 Poster: A snowHead
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Being as no-one has said it, have you considered boarding? 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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maggi, I've seen a couple of people getting a bit emotional, but neither of them gave up and both of them really enjoy their skiing holidays now.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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After trying to teach my wife to board I'd highly recommend lessons! She has had 2 private lessons to hone what I taught her and funnily enough the instructors said *exactly* the same thing as me, the difference being she actually listened to them 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
the thought of being made to it actually makes me cry! I dont like sports and im not outdoorsy at all.
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Oh dear.
More advice:
- try it. I mean PROPERLY try it, don't just wuss out. Go for a snowdome session and then if you have a week's holiday sign up for group lessons and go every morning.
- choose your resort carefully. It should have lots of easy beginner runs, no buses to get to the slopes, no long walk carrying your skis, handy mountain restaurants which you can get to for lunch (either on skis or not), plenty of non-skiing options. It's not about the gnarly off-piste he might like to think he can do, it's about making it comfortable for you to try something which is obviously very alien to you.
- book nice accommodation. Good food, comfy rooms, fluffy bath towels, hot tubs etc. Things to look forward to at the end of the day and a well-deserved treat.
- I reiterate: go in March or April when it's warm and sunny. He might prefer January when it's Baltic and the snow is best, but that's just tough sh/t - you'll have a much better go at it later in the season.
In a zillion seasons of resort hospitality I've seen plenty of people in your position. Sometimes they love it and become addicted. Or they quite like it and potter round with their lesson group, but don't ski much with keen partner. I've seen older couples where he buzzes off skiing all day and she sunbathes on the balcony, goes for massage, swims, whatever. You may never love it as much as he does, but you can still have winter holidays together if you want to.
PS. Demand lots of quality sex followed by vintage champagne and room-service smoked salmon. You're making a big effort here, so should he. 
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Hi Leaisha, Snowheads isn't entirely full of highly experienced skiers. Several of us can still remember what it was to be a beginner. I can empathise with the notion that its not something that you think you want to do. In my case I only did it to try and become competent enough to take the children onto the mountain when they were offered the chance to learn from my Swiss friends. To begin with it was purgatory - I was terrified of the height and the apparent steepness of the slope, of being dangled from the lifts etc. The only compensation being the location of the resort itself and the fact that the views were stunning and when the sun came out there seemed no nicer place that the terrace with a nice glass of something. I had lesson after lesson in resort and nothing clicked. I began to despair of every getting close to being someone that was capable of a blue slope let alone a red one and the more it didn't click the more I fretted.
Then I met this mob on Snowheads. They pursuaded me that some decent boots of my own would help (though have some hire ones to begin with in your situation I think), and I even picked up some skis along the way too, but still the skiing wasn't happening. Then I went on the most fabulous holiday with them. Talk about infective enthusiasm  I had some instruction that week in a group with other beginners and was never short of someone to drag me over a new bit of the mountain and deploy 'encouragement', and it wasn't long before at long, long, last it 'clicked' for me - the one person who despaired of ever being able to do it and to enjoy doing it was actually doing both  .
It's a lot about determination, but I think its important to find the 'fun' in it as well. For me the sheer location of the resorts helps they are fabulous places to be. Then there is all the interesting gear you get to play with and the fact that you can really do the all the gear no idea thing whilst you are sitting in the bar, and some of the gear is well flattering - just think of all that shopping I think you perhaps need to open your mind and not go in with the idea that you won't like it - if you have that frame of mind you might be making it difficult for yourself. I'm not a sporty type, not into running, ball games etc. but do rather enjoy this skiing lark now and wouldn't give it up for the world, but it was a long time before it grew on me and it didn't happen before I got into the company of people that showed me the fun and stopped me making it too serious.
B.t.w. I'm sure there is a lot to be said for some lessons in a snowdome, but be prepared for the cost of these as I have heard that indoor lessons can be quite pricey. I would suggest that you might be as well taking some beginner lessons in resort, but I think you might consider going as part of a complete beginners group where you might hit it off with the other learners, realise you are all in the same boat and actually start having a giggle about it - I think once the learning process starts being fun you might find you open you mind to the possibility of doing it and this I found was the key.
Good luck with it - I look forward to you reporting back in with progress
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Just give it a go is my advice. All my friends ski and had been going on for years about how much I would love it. I was totally convinced that I would hate it and never be able to do it in a million years. At school I was useless at sport and this had a lasting effect on my willingness to try any sport. Eventually I agreed to give it a go and have never looked back. Skiing is not like any other sport its non-competitive and everyone you meet whilst away are so supportive and encouraging. I tried private lessons to start with but felt a bit intimidated on a one to one so then joined ski school. Ski school was without doubt the way to go, my confidence grew and I actually managed to learn to ski. Trust me if a 38 year old with a major sport allergy can do it anyone can. 
