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Use THAT
FIRST LESSON "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 may even reduce the risk factor. 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. 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). 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 smiles a chance 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
WEB MANUAL--"Skiing is a Sliding Sport":
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
Skiing Tips and Tales--a potpourii
Children
and Skiing
Men vs. Women/Women vs. Men and Skiing
Skiing Ethics and Slope Survival Skiing
Environment Glossary
Acknowledgements
SkiMyBest Website Contents
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