During the winter, there’s nothing better than trying out an extreme sport to make the most out of the season! You might be interested to try out skiing, but you’re afraid you don’t know anything about it. Well, the good news is that you don’t have to be an expert to ski! There are beginners who try out the sport every year.
Trying something new will always be scary at first, but when you get the hang of it, you might spend every winter skiing! Here’s your ultimate beginner’s guide.
Get your gear
First thing’s first: ski gear. Skiing is not all about skills. It also requires the proper equipment. For beginners, the basic things you need are skis, boots, and poles. Experts would recommend getting high-quality and durable gear and men’s Nordica ski boots.
For the best possible experience, make sure your gear is the best one for you. They should be comfortable and in the right sizes so you don’t feel uneasy during the experience. Don’t forget to wear the right clothes. You’re going to have a lot of contact with the snow, so make sure you dress for the winter. As much as possible, keep all parts of your body covered for maximum warmth and comfort.
Climbing a hill
Climbing a hill wearing your skis and gear can seem like a real challenge. You’ll probably end up sliding off the hill in your first few tries. But like all new endeavors, practice always makes perfect.
Start by gliding your way through the snow. This will help you move forward and also practice your glides for when you start skiing. There are also other techniques. One of them is duckwalking. In this technique, you need to form a V shape with your skis. Then you’ll want to flex your ankles forward and your knees inward. In this position, you can walk up the hill with ease and not worry about sliding backward.
The other technique is side-stepping. It’s when you move with your skis pointing across the hill. Navigate your way perpendicularly and make sure to take one small step at a time.
Turning and stopping
Now that you’ve made your way on top the hill, the question is how to get down. This is where all the fun begins. Naturally, you just have to push yourself down and maintain your balance. Your skis will do all the work sliding you down the hill.
But in case there’s an obstacle, you’ll want to learn how to turn or stop your skis. When turning, you just have to put pressure on one foot, depending on what way you want to turn. For example, if you’re turning to the right, you should put more pressure on your left foot, and vice versa.
Stopping involves the same action. You just have to add pressure to either your left or right foot until you are completely perpendicular. This should halt your movement.
Practice
Once you’ve tried climbing a hill, sliding, turning, and stopping, you’ve pretty much passed the learning phase. Now, all you have to do is to keep practicing. Do these until you get the hang of it, and you’ll be skiing like a pro in no time.
Skiing is an extreme winter sport, but that doesn’t mean that only experts can do it. You can too! With these tips, you’ll have a brand-new hobby to do on the winter season.
