Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
I am looking to buy some ski lessons at a Snowdome (MK or Hemel) for my husband's 30th birthday present - he has never skiied before, and has said that he'd like to learn in a dome so that when we actually go on a ski holiday, he'll be able to start from a higher level. He is a rugby player with a good level of fitness. Would it be better to get a group "Learn to ski in a day" course, or 2 hours with a private instructor? Price isn't the main issue (obvs cheaper is better), I'm just wondering what's more enjoyable and what would he get more out of.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Price not the issue? Then private.
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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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@mdizzl3, welcome to Snowheads! There's no simple answer to your query, as it depends on the person and the instructor to a large extent. Our kids learned the basics at MK & Hemel in group lessons and that certainly boosted their ability once we were on real snow, whereas we learned on our first holiday in a kind of private group (there were 7 of us, so we were all in the same class). In a group there's a shared experience and camaraderie, and you can see how your progress measures up against others. Given his fitness and sporting background he has a head start in some ways, but there's also the possibility that he'll try to muscle his way through instead of learning finer control, and that's a hard habit to break.
Group lessons necessarily go at the learning pace of the slowest person, and in a dome you don't get a lot of practice time because of the shortness of slope and speed of uplift. Private lessons would at least mean that he can go at his own pace, which could be considerably higher than that of other beginners. That said, private lessons are expensive and intense, and might be better as an accelerator after getting the basics in a group lesson.
Nothing in a dome though can prepare you for a mountain, so I wouldn't get hung up on completing a wide range of lessons before you go - if he's comfortable on the main slope and is starting parallel turns then getting onto real snow and skiing with others becomes the priority. A group lesson for progressing beginners even for a day or two on the hill is then worthwhile.
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I'd go private in a heartbeat - group lessons tend to move at the pace of the slowest learner. If that's your husband then great but I know several people who have been frustrated on group lessons when waiting for others. If he is joining a ski holiday with other better skiers then private is going to catch him up much more quickly.
I was in a very similar situation (30 years old, relatively fit rugby player at the time) and I did a private lesson in MK with my wife followed by some 2 to 1 private lessons with an instructor in France. We both picked it up quickly as a result and have loved skiing ever since.
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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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The trouble with Group lessons is, there is so much that has to fall into place:
- Small Class - IMV 4-6 is ideal, but absolute max 8. (It's hard to learn in Large Classes)
- Everyone needs to have a similar talent/ability (If not - as said above - either you are holding everyone up, or being held up)
- The Instructor needs to click with you and have decent English (a bit of a lottery as you can't choose them)
If the Class works out - it's a less intense, fun and sociable way of learning.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I did a group "learn to ski in a day" at Castleford. There was 4 in the group initially, 3 after an hour, 2 after mid-morning break and just me after lunch. Couldn't walk by the end of the day but I could get down the slope.
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private
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adithorp wrote: |
I did a group "learn to ski in a day" at Castleford. There was 4 in the group initially, 3 after an hour, 2 after mid-morning break and just me after lunch. Couldn't walk by the end of the day but I could get down the slope. |
I think @adithorp’s take home message is to book a group session, then take your classmates out stealth ninja style one by one.
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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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As a total beginner I found the group lessons loads of fun. There were 10 of us all of the same rubbish standard and had loads of fun together, even drinking outside of class. I may have made more progress in private lessons, but 5 hours a day with a single instructor for 5 days would have lacked that enjoyable holiday feeling.
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@Tazz2bme,
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@mdizzl3, small group, usually more fun, much better value. Should progress far more rapidly on real mountains later.
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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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A few votes for both then! I would just ask him but would like it to be a surprise . I learnt as a small child so can't remember being a total beginner....had some private lessons to improve technique later in life, which were good. Can imagine that group would be quite fun if you are all in the same boat, it's more frustrating when you're all starting at different abilities. I think he would be fine with the fitness aspect, but he could easily be the worst or best - I've found that ability at the usual team/ball sports doesn't seem to correlate with being good at water/snow sports...
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Can you ski? My husband and I had 2:1 lessons (on the mountain not in a dome) and that was good fun as we laughed at our fails together and supported each other too. Neither of us wanted to go into a group with other adults. We progressed quickly in private but had each other for camaraderie.
How is he in groups of people he doesn't know? Naturally sociable and likely to get chatting, or more of an introvert? That might go some way towards helping you decide.
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You know it makes sense.
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I’d say it depends on his personality. If he is the sort that likes to lean from others then go group. You have time to process and analyze other peoples’s skiing and can then refine your own. If he hates waiting around or gets anxious with others watching him then private.
