Last updated on February 8th, 2021 at 08:15 pm
There are roughly 10 million active skiers and snowboarders in the US.
Once you get into skiing it can be nearly addictive. The beauty of the mountains, the thrill, the lifestyle, the exercise, and the challenge keeps people coming back for more season after season.
Do you want to become a professional skier but aren’t sure where to start?
Let’s take a look at the top 10 skiing tips for beginning skiers.
Table of Contents
1. Bend Your Knees When Skiing is the First Rule
If you are new to skiing it can feel quite strange to be squatting all day. It is therefore quite common for new skiers to straighten their legs while skiing. This messes up the balance, control, agility, and form.
When you bend your knees when you’re skiing it helps you to keep balance because it centers your upper body above your legs. It also helps you to gain control because your shins are pushed into the front of your boots. It also helps you to absorb the impact of uneven terrain and small jumps.
You probably aren’t bending your knees enough if your heel isn’t always positioned in the heel cup of your boot. Even if you feel like you’re bending your knees enough, try to bend them tomorrow. Notice how much more control you have when you do this.
2. Practice Makes You a Better Skier
While skiing might come more naturally to some than it does to others, no one is going to be an expert the first time they hit the slopes.
It’s important to have reasonable expectations of your own abilities when you get started. Otherwise, you will inevitably get quite frustrated.
Patience is incredibly important if you want to improve your skiing. It’s also important to practice as much as possible.
If you only go skiing once a season, you likely won’t see much improvement. Think of skiing as you think of learning any other skill. It takes time to build and practice is absolutely essential.
You can spend time when you’re not on the slopes watching videos online filled with beginner skier tips. This can help to keep you engaged with learning the new skill even when there’s no snow for miles.
It can be helpful to work on just a couple of things each time you ski. There is a lot to learn, but it can be overwhelming to try and hold everything in your head and implement all that you going to want. Make a note on your phone or take a notecard with you with a few skills that you want to focus on.
If you’re willing to the time in, you will inevitably improve and no longer be a beginner skier. Just be sure to keep your expectations reasonable.
3. Get Skiing Lessons to Learn faster
While there are some intuitive aspects of skiing, getting ski lessons can help you improve your skills much faster than if you are trying to learn on your own. Instructors are experienced in watching new skiers and advising them on how they can improve their technique in the six their making.
You can find instructors first years that all skill levels. Whether it is your very first time shopping into skis or if you have been at the beginner level for a while and want to overcome your biggest challenges, getting ski lessons from a pro can make all the difference.
4. Dress Appropriately to Stay Comfortable A Whole Day in The Slopes
Dressing appropriately is absolutely essential for you to feel comfortable your first time skiing.
The best way to just risking his to do so in layers. You want a base layer that helps to with sweat away from your body. Next shall have a mid-layer that helps to regulate your body temperature and keep you warm.
Lastly, you’ll want an outer layer that is a windproof and waterproof jacket. This will help to keep moisture off of your mid-layer and break the land. Make sure that this layer is made of a breathable fabric that allows moisture to escape.
Don’t get hung up on looking cool your first time skiing. It isn’t necessary to run out and pay top dollar for brand name skiing gear when you are a beginner skier. As we will discuss later, it can make a lot of sense to rent your gear when you’re just starting out.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Fall When You Are Learning
There is no way around it. When you first start skiing you’re going to fall, and you’re going to fall a lot.
Luckily, since you are new to skiing you won’t be going too fast (or at least you shouldn’t be going too fast.) Powdery snow is softer than you’d expect and in order to learn you will have to fall.
Believe it or not, there is some technique when it comes to falling. If you’re going to fall, it can be good to try to fall to either one of your sides versus backward or forwards. This can help you to prevent injury.
If you do fall, you’ll want to self-arrest so that you don’t keep sliding down the hill.
Once you fall, you’ll just have to get back up and give it another go. This is a part of learning is important to not be too hard on yourself if you keep falling. You won’t be able to learn without falling so you should take in stride and persevere.
6. Don’t Look Down at Your Tips, Look Where You are Going to Ski
It can feel incredibly weird to have extended your feet into long skinny planks. It is a common beginner mistake for people to always be looking down at the tips of their skis rather than looking forward.
If you find that you keep making this mistake, think about how you would go for a walk. You would never continuously be staring down at your feet, as you would be likely to walk right into something. Skiing is no different and it’s important for you to be looking forward.
It is suggested that you look at least 10 feet ahead of you when you’re on your skis. This allows you to focus on what’s next and gives you time to prepare for uneven terrain ahead.
In this regard, skiing is just like mountain biking, running, or even throwing the ball. You want to look where you want to go, not where you already are.
7. Keep an Even Balance on Your Skis
Getting used to the feeling of being on skis will take time. One of the most important things, when you are a beginner skier, is to keep balance on your skis.
It is common for new skiers to either lean forward on their skis or backward on their skis. What you should do instead, his focus on keeping your legs squarely on your torso. Your shoulders should be pointing downhill.
By doing this you will have more control and helps to ski work with you and not against you. When you do not have a balance on your skis you will find that it is incredibly exhausting for your like muscles. When you do have balance, you will realize that skiing is quite effortless.
8. Don’t Let a Loved One Teach You
It seems totally reasonable to have someone that is close to you teach you how to ski. Unfortunately, this is a mistake and you should instead get lessons from a professional instructor.
There are a number of issues with learning to ski from a loved one.
Firstly, it is completely natural to be scared and frustrated when you’re in learning a new sport. If your instructor is someone you are close with, the emotions that you’re experiencing could be turned towards your teacher and create tension and uncomfortableness.
Secondly, your loved one likely is a more skilled skier than you are. That’s why they’re teaching you. However, that means that there is a high likelihood that you will end up going on more advanced slopes before you’re ready increasing your chance of injury and almost certainly resulting in frustration.
9. Rent Your Equipment as a Beginner Skiier
It can be incredibly tempting to buy brand-new equipment when you’re getting into a new sport like skiing. Honestly, though, it’s faster is just a surge and start off by renting equipment. This is important because:
- It allows you to learn whether or not you enjoy skiing before you spent a bunch of money
- It allows you to get a feel for different types of equipment in which equipment might be right for you
- You’ll be able to try out new equipment as many rental shops get new equipment each season, you, therefore, don’t have to fear getting stuck with obsolete and outdated skis
Starting out renting makes a lot of sense. Put your money into lessons and ski passes to start with and then you can decide which gear you want to own.
10. Get Fit in the Off-Season
The more in shape you are the more you’ll be able to get out of skiing and the faster you learn. Even if you know you will be able to go skiing for a few months, try doing some cardio, stretching, and practices such as yoga to prepare yourself ahead of time.
These Skiing Tips Will Help You Improve Faster
Are you ready to learn more skiing tips? Take a look at our library of resources to help you learn how to ski the right way!
