MySkiScore.com
A new approach to skiing
Videos
Walking
Athletic stance
Ankle flex
Straight runs
Stopping
Turning 1 2 3 4
First Timers
Make a great plan
Create success
Be flexible when planning the first ski experience to increases the chances of success for kids or adults. Check the rescheduling policy before booking and look at weather forecasts while you can still reschedule or get a refund. Practice Ski Moves before skiing- Before skiing
Weather
If it is extremely cold and windy, heavy rain, very warm sticky snow, or a lot of deep new snow, it will be better to reschedule, especially if you want someone to become a skier.
Crowds
Having a lot of people on the hill usually creates fear. Choose dates that are the least busy, avoid holidays and weekends for the first time.
Resorts
Not all resorts have a good beginner area. Look for a resort with gentle beginner slopes and space to glide to a stop at the bottom.
They should have short surface so you are not very high up on a gentle slope. Beginner chairs should be on gentle slopes and not go too far up the hill.
Look for intermediate slopes that are just a bit steeper. Many mountains have big transitions and cater to more advanced skiers. Some resorts have good beginner areas that are on top of the mountain which are very difficult for people who have a fear of heights. Choosing the right resort makes a big difference.
Clothes and equipment
f you will be inside a long time renting gear, remove layers so there to avoid over heating. It is better to have extra layers if it is very cold, layers can be removed. Use goggles, a neck gaiter, hand or toe warmers, sunscreen and sunglasses when necessary.
Feet that hurt or are cold are no fun. Use one pair of ski socks that are pulled up so they are smooth with no wrinkles. Don't put any pants in the top of the boots. Make sure the boots are the right size, and lightly buckle them, if they are too tight they can cut off circulation which hurts and make for cold feet. If you can not easily flex your ankles, loosen the top buckles and power strap. Use short beginner skis with boots that have a softer flex.
Most people over the age of seven can use poles. They help you walk, side step up the hill, position yourself before skiing, and maintain the proper hand position. They are another point of contact with the ground that provide a sense of security.
Know how to get in and out of your bindings, and how to reset your heel if the toe releases. If you have trouble getting up, take off one or both skis and put the ski across the hill before trying to put them back on.
Expectations
It takes time to learn how to ski, you need to know what to do, how to do it, and be able to evaluate your performance. Expecting that it will be easy without preparation creates disappointment for most first timers.
It can be even more frustrating trying to improve when your natural moves become reinforced habits that are even harder to change. This makes it difficult to control your speed and makes skiing less safe. Going to steeper terrain before you can turn from the ground up will make improving more difficult.
Practicing Before Skiing the first time and between visits to make make skiing more engaging, fun, and successful.
Pace
New skiers, especially kids, are often in a rush to go to bigger slopes before they are ready. This is a big problem almost all new skiers make.
Practice on flat ground before going to a small slope. Go to bigger slopes when you are ready and in control.
Skiing seems easy to family and friends with experience, but they do not know what to teach, where to teach, how to evaluate, and when to go to bigger hills.
Families may want to stay together, but this hard if there are big differences in age and ability. Slow learners need a different pace than fast learners to create success.
First Time Skiers
It is usually more successful to put young kids in a private lesson or kids program that uses a different approach
1-Before using a lift
Walking and stepping- top score is 6
1- Practice putting skis on and off, resetting the binding heels
2- Walk with poles behind your feet
3- Step in a circle without stepping on the front or back of the skis
4- Make a small wedge or slice of pizza, then make a bigger one to stop faster
5- Step with the front of the skis wider, use this "duck walk" to go uphill
6- Skate- this is hard for many and often has to be tried several different days
Athletic stance- top score is 5
1- Stand tall with hands in front like holding a lunch tray
2- Weight on the balls of the feet (toes for kids)
3- Chest above the toes
4- Flex up and down, go from slow to fast and stop. Kids can hop then stop. This is the athletic stance, use it before every run
5- Make a small wedge and step from foot to foot, go from fast to slow, keep weight on the balls of the feet and chest over toes
Ankle flex- top score is 2
1- In an athletic stance flex just the ankles forward and back to the start. Move from a slow pace to a fast one. Knees or hips should not be flexing. If necessary loosen the top buckles and power strap
2- In an athletic stance, compare flexing just the ankles to flexing just the knees
Athletic stance sliding on a gentle slope- Top score is 2
1- Side step a short way up a gentle slope, walk up at a diagonal, or try a duck walk if you can't side step.
Get into an athletic stance and ski straight down to a stop. Be very careful to stay in an athletic stance with your weight on your toes and chest above. This is a critical time on a slope because your body will try to move back at the ankles, knees, or hips.
2- Repeat the straight run as above, but make a small wedge to stop, be sure your chest stays over your toes and you do not lean back when stopping. You should be able to control your speed before going to a short surface lift.
