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"SKIING IS A SLIDING SPORT":
That First Lesson
by Bill Jones, Ski Instructor
Certified Professional Ski Instructor (Registration
#110478)
private ski lessons at Keystone, Breckenridge, Vail, Beaver Creek, Arapahoe
Basin
"Congratulations--you have
selected skiing as your sport," which is like what you often read when you first
open a newly purchased product. The next sentence may be, "Be sure to read
the instructions first". And there may even be a disclaimer telling of inherent
dangers if you use the product the wrong way.
Those are important advices to
heed before and as you start skiing the first time, too.
It is possible to learn to ski
without taking lessons, or by taking the advice of friends, or by just trying it
on your own. But because skiing uses the human body in unaccustomed ways and in
a harsh environment, lessons from a professional allow you to discover efficient and versatile ways
you would be unlikely to find on your own. And lessons may even reduce the
risk factor. Too, lessons will reduce the need to unlearn a movement or position
that does not work well and relearn an effective replacement. Your teacher might
say, "I can help you discover things that work."
Consider the frustration: Learning to ski is a process
that is more challenging than most people imagine. The first day of skiing is a
difficult one, often the hardest ski day one will ever experience. Even though
we may not intend to excel at the sport, just gaining competence can take great
resolve as we figure out how to get our skis do what we want them to get us to
do. If we get hooked on the sport, the frustration can continue: witness the
lament of Phil Mahre, one of America's greatest skiers ever: "I still can't make
10 perfect turns in a row...Two or three of them will be perfect, maybe five
will be OK, and two of 'em will flat suck." (Ski, Oct 2008). Yet
many beginners want results NOW.
Consider the environment.
Have clothing in layers so you can add or take
off, and with zippers for the same effect. Have head coverings available to
preserve warmth and/or to shade bright sunlight. Sun-blocking cream is required on sunny
days. Or the weather could be cold, dark, and windy. Lip salves are good. Goggles and
sunglasses should be available. Ski clothing comes with many pockets to store
and retrieve such items. Troublesome altitude effects are possible, as most ski areas
are high in the
mountains, so at first do not overexert and drink plenty of
fluids--but easy on the caffeine and little or no alcohol.
Consider the equipment. Beginners' skis differ
from those suited for intermediate and advanced skiers--beginners use shorter
skis that are easier to turn and tip and that are softer so they bend more
easily. Too, beginners' boots do not need as much stiffness because at lower
speeds there is less force to distort their shape. You should be able to flex
your ankles while in your boots so your lower leg goes forward without hurting
your shins. Why buy gear first, because you'll need different gear after a few
sessions? And avoid using another's skis, which are unlikely to be the right
ones for you. Go to a good rental shop and take their advice. They will help you
select the right skis for you based on your height, weight, age, and skiing
style and will also adjust the ski bindings so they are more likely to release
you from the skis when needed. (You might find a better price away from your
chosen ski area, but if the rented equipment needs adjustment you will be
inconvenienced.
Consider the body. Have you done some conditioning before
skiing? If so, good! Even if you have, however, many find that the first time out on skis they use
their muscles and joints in new ways and are surprised when a body part hurts,
hindering its use.
Pace yourself so you can last longer. Likely you will learn faster when not
tired. It is better to take a break before you get tired so that you won't get
tired. Get adequate sleep the night before skiing. Start your first ski day
before other activities, not in the middle of or near the end of a busy day. Eat well before and
during skiing and keep an energy bar handy in your pocket. Stay hydrated. Take
rest room breaks. Use warming huts. Only when our bodies are happy will our
minds let us do what we want our bodies to do.
Consider the psyche. Why are you trying the sport?
Did the devil make you do it? Did you see those sexy ads in the slick ski
magazines? Is apres-ski at the bar your motivation? Do you want to be able to ski with a
significant other? find a significant other? with kids? with grandkids? Do you
like the stylish clothes? Are you competitive and want to win a race on skis?
Are you bored in the winter and want a new activity? Will you be impressing--or
keeping even with--others in the office at the proverbial water cooler? Have you
been dared? Do you want to enjoy the winter mountain views? Do you want to be a ski instructor?
Consider the mind. Are you a risk-taker? If so, you might
learn faster as you try out new positions and movements. But be careful at the
same time so you don't become a statistic you don't want to be. Are you
cautious? If so, you might slow your progress into the sport's joys and
even be a hazard to yourself for not using more daring actions that would
actually allow better performance. Think as in the Nike slogan, "Just do it!" and avoid the 4-letter
word in this sentence: "I can't." Think about how you like to learn--watcher,
thinker, doer--and try to use the method that works best for you, but include
the other methods as well for fastest progress. Share your learning-style
preference with others helping you learn. Visualize movement patterns
rather than static positions: skiing is a sliding sport. Recall the adage
that "No decision is a decision", for even if you do not change your body's
position as you ski, your skis will take you somewhere. By taking action you can
influence what will happen.
Consider the lesson. Does your source of
learning--instructor, book, video--have credentials and/or experience in the profession? Do you
and he/she/it relate? Is the terrain you are on non-threatening so you can focus
on learning? Is the lesson long enough so you can learn what you should (this
varies by individual; some will need less lesson time to reach goals and others
more, depending on their physical and mental makeup plus past activities and
more). Is there enough time in the lesson to "groove in" new patterns of
actions.
Consider the joy. "Are we having fun yet?" may be a
question at first, as the first ski lesson is for most the hardest they will
ever take. A long-time ski school director had this index for his success with
"never-ever" students: He watched for teeth, revealing the beginnings of smiles, rare at first except
from nervousness. Stay with skiing long enough to give the teeth a chance to
show and know if it is a sport for you,
and you will be more likely to join the millions of others who spend their years
looking forward to their next sliding experience on snow.
Consider the future. Now that you have decided to start the sport,
and assuming you like it, where will you go with it? Pick any goal you like--to ski
the easiest green terrain, to cruise the blue groomed runs, to dive down the
black steeps, to navigate the moguls, to taste the powder, to win the races--but note that
most skiers advance their goals with time on the snow and the discovery that the
better their skills the better their enjoyment and the more they can experience
the best of the mountains. Beware: skiing is addictive.
Ski-heil! (a wish for health and happiness: it means long
life and good luck; with wholesomeness.)
"SKIING IS A SLIDING SPORT"--a skiing web
manual: Skiing Web Manual Contents Why
Read this Skiing Web Manual THAT
FIRST LESSON A
Little Skiing History Motion
in Skiing
Conventional Skiing Wisdoms
Skier Excuses Fear
in Skiing Conditioning
for Skiing Equipment
and Technique
Skiing Equipment
How Skis
Work
How
to Develop Balance on Skis
A Skiing
Turn Simplified Tactics for Terrains and Snow
Textures and Racing
Skiing Tips and Tales--a potpourii
Exercises for Developing Skiing Skills
Children and Skiing
Age and Skiing
Gender & Skiing
Culture & Skiing
Skiing Ethics and Slope Survival
Slope Safety Skiing
Environment Glossary
Acknowledgements
SkiMyBest Website Contents
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Copyright © 2013 William R Jones.
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