How to Improve Your Skiing

Every level of skier has to practice their craft. Even experts aren’t technically done learning, which is why it’s completely normal to continue improving your abilities. We all might start at a different place, from beginners to seasoned snow buffs, but taking advantage of a few tips and tricks means you’ll get better over time. And the more you practice, the more you’ll feel confident and excited about fulfilling a new ski goal.

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Getting better at skiing or snowboarding takes time and effort, but what exactly do you need to do? Check out these tips for improving your skiing.

The slopes and sunlit snow are just waiting for you this season. But before you adjust your bindings and glide down the trails, take a moment or two to evaluate what you want to accomplish this ski season. If you’re not sure what that might be, then have no fear because we are here to provide you with a few quick notes on how to take your skiing to a new level.

Work on Your Turns

This will be a valuable tip to work on while in the snow if you’re a beginner and just starting to build your skills. If you’re more of an intermediate or higher-level skier, this might not seem like news to you, but it’s still helpful! Mainly because some people don’t think about this right off the bat.

Getting your turns down just right means practicing the technique quite a few times. But it’ll pay, in the end, to keep your speed reasonably even as you race down the mountain. While shorter turns might be better for narrower runs, skiers of all levels can make this a practice so that wider turns become almost like second nature. The best way to do this is to turn your skis with your legs while having a solid center stance. Imagine going through a small tunnel where you must duck a little because you’re too tall. This can help you to balance yourself and keep an even movement on both sides.

Perfect Your Carving

Carving is in the same ballpark as making turns on the snow. Learning to control them means you’ll be able to pick up speed. If you’re a beginner, you might not be ready to go faster, but it is crucial to get better at skiing. Working on carving takes some concentration and is best done when the slopes are a little less crowded. However, if you’re an advanced or intermediate skier, you can practice making smooth turns regardless if there are people around.

The best way to achieve this goal is to get your skis on edge as early as possible. As you begin rolling down the hill, you’ll want to shift your weight from ski to ski early and keep the entire body straight. It’s easy to bend at the waist, which many people do, but you want to be mindful when attempting it. Advanced skiers can also reutilize this technique when or if they find they tend to go on autopilot when on the slopes. It can happen to anyone, so paying attention and avoiding a wipeout or an injury is essential.

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Practice, practice, practice. No matter your age, you can benefit from a lesson at ski school. You can take a class or schedule an individual session.

Take a Lesson at a Ski School

The most obvious tip or suggestion skiers might get is how to book a class (or two) at a ski resort. Setting aside time to meet with an instructor privately or in a group is a great way to improve your skiing. Lessons are meant to teach more than how to stop or navigate down a slope. You can also glean new or already-known information to support the development of your technique. Advanced skiers can also learn a new thing or two from a recent lesson which can help focus on problem areas that someone is still struggling with.

Instructor training can also be beneficial, though it might be best for skiers with a little more experience. This type of training is meant to solidify, develop and learn how to teach basic techniques to others. You’d be surprised how this sort of lesson breaks down what you already know and restructures it in a way to use later on. Don’t forget to check your intended ski area page on our site to see if they offer ski lesson deals or discount coupons!

Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks

If you try the same things every day, you won’t get better at something. So it’s essential to change your routine once you overcome your learning hurdles. If you have friends or family going on a more challenging run than you usually take, join them once. Or try out a new trick you’ve wanted to accomplish. You must keep going even if you fail the first, fifth, or tenth.

You have to be more diligent about your surroundings and not push yourself too far in a short time. Think about it this way: When you start working out, you aren’t going to run 10 miles and then do a bunch of weights when you’re done, right? It would help if you steadily built your stamina and strength to raise the bar. Likewise, when you first started to swim, you probably weren’t in the deep end, hitting multiple laps. That all took time, and so does this! Everyone adding new skills to their routines, from beginners to advanced skiers, should know it will only improve them.

Build on Your Fitness Routine

And speaking of workout routines, you’ll want to ensure you’re ready for the season by staying in shape. There’s no need to be the next Olympian, but picking out a few exercises to get your body prepped is never a bad idea! Skiing and snowboarding are physically demanding sports, and you’ll want to avoid early burnout or extreme soreness from dormant muscles.

You can enjoy your ski trip more; your body will thank you for not wearing it down. By keeping yourself in good shape, you’ll find the overall experience more bearable and fun. Plus, the likelihood of tearing your muscles or hurting yourself will decrease quite a bit.

There are countless other ways to help improve your skiing, but by following some of these basic ones, you’ll soon find yourself reaching new goals quickly.

Document Your Progress

Having friends or family record you while you’re skiing can help improve your technique. Much like practicing speeches in the mirror, seeing yourself gives you a chance to pick up on what you might be struggling with. You can also pause the video at different spots, giving you an upper hand.

You might think you look a certain way and that your form is doing fine. But that’s vastly different from what you look like when you’re out in the snow. While it takes a moment to get used to, it’s a great way to identify and quickly fix those problems. You’ll also avoid injuring yourself on the slopes due to the corrections you make.

Practice Warm Ups and Cool Downs

Anyone preparing for a full day of skiing should always stretch out their muscles beforehand. Similar to when you work out, practicing a pre-ski and post-ski routine will help your body acclimate to the stress you’ll put on it. Stretching beforehand or just taking it slow at the get-go also prevents injury from happening and improves your performance. This works for any level of skier and snowboarder as well. Repeating your strategy before you ski will help you get into the habit of doing it every time. The extra five minutes can go a long way and can take your ski skills up a notch.

It takes time and patience to get better at this sport, and there is always room for growth. Never feel discouraged if the improvements don’t happen immediately, and always stay vigilant when on the snow. The best way to enjoy skiing is by visiting safely and being aware of your surroundings while you work on being the best skier! At least, the best skier in your circle of friends, perhaps.

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