I am going skiing soon with my girlfriend, but I pretty bad, so any ideas on how I can improve?

Question

I usually end up crashing into someone. I can't stop and usually break a bone or two.

Answer 1

Don't go.  Sounds like you're a danger not only to yourself but to everyone else on the mountain.

If you do go take a lesson in the morning.  It's amazing how much you can learn quickly from an instructor.

Tell your girlfriend to ride some easy slopes with you for a bit so you can work on your technique.

And tell us where you're going to we can avoid the mountain that day.

Answer 2

If you crash a lot...get a helmet....seriously I'm not kidding thats how most people get seriously injured on the sloped.

That being said....I think that carving is much that same motion of ice skating.  Its easier to turn and thus slow down in powder than it is on ice. (You didnt say where you are going skiing as the mts of CO tend to have more powder)

Get shorter skis that are more shaped (fatter on the ends).  This will slow you down and give you more control.  Also if you get the "beginner" skis they will have more flex in them and you can better get a feel for what you are doing and the skis will be lighter and more responsive to the motions that you make with your feet.

Most importantly ski within your ability.  Is it really that important to ski double diamonds if its not fun or you end up in the ER?

Have fun and enjoy yourself....its a blast!

Answer 3

Get lessons. Couple of hours are enough to learn the basics.

Answer 4

Hopefully you have poles. What most skiers that don't use poles think is that poles hinder you but they really help.

Hopefully if u have poles, u use them. They help to set your balance, making it easier to turn faster. Before each turn, reach forward with your arm and plant your pole, then turn around it. It is then easy to get into a rhythm.

Stopping is another story. If you really need to, use the wedge stop. Just put your ski tips together to make a wedge. this is also called a snowplow stop.  Even though this stop is a beginner stop it is less embarrassing then crashing into someone.

For a hockey stop (stopping with both skies together and to the side) think about sticking your heels out to the side.  Your skies will follow and you will slow down. Try this going slow at first because it is easy to lose your balance with this stop

Answer 5

1. Take a lesson. It will save you BIG bucks, comparing to the huge medical bills.

2. Learn how to stop. (Make a wedge, Hockey stop. Extremely important!)

3. Wear knee pad or helmet. You don't have too many bones for your to break, do you?

4. Yell out loud "On your left", "On your right", to avoid colliding with someone. It's your responsibility to avoid skiers below you cause they CAN NOT see anything/anyone comes from behind.

5. Staring from the bunny hills or beginner area until you feel confident with your skills, then advance to a tougher run.

Enjoy the snow and you'll like it.

Hope this help.

Answer 6

Before you go please let me know where you are headed.  Then I can go somewhere else.

  You should take a series of lessons from a qualified professional instructor for your own safety and that of those around you.   I suspect that you are trying to use muscles to force your equipment to do things when you should use finesse. Skiing is a dance with snow and gravity, it's not a football game.