Learn to Ski 1

In this page you will learn all about skiing from the basic straight run to the snow plow turn. It is a cold place on the snow so you will need to be rugged up to keep you warm and also to protect you from the wet. You also need to be protected from the sun so make sure you put on a very strong sunblock cream. The first stop before you get to the slopes is of course a ski shop. You will need gloves, a beanie, sunglasses or goggles, and skin cream. Next on the list is boots. Check the fit - your ankle should feel secure in the ski boot and your toes should be able to wriggle about a little bit. Now click your boots into the bindings - and ask the expert to adjust the bindings. It is very important that they are adjusted properly or you could do yourself an injury.

Now you are off to the beginner slopes. Do some exercises to warm up your muscles and get used to your ski equipment. Start by just walking along a flat in your skis. It is like a smooth marching techniques with the poles being an extension of your hands and the skis an extension of your boots. Turn around by shuffling the skis around to face the right direction. To get up a slope you can begin by sidestepping up the slope. Face sideways to the slope and lift the uphill ski up the slope and then the other ski and keep repeating that until you get to where you want to be. When sidestepping always do it right angles to the slope.

For your first run down the ski slope face down the hill. Place the skis parallel and apart with the knees bent into the front of your boots. Place your hands apart and run down the ski slope. While you are going down the slope practice some knee bends and some little hops to help you get your balance. At this stage you will want to stop so start to practice the gliding wedge. The gliding wedge is done thus, place the skis in a Vee position and the inside edges of the skis will be brushing away the snow as you go down the hill. This technique is also called the snow plow and is an essential part of a beginners skiing technique so that they can stop when they wish. Start in a straight run and bend your knees inwards and put the skis into a vee position.

During the snow plow start trying to turn on one of the skis and then the other. This is the foundation for more advanced skiing turns. Practice that for a while until you get to master that. Put more pressure on one leg will help you to turn the opposite way. If you put pressure on the right ski you will turn left and if you put pressure on the left ski you will turn right. To begin a turn you unweight your skis and then put pressure on one ski and then turn around and when you face down the slope unweight and turn the other way. Continue this down the slope until you get to the bottom. Repeat until you have it under control.

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