Beginners' Family Ski Holidays

by: Subert Kiing
If your family wants to go skiing on your next vacation, but you do not know how to ski, go ahead and plan that ski vacation anyway! You can learn how to ski, and you will have a great time doing it. You do not even need to know the first thing about skiing before you arrive at the resort. All of the knowledge you will need is there waiting for you, and you can literally be skiing down a mountain after an hour of instruction. Learning to ski is really quite easy. Most resorts have a ski school on the premises, and lessons are reasonably priced. Group and private lessons are usually available. It is a good idea, however, to schedule an appointment before you arrive at the resort. This will ensure that you can start learning to ski the very first hour of your vacation. Most ski instructors start by showing you how to maneuver around with your equipment. When you are wearing ski boots, you will be inclined slightly Forward. There is a reason for this. When you are skiing down a mountain, you will be inclined forward. Walking in ski boots the first time is a bit difficult but it works just fine if you learn to walk with your knees slightly bent. The first maneuver you will learn is called the plow, or snow plow. This is a technique that is done by literally using your skis as a snow plow. You make the back of the skis slowing move outwards, away from your body by applying pressure and this stops you. You guide yourself on skies by bending your knees and leaning in one direction or another, depending on which way you want to go. All of these techniques can be learned in one hour, even if you have never been on a pair of skis in your life. The beauty of skiing is that after you have learned how to snow plow, and how to guide yourself on the skis, you are ready to ski! Get on the lift, head up the mountain, and give it a try. Control your speed by snow plowing and go slow at first. When you want to pick up some speed, draw your skis back in to pick up a little speed, then push them back out into the plow position to control that speed. As a beginner, you should stick to the trails that are designed for beginners. At most resorts, these trails are marked with a green emblem. Blue trails are for intermediate skiers, and after one day of skiing the beginner trails, you may be ready for those trails. The black trails are for experts. These trails can be dangerous for people who don't have the skill level to handle them! Avoid black trails until you have had a great deal of ski instruction and experience. You will know when you are ready! Ski Vacations on a Budget When you start thinking about ski vacations, you will find a lot of information about various resorts and packages. Finding terrific vacation spots is not difficult. However, finding ski vacations that fit into your budget can be a bigger challenge. To save money, look for lesser known resorts. This does not mean that these resorts would not provide you with a fun vacation. It simply means that they are not quite as well known as other resorts, and therefore, the prices may be a great cheaper. Also look for ski vacation packages that will include your lodging, lift tickets, lessons, rentals, and possibly even some meals. Be willing to make some sacrifices if money is a real issue. For instance, instead of eating in an expensive restaurant each night, eat cheaper fast food, or make sandwiches in your room. Borrow equipment from friends instead of renting it. Join a group for lessons instead of taking private lessons. Do not stay at a lodge, stay at a motel farther away from the slopes if necessary. There are numerous ways that you can cut down on the expense of your ski trip.

