How much regression to expect?

[MsWax]

Last year my youngest (he was 3.5 last season) learned how to REALLY ski. We started by spending most of December on the bunny slope, but he was on easy greens by Christmas. By the end of the season he could ski any blue trail, and even some blacks (depending on mountain ratings). In short, he was pretty good!

But, he was 3.5 and he hasn't been on ski's in 7 months. He's now 4 (and bigger and stronger), but will he really remember how to ski? What kind of re-learning process should I expect? My other kids learned at 4/5, so the year-to-year change in THEM was already less. I'm not sure how much we'll need to go back to square 1. Basically, I don't want to set him or myself up for disappointment, and I don't want to put him in a situation where he's over his head.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Kimmyt]

I have no idea the answer to this and look forward to other replies, but I wouldn't be surprised if he picks up where he left off. Maybe start him on the bunny slope then do a green run and then from there depending on how he is. My son is 3.5 this year and we are looking forward to getting him to really ski this year, but we ski in our front yard each winter. He got out in our front yard once so far this year and we were really surprised that he already was better than he had been last winter, even though he hadn't been on skis all summer. He had gotten physically stronger and more coordinated in the past year and all those new skills he learned on his bike and climbing on things and playing in playgrounds seemed to immediately transfer to when he put his skis on.

 

[newboots]

I have the same question as Ms. Wax, but about me! I hung out here all summer, but recently I've been watching some ski videos. I've started to feel something I feel when I watch a hockey game: my muscles twitch as if I'm doing the skating (now skiing). I think that's a good sign. I'm trying to remember all the things I learned. I know nobody can answer my question (now that I hijacked* the thread - sorry), but I keep wondering what I'll be able to ski this year! I can't use my Killington season pass yet because no beginner runs are open, and I'm not going to begin on some blue run I've never skied before. Waiting impatiently.

ETA: attempted to hijack

 

[santacruz skier]

@newboots I've been skiing 40 years and every year the first few runs take getting used to..... For many years I would in line skate during the off season to get in shape for ski season and try to retain muscle memory.
Be patient! It might take several runs on the first day out!

 

[marzNC]

When my daughter was 4 she skied for the first time. Got in a few days during three trips to our small home mountain (Massanutten in northern VA), with at least one full day of ski school each trip. The second season I started her with ski school during the early season ski trip the week before Christmas. Seems as if she was pretty much back to the same level after that day. Certainly after the second day of skiing.

 

[newboots]

@newboots I've been skiing 40 years and every year the first few runs take getting used to..... For many years I would in line skate during the off season to get in shape for ski season and try to retain muscle memory.
Be patient! It might take several runs on the first day out!

If it's just several runs, not several weeks or months, I'll be thrilled!

 

[santacruz skier]

If it's just several runs, not several weeks or months, I'll be thrilled!

Like riding a bike... You'll be fine after several runs I bet.

 

[CarverJill]

Its a good question. I'm curious what others say. Last year my kids ages 3 and 4.5 skied 2 days at Mammoth but it was during a late March blizzard of the 2006-2017 snow-pocalypse so they weren't on the slopes that much. My son skied a half day the year before at age 3.5 but I doubt any of the 1/2 day carried over the following year. I'm hoping to get them on the slopes 3-4 times this winter so maybe they will learn enough that I can start worrying about carrying skills over to the following year.

 

[RuthB]

At that age I don't remember my son regressing - more like giant leaps forward. He didn't forget what he had learnt, but the biggest factor was as @Kimmyt said the physical growth and strength and motor skill development seemed to have a bigger impact.

I learnt to ski as a child and I think that it might be quite different to learning as an adult. You do develop lots of muscle memory and there is much less thinking about it and more intuition if that makes sense

 

[MsWax]

At that age I don't remember my son regressing - more like giant leaps forward. He didn't forget what he had learnt, but the biggest factor was as @Kimmyt said the physical growth and strength and motor skill development seemed to have a bigger impact.

I learnt to ski as a child and I think that it might be quite different to learning as an adult. You do develop lots of muscle memory and there is much less thinking about it and more intuition if that makes sense

That's certainly what I'm hoping for! If we can get him to the point this year where he can hang with the rest of the family on the blacks, I'd be thrilled!!!

 

[marzNC]

That's certainly what I'm hoping for! If we can get him to the point this year where he can hang with the rest of the family on the blacks, I'd be thrilled!!!

