Kit
& Equipment
- Ensure
that you get skis the right length if you are hiring - so don't
make out you are one of the Bell brothers if you have never been on
skis before. The guys in the shop don't care whether you can ski or
not.....it is just their job.
- Good
boots that fit - check they are neither too big nor too small
and don't just "make do" as it will make your days skiing
miserable
- Good
ski socks - a cheap pair will do but will not provide the same
padding
- Warm
waterproof clothing - remember that you will probably be on your
backside for a fair bit of the first few days, so ensure that you
have waterproof trousers. If you don't - then borrow or hire them!
- Warm
thermals under your clothes - can get very cold in the Scottish
Mountains and the weather can change in a split second
- Hat-
very important
- Goggles
- important is the weather is bad
- Warm
& waterproof gloves - very important
Getting
Started
If you
are a beginner is is always advisable to get professional lessons -
they may seem expensive but you will learn alot quicker, learn more
safely and not develop bad habits with a good ski instructor.
N.B.
When you put your boots on don't forget to pull your ski trousers over
the tops of your ski boots..
(a) it looks better! and
(b) it stops the snow getting into your boots.
Once on
the slope, separate your skis and place them across the hill...the
reason for this is that so often you see beginners put one ski on and
because it is facing down the slope, they skite off down the hill and
land in a heap. The simple laws of physics that are so obvious in normal
life are for some reason ignored by new skiers... always put your skis
across the hill when you are putting them on and you'll be half way
there. Put the "downhill ski" on first - which, to state the obvious,
is the ski that will be slightly down hill of the other. The reason
for this is that it is easier to put the downhill ski on first then
the uphill ski..doing it the other way around will prove to be more
cumbersome.
Pick up
your poles, place your hands through the straps from the underneath
and then hold the straps below your hand when you grip the pole ..
(a) this stops you leaving your poles half way up the hill by mistake
and
(b) by holding the strap it reduces the risk of staving or injuring
your thumb round the strap if you fall over.
Starting
to Ski
Right! You are ready to go, but before you set off:
- Stand
up in your skis
- Put
your weight forward slightly (keeps your balance right)
- Tuck
your behind in and
- Bend
your knees (very important)
Your weight
should be forward so that your shins are leaning on the fronts of your
boots - don't lean your whole body weight on the fronts of the boots,
otherwise you will have a nightmare time skiing and will probably fall
over. But do always remember to bend your knees and put your weight
forward.
Back
to top
"Snowplough"
Move
your skis into what is known as "Snowplough" (due to the V-shape)
by turning your skis slightly down the hill and putting the tips
of your skis together as demonstrated to the right.
Now
you are in snowplough, weight forward and knees bent and
ready to go....in order to get a bit of speed turn slightly further
down the hill. Do this gradually so you don't suddenly shoot off
down the hill! Putting your weight forward will stop the fronts
of your skis lifting up which reduces the area of the ski and
the amount of control you have. It is a natural reaction to lean
back from events that scare us but on skis this is guaranteed
to ensure that you will end up in a heap as you lose control of
your skis.
In
order to control your speed:
- Push
out your skis in the snowplough position ..
- Dig
in the edges of your skis into the snow as you push out (don't
push too far or you will end up doing the splits)
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Your skis
will act like brakes and slow you down.
If
you fall over, then swing your skis round before you try to get up so
they are facing across the hill and push yourself up from the snow keeping
your weight on your skis. If you fell and your skis came off, then put
them across the hill and follow the same procedure as you did to start
with.
How
to Turn (Snowplough)
When turning, continue in the snowplough position,
- Keep
your weight forward.
- Keep
your knees bent.
- Transfer
your weight onto the uphill ski...this will swing your skis
around to face you in the opposite direction. It is quite a
smooth process so don't struggle against it and it is actually
easier to turn if you have a wee bit of speed.
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- Just
commit yourself to the turn and believe you can do it.
- To
turn the other way, follow the same procedure and again place
your weight onto your upper ski although this will obviously
be the opposite ski from the last time.
Now,
this transfer of weight is like simply standing on one foot or
the other..don't throw your weight about because firstly there
is no need for it and secondly it will just make your life difficult.
And it is worth noting that you will probably find that you are
more confident turning one way than the other - this is totally
normal..it will just depend upon whether you are right or left
handed as to which side this is.
When
you turn "plant" one pole - this will always be the down hill
hand as in effect you are turning round the pole. As they say,
practice makes perfect and it is always advisable to take official
ski lessons rather than to develop bad habits that are hard to
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