only my 2nd season I just did season rental this time. Next year I will look for a pair of boots!

 

[Analisa]

Guarantee that's holding you back! Rental boots are built for the widest common denominator, and women are much more likely to have lower volume feet. They also don't come with a footbed. So when you're pushing on the inside edges of your feet, that space under your arch isn't filled and there's nothing to press into. Skiing in oversized boots is kinda like steering a bicycle with just your pinky fingers. You can do it, but not with a lot of speed, ease, or confidence.

The one thing on timing that I'd mention is that sale season starts 3/1. (Pricing policies from manufacturers expire). If you have a local fitter to you that you can get to in March, you can generally bet on most models still being in stock and saving 15-20% compared to next season. (You'll also be able to see a fitter when their "caseload" is lower. They can take more time on your fitting if there's not back-to-back appointments or a long queue of walk-ins).

Skis & lessons are also great to have, but should totally come after.

 

[Christy]

will I ever each that point where I can do parallel and go down a green comfortably?

Yes, you will.

Do as many group lessons as you can. If you can swing weekdays (maybe on a family vacation?) at a not too busy resort you may find yourself either alone or with just one other person in the group--this has happened to me at Sun Valley many times. And there's also just time on the hill. This might be science fiction depending on your kids' ages but if you could ever plan a family trip to coincide with a women's clinic, you might make some serious progress quickly.

Beyond that, and boots, I think it really does depend on the person. I've met people on this forum that were shockingly good in their second or third year. I am convinced there are physical factors that do allow some people to pick it up more easily than others. I started when I was 37 and was not a natural. It really felt like carving in stone at times in terms of progress. I'll never be as good as many people. But I have fun and am comfortable with the level I am, and that's all that matters.

 

[Kissmark]

Yes, you will.

Do as many group lessons as you can. If you can swing weekdays (maybe on a family vacation?) at a not too busy resort you may find yourself either alone or with just one other person in the group--this has happened to me at Sun Valley many times. And there's also just time on the hill. This might be science fiction depending on your kids' ages but if you could ever plan a family trip to coincide with a women's clinic, you might make some serious progress quickly.

Beyond that, and boots, I think it really does depend on the person. I've met people on this forum that were shockingly good in their second or third year. I am convinced there are physical factors that do allow some people to pick it up more easily than others. I started when I was 37 and was not a natural. It really felt like carving in stone at times in terms of progress. I'll never be as good as many people. But I have fun and am comfortable with the level I am, and that's all that matters.

Thank you so much for the encouragement! My goals is really just to be able to enjoy the sport with the rest of my family. if I can go down the greens and a few of the blues at some point I am happy

 

[Kissmark]

I think you need not despair! Lots of adult learners here. The “mileage”, or “days on snow” or “10,000 hours” is definitely a part of it and as a mid-40’s gal myself I relate to the many demands on my time. For me I found the rollerblade to ski drills really good as I can usually get to a nearby park for an hour much more regularly than I can go skiing.

SKATE TO SKI | en | Rollerblade USA

www.rollerblade.com

Despair is where I am at right now because there were definitely times when I was like, what am I doing it's just wasting lift ticket $ and I should just sit in the lodge and wait..... You guys are giving me lots of tips and encouragement and Im going to keep trying!

 

[Kissmark]

I don't know when/where I heard it, but it was something along the lines of it taking 70 days to become a good skier. That's probably pretty accurate for me - I skied as a kid, took a bunch of years off, and returned around age 30 and had to re-learn on an adult body. I'm better now than I ever was in my teenage years, and while I don't consider myself any sort of expert, I have the technique and confidence to safely get myself down any slope (it might not look pretty, but I'm going to make it in one piece). I even accidentally dropped into my very first double diamond at Arapahoe basin last season, and after surviving, decided it was pretty fun.

I highly recommend lessons - my husband and I both take group lessons as often as we can. I've paid for privates a time or two when I can't find advanced group lessons for adults (some resorts seem to cater their lesson programs to kids only), but 99% of my lessons are small groups of 4-6 adults. Lessons are how I prefer to get introduced to a new-to-me resort - it's like having a tour guide who is there to make sure we're having a good time

ah...70 days is a good number to keep in mind. I guess I have maybe 5 total combined last year and this year

 

[Susan L]

Think 3-5 days a year will not get you anywhere, neither will lessons or equipment if you don’t get to practice. You need mileage.

 

[Skier31]

I don't know where you live but if it would be possible for you to do a 3 day or more women's clinic next season, that could help quite a bit.

Getting the right instruction combined with mileage can expedite your competency quickly.

 

[TNtoTaos]

Welcome -- you've come to the right place!

I started skiing at 45 (69 now), and for the first few yrs I only skied once each yr for about a wk. Then I moved to PA, not far from Elk Mtn for a couple of yrs, and was able to get out and ski several times a wk, all season. That helped a lot, but it wasn't until I started taking an Adult Ski Wk at Taos (around 15 yrs ago) each season that I really started to improve, and now that I've been retired for 4 yrs, I've spent more time skiing each season, and am now starting to ski black diamond runs at Taos! (BTW, I moved away from NM 20 yrs ago, so I would travel to Taos from PA and now TN every yr).

