New to skiing, top 5 tips/things to learn for a noob? any guides???

[LiquidFeet]

Staying balanced on skis while sliding downhill is not at all like staying upright while walking downhill. The way to do it is very unfamiliar, and needs to be taught. How to teach new skiers how to stay upright (aka balanced) is THE Biggus Dealus for teachers of beginners.

But too much complication is not helpful, I get that.

Instructors teach newbies differently. I think the most important thing new skiers reading this thread need to know is that instructors don't all teach the same way, and there is no reason for them to all agree on how to do it since different ways work. So the conclusion is that we don't have to convince each other who is right and who is wrong.

We can leave it to the readers who are new to skiing to realize that instructors approach teaching differently. There are many successful strategies for getting a new skier to stay upright while making turns to the right and the left on their first day on skis.

 

[CalG]

If balance could be learned and mastered by reading a ski forum, that would be swell.

First days out, It's hard. It is good to work on those aspects in a low risk environment.

 

[vindibona1]

As this is a beginner thread, I'll ask that we don't dive any deeper into the minutiae of ski balance. Please take that to a thread in the instruction forum.

Point well taken. Let me see if I can simplify it. One of the first things that any system asks for is an "athletic stance". Here is my take on that...
The ski tips have to have SOME positive contact with the snow to function, and the body positioning should be optimal so that the skis respond to movements. So how do you do that? Here is one way to approach it...

1) Pull the heels back to allow the body to have a more forward position- automatically creating light contact with the tongue/shin of the boot. Do not attempt to flex the tongue as it counters the next step. Pulling the heels back should not only help the body to be forward ( typically don't talk about being "centered" as centered is often intepreted as being on the heels) create some angles with the ankles and knees [if not look for additional problems]. 2) Next, from that forward-most POSITION (not forward LEANING), press the toes down to help the tips of the skis stay on the snow. Try to retain ski tip and snow contact throughout the turns. The idea is to create angles with ankles, knees and hips, so that edging and steering skills can be accessed while keeping the ski tips in the snow. A side benefit is that it keeps the skier from being thrown in the back seat when the skis accelerate.

I could write a ton more, but with the intent of keeping it simple... there it is.

 

[CalG]

Point well taken. Let me see if I can simplify it. One of the first things that any system asks for is an "athletic stance". Here is my take on that...
The ski tips have to have SOME positive contact with the snow to function, and the body positioning should be optimal so that the skis respond to movements. So how do you do that? Here is one way to approach it...

1) Pull the heels back to allow the body to have a more forward position- automatically creating light contact with the tongue/shin of the boot. Do not attempt to flex the tongue as it counters the next step. Pulling the heels back should not only help the body to be forward ( typically don't talk about being "centered" as centered is often intepreted as being on the heels) create some angles with the ankles and knees [if not look for additional problems]. 2) Next, from that forward-most POSITION (not forward LEANING), press the toes down to help the tips of the skis stay on the snow. Try to retain ski tip and snow contact throughout the turns. The idea is to create angles with ankles, knees and hips, so that edging and steering skills can be accessed while keeping the ski tips in the snow. A side benefit is that it keeps the skier from being thrown in the back seat when the skis accelerate.

I could write a ton more, but with the intent of keeping it simple... there it is.

How does one pull thier heels back in a wedge turn? Just wondering...

 

[Alexzn]

Buy boots, rent skis initially. Buy boots in a shop that does fitting. Take lessons. Find a buddy to ski with.

 

[vindibona1]

How does one pull thier heels back in a wedge turn? Just wondering...

Converging (wedge) or parallel, body position/stance should be the same. Here's what people don't understand about the difference between parallel and wedge; With a wedge, the outside ski simply turns at a faster rate than the inside ski creating the convergence. When one is skiing 'parallel' both ski turn at approximately the same rate; hence they stay parallel to each other and don't converge as in the wedge. If shown correctly the body position both should be mechanically identical- except for the turn rate of outside vs inside. "Snowplow" is an extreme version of the wedge where the outside ski is utilized almost exclusively to make the turn. But again, the stance should be the same as wedge or parallel (in an ideal world).

To get into the wedge vs parallel thing a little deeper, part of the reason people get stuck in a wedge is the movement "firing sequence". The "wedgers" will try to turn the outside ski first. So that's the first move they make [we can talk about movement sequence down the road]. And in doing so, the inside gets dragged along and then you're told to "match" them; first toward the end of the turn- then earlier and earlier. IMO that is something that has to be "unlearned". Parallel skiers who ski correctly will attempt to turn the inside ski first- then the outside. The outside ski will (believe it or not) will follow the outside ski, but not the other way around.

