Everyone wants to ski like a professional, although getting the hang of this sport can be challenging and frustration.
With enough practice, enthusiasm and dedication, you can master many skills and tricks like you’ve never have imagined. In this article, we’re sharing skiing tips for beginners to help you become the best skier you possibly can be. Hopefully, these skiing tips for beginners will give you he confidence to grab your skis and go!
Basic Skiing Tips for Beginners
Skiing isn’t for everyone. However, many people around the globe absolutely adore this sport. There are so many benefits – physically and mentally – to this sport, that there’s no wonder people are eager to jump to the slopes. However, the most common factor people complain about is getting cold feet, or their boots being too uncomfortable. You don’t need to be an expert on hiring skiing equipment. However, it’s important that you wear in your boots before stepping on the snow. Not only will this get you used to a new style of footwear, but it’ll also allow enough time for the material to customize to your feet.
If you’re interested in getting on board skiing, or have been invited to a skiing resort, don’t panic. Here are some skiing tips for beginners to help you gain your confidence and get excited for the snow.
1. Rent Skiing Equipment
One of our most helpful skiing tips for beginners is to rent equipment and gear, rather than buying it. If this is your first time skiing, you don’t know if you’ll enjoy the experience. Therefore, don’t take the risk of losing your money with products you can no longer return.
There are many other reasons to rent rather than buy. One is that bringing your own skiing equipment and gear can lead to extra chargers on the transfer buses. Furthermore, there’s an array of tasks to prepare for before visiting a ski resort. For example, you’ll need to wax and sharpen the edges on your gear before each trip. This is a costly process, as well as a timely one. If you don’t get the chance to do it before hitting the ski resort, you might not get the full skiing experience.
Another reason to rent is that you get expert advice on which gear to choose for you. The best ski destinations hire professionals who offer tips and tricks on choosing the right equipment and gear for you. Also, there are plenty of shops throughout these resorts. All of which have plenty of models and brands to suit everyone’s needs.
Finally, another reason why this is one of the best skiing tips for beginners is that you can usually swap your equipment for another size/model. For example, if your skis are too big, the you can easily take them back with no bother. Obviously, this isn’t easy to do if you’ve already purchased the equipment and are in another destination.
2. Train Before Your Skiing Holiday
We admit, this is one of the most vigorous skiing tips for beginners. However, you don’t want to arrive at the ski resort and not be able to keep up with the slopes and terrain. Training before your skiing holiday will actually make your experience more fun. Also, this ensures you have the stamina to continue and make the most of your time at the resort. Training beforehand improves your fitness levels and increases stamina and flexibility.
Firstly, you’ll need to focus on your cardiovascular activities. This is so that you ensure your muscles can get enough oxygen they need to function. If you don’t have the physical energy to continue, your body won’t be able to keep up with the slopes. Run on a treadmill, and be sure to use the incline setting to make the workout more challenging. Alternatively, hit the open roads to really push yourself against unpredictable weather. The most important thing to notice here is that you’re working out enough to get out of breath, whilst then pushing yourself a little harder.
Furthermore, you’ll also want to build and increase your muscle mass to increase your strength. This means lifting weights! Most importantly, focus on your quadriceps so that they can handle the intense hills on skiing resorts. Finally, we want you to avoid injury when skiing. Therefore, we recommend researching and practicing standing on skis. This requires balance and core strength, and it’s a lot harder than it looks. Make your holiday experience more fun by being prepared before you hit the resort with these skiing tips for beginners.
3. Practice Skiing on an Indoor Slope
Another of our most useful skiing tips for beginners is to practice before you hit the real snow. This is a great way to get used to the sport and conditions before committing yourself to the real deal. Also, many beginners are frightened of the idea of falling and hurting themselves on snow/ice. However, indoor slopes are designed to not hurt you as much if you fall over. Many of the best options are made from real snow to give you an authentic experience of skiing. As a result, you’ll need to dress as if you’re actually going skiing so that you protect yourself. Many of the best places in the world offer temperatures as long as -4 degrees Celsius.
Alternatively, a dry slope is another option to get you used to skiing. These feature slopes which aren’t as steep as mountain gradients to help you feel comfortable and not as intimidated. Dry slopes create the feeling of real skiing, but don’t feature the snow. Therefore, the surfaces aren’t as realistic as indoor skiing. However, it’s an ideal start if you’ve never been skiing before. It is worth considering that you’ll need to rent skis and gear from the rental shops on site to ensure you’re using the correct materials to not cause any damage.
Whichever type of indoor slope you choose, they’re a great way to provide a realistic environment for beginners. As well as this, it’s also a positive way of staying fit and healthy before hitting the real mountains. Get an honest feel of the real experience of skiing with our skiing tips for beginners.