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I would pretty much agree with the advice offered in the above posts, but if you are really nervous then maybe private lessons would be better, especially for the first couple of days. This would ensure the instructor gives you 100% of his/her concentration. However private lessons tend to be a lot more expensive than groups, and can make it harder to find people of a similar ability to practice with away from the lessons.
Good luck, I'm sure you'll love it.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
god quality lessons
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Cue that old joke about God not walking around thinking he's a ski instructor.
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Hi Leaisha, most of all, remember it's meant to be fun. You'll soon find it really is.
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You know it makes sense.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| the more god quality lessons |
So it's true what instructors think of themselves!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Leaisha,
Stop tinkin dem negative toughts. Tink postive girl.
Say "I can & I will"
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Lizzard wrote: |
| ...In a zillion seasons of resort hospitality I've seen plenty of people... |
“You are old, dearest Lizzard,” the young skier said,
“And your hair has become very white;
And yet you incessantly stand on your head –
Do you think, at your age, it is right?”
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I think learning to ski is mainly psychological.
If one is prepared to take all the time in the world to learn then the sport can always be mastered eventually. I form the view if an average skier takes a week to learn I can take 2, 3, 5 or even 10 weeks. This is alright for me as long as I do not fall and injure myself. Therefore I can go exactly at a pace I feel comfortable. More practice will make perfect.
Don't let anybody push you into a pace or a condition that you are not happy with.
The wife and I took up skiing after we turned 50. We probably still haven't learned it yet but who cares if we can go toegther anywhere in the mountain, to any resort or try any country. Both of us never took a skiing lesson either. Neither did any of 8 members of my brother and my families but we all ski just the same.
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Hi Leaisha,
Just to add my twopenny's worth . . .
My wife and I went skiing for the first time last winter - both the wrong side of 40 (but don't tell her I said that!) and had an absolute ball
A couple of days tuition at the dry slope in Sheffield really helped us with the absolute basics, and then, after a week's group tuition, we were happily skiing down the mountains in Austria
Can't wait for winter to come this year!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| saikee wrote: |
| More practice will make perfect. |
Possibly, but it can often lead to perfecting bad habits which inhibit the range of terrain you can ski and the control that you have. I speak from personal experience of spending many years perfecting my bad habits, and then many years of trying to unpick them because they were stopping me having as much fun with my skiing as I wanted to have.
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I'd recommend making sure you have a hotel with a bath and taking some bubbles with you as I found a long hot soak was needed at the end of the day to ease my aching limbs - I discovered muscles I didn't know I had and they hurt! Loved it though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rob@rar,
I fully agree with you on this one. We didn't go for it because at our age we prefer to do things slowly at a leisure pace. Ski lessons are important to younger ones. There is no doubt about it.
Many ski instructors expect the students to fall at some stage. We just don't want any fall at all. While most people learn to ski fast we just want to learn to control ourselves to slow down.
It is not my intention to discourage learner to take up lessons but without them is not the end of skiing. How many of us want to ski fast enough to compete? It is better to learn to ski faster than to ski safer?
There is an untold pressure on skier to learn everything quick and to ski as much as possible because a skiing holiday is expensive and a skiing day is precious. If this pressure is removed then the formal tuition may not be as important as one thinks. I was able to afford a different way because I often go for two weeks in each trip and there is more opportunity for me to practise.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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saikee, I don't want to give the impression that lessons are essential, but for the majority of people, especially beginners, lessons with a decent instructor is probably the best way to ensure an enjoyable ski holiday. Most people will get better with practice, but will the same people make more rapid progress if they have lessons with a good instructor?
IMO it is a false dichotomy to say faster or safer. Learning to ski should give you the skills to ski as fast or as slow as you want, on any terrain that takes your fancy. I don't think that simply being the fastest skier on the piste is any kind of worthwhile aim.
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1st up: welcome to the madhouse.
With this being a skiing site, you'd expect all this highly positive stuff.
However, there is also nothing wrong with not liking skiing. But you can ONLY say that once you've given it a fair crack of the whip.
My sister.
Went about 5 times. Lessons, fun evenings, everything that a holiday should be. Didn't get the hang of it, couldn't understand everyone else raving about it - felt the pressure to conform, so kept on trying.
Eventually, decided to be true to herself. "Nope: skiing is not for me".
Now sends her sprogs with me. (ahh.... a lightbulb moment...)