I wrote some more stuff about it, but thought this was the simplest most basic volley (for the moment).

 

[SpauldingSmails]

For an adult 30+?
1) Learn the rules of etiquette of skiing (be safe for yourself and everyone else)
2) Take several lessons, from an instructor you are not related to, spread out over weeks while practicing diligently between lessons (practice practice practice)
3) Stay on the greens until you are tearing them up and are so bored (progress slowly)
4) Train for the sport so you have the right kind of strength, conditioning, and mobility (injury proof yourself)
5) Read, research, experiment, and ask lots of questions (learn and understand)

 

[jwtravel]

Let me remind you that this is as noobie thread. Oh wait, I see others have said the same.

We definitely need to keep our ideas simple in this thread and remember that we need to talk as if we are addressing a first-day beginner. @JESinstr, if I started you on the road to too much complication, it was not my intention.

Thanks. Terms like “close the ankle” or “pull back the heel” don’t mean anything to me; they aren’t terms that common folks know. That includes me.

 

[jwtravel]

Point well taken. Let me see if I can simplify it. One of the first things that any system asks for is an "athletic stance". Here is my take on that...
The ski tips have to have SOME positive contact with the snow to function, and the body positioning should be optimal so that the skis respond to movements. So how do you do that? Here is one way to approach it...

1) Pull the heels back to allow the body to have a more forward position- automatically creating light contact with the tongue/shin of the boot. Do not attempt to flex the tongue as it counters the next step. Pulling the heels back should not only help the body to be forward ( typically don't talk about being "centered" as centered is often intepreted as being on the heels) create some angles with the ankles and knees [if not look for additional problems]. 2) Next, from that forward-most POSITION (not forward LEANING), press the toes down to help the tips of the skis stay on the snow. Try to retain ski tip and snow contact throughout the turns. The idea is to create angles with ankles, knees and hips, so that edging and steering skills can be accessed while keeping the ski tips in the snow. A side benefit is that it keeps the skier from being thrown in the back seat when the skis accelerate.

I could write a ton more, but with the intent of keeping it simple... there it is.

What does “pull the heel back” mean? That statement or term means nothing to me.

 

[JohnnyG]

1. It's just skiing
2. Everyone was/is a newbie
3. Have fun
4. Keep skiing fun
5. Ski hills weren't built in a day

 

[Ogg]

Thanks. Terms like “close the ankle” or “pull back the heel” don’t mean anything to me; they aren’t terms that common folks know. That includes me.

In simple terms closing the ankle is bringing your knees toward your toes. Pulling the heels back is pretty much self explanatory. Try to keep your heels under your butt and shins against the tongues of the boots. I'm sure LF and others can explain it far better.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Thanks. Terms like “close the ankle” or “pull back the heel” don’t mean anything to me; they aren’t terms that common folks know. That includes me.

"Close the ankle" means tilt your lower leg forward at the ankle, which moves the knee forward, increases the tilt of the lower leg. This moves the whole body forward over the front of the ski. The angle between the foot and the lower leg gets smaller. That angle "closes." Your lower leg will rise from the ski at a forward tilt (good), instead of straight up. An "open ankle" allows that lower leg to rise straight up from the ski (not good).

"Pull back the heel" means slide the foot backwards a little bit, without moving the hip above it back. This will close the ankle by default.

These are two ways to getting your body weight hovering over the front of the skis. They both depend on the ankle being closed instead of open. The fancy word is "dorsiflexion."

 

[KevinF]

What does “pull the heel back” mean? That statement or term means nothing to me.

Your skis will very happily slide down the mountain without you doing anything. However, if you stand there like a mannequin -- rigid ankles, knees, etc -- the skis will accelerate out from underneath you and you'll wind up on your butt wondering what just happened. That is, you can't "just go along for the ride" -- your job (as a skier) is to stand centered on a ski that is trying to slide out from underneath you.

One way to do that is to be constantly pulling your feet back -- your skis are trying to push your feet forwards, your leg muscles are trying to pull them back underneath you.

If a skier says they're "in the back seat", it means their skis have won -- i.e., the skis have gotten ahead and you're just along for the ride without any real control.