4. Purchase Ski Socks to Keep Warm
The cold can be shocking if you’re not used to it. Therefore one of the best skiing tips for beginners is to be prepared. It’s important to purchase ski socks which are designed to keep you warm and protected in cold conditions. Firstly, their fit alone will help to make your skiing experience easier and more enjoyable. They provide comfort and protection to give you enough flexibility to easily move around on the snow. Despite the outside temperature being low, you’ll still sweat when skiing. An advantage of ski socks is that they absorb sweat more effectively than cotton socks. Not only can sweat be uncomfortable and irritating during physical activity, but it can cause blisters and soreness.
Another factor to consider is that when your feet sweat and you’re not wearing the proper socks, they’ll soon get cold. As a result, you’re more likely to develop frost bite. In just a handful of minutes, it can kick in without you even realizing. Aside from protecting you against extreme temperatures, these socks are designed to support your ankles and joints during skiing. These socks support and protect against bruising as well as providing excellent warmth.
When making your purchase for these socks, ensure that you choose the right fit for your feet. If they’re too large, they can roll up and cause issues with getting your feet into your boots. However, if they’re too small, they can easily cut off your circulation. Another tip is to try on your socks before wearing them on your ski resort to ensure they fit properly and comfortably.
Here are two options of ski socks for beginners.
Pure Athlete Ski Socks - Best Lightweight Warm Skiing Socks
These ski socks are designed with your safety and comfort in mind. As a result, they’re comfortable to wear for long periods of time and inside thick ski boots. As they’re not extremely thick, this provides additional comfort. As we mentioned earlier that you can become sweaty when skiing, these socks help to prevent bacteria or odor. Consequently, your feet feel fresh to ensure you have the best skiing experience possible.
Furthermore, these socks feature yarn to provide thermal protection for your feet. Even in extremely cold conditions, they help to keep the cold out and retain heat.
Pure Athlete Warm Ski Socks
These are another great option for ski socks to keep you warm in the snow. They easily fit over the calf for additional comfort and support. The cuff features an uneven surface to ensure that they don’t fall down or dig in whilst your skiing. The main purpose of these socks is to keep you warm and ensure that no heat gets lost from your body. As a result, these offer medium thickness.
5. How to Position Yourself When Skiing
Another one the most important skiing tips for beginners is ensuring you’re in the correct position when hitting the slopes. A proper stance and strong posture ensures that you have optimum movement and flexibility when skiing. However, this comes from confidence and proper knowledge. If you don’t correctly position yourself, you’ll limit the amount of range you have and potentially put yourself at risk of falling over or hurting yourself.
Keep your knees bent, plus other joints on your body. For example, if you tense up in your elbows, you’ll increase the impact in the event of an accident. Also, keep your skis in the same direction that you’re traveling in at all times. At the same time, you should adjust your body to the same direction your skis are facing. If you don’t, you’ll lose your balance and potentially fall off. Another important factor to consider is that you don’t attempt any big slopes without feeling comfortable. Instead, never take on anything which seems too big a challenge if you’re not entirely confident.
Body weight is everything in skiing too. Therefore, you should lean forwards or to the side. Never lean back or you risk losing your balance and hurting yourself. This is also how injuries are potentially caused. Also, if you’re heading downhill, ensure that your skis are parallel to your stance. At the same time, look forward with your arms slightly bent. You will need to learn forwards if you’re heading down a steep hill. Consequently, it’s significant that your center of gravity is positioned towards the middle of your ski.
6. Correctly Using Your Poles in Skiing
Using your poles correctly is important to your performance and safety in skiing, and thus one of the best skiing tips for beginners. Firstly, it’s important that you aren’t continually moving your arms to get into the right position. If you’re correctly positioned, you shouldn’t need to do this. The movement and flexibility comes from your legs, not your arms. Position your arms in front at all times and avoid moving them up and down and side to side often. It’s particularly important that beginners wear a strap to stay connected to the poles at all times. Not only does this keep you in contact with the pole at all times, but it reduces the chances of injury.
Poles provide excellent control and support in skiing. Without them, you can’t gain enough momentum to turn and pick up speed. Choose a length which suits your height. There are plenty of adjustable poles which you can buy/rent. On the other hand, you should be able to put your elbows at a right angle and hold the poles in front of you without a stretch or any discomfort. As with every sporting equipment, there are ways to dangerously and incorrectly use skiing poles. Never forcefully stick your poles in the snow. They can hit you in the face or chest and cause permanent injury. Instead, learn to control your speed using your skis.
Here are some ski poles we recommend for beginners.