2- Use a short surface lift for sliding and stopping - Total score - 8
If no conveyor lift is available use another surface lift like a rope, T-bar, platter, or handle lift. Exit it early if it goes a long way uphill
Walk onto the lift waiting at least five seconds after the person in front of you in case they fall there is space between you.
These all reinforce feeling weight on your toes with your chest above while on a slope where your body will try to move back.
Start every run in an athletic stance.
1- You are higher now and will lean back if you are not checking. Ski straight downhill to a stop. If the snow is fast use a small wedge called gliding wedge. Keep your hands up and your eyes up looking where you are going.
2- Gliding wedge run bouncing on the balls of the feet with your chest over the toes.
3- Gliding wedge flexing forward at the ankles then to start position, no knee bending.
4- Gliding wedge touching hands to knees. Flex ankles first then knees.
5- Gliding wedge going from a small wedge to a big one, repeat to the bottom
6- Gliding wedge to a wedge stop half way and at the bottom. Focus on enjoying the sliding sensation knowing you can stop.
7- Gliding wedge going faster to a wedge stop at the bottom, be sure to stay in an athletic stance and not lean back.
8- Speed run- ski straight to the bottom and wedge to a stop. Stay in the athletic stance and do not lean back when stopping.
3- First Turns- from the feet up top score 6
Slightly higher up on a gentle slope-
1- Athletic stance- you will be higher and may find it hard to get set up before skiing so use your poles for support, focus on the athletic stance first, weight on the balls of the feet and chest above. Keep the hands up and looking forward.
2- Speed- ski in a gliding wedge for about three seconds straight downhill to build speed. Resist the urge to turn as soon as you start moving.
3- Slight turns- try turning by point both big toes slightly one way then back downhill for three second before pointing them the other way. This is like the move you practiced in doors. The feet turn, not your shoulders and hips. It helps you find your feet. Be sure not to turn too far across the hill and lose your speed. It makes the next turn harder and encourages turning with your shoulder rather than your feet. Resist the urge to turn from one direction to the other without skiing straight down hill first, it will create turning with the shoulders. When you shift your focus to turning the first turn can push you pack on your skis and then you will start to turn with your shoulders.
4- Another way to turn- with the same start try to push on one big toe to make a slight turn then go straight for three seconds before pushing on the other little toe. Turning makes you feel heaver and pushes you back, be sure to keep your athletic stance.
5- Combination- try to combine the pointing the big toes and then pushing. Or reverse the order and push on the big toe and then point.
6- Bounce three times on the big toe when making turns.
6- Move quicker- start in an athletic stance and ski straight downhill longer to have more speed, the quickly push on one big toe then the other. It is like a punch and makes smaller turns.
This is when people often want to go too high. Gradually go higher as you start linking more turns using your feet not your shoulders. It is natural to turn your shoulders but you need to "find your feet"
If you lean back, make a wide wedge, and ski mostly straight downhill then you are too high. You will be going too fast, and will lean left or right to turn. This is how many kids ski and they have a hard time slowing down especially on steeper hills or making parallel turns.
If you have to turn far across the hill and traverse to control your speed you are too far back and not using the front of your ski.
Think- "Turns before terrain."
4- Improve your turns- top score is 5
1- Turn size- make a specific number of turns before the bottom, try 3 turns. Then make twice as many turns in the same distance, so they will be smaller when you make 6 turns. Move quicker to make smaller turns. Be sure to maintain an athletic stance, when you focus on turning it is easy to lean back, and the turn forces will push you back.
2- Mix sizes- gradually go higher and make 3 small then 3 large. Then reverse the order and do 3 large to 3 small turns. Keep turning from your feet up as you shift your focus to the size of the turn.
3- Turn to stop- Link a set of turns and then stop by turning far enough across the hill to stop. Be sure to turn from you feet up even as you turn more across the hill. Ski from the ground up using your feet rather than using your shoulders and hips. Touch your hand to the knee on the outside of the turn to weight the ski and keep your upper body from tipping inside the turn. Try bouncing on the outside ski, be sure the ankle bends before the knee.
4- Stop both directions- link turns and be sure you can turn to a stop in both directions.
5- Turns before terrain- linking 3 big then 3 small turns from top to bottom of the surface lift you are using. You should be able to turn to a stop in either direction half way down and at the bottom. Turning must be from the ground up rather than using your shoulders and hips. Make several good runs before going to the first beginner chair.
If you make a smaller wedge as your speed increases, you may move from a wedge to making parallel turns. This can happen spontaneously as the turn forces move the skis parallel.
If the beginner chair is high or steep you will need to focus on not leaning back, turning your shoulders, or leaning inside the turn.
Pay special attention to the ankles not flexing and being replaced with more knee bend which causes more turning with the shoulders.
These same natural moves keep coming back in new challenging situations. If necessary return to the surface lift to get your Ski Moves back.
There is a wide range of how long this will take. Some will need several hours and others need days. his approach is not as easy as just using natural moves and going fast, but you will improve much faster and be able to control your speed.