Tips & Advice for 1st time skiiers?

I_Am_The_Walrus

I'm going skiing for the first time in Italy this January and know nothing about it!... EEK! :eek:

Any help and tips would be greatly appreciated!

Sally1980

Stay off the Booze nothing worse then going down the slopes with a hangover

I_Am_The_Walrus

I'm only 16! Schools not letting us drink but thanks for the advice anyway!

maroongael

My tips for you would be to

• Really listen to the instructor. They want you to advance as quickly as possible so listen and watch and ask if you don't feel like its coming together for you.
• Stick with it. Your legs will be wrecked after Day 2 but don't give in to the pain, Day 3 for me was when I really took to it.
• Keep your boots tightly closed, its a better support for your ankle.
• Wear a helmet.

Enjoy it such a fantastic feeling.

I_Am_The_Walrus

Thanks!

uberwolf

I'm going to move this to the winter sports forum, hopefully you'll get better answers there.

am i bovvered

You Tube is your friend...

The single biggest tip I would say is don't lean back, keep your weight over the balls of your feet.

Oh and NEVER eat yellow snow.... have a great time, I wish I had gone at your age!!

I_Am_The_Walrus

uberwolf wrote: »

I'm going to move this to the winter sports forum, hopefully you'll get better answers there.

Thanks!

am i bovvered wrote: »

You Tube is your friend...

The single biggest tip I would say is don't lean back, keep your weight over the balls of your feet.

Oh and NEVER eat yellow snow.... have a great time, I wish I had gone at your age!!

Haha thanks .... Oh yeah I forgot about youtube!

wing52

Modern skis have a turn shape built into them.

Therefore, if you lean over in one direction,

They'll turn in the opposite direction! (well at slow speeds anyway)

For a first timer, go for the softest skis and boots you can hire.

Great comfort. Try an get some wind burn cream over there too.

Prep ultra is good for the price. Bring a camera,youll see some great sights.

Enjoy everything!

LeoD

Don't ski beyond your limit and don't bother with a helmet unless you think the sky is going to fall like most of the panic-stricken paranoid skiers on this site.

Fattes

I_Am_The_Walrus: Your life is about to change. It will be an incredible expeience.

Knees over toes, Bum over heels at all times like a golie waiting for a peno! Feet hip width apart. If you get this right everything else will come.

Cheapest rental skis they have will be perfect but spend allot of time on the boots very improtant.

Relax and all you have to worry about is staying in control and the people in front of you.

Listen to the instructor if he is Italian he is probably an ex racer (Due to the way their instructor exams are set up) and knows what he is at.

Have fun that is what it is all about and the most important thing. Enjoy the scenery, fresh air and the ski experience.

Keep your boots tightly closed, its a better support for your ankle.

You dont need them on the last buckle just about half way across the locks. Although spend allot of time on getting the boots right on the first morning.

Therefore, if you lean over in one direction,

You will fall over! Leaning is the first stage of a carved turn and as an instructor if I had a student carving in the first week I would dance home every night. Also if you lean in one direction on a ski with a sidecut you will put the ski on their edges and carve in the direction you are leaning


LeoD: You ingnorance is wonderfully entertaining. Italy has a law for all children under 14 to wear a helmet and alllot of the ski schools have extended that to all 16 year olds and under, Helmets are a choice but to belive they are of no benefit is bordoring on the stupid!!

olaola

Cut your toenails, and bring lip balm & tissues with you.

LeoD

Fattes wrote: »

LeoD: You ingnorance is wonderfully entertaining. Italy has a law for all children under 14 to wear a helmet and alllot of the ski schools have extended that to all 16 year olds and under, Helmets are a choice but to belive they are of no benefit is bordoring on the stupid!!

Delighted to hear I bring a smile to you. Apologies for my unfamiliarity with ski laws in Italy but what has a law for kids under 14 have to do with a 16 year old? I have never snow boarded but I could see the benefit of wearing a helmet doing that as the type of fall is different to that while on skis but this fear of getting your head split while out for a leisurely ski is rediculous. Would it make more sense to force everyone to wear knee braces?