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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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mdizzl3 wrote: |
A few votes for both then! I would just ask him but would like it to be a surprise . |
A good case has been made for both.....but IME The big difference is in the risk. In a Private Lesson, you can take a recommendation on here and there is little chance it won't work out.
Risk in Group Lessons can greatly be minimised by a) Ideally going for highly regarded Ski Schools, that have small classes, with lots of native English speaking Instructors eg New Gen, Progression Ski, Supreme Ski, BASS etc - these are great, but much more expensive. b) Local Ski Schools that have a max class size of 6, such as Evo 2....and are much better value and usually have decent instruction.
The one thing you can't control (aside from the Instructor), is who is in the lessons with you.....which matters much more to some, than others.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Old Fartbag, the op is talking about lessons in a dome before going on a ski holiday so there's less likely to be choices of instructors/ski schools.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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adithorp wrote: |
I did a group "learn to ski in a day" at Castleford. There was 4 in the group initially, 3 after an hour, 2 after mid-morning break and just me after lunch. Couldn't walk by the end of the day but I could get down the slope. |
Bloody 'ell, I didn't find you all that offensive.
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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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adithorp wrote: |
@Old Fartbag, the op is talking about lessons in a dome before going on a ski holiday so there's less likely to be choices of instructors/ski schools. |
That teaches me for half reading the first post and jumping to conclusions....though some of the logic still applies and all of it can be used in resort, as this is hopefully where all this is heading.
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I’d do a learn to ski in a day. My group lesson got me snowplough turning in 3 hours and just full of joy for my first trip to the mountains. If I had my time again I’d go a few more times to the fridge beforehand. I have seen those groups at the end of Jan and they are rammed with adults just side stepping up so maybe would try to do it sooner rather than later and top up with a progression session closer to the time.
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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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Tom Doc wrote: |
adithorp wrote: |
I did a group "learn to ski in a day" at Castleford. There was 4 in the group initially, 3 after an hour, 2 after mid-morning break and just me after lunch. Couldn't walk by the end of the day but I could get down the slope. |
Bloody 'ell, I didn't find you all that offensive. |
You clearly weren't paying attention
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@mdizzl3:
Looks like he’s young, sporty, keen, and fit, which is a damn good start.
If you like, maybe you’d let us know what date you’ve decided on going??
There’s plenty of sH’s who go to Hemel at various times, so if any of us just happened to be there at the right time, we could cheer him on!
PS
If he gets through the day OK, and gets up the main slope drag a few times, and the instructor says he’s good to go, perhaps then he’d like to get in some further practicing on his own? I can’t see how getting more hours in would be a bad thing, except it might hurt a bit in the wallet area. But if he does get hooked, it’s going to hurt a lot more, in which case might as well get used to it!
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ster wrote: |
Price not the issue? Then private. |
definitely.
It's a more complex question on a skiing holiday when the social aspect of a group might be important but for what you are talking about - getting the basics down to give him a flying start before he goes on holiday then DEFINITELY private.
We did this with my daughter (at Hemel) - gave her three short private lessons before her first ski holiday and she never looked back. She's 16 now, skis well and most importantly LOVES it!
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@mdizzl3, welcome to
Pros and cons already posted but, given your husbands fitness and sporty inclinations, I’d definitely incline towards private. A successful group lesson can depend on a number of factors, not least ability, confidence, speed of learning and fitness. He may get more out of a one to one scenario.
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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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Update, I have gone for a private lesson
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Hope it all goes well
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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How did he get on?
My husband is having his first ever private lesson at the chill factore tomorrow ahead of us skiing in Feb. He’s no patience with other people so I didn’t think a group lesson was for him, should get more skiing in a 1 hour private than 2 hour group, but hoping to persuade him into group lessons in Austria.
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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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Lozza1uk wrote: |
How did he get on?
My husband is having his first ever private lesson at the chill factore tomorrow ahead of us skiing in Feb. He’s no patience with other people so I didn’t think a group lesson was for him, should get more skiing in a 1 hour private than 2 hour group, but hoping to persuade him into group lessons in Austria. |
He got on with it really well actually! The instructor said that out of 6 levels he covered 1-4 in his 2 hours, didn't fall over once, was linking turns nicely. He then went on a 3 hours group lesson a couple of weeks later that was level 5-6, enjoyed it also but said it was a bit slower progress (also the slope was busier), he fell over the one time I decided to film him lol!
I think group lessons are probably good later when you know everyone is roughly the same level, but when you've never done it before, you don't know if people will take to it or just spend the entire time stacking it.
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Quote: |
he fell over the one time I decided to film him lol!
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well done.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks! Part of me wants my husband to dislike it, so I don’t have to wait for him on the slopes. He enjoyed the previous holiday as a non-skier. The other part hopes he loves it so much we go every year instead of every 2!
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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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