The advantage of learning at a small mountain is that little kids can feel very accomplished sooner. What I insisted with my daughter--and the kids of my friends who started before age 7--was that they had to show pretty solid turns and stops together with people awareness on blue slopes before I would let them do a black. Same principal at Massanutten (75 acres) or Alta (2000 acres). In particular, they had to make turns without prompting. In most cases, little kids who learn from instructors are quite capable of making turns by age 4 or 5 but if not following someone making turns, they often prefer to straight-line easy trails (green, easy blue). I would sometimes deliberately follow my daughter just to see what she would do on her own, but mostly I had her following me ages 4-6 once it was clear she wasn't likely to fall and need help getting up. Instructors do a great job teaching little ones how to get up on their own.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I have the same question as Ms. Wax, but about me! I hung out here all summer, but recently I've been watching some ski videos. I've started to feel something I feel when I watch a hockey game: my muscles twitch as if I'm doing the skating (now skiing). I think that's a good sign. I'm trying to remember all the things I learned. I know nobody can answer my question (now that I hijacked* the thread - sorry), but I keep wondering what I'll be able to ski this year! I can't use my Killington season pass yet because no beginner runs are open, and I'm not going to begin on some blue run I've never skied before. Waiting impatiently.

ETA: attempted to hijack

One of my instructors said that his best training when he was out for ACL recovery was to watch ski racing, so there you go ;-)

Every year, as I get more comfortable with skiing, I start out more confidently. The exceptions being last season (due to injury) and this season (much more recovered, but obsessing over every imperfection in my skiing - which does not help my skiing).

I'll be honest that every season, the early season WROD makes me question my skiing ability a little bit. I think it's because the snow is so different from what I usually ski mid-season. Manmade is harsh and unforgiving. But .... er .... given where you ski, you may not experience the same cognitive dissonance.

 

[Obrules15]

One of my instructors said that his best training when he was out for ACL recovery was to watch ski racing, so there you go ;-)

Every year, as I get more comfortable with skiing, I start out more confidently. The exceptions being last season (due to injury) and this season (much more recovered, but obsessing over every imperfection in my skiing - which does not help my skiing).

I'll be honest that every season, the early season WROD makes me question my skiing ability a little bit. I think it's because the snow is so different from what I usually ski mid-season. Manmade is harsh and unforgiving. But .... er .... given where you ski, you may not experience the same cognitive dissonance.

No, the WROD is still a miserable experience. I skied Killington last year around this time and it was quite a *challenging* experience. Although much of that might have to do with the three mile hike up and down stairs in boots to get to the slope (walking was fine, but the stairs, OMG). Later in the year, no problem. For me, there just seems to be ski muscles that my fitness routines don't help. I'm hopeful this year, as I'm doing some different things, but.........

 

[bounceswoosh]

No, the WROD is still a miserable experience. I skied Killington last year around this time and it was quite a *challenging* experience. Although much of that might have to do with the three mile hike up and down stairs to get to the slope (walking was fine, but the stairs, OMG). Later in the year, no problem. For me, there just seems to be ski muscles that my fitness routines don't help. I'm hopeful this year, as I'm doing some different things, but.........

Can't "like" this.

I don't think for me it's the muscles, just the unpleasantness of man-made snow.

 

[Obrules15]

Can't "like" this.

I don't think for me it's the muscles, just the unpleasantness of man-made snow.

I want to make a crack about being an east coast skier, but since I booked a bunch of $120 roundtrip Southwest flights to Denver I think I probably have to agree with you.

 

[Pequenita]

I don't have any helpful response, other than it seems super cute!

 

[newboots]

I don't have any helpful response, other than it seems super cute!

I hope you're talking about the four-year-old. Although if you want to call me super-cute I suppose I don't mind.

 

[Pequenita]

I hope you're talking about the four-year-old. Although if you want to call me super-cute I suppose I don't mind.

The 4 y.o.

 

[MsWax]

Last year my youngest (he was 3.5 last season) learned how to REALLY ski. We started by spending most of December on the bunny slope, but he was on easy greens by Christmas. By the end of the season he could ski any blue trail, and even some blacks (depending on mountain ratings). In short, he was pretty good!

But, he was 3.5 and he hasn't been on ski's in 7 months. He's now 4 (and bigger and stronger), but will he really remember how to ski? What kind of re-learning process should I expect? My other kids learned at 4/5, so the year-to-year change in THEM was already less. I'm not sure how much we'll need to go back to square 1. Basically, I don't want to set him or myself up for disappointment, and I don't want to put him in a situation where he's over his head.

Thanks in advance!

I felt like I had to report back!

Saturday was our first day of the season. We got our passes, got everyone suited up, and headed up the chairlift. At the top, we got off the chair and my 4-year-old started to freak out. Oops! In hindsight, we should have started on the bunny slope, but he was looking so comfortable on the skis at the base I thought we were ok. The first run was ROUGH. I sent the rest of the family off to ski, and the little guy and I took our time. I didn't rush him, but I did push him to keep moving. By the halfway point everything started to click again, and by the time we got to the bottom (1.5 hours later for a not that long trail), he was having a blast and couldn't wait to get on the lift again!

By the end of the day, the fear was (mostly) gone, and his technique was looking pretty darn good. He was even finishing some turns in parallel! I think after another day or 2 he'll be back to where he was last year. Now I just need to work on him getting back up by himself!

 

[marzNC]

I felt like I had to report back!

Updates are always appreciated!