I don’t skate.. but do bike.
I got a young 16 y/o female instructor both times. She was lovely but looked overwhelmed at my balance issues lol
I Honestkydon’t know what specifically about speed scares me..
i appreciate everyone’s advice & have signed up for 1:1 lessons for myself coming weekend. will keep you posted
You need an OLD ski instructor with 20+ years experience, who has a high level of certification (or someone close to that description). Call the ski school and ask for that kind of instructor for your upcoming lesson. Pay the extra to get this kind of instructor. Do it!
Your 16 year old instructor knows next to nothing. How can she? She's a rookie instructor. You didn't know that going in, but after your lesson experience, now you do.
It takes a seasoned, experienced, kind and knowledgeable instructor to work with a strongly cautious never-ever adult skier like you. When you take lessons from this instructor, you will learn. That's all you need - the right instructor. Take more lessons from the same person as you progress and you'll find the skiing to be blissfully intoxicating, in a good way.
In addition, when you rent boots, rent a size or two smaller than you'be been using. Squeeze your foot into a boot, stand up, and breathe. Wait. Wait. Breathe. There will be no pain. But the feeling will be unfamiliar. That's not pain.
You should feel the boot tightly grabbing your foot and lower leg all around, with no air spots anywhere. But it should not be so tight that it cuts off circulation. A properly snug boot is going to feel wrong. Just breathe and check for pain or cut-off circulation. It takes a few minutes of waiting to check for sure.
As you buckle up the boots, make sure no part of your pants legs sticks down into the cuff. You need that cuff to clamp onto your leg, not your pants. Wear tall ski socks that peep out of the top of the boot, not short ones. Avoid cotton. Wear only ONE pair of socks; this helps your boot hold onto your foot properly. This will ensure that you have the best fit possible, meaning the plastic of the boot shell is close to your foot, snugly enclosing it into the boot's interior.
Why is this necessary? Because your foot is your steering wheel. You don't want a loose steering wheel.
If you wear a boot that is looser than I'm describing, you will have next to no control over the direction your skis point nor how high up on edge you can get them. When you can't control the direction they point nor the edge angle, you won't have any grip, you'll have trouble getting the skis to take you in the direction you intend, you'll consequently gain speed and need to sit on your thigh to stop before disaster strikes. Loose boots justify insecurity.
Don't let poorly fitting rental boots convince you that it's you causing the lack of control. It's most often the boots, because beginners don't know how a boot should fit, and often the person behind the counter (also a rookie) will hand you a boot two sizes too long for you. Insist on trying on one size shorter than the first one you are given, then two sizes shorter. Take the time to stand and breathe and check for genuine pain, not just unfamiliar discomfort, and cut-off circulation with each boot you try. Once you get it right, write down the size and ask for that each time you go skiing.
Best of luck! You can do it.