100% Carbon Fiber Trekking Poles
These skiing poles are designed for beginners. However, they’re made to last. Made from 100 percent carbon fiber, they’re strong, whilst remaining light enough to hold for long periods of time. Many poles are made from cheaper resources, which means that they’re not as reliable. Both poles only weight one pound together. As a result, they’re easy to carry around without creating any unnecessary pressure on the snow. We also love that they easily fold away and collapse to put into your travelling bag. Simply store them in your backpack when they’re not in use.
Zipline Ski Poles Carbon Composite Graphite
These skip poles are an ideal option for beginners because they feature a comfortable and secure grip. Also, they prevent your gloves from slipping, and they’re designed to be held for long periods of time. As a result, they don’t rub or irritate your skin when you’re on the snow. We also love that they’re light and easy to carry around. Instead of featuring aluminium, they’re made from graphite-carbon for optimum security, comfort and strength. You can easily move them around without any strain or pressure, and they’re effortless enough to swing around whenever you need to.
Adjustable Skiing Poles
Finally, these skiing poles are another great addition to skiing tips for beginners. They simple and quick to adjust. They also offer padding on the handles to make them as comfortable and secure to hold as possible. Also, you can easily customize them to fit your height, making them great for a variety of people. With a twist-lock mechanism, you can quickly adjust the height to accommodate other people.
7. Practice Your Basic Turning Technique
Another of the most important skiing tips for beginners is to practice your basic turning technique. This manoeuvre can be extremely difficult if you’ve never hit the snow before. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. The most beneficial tip would be to purchase skiing lessons. Practicing with a professional ensures that someone is observing your technique at all times and helping you to improve. However, learning by yourself is another great way to learn.
Firstly, ensure that you’re equally balancing on your skis and not feeling as though you’re going to fall off. Place your feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bend your knees and ankles. This is the skier position, and you’ll look at though you’re about to squat. Then, distribute your weight to amongst the balls and heels of your feet. Try learning forward and backward to see how well you can balance. At this point, be conscious of not putting any pressure or weight on your knees. It’s important that you don’t look down when skiing. This can shift your bodyweight into an unbalanced state. Instead, face the way you intend to ski. Keep your focus in front of you to ensure you don’t lose your balance.
As you travel downhill, gravity comes into play and can put you out of control of your speed. Face your body and point towards your skis and slide into position. Use your ski poles to control your speed and adjust your position as necessary.
8. Have Fun and Trust Yourself
This is one of the less obvious skiing tips for beginners, but confidence and trust are important factors in learning to ski. Most importantly, skiing should be fun. Although you need to concentrate and focus to develop the essential skills, don’t forget to make the most of your time on the snow. Embrace your surroundings and be present in the moment. Think about how the snow feels beneath you and witness the natural beauty all around you. Surround yourself with people who believe in you. Also, don’t listen to anyone who tells you you’re not good enough.
Encourage yourself by telling yourself that you can do anything you put your mind to. During your practice sessions, or even when you’re on the snow, you might fall. People might stare. You might wobble when you lose your balance. All of these factors are perfectly acceptable, and common. Don’t allow these to bring you down or make you feel like you’re not good enough. Pick yourself back up again and carry on learning. Also, trust yourself that you can do anything you put your mind to. Self-belief is a powerful thing, so be kind to yourself.
Bear in mind that you’ll be surrounded by skiers of all levels. However, you shouldn’t allow this to intimidate you. Instead of worrying that other people are watching and judging you, disregard other people’s thoughts and opinions.
9. Wear Suitable Skiing Attire
For the duration of skiing, you’ll be cold and may even get wet. Even with blood pumping around your body as you head down steep slopes, you’ll likely be more cold than warm. Therefore, it’s considerably important that you were suitable skiing attire. Wearing thick ski pants ensures that you have enough protection should you fall in the snow. Although the snow is soft, it can still cause bruises and leave you hurt. You should also wear waterproof attire – especially your jacket. The more layers you wear, the warmer and more protected you’ll be.
So that you’re as safe as possible, we recommend wearing gloves at all times when you’re skiing. Ensure you try them on before heading to the snow. Many also have the added bonus of a non-slip grip for holding your poles. Finally, choose a pair of gloves which are lightweight and flexibility. This is so you can easily move around in them. Also, if they’re too tight, you’ll restrict blood flow.
Do You Have any Skiing Tips for Beginners?
Skiing is a fun, yet challenging sport. You should never take to the snow if you’re not prepared or wearing the correct equipment. Consequently, we hope the above skiing tips for beginners help to improve your confidence and provide viable advice and recommendations to improve your skiing experience.
Alternatively, do you have any skiing tips for beginners you’d like to share? If so, share your advice and thoughts in the comments to keep this conversation going.