Planning a Family Ski Vacation

by: Subert Kiing
It is time to plan a family vacation and everyone wants to go skiing. Do not worry, skiing is not as expensive as you might think, and there are numerous resorts that cater to families, offering a variety of packages designed to save you money. The problem will be choosing the right destination. Most ski resorts have information websites. Start the planning process by accessing these websites to determine where you and your family might want to go for your family ski vacation. There are many different things to look for when choosing a resort. The absolute most important thing to look for is a ski school if someone in your family will need instruction. While most resorts do have ski schools, some do not. Do not make the mistake of choosing a destination where one or more of your family members won’t have fun, simply because they do not know how to ski. Next, take a look at the slopes, lifts, and trails. You want to make sure that the resort has something to offer everyone in your family. If the resort only caters to beginners, an expert skier will become quickly bored. If you have a snowboarder in your group, and there is no snowboarding park or terrain, that snowboarder will not be happy. There are resorts that serve all winter sports, so make sure that interests of your family are covered. Lodging is the next thing to look at. You want to be comfortable, so where you will sleep at night matters a great deal. In most cases, there is a hotel right at the base of the slopes, but this is not necessarily the best or most affordable place to stay. Find out what your lodging options are for the area, and choose the one that is right for your family and your budget. If you will be staying farther away from the slopes, make sure that there is transportation to and from the slopes each day. Your family will have many more interests that you will need to search for before deciding on a particular destination and resort. Some of those interests may be dog sledding, sleigh rides, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or horseback riding. Resorts do offer these activities, but some do not, so be sure to ask about the winter activities, as well as the planned events during the time that you will be at the resort. This will help you plan a ski vacation that your family will enjoy and remember for the rest of their lives. Ski Vacations – What To Pack If you will be traveling for a ski vacation, it is often difficult to know what to pack. You may not even have a problem knowing what to pack, but instead have a problem figuring how to get everything that you need from your home to your destination. Skis do not easily fit into suitcases, and if you are flying, this presents a huge problem. Start by knowing what is available at your destination. Is there a rental shop? How much are the rental fees for skis, boots, and poles. If it is reasonable, and you don’t mind skiing with rented equipment, this is a viable option and it makes packing and traveling much easier. If you do not care for rented equipment, there is another option. Find out if there are any ski shops in the area. There usually are. Get prices on skis, poles, and boots, and then ask if they buy used equipment. If they don’t, ask if there is anyone near by that does purchase used equipment. Call that place to get an estimate on how much you could get for barely used ski equipment. Figure the difference in the money you will spend on the ski equipment, and the money you will get for the used equipment when you are finished with it. If it is not much more than what it would cost you to rent the equipment, go for it! Ski suits, ski jackets, and sweaters can be very bulky, and hard to pack. These items will take up a lot of room in your suitcase, and leave less room for other clothing and essentials. If you are trying to pack for a two week ski vacation, it will be impossible to fit everything you need into one suitcase. There is a way to solve this. Call the lodge or resort where you will be staying. Tell them that you need to ship a package, for yourself, to them, and that you need that package to be there when you arrive. Ask them if they will hold it for you at the desk. In most cases, they will. Next, get a box, put all of your ski suits, your ski jacket, and any other bulky items in the box, and ship it to yourself, in care of the lodge or resort. Shipping can be overnight, two day, or three day depending on how far it must travel. Depending on how much the box weighs, you will usually pay less than fifty dollars to ship a package in the continental United States, which is a lot less than you would pay an airline for extra overweight baggage.

The Road to Expert Skiing

by: Jim Safianuk
Imagine yourself cruising down a groomed run carving elegant turns with your new shaped skis. In the distance you see two symbols, a blue square for a left turn and a black diamond for a right turn. Without hesitation you steer to the right. The pitch becomes steeper, the snow is un-groomed, and there are trees, lots of trees. You stop momentarily, pick a line, push off, and tighten your turns as you begin the descent.
Many skiers would have taken the left fork with the gentle groomed slope. Some intermediates reach a plateau in their ability and find it difficult to advance to the next level. This doesn't have to be. The keys to unlocking your true potential lie in your mind and body. When you are physically fit and mentally prepared the goal of becoming an advanced level skier can be realized.
Skiing at an advanced level means being adept at handling varied terrain in different snow conditions on marked trails. The terrain may include steeps, glades, or moguls. Snow conditions might include hard pack, crud, ice, or powder. At this level you need to be able to make quick adjustments to your speed, turn radius and balance to maintain control at all times.
Ski Fitness Level
Advanced level skiing is more demanding on the knees, thighs, hips, abdomen, and back so preseason preparation is the norm. Try to begin your ski fitness program at least two to three months prior to your first day on the slopes. Your routine should include stretching for mobility, strength exercises for staying power, and cardiovascular conditioning for endurance.
The good news is that you don't need a lot of money to finance your program. All you'll need is a mat, free weights, runners, and an hour a day. One approach is to do stretches and strength exercises the first day followed by stretching and cardiovascular conditioning the next day. By alternating your workouts you can reduce the time spent each day and give the different muscle groups a chance to recover.
Stretching
Improved mobility will do more to improve your skiing then you think and it will help protect you from injury. The areas to concentrate on are the back, calves, hamstrings, quads, and shoulders.
A good book on the subject is Stretching by Bob Anderson (Shelter Publications, Inc. 1988). It has specific stretches for downhill skiing, weight training, walking, and running. You may want to include the stretches for weight training in your fall routine and do the downhill stretches during the ski season.
Strength
These exercises will improve your ability to ski short-radius turns through enhanced staying power and impact absorption while minimizing muscle fatigue and soreness. The strength session should include calf raises, partial squats for the quads, and abdominal exercises for the stomach, sides, and back. Include weight training for the arms, chest, and shoulders using dumbbells and barbells.
Rotate through the exercises working one muscle group while the other groups are in the recovery mode. Perform a leg exercise, a weight maneuver, and then an abdominal exercise.
Endurance
This is the ability to perform at a given level for greater periods of time. Endurance is important for those long mogul and glade runs that never seem to end. To improve endurance the focus is on cardiovascular conditioning. Exercise three times a week keeping your heart rate elevated for fifteen to twenty minutes. Good ways to do this are cycling, inline skating, rowing, jogging, or general aerobics. An alternative to running is a brisk, forty-five minute, non-stop walk.
Mind-Set
You won't need a treatise on the latest breakthrough in the psychological aspects of fear to conquer the steeps, glades, and moguls. The old adage, you have nothing to fear but fear itself, applies to skiing. Mental toughness and focus are essential to master your subconscious mind.
Mental Toughness
Being tough mentally will put you in control of your thoughts. You need to tell yourself over and over that you're in charge, not the ski hill. This will help develop the right attitude and keep a lid on you anxieties.
Focus
Focus allows you to break up the run into smaller tasks so you can zoom in on the next two or three turns. The pause, approach, divide and conquer technique should help you pick a line, set the tone, and focus on the immediate.
Pause: Take a moment or two to size up the terrain and pick a line appropriate for your skill level. If you wait too long you will give your subconscious mind a chance to take control. To avoid this anxiety trap, stop, survey the terrain, pick a line, and push off with your poles. This sequence should take between five and ten seconds to complete.
Approach: Develop the correct turn radius early. This should occur within the first three or four turns. This sets the rhythm and gets your legs pumping. You want to be moving at a constant speed with good balance over your skis.
Divide and Conquer: This method will break up a difficult run into manageable tasks. After the approach always look two or three turns ahead if you are on the steeps, two or three bumps ahead if you are in a mogul field, or two or three trees ahead if you are on a glade run. Looking ahead will allow you to quickly alter your course for any unusual conditions. This technique takes practice to learn, but once mastered, will prove invaluable.
Summing Up
The mind and body have to work in unison to ski black diamond runs safely and effectively. Condition your body in the preseason for peak performance on the slopes. To ski strong, you have to be strong. In addition, strive to master the mind techniques in stages. You need to be mentally tough and focused to keep your anxieties in check.
Make an effort to ski thirty percent of all runs on more difficult terrain with an even split between steeps, glades, and moguls. You will know when you have reached an expert level because you will be the one in the descent of that forty degree, un-groomed, glade run.

