Absolute beginner - DIY or proper lessons?

A snowHead

realise I've just paraphrased LOTA!

A snowHead

I suppose the real question is do you still want to have a girlfriend by lunchtime of the first day of the ski holiday? If yes ski school! Ideally after a few lessons in the UK, dry slopes are much cheaper than the indoor slopes and snow is easy after learning on them! Or look at a learn to ski in a day course at one of the domes, yes they cost £150ish but the confidence it gives on your first day on the real stuff is well worth it. Also it gives a feel for what a day of skiing is like so isn't a total shock to system come day one of the hol!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Probably stated several times above, get her to a snowdome for some sessions with an instructor. It may seem expensive but the gran scheme of things your £50/£100 outlay will save the first day of her holiday

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

A dry slope, if you have one near you, would be great for teaching the first steps as a total beginer to get up to snow plough (and beyond if you want). Would be a lot cheaper than a snow dome, and would give a real headstart for lessons in resort. You would normally get the most benefit from private lessons with a good instructor in resort but will be more expensive than signing up for group lessons for the week. Group lessons can be a lot of fun and if she has morning lessons you can do your thing in the morning and then meet up and practice with her on the same grade of slope she has had her lessons on.

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@jedster, Often imitated, rarely bettered! Very Happy

(I agree with you, by the way!)

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Unless she is going to do whole day lessons then gettng some sort of lessons in the UK would be invaluable.

I learned to ski in resort - the first holiday was miserable. Snow ploughing everywhere was incredibly tiring, boots hurt like hell (no idea what they should have felt like - first time putting them on was in the hire shop on morning 1)

After my experience when my husband (then my boyfriend) came with me for the first time he has several dry slope lessons, an afternoon in the Lecht and a lesson at Tamworth before we went - he then did morning lessons in resort while I skied with a ski guide. We met up in the afternoons - by which time I was happy to pootle about with him on easy slopes, and he was good enough to ski blue runs.

We did the same again when we took the kids at 5 and 7 they did 4 half-day dry slope lessons at the end of which they could do linked snow plough turns - it meant they were good enough to ski with us in the afternoons and started in 1e Etoile.

Our view is that whatever the expense (and learning in UK is obvs more expensive than learning in resort) the time in resort is so limited if you are only skiing 6 days that its worth it. At least when you get there you know what the boots feel like, you can use a poma, you can probably link your turns. Even more so - if you absolutely hate it in the UK you can save £00s by not going!

After all it is free

Day 1, morning 1 of ski school. Question from instructor..........how many times have you been skiing ? .......answer 0.......response..... go stand over there with that group.

Regardless of whether you've been to a snowdome or not, chances are she'll be put in the same 'total beginner' group. If she makes more progress then the rest of the group during the day ( because she's had a couple of hours in a snowdome ) then great, and maybe there's a chance she'll be bumped up a group. But, for me, half the fun of group lessons is the group progressing together, having a few smiles together whilst doing so, you know.....having some fun on your holiday.

Understand that your next few ski trips will be a bit different, and embrace it, don't worry about piling the pressure on her to get better, and i reckon you'll both enjoy it more ?? Worst possible outcome ? She always feels like she's playing catch up and doesn't want to go skiing any more....

Whats all this stuff about ladies carrying skis ? come on guys where is your chivalry, my wife has NEVER carried hers anywhere, when she started she was tired after lessons so I carried them up the beginner slope each time in the afternoon practice, Im not saying she cant carry them but we get about a lot quicker with me carrying them, and yes I always open the car door for her and walk on the outside of the pavement, can you tell this is my second marriage, I cant afford a second divorce rolling eyes

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Personally i am a firm believer in people carrying their own gear! Very Happy

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Personally I'd recommend at least a couple of indoor lessons if possible, if only to get past the "how to put boots on correctly, how to get into and out of skis , and how to get up" .

Nothing more likely to put someone off than standing around while someone else struggles to get skis uncrossed and upright , or being that person.
Almost inevitably one will wear far too many clothes for this part of the learning curve, and will be overheated and annoyed.
Dry slopes are better than nothing, but can be painful and uncomfortable to fall on, indoor is much better in this regard.

Ok thanks for all the advice everyone. Knockhatch looks to be the nearest dry slope so think we might try there. They only have private lessons left midweek though so depending on timings, might just do the ski taster thing.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

LESSONS! ------ L.E.S.S.O.N.S!! Think about the total cost and investment you are putting into skiing. Lessons are cheap in those terms.

And as others have said, look after your relationship with your girlfriend.

A snowHead

Ski lessons are a fun part of learning this sport. Definitely, definitely, definitely ski lessons for at least half day every day of this first holiday. Starting with other beginners is so good for the soul, it means you are never alone with your difficulties and sometimes you have a success that others are not experiencig, the highs an lows are all part of the process. Maybe a bit of time in the afternoons with you racticing what she has learnt in the mornings.

A snowHead

robs1 ....... what a gent!!!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

As everyone has said, lessons are a must! Nothing wrong with group lessons, which can indeed be a great deal more fun for beginners, and certainly a lot cheaper.

I'll go somewhat against the grain and say that it's not all that necessary to have lessons before going. We used to go with some friends from Uni, and over the years with several beginners. None of them took lessons before going and all had a great time and became regulars.

As an aside, I wonder how much of the "lessons before going" is a UK thing? I say this because I lived in France until I was 27 (Paris until 23 then Bordeaux) and it just didn't seem to be a thing at all there (see above). In fact, I'd not even heard of snowdomes and dry slopes before moving to Glasgow...

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@Roguevfr,

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Roguevfr,

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As a new skier, I'd say group lessons all the way.
I've had a week both last season and this season.
Any decent ski school will move people between groups if they progress more quickly, and it's much more fun meeting up and excitedly sharing the fun of the days lesson over a beer rather than sulking after an argument because teaching your other half got stressy!

Hope you have a fab trip and your girlfriend enjoys it.
I'm hooked for life now (or as long as finances allow

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Where abouts are you?

I'm taking my son for his first proper trip in 8 weeks time, and I've booked him a learn to Ski in a day private 1-2-1 at our local dry slope. Around £120 i think, so good value.

I've also booked him, and my bro in law, 2 x 2-2-1 private lessons in resort for the first couple of days. Again, good value i think, at around £55 for each of them.

They will both have done the learn in a day course, so should be at a similar level. Main reason for the in resort privates is to let an instructor take them off and gain confidence on some of the runs. I can then stick with the same runs with them after the lesson. Not to teach, but to keep an eye on them.

After all it is free

I can see no advantage of one to one ski lessons. Much more fun with other learners.

As a former instructor there is nothing worse than trying to teach partners or friends.
Teaching your kids is even worse.
If you can ski on a dry slope you can ski anywhere.

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I must admit, my girlfriend is a much better skier than me. She tried to give me a few pointers when I went on my first 2 holidays. I'd been having full time lessons with the UCPA and all I wanted to do was just ski at the end of the day. There was a little bit of friction between us, but we're both pretty chilled so didn't become a big issue. So, I tend to agree, still to lessons with anyone other than your partner is the way to go.

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Absolute beginner - DIY or proper lessons?

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