So you’ve committed to taking up a snow sport!? Fantastic! Regardless of how old you are, how fit you are or who you think should be skiing or snowboarding this could be one of the best decisions you will ever make. Skiing and snowboarding are great fun and a fantastic way to experience being in the mountains, which is a truly magical place.
However, as a novice what do you need to know? What kind of things should you be doing to make the most of it? Here are our top 10 tips to get the most out of your first ski or snowboard holiday.
1. Pick your sport
Who are you!? Are you a skier? A snowboarder? A telemarker!?!? While you might have already decided what you want to do it’s worth considering the other options. All snow sports are basically just sliding about on snow, however they all have their pros and cons, so consider what you want out of your holiday before you commit.
Skiing will allow the quickest way for you to get off the nursery slopes and begin to get around the mountain. With lessons, you should be able to ski on most green runs by the end of your first week and in many cases some blues too! The downside, if there is one, is that skis can seem a little heavy and clumsy to carry around and walking in the boots can sometimes feel a little awkward until you get the hang of it after a few days.
While we all have different fitness levels, the first few days of learning to snowboard are physically harder work than skiing. It is trickier to balance on one edge rather than two, so getting the basics of snowboarding may take a little longer. Until you are comfortable balancing on that one edge at speed, long flat areas can be tricky to negotiate without the convenience of ski poles. The good news is a board is lighter and more convenient to carry around the resort and the boots are generally more comfortable (like a big pair of slippers). Therefore, should you venture to the bar straight from the slopes snowboard boots are also far easier to dance on the tables in!
2. Try it out
The sooner you can get from a wobbly legged start and become familiar with your equipment, the more fun you will have on holiday. One of the best ways to speed up the process is to visit one of indoor real snow centres in the UK before you go.
These giant fridges make their own snow, and provide a good surface to make your first turns. The slopes might be short, and the view won’t be as good, but on your first few days in resort you won’t be on anything much bigger. The more time you can get on snow the better, so think about booking a one day course or a set of lessons. Most centres provide all the equipment too, including clothes.
3. Get fit
Snow sports are exactly that, sports! Skiing and snowboarding use muscles you probably don’t use in everyday life, no matter how sporty you are. Prep for a summer holiday might be to go on a diet and get a spray tan to look good by the pool on day one. Prep for spending a week doing sport should be a little different. The last thing you want is to go on a ski holiday, only to find you are too tired to get out of bed on day 2. The best way to make sure you have the energy to enjoy your experience is to try and get in shape before you hit the slopes.
Non gym-bunnies, don’t panic. There are lots of ways to get your heart rate up and strengthen those leg muscles in your everyday routine; take the stairs instead of a lift, or cycle to work instead of driving for instance. Your holiday won’t be a fitness boot camp but getting your body ready to be more active will allow you to enjoy yourself for longer.
4. Wear the right clothes
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.” Kinda; if you wear the right clothing, you’ll be able to stay safe and comfortable in almost any weather. As you plan for your first experience in the mountains, make sure you pack the right stuff.
A layer system is often the best. Start with a base layer that’s designed to keep you dry by wicking sweat away from your body. The mid layers are designed to keep you warm by regulating your body temperature. The outer layer should be waterproof and windproof to keep the cold out and the warm in. For your first trip getting everything you need can seem eye wateringly expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.
Base layers are pretty much any wicking layer. The wicking technology in the top you wear to the gym for instance will work just as well doing sport on a mountain. The same goes for your mid layers, sweatshirts, hoodies and fleeces you already have will be fine. Jackets and snow pants of high end, big name, snow sport brands can be bought cheaply(ish) online and in discount chains such as TKMaxx. Another way to save is to avoid the big brand names altogether and shop in somewhere like Decathlon or buy out of season and in the sales. If you can, try and borrow things from friends which will help keep the costs down too. Don’t skimp on socks, there’s no need to spend £150 on a pair of heated ski socks (yes, they exist), but using an old pair of football socks won’t cut it. You want good fitting socks with minimal seems and re-enforced areas on the shin, heel and toe, this will minimise rubs, hotspots and blisters from boots.
5 Rent your kit.
When you’re excited about a new thing, it can be tempting to rush out and buy the latest shiny kit; try to resist this! No matter what anyone tells you, rent equipment for at least your first time. It is very possible that you could end up buying inappropriate or poorly sized kit and have the added hassle and cost of getting it to resort.