To the original poster, don't mind the old folk here, you're young - feel the wind in your hair, ride free dude...

olaola

LeoD wrote: »

Delighted to hear I bring a smile to you. Apologies for my unfamiliarity with ski laws in Italy but what has a law for kids under 14 have to do with a 16 year old? I have never snow boarded but I could see the benefit of wearing a helmet doing that as the type of fall is different to that while on skis but this fear of getting your head split while out for a leisurely ski is rediculous. Would it make more sense to force everyone to wear knee braces?

To the original poster, don't mind the old folk here, you're young - feel the wind in your hair, ride free dude...

It's not what you're doing that you need to be concerned about - it's other people on the piste. Not everyone is in complete control.

robinph

It is not about what you may crash into that you need the helmet for, it is all about protecting yourself from things that may crash into you.

Also as it is a school trip they will probably insist on helmets anyway.

am i bovvered

LeoD wrote: »

Delighted to hear I bring a smile to you. Apologies for my unfamiliarity with ski laws in Italy but what has a law for kids under 14 have to do with a 16 year old? I have never snow boarded but I could see the benefit of wearing a helmet doing that as the type of fall is different to that while on skis but this fear of getting your head split while out for a leisurely ski is rediculous. Would it make more sense to force everyone to wear knee braces?

To the original poster, don't mind the old folk here, you're young - feel the wind in your hair, ride free dude...

wonder do Natasha Richardsons family agree with you, she was on a beginner slope.

The bigger danger is a collision on ANY slope, I spoke last week to a very experienced skier skiing over 20 years with no major accident, who, 2 years ago had a collision with a snow boarder full spead on a black, it was the first year he wore a helmet, the docs said he would not have survive.

So anywhere on the mountain a helmet is a good idea.

Fattes

LeoDAs states below allot of Italian Ski Schools have extended the law to all clients 16 and under so it was a heads up that he may be required to rent a lid whether he likes it or not.

Helmets are a personall choice but to say they are of no benefit is silly. I am not saying you should wear one or that any one should. Oh and I am now way old just spen allot of time in Trees and on cliffs so a helmet for me is essential

2 Most common injuries in a ski resort!

1) Broken bones / Soft tissue damage form a fall while walking :eek:

2) Lacerations to the head caused by Ski/ Board edges during a fall or being hit by them

Most available helmets will offer protection against the vast majority of less serious head injuries - such as lacerations, abrasions and minor contusions.

As for what benefit they are when you slam into a tree at 60kph the jury is very much still out on it.

There big beneift is protection agains clash of head type crashes which are one of the more common ski accidents on crowded beginner slopes.

am i bovvered

Fattes wrote: »

As for what benefit they are when you slam into a tree at 60kph the jury is very much still out on it.

I think most people would prefer a helmet on their head if they where about to slam into a tree at 60km, it has to have some benefit.

Fattes

I think most people would prefer a helmet on their head if they where about to slam into a tree at 60km, it has to have some benefit.

Totally agree and that is why I wear one. Just no one study has proved that it does hence the below statment.

After seeing Scott McCartheys Crash at Kitzbull 2 years ago was proof enough for me that they work to disipate the forces of impact.

granty1987

Fattes wrote: »

Totally agree and that is why I wear one. Just no one study has proved that it does hence the below statment.

After seeing Scott McCartheys Crash at Kitzbull 2 years ago was proof enough for me that they work to disipate the forces of impact.

i think i remember seeing that, was that the guy who crashed out on one of the final gates and his helmet was basically snapped in half flying down the hill with him having a seizure sliding down the mountain?

[oh and sorry to be brunt people]

Fattes

granty1987: Thats the one was going to post the youtube link but thought the better of it! Not many of us will be doing 140KPH down a sheet of ice in our ski lives

I_Am_The_WalrusWhere are you going in Italy?

TK Makk is your friend at the moment they have some great ski gear by the likes of Nike ACG, Mammut (Really expensive Swiss stuff), and Spyder (Really Really expensive stuff the russians love) All for good value. Oh and an awsome range of ski socks

I_Am_The_Walrus

Fattes wrote: »

I_Am_The_WalrusWhere are you going in Italy?

Some place called Lavarone... Can't wait!