Snowboarders: The Youngest Pros Of All

by: Gray Rollins
The world of professional snowboarders is one where youth is often more of an asset than a disadvantage. In many sports, years of experience are necessary before it is possible to compete against the top tier of athletes; but the youthful spring of teen snowboarders often gives them enough of a leg up that they can reach the pinnacle of their field before they are even old enough to drive a car. Boarders sometimes turn pro as early as thirteen or fourteen years of age.
Snowboarding is surrounded by a very youthful culture, and the fact that so many of the sport’s stars are so young contributes to its appeal among kids and preteens. Skiing, which is similar to boarding in many ways, can feel very remote to young people because its stars are mostly somewhat older and very experienced.
There is a lot of debate surrounding the question of whether skiing or snowboarding is easier to learn, but the fact that so many famous boarders are so young seems to suggest that excelling as a boarder does not require quite as many years on the slopes as it usually takes to become a top skier. A dedicated and talented snowboarder can master the sport fairly quickly, and it is not unusual for a boarder to progress from novice to expert in as little as four or five years. Because many boarding role models are still in high school, and some are even still in middle school, excellence in snowboarding feels like a very attainable goal to today’s kids.
Of course, just because snowboarding is popular with young people doesn’t mean that it is off limits for older people who are interesting in boarding. Many habitual skiers choose to make some time on the snowboard a regular part of their sports regime. Taking up snowboarding is a great way to capitalize on and further develop the balance skills and agility that you have gained by pursuing skiing or any other sport. Boarding can be a lot of fun, and there are many intricate tricks and twists that are unlike the maneuvers that athletes perform in any other sport.
Some older sports enthusiasts are intimidated by the fact that pro boarders are so much younger than them, but there is no reason to let the fact that the leaders in the field may be less than half your age stop you from trying your hand at the art of snowboarding. For anyone who enjoys pursuing winter sports as a hobby, it is worth spending at least a few days on a snowboard learning the basics. The skills that you develop on a board can translate into many other arenas, and learning to board can make you a better skier, a better runner, or even a better football player.
If you are looking for a way to have a blast while adding some new elements to your training schedule, snowboarding might prove to be just the thing you are looking for.