The benefit of renting equipment is three-fold. Firstly, it gives you a chance to try before you buy and you can get a feel for what you do and don’t like about certain equipment. Secondly, most rental shops have new equipment each season which means that you won’t get stuck with outdated kit. Thirdly, as you improve, you can rent higher performance equipment. You don’t learn to drive in a Ferrari, similarly you don’t want to learn to ski or snowboard on super stiff, high performance equipment.
6. Food and drink.
Skiing or snowboarding can burn up to 4,000 calories a day, thousands more than the average person with a desk job would burn at home. The best time to fuel yourself is first thing in the morning so skipping breakfast is not a good idea. Eating fat and protein in the same meal will slow down the release of energy, ensuring you have enough to get through the day. If you normally avoid carbs, you can get away with eating them at breakfast in the mountains as you’ll be doing sport all day so your body will need the fuel. Porridge with honey, granola and fruit, whole-grain toast or bagels and poached or boiled eggs, avocado on toast are all good choices.
Keep snacks in your pockets or backpack, especially if you have children with you. The best snacks are cereal bars, flapjacks, trail mix, and dried fruit all of which are filling and tasty but release energy slowly.
If you intend to go back on the piste in the afternoon, don’t over-indulge at lunchtime or you’ll feel lethargic as your body tries to digest the meal. Good lunch choices include soup and bread, salad with nuts, goats cheese and/or fish and meats with pulses or beans. You can always pack your own picnic and if the weather is poor there are plenty of picnic rooms on the hill across Les 3 Vallees. You could bring anything from a sandwich to a full-blown rucksack meal to heat in one of the microwaves provided.
As tempting as it is to enjoy everything the chef conjures up at dinner; as you would at home, keep portion sizes sensible and try not to demolish the entire cheese board every night. It’s important to eat protein while skiing to help repair muscles, wisest choices are fish and chicken, with plenty of green veg and not too many potatoes, pasta, or rice.
Most people are dehydrated in their everyday lives, so combine altitude, exercise and salty foods (fondue!) with alcohol and you’re looking at a recipe for disaster. Dehydration causes your heart to work harder and will affect your attention and performance on the piste, so drink plenty of water. Drink a large glass of water when you first get up, and again after breakfast just before you head out. Take a water bottle or hydration-pack onto the slopes with you and if you’re working hard (or have a hangover) add a little powdered sports drink. Try to drink little and often and importantly, don’t not drink to avoid loo stops!
Alcohol is often a big part of your holiday but as a beginner try and save your drinking until après rather than on the slopes. If you’ve had a big session, drink plenty of water to rehydrate in the morning, Coconut water is an excellent natural hydrator too.
To help you find the best places to eat on and off the mountain we have shared some of our favourite restaurants in The Three Valleys
7.Wear sun cream!
“But it’s cold, why do I need sun cream?” It may be colder in the mountains, but the sun is stronger than it is at sea level. This is because the atmosphere is thinner so less ultra-violet (UV) radiation is filtered out before it hits you, also the snow reflects sunlight back up at you, giving a double dose of UV even on cloudy days.
Late in the season, the weather can be as warm as a summer day in the UK and the sun is out for longer so wearing sun cream is even more important. Bright red and white sunglasses lines and pealing noses are not a good look in the bars and on sun terraces at après-ski!
8. Don’t let your friends or family try to teach you.
A lot of people go on holidays organised by friends and/or family who can already ski or snowboard. If you are one of them don’t, DON’T, DO NOT let them teach you, it is a fantastic opportunity to ruin your holiday. Very quickly, they’ll become bored of teaching you what they think they can remember as being the basics and will drag you to the top of a slope with the words, “you’ll be fine”. You won’t! If you don’t hurt yourself, you’ll probably be so freaked out by the experience you probably won’t want to go back on the hill.
Having spent all the time effort and energy of getting yourself to the mountains to enjoy learning a new sport, don’t skimp on learning that new sport! It takes years of effort and dedication to pass all the training and examination to become a fully qualified instructor, capable of delivering high quality instruction and keeping people safe in an ever-changing mountain environment. If the instructors you see on the hill make teaching look easy that’s because of all those years of training and experience.
9. Get lessons!
The best way to learn to ski or snowboard is to book yourself lessons with a ski school like BASS. An experienced, patient and fun instructor can help you enjoy your first snow sport holiday, whether you are skiing or snowboarding.
The ideal option is to have private lessons. Booking a private lessons guarantees the focus is on you, the learner. With 100% attention from your instructor, you gain 100% of learning time which will speed up the learning process and allow you to get the most out of your first time.
10. HAVE FUN!
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU OUT HERE SOON
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