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Getting Started In Snowsports

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How To Take A Lesson
by Weems Westfeldt

A bad ski or snowboard lesson from a bad instructor is an ugly event. But instructors from the Dark Side are rare; most professionals have a gifted eye and a subtle touch. Here are a few instructors' secrets to help you become a shrewd and successful student.

Be a good learner. If you take responsibility for your own progress, there is no such thing as a bad lesson. Your instructor likes to ski, and you can be sure the instructor will help you enjoy skiing as much as he/she does. Decide that you will learn, rather than be taught. Act like a monster sponge, wringing out your preconceptions and soaking in whatever comes your way to replace them. Active, open, positive learners have better days on the hill than passive, suspicious, negative ones.

Don’t be afraid to go first. Let them know how you like to learn. Do you like detailed explanations, or do you learn best by watching demonstrations? Are you a doer or a talker? What are your expectations and goals?

Ask questions. Start a dialogue. Have a conversation. The only dumb questions are no questions. Avoid looking for instant results. There are many levels to the game. Take your time and enjoy each one. Find a good instructor. Be on time and pay attention, or even come early, well before the lessons, talk to them, be nice to them and they will lay the mountain at your feet.

Get in the right class. Make sure that you, the supervisor and the instructor, all understand your present skill level (if you’ve skied or snowboarded before or not) so that you can get into a group of people who ski as you do. If the lesson is not up to your standard, complain. After all, you paid for it. Very rarely would an instructor get fired on the basis of a complaint. The boss prefers rehabilitation. If the lesson’s working, let the instructor know. Then tell the supervisor. Write a letter to the newspaper. Call your congressman.

Questions & Answers

Q. What’s better for beginners, a group or a private lesson?
A. For most people group lessons are better. You need the reference point of other beginners, the support and teamwork of the group, and the less intensive pace. Group classes teach etiquette, self-reliance, and risk awareness better than private lessons do. And in a private lesson you’ll always be the worst one there.

Q. Should a woman take a lesson from a female instructor?
A. Many women feel embarrassed and vulnerable when they make normal mistakes in front of men. If you feel more comfortable learning from a woman teacher, go for it. But good instructors, whether they’re male or female, can adapt to your needs of gender, age, or learning style. Find that good instructor.

Q. What’s the best kind of lesson to take?
A. Take a “skiweek.” Find those resorts that have three, four, five, or six-day comprehensive instruction programs, during which you work with the same dynamic and compatible group for the entire time. They’re better than private lessons. Better than skiing with world champions. Also, push yourself to take a lesson in bad weather. Not many people do, which guarantees you a small, adventurous group. If you muddle through the tougher conditions, you’ll be a genius when the sun comes out. Dress warm, stay dry, and bring extra goggles.