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Are you left feeling disappointed and self-critical after your ski holiday? Or is it your first time, and you’re slightly petrified at sliding on snow? Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, we all get nervous.
Learning to deal with these nerves and overcome challenges makes skiing even more rewarding. So know you’re not alone in how you feel. These feelings will subside. You must keep a toolbox of tips for nervous skiers to help you manage these feelings on the mountain.
In this article, we’ll share our nine tips for nervous skiers so you can calm your nerves. Relaxing your mind and body will give you a much better experience on the slopes. We want to help you transform your skiing from being cautious to confident.
Advice for Nervous Skiers – 9 Tips
Are you already worrying about how to survive your next ski holiday? Does the very thought of skiing create a feeling of anxiety? We want to share some top tips from our expert ‘Ski with Confidence’ Coach, Louise Pode of ProAbility Ltd, who works with our guests to enable them to overcome their nerves and fall in love with skiing.
Nine tips for nervous skiers:
- Practice in a snow-dome
- Create your tribe
- Choose the right resort
- Avoid the crowds
- Build your confidence with a ski instructor
- Avoid skiing in poor light
- Create small, achievable goals
- Be in the moment
- Learn at your own pace
Practice in a snow-dome.
Here at New Generation, the ideal scenario is to practice before you head out on the slopes. By learning in a relaxed, more familiar environment, you’ll be one step ahead before you’ve even got to resort.
Learning in a snow dome allows you to understand the basics and get comfortable