 

[jwtravel]

I was picturing pulling the heels back as a literal muscle pulling the heels back from the body. I’m an engineer, so these physical therapist terms for movement don’t tell me anything. It means to get the back of my boot and butt aligned vertically? It means “pulling the heels back TOWARDS MY BODY”?

"Close the ankle" means tilt your lower leg forward at the ankle, which moves the knee forward, increases the tilt of the lower leg. This moves the whole body forward over the front of the ski. The angle between the foot and the lower leg gets smaller. That angle "closes." Your lower leg will rise from the ski at a forward tilt (good), instead of straight up. An "open ankle" allows that lower leg to rise straight up from the ski (not good).

"Pull back the heel" means slide the foot backwards a little bit, without moving the hip above it back. This will close the ankle by default.

These are two ways to getting your body weight hovering over the front of the skis. They both depend on the ankle being closed instead of open. The fancy word is "dorsiflexion."

they are different terms for basically the same thing? I was already doing it every time I saved myself from falling when I found myself in the back seat and got myself towards the front of the skis. I just didn’t know the movements I was doing, just the intention to get out of the back seat.

 

[LiquidFeet]

Skiers with closed ankle images (good), with heels pulled back:

Open ankles on skiers (bad):

 

[jwtravel]

Your skis will very happily slide down the mountain without you doing anything. However, if you stand there like a mannequin -- rigid ankles, knees, etc -- the skis will accelerate out from underneath you and you'll wind up on your butt wondering what just happened. That is, you can't "just go along for the ride" -- your job (as a skier) is to stand centered on a ski that is trying to slide out from underneath you.

One way to do that is to be constantly pulling your feet back -- your skis are trying to push your feet forwards, your leg muscles are trying to pull them back underneath you.

If a skier says they're "in the back seat", it means their skis have won -- i.e., the skis have gotten ahead and you're just along for the ride without any real control.

Been in that seat a lot as a first year beginner, also bailed myself out many times by getting back over the front of the skis longitudinally. I have been doing this without knowing what it was called.

 

[jwtravel]

Skiers with closed ankle images (good), with heels pulled back:
View attachment 124231 View attachment 124232
Open ankles on skiers (bad):
View attachment 124233
View attachment 124234

Thanks. The engineer’s favorite explanation, a DIAGRAM

 

[jwtravel]

Wow, ask a question on this page and you’ll get an answer (or 2 or 3), by golly. Thanks very much. I’ve already felt and done many of the things that I’ve been over-thinking. Oh well, I’m an engineer. I think how I think.

 

[noncrazycanuck]

I thought the original poster said he was planning on going for a day. Maybe it's to see if he likes it.
As usual a lot of good advice but my eyes glazed over reading all of it, his head must be spinning.

Go to rental shop on hill and get them to fit you for equipment
Be dressed in layers, if your too warm being easily able to remove some layers will help keep you comfortable.
Try not to listen to the friends who say "just follow me" and have fun.

All the rest will make sense should you stay with the sport but don't over think it. skiing is not rocket science

 

[LiquidFeet]

Wow, ask a question on this page and you’ll get an answer (or 2 or 3), by golly. Thanks very much. I’ve already felt and done many of the things that I’ve been over-thinking. Oh well, I’m an engineer. I think how I think.

People will tell you you're overthinking. They do this with good intentions, but they are usually wrong. They just want you to relax and ski as if it's easy and natural, like they do. But telling you to stop overthinking is the wrong way to get you there. Years and miles and instruction will get you there, not some quick admonition by friends. Smile and thank them and ignore what they say.

But "overthinking" can be a real thing sometimes. It's when a skier has many Dos and Don'ts going on at the same time in their head (normal, really) and their way of handling that is to try to work on them all at once (hopeless). No one learning a bunch of new body movements can pay attention to two of them at once, much less more than that. Mental confusion, anxiety, and even panic can result.

The solution: Work on only one thing at a time, and know the other things aren't going anywhere. You can focus on them later. Or you can choose to work on two and rotate through them on a single run, five turns dedicated to thing A and the next five turns dedicated to thing B. Or something like that.

Learning skiing is doable. It's complicated. It's fun. It takes time. Falling on snow is not usually as bad as falling in the kitchen. You can laugh when it happens. Snow is beautiful. Ski clothing keeps you warm if you get the right stuff. Families ski together. Kids and old folks ski. You get vitamin D out there in the middle of cold cold winter and you burn enough calories to justify indulging in sinful food afterwards. Keep at it. The frustration is worth the smiles. Skiing rocks.