skigirl
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
This thread is for those of you planning on skiing for the first time and those of you planning on taking someone skiing for the first time.
My background: I have been teaching people how to ski for 25 years. I can teach everything from beginners to upper levels and I have seen a lot of crazy things over the years.
To all first time skiers or those taking first time skiers please take LESSONS to get statrted!! Skiing can be an easy sport to learn but it is not an easy sport to teach if you have never done it!! If you are the one skiing for the first time please do not let your friends or family take you to the top of the hill as soon as you put your skis on. This is not how you learn to ski. I have seen this done more times than I care to remember and it never goes well. :( The best and safest way to learn is to take a lesson from the ski area's ski school. A lot of ski areas have a learn to ski package which inlcudes, rentals, a lesson, and a lift ticket for a lower price than buying it all separate so always ask before you pay for everything.
A note to those of you that are taking a first time skier out. Please have the person take a lesson. Trying to teach them yourself is not as easy as you think it is. Over the years I have had to save a lot of relationships for a lot of people, including ski instructors, that thought they could teach their wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, or siblings. If instructors have trouble teaching friends and relatives just think about how hard it will be if you have never taught skiing before.
First Time Skiers: What to do on your first day. Wear a ski jacket, ski pants, and ski gloves or mittens. You will want all of this to keep you dry because you will be falling down. Don't over dress with a lot of layers because you will be working hard and you will get hot quickly. If you are renting skis from the area's rental shop make sure you let your skis cool down before you put them on the snow. Stand with your skis apart for a few minutes until they are cold on the bottom!! If you put a warm ski on the cold snow the snow will melt that is under the ski and then the ski will cool down and the now water will freeze to the bottom of the ski and you will not be able to move. :( If you time it right you can walk to your lesson and let your instructor help you get your skis on. If you have time before your lesson and you have a freind to help you then have them help you put your skis on. Note to Friends :just show them how to walk around on their skis and do it where it is flat and they can't get into to trouble going down any hills!! Then take them to their lesson.
To First time skiers: Take some time to get fit. Learning to ski is a workout. I want you to fall in love with skiing and have FUN not get tired and frustrated on your first day. Remember that just because you took one lesson you may not be ready for the big hill. Don't let your friends take you up the hill until your instructor says so or until you have solid linked turns with complete speed contol and you can STOP no matter how fast you are going!! You may need 3 or 4 lessons before you are ready for the big hill. Take your time and do it right you don't want to get hurt. You want to have FUN!!!
Skiing is a great sport that is so much fun and I want everyone to have fun and not hate it on their first day out!!
There is a sticker on one of the chairs where I ski that says, "Friends Don't Teach Friends How to Ski!"
I hope this helps.
skigirl
My background: I have been teaching people how to ski for 25 years. I can teach everything from beginners to upper levels and I have seen a lot of crazy things over the years.
To all first time skiers or those taking first time skiers please take LESSONS to get statrted!! Skiing can be an easy sport to learn but it is not an easy sport to teach if you have never done it!! If you are the one skiing for the first time please do not let your friends or family take you to the top of the hill as soon as you put your skis on. This is not how you learn to ski. I have seen this done more times than I care to remember and it never goes well. :( The best and safest way to learn is to take a lesson from the ski area's ski school. A lot of ski areas have a learn to ski package which inlcudes, rentals, a lesson, and a lift ticket for a lower price than buying it all separate so always ask before you pay for everything.
A note to those of you that are taking a first time skier out. Please have the person take a lesson. Trying to teach them yourself is not as easy as you think it is. Over the years I have had to save a lot of relationships for a lot of people, including ski instructors, that thought they could teach their wife, husband, girlfriend, boyfriend, or siblings. If instructors have trouble teaching friends and relatives just think about how hard it will be if you have never taught skiing before.
First Time Skiers: What to do on your first day. Wear a ski jacket, ski pants, and ski gloves or mittens. You will want all of this to keep you dry because you will be falling down. Don't over dress with a lot of layers because you will be working hard and you will get hot quickly. If you are renting skis from the area's rental shop make sure you let your skis cool down before you put them on the snow. Stand with your skis apart for a few minutes until they are cold on the bottom!! If you put a warm ski on the cold snow the snow will melt that is under the ski and then the ski will cool down and the now water will freeze to the bottom of the ski and you will not be able to move. :( If you time it right you can walk to your lesson and let your instructor help you get your skis on. If you have time before your lesson and you have a freind to help you then have them help you put your skis on. Note to Friends :just show them how to walk around on their skis and do it where it is flat and they can't get into to trouble going down any hills!! Then take them to their lesson.
To First time skiers: Take some time to get fit. Learning to ski is a workout. I want you to fall in love with skiing and have FUN not get tired and frustrated on your first day. Remember that just because you took one lesson you may not be ready for the big hill. Don't let your friends take you up the hill until your instructor says so or until you have solid linked turns with complete speed contol and you can STOP no matter how fast you are going!! You may need 3 or 4 lessons before you are ready for the big hill. Take your time and do it right you don't want to get hurt. You want to have FUN!!!
Skiing is a great sport that is so much fun and I want everyone to have fun and not hate it on their first day out!!
There is a sticker on one of the chairs where I ski that says, "Friends Don't Teach Friends How to Ski!"
I hope this helps.
skigirl