Personally, can't understand it, but. ITS NOT WRONG. What IS wrong is to make the decision based on little evidence and no effort to try it.
I'd been skiing for a few years, and loved it. Then encouraged my wife-to-be, to try something she wasn't all that enamoured with the idea of: she was 25 too.
Absolutely hated the first week: boots didn't fit, weather was appalling Bf (me) was a terrible man - probably true in retrospect... . But she stuck at it, said she'd give it another go, and it clicked. Loves it so much we now have an apartment out there, and been going for near on 20 years of multi-week holidays.
So be warned. Sometimes it takes a little perseverance. If you do, and you like it like everyone else here, it will cost. Its called SKI for a reason - Spend the Kids Inheritance.
But if you don't 'get it' - its not the end of the world. Some people just don't.
And there may be compensations: Send the bf on 'boys weeks' - that'll work out in your favour too. Think of the brownie points he'll have to earn to be "allowed to go" , think of the pampering girls-only time you'll get when he's away. And if you've tried it, you know he'll be too knackered each day to think of any 'extras'...(and you can insist on daily phone calls if that's your thing too)
Just do it - what's the worst that can happen?
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Thu 10-09-09 22:51; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| - the more god quality lessons |
Not satisfied with just a knighthood then? 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Book lessons over here, do it without your bf being present and whatever you do don't let him teach you!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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achilles, be off, or I'll kick you downstairs. 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Lizzard,
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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What about a learn to ski in a day course (it was so hard to put ski rather than board! ) at one of the fridges?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Learn to ski in a day (if it's anything like learn to board in a day, which I did) would be a pretty punishing day for a complete beginner not used to physical exercise.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Leaisha
I understand fully what your fears are.
I took my GF skiing to Sauze D'Oulx 2 years ago and we had paid for a ski school and lesson before Tanworth Snow Dome.
Despite all the efforts she did not enjoy it one little bit and vowed she would never go again.
Last year, I managed to convince her that we should go skiing again and we went to Les Arc.
My GF absolutely loved it. Every single minute of the day she thoroughly enjoyed herself and it was difficult to get her to take a break during the day.
What made the difference between Sauze and Les Arc for my other half was having private lessons instead of ski school. My GF has no patience and didnt enjoy ski school for this reason so much preferred the one to one tuition of a private lesson.
That was then and we have already booked our two ski holidays this year for Jan and Mar.
First I was the pest about going skiing now we are as bad as each other.
Good luck and make the right decision (which we all know the answer is ......)
Dont be afraid as it is super fun and there is always the Apres Ski which is another experience in itself during a ski hol.
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pam w, definitely. 'Board in a day' left me feeling like I'd been in a pub brawl. I can't see skiing being quite as punishing, but it'll still be knackering.
Gently does it.
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| pam w wrote: |
| Learn to ski in a day (if it's anything like learn to board in a day, which I did) would be a pretty punishing day for a complete beginner not used to physical exercise. |
That's right. Even people who do other sports and are physically fit find these days exhausting. You often see people making very little progress from mid-afternoon onwards just because they've exhausted their stamina.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Can i maybe add that if you are looking to do as much as possible to make the first try as easy as possible. Have a go at rollerblading or ice skating before you go... these sports incorperate all the same balance and motor skills as skiing the results can be amazing. Skaters pick up skiing faster than anyone else i have ever taught.
also Rob@rar is completely right, don't be too put off if you get to the end of the day and it feels like you hit a wall, it happens to all of us even after a lifetime skiing. Just make sure you are there every morning in order to keep up with the group.
To be honest the fact you have made the effort to come on here and if you listen to even a few of the piece of good advice on here you should be fine and im sure you will have an amazing holiday.
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Leaisha,
Welcome to Snowheads
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| I honestly hate the idea of being stuck on skis falling over constantly, looking stupid and being left behind by a group of 7 yr olds that will look pros next to me!! |
Not an uncommon feeling at all, especially when starting out in a sport. But you might compare and contrast your feelings (looking silly) with those of the 7 year olds. They don't care what they look like, they're too busy having fun (while getting better).
If you are starting a any sport for the first time you are going be learning & making mistakes as you go (like kids do). But that's part of the Fun, and every one else is so busy trying to stay upright, that they won't notice anyway.
With regard to falling over, a good Instructor should manage your lessons so you rarely fall over, building you up slowly. Any lessons you do in the UK will give you a better holiday, as you will see more of the mountain and ski with your partner when you get there.
One final word of advice, NEVER, NEVER be tempted when someone who's a better skier than you says "come with us, you will be fine"
But you should start skiing. It's fantastic
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FAQ
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