Skiing is a lifelong-learning sport, and if you are truly committed to improving, you will. It's taken me 25 yrs to get to where I am now, and I'm improving faster now that I am retired and can spend more time skiing, but that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the entire progression! You have many yrs ahead of you to ski; your kids will grow up and either ski or not, but you'll have much mire time to devote to your own skiing.

I definitely agree that taking lessons whenever you can, preferably with a group at your own level, will make it much more fun for you. If you tell us where you live, we can suggest ski areas that are good for learners. And you can ask any questions you might have about skiing and equipment here -- there are many experts on these forums who can help.

 

[diymom]

@Kissmark I looked back at your posts from last year when you had just joined. I see you started with snowboarding. How long did it take you to learn to snowboard? And how old were you when you learned?

 

[newbieM]

This is ME!! This is my 4th season skiing and like you I started in my 40s. This is my advice:

1. Don't be so hard on yourself, take it at your pace. Do the same run over and over again slowly increasing your progression to parallel, that way there are less factors. You are already familiar with the run, where it navigates, etc. I am a nervous skier so it is going to take me longer to go faster than a more adventurous personality.

2. Take lessons, as others said, this was the single biggest factor in learning the right form. Group lessons are hit or miss as others have said.

3. Watch videos, I found ski videos super helpful just to help visualize what I am supposed to be doing.

4. I also had rental boots my first season, I was able to rent the same boots the entire season, I just asked for the bar code, that way I could at least have consistency that way. I did end up buying my rental boots because it was what I could afford and I thought - ok they fit, that is great - at the end of the season b/c I thought they were comfortable they must be OK. I skied on them a whole additional season. But I did plateau because they were too big (a whole size too big it turns out) and I got a new pair at the end of the season with a bootfitter.

Good luck! You got this!! When you are having a hard day - go inside, treat yourself to some hot chocolate - and then go back out there. I've been doing that after my first few runs when my legs feel like a mess. I am then able to usually go back out and have fun.

 

[Knitjenious]

This is my 6th year skiing, at age 44. And it is the first year where it didn't feel like I was starting over completely the first few times out. My first few years I maybe averaged 10-12 days a year. The last couple were closer to 20. Boot the fit made a huge and immediate difference in year 3. Lessons helped a lot. Learning to side slide was a game changer-- I could push myself more because I knew how to get out of (mild) trouble! But I still have REALLY HARD days where I just want to cry!

 

[rach93]

Ladies I need a little encouragement/reality check/tough love:

I started skiing late, in my mid 40's. I did some snowboarding since my 20's but I was not serious about it and never got too good at it.
Now with work and kids, at most we can do is 3-5 ski days each year. So after 2 years I am still at the point of "turning with start snowplow end parallel" kinda level.
I am just wondering, given my age and the frequency we are going, will I ever each that point where I can do parallel and go down a green comfortably? how long would it take? or am I gonna stuck here for awhile?

Note I did take a few beginner lessons but private lessons are so expensive I can't do it too often. My husband usually stays with the kids and is busy teaching them that I am left by myself most of the day.

Thank you

If you can only do few days year and you want to improve the best thing you can do is build an off slope workout routine. I take 20 minutes everyday after work and do yoga, squats, leg lifts, scissors, crunches, wall sits, and hip thrusts. Idea being that you can make the most of your limited time on slope by being ready for it.

If there is an ice rink near you take up skating there are a lot of similar principles related to balance, pressure, and edges.

Most importantly believe and keep trying, you will get there if you stick with it. I just taught a NE 40yo woman last week who after 4 hours is starting to parallel turn.

Everyone learns at a different pace, and everyone benefits differently from certain teaching styles.

 

[Iwannaski]

Many of us are later learners. If you enjoy being outside in the cold, and sliding on snow, then spend time doing it so that you can continue to grow. Am I a great skier? No. Am I a joyful skier? yes. Do i benefit both from skiing and all the ancillary things (time with friends and family, time moving my body, even time waxing my skis) that come with it? ABSOLUTELY.

But. Don’t be hard on yourself. In fact, celebrate the fact that you are willing to do something that’s hard. That’s HUGE. Celebrate that your kids are seeing you pursue something you like but not because you’re good at it, but because you can get better. Think of how much they’ll learn from THAT.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

Yes! You can absolutely get to a point of making parallel turns on a green run with only 3 to 5 days a season.
More importantly are you having fun with the level of skiing you have reached so far? There is honestly no limit to the goals.we can set for ourselves with skiing and I have many students for whom progress has been very hard to come by, but the fun of the process has been key to sticking with it. Individuals vary so much in terms of their capacity for improvement that without knowing you, you body, your brain, your emotions, it is impossible to even guesstimate your personal time-line.

Are you interested in spending 3 or so hrs a day working on skill development by yourself during your outings and then applying them while doing more traditional skiing the rest of the day. If yes, then you could make a significant amount of progress each year.

It is such a great sport in that most skiers I know only take a half to a full day to resume from the skill level they reached the previous season. This means that you'll have at least two days to improve each trip.

Group lessons can be great if you are willing to ask questions of your instructor during the chair ride. Ask for drills or exercises you can do on your own when not in a lesson.