How to Alpine Ski

Get alpine high

If you are interested in learning to Alpine ski, or downhill ski, you should be in good health and physically in shape. Skiing is a sport that utilizes muscles in the thighs, hamstrings, calves and ankles. Your lower body must not only consistently balance your weight, but it must also be able to lift and turn long skis.

Difficulty:

Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Skis
• Poles

Learn to Alpine Ski

1. Sign up for an Alpine ski lesson to get yourself familiar with the actions and techniques you will be expected to perform. Be prepared for a workout when you sign up because your first time skiing will surely leave you sore. Remember that the more you ski, the more developed those particular muscles will become.

2. Rent your skis, boots and poles at the ski area. This will save you time and money when you are just getting started. In your first few lessons you can try different types of skis to get an idea of the type you would like to purchase yourself.

3. Watch other skiers very carefully when you are beginning to Alpine ski. The chairlift is sometimes the trickiest part for a novice. You must stand on the line and sit when the chair comes up to your rear, not after and not before.

4. Leave the chairlift only when it has gotten to the top of the mountain and you can reach the ground. Simply point your skis in an upward direction and scoot your rear off the chair. Have your poles ready because once you glide off the chair, you will quickly pull yourself forward with your poles to get out of the way of skiers behind you.

5. Choose the easy hill the first time down. The easier hills have flatter downgrades and are especially wide for novice Alpine skiers. If you are feeling confident, you can turn off the beginner trail and experiment on more advanced terrain, then ski back onto the beginner trail.

6. Stop by making a wedge with your legs. This is done by opening your legs and having the tips of the skis touch in the front like an upside- down letter "V." This should only be done for slow to moderate speeds because if you are traveling at a faster speed, trying to wedge will only put you at risk for injury.

Tips & Warnings

• You must slow down once you reach an area close to the chairlift. Skiers who ignore this rule will be asked to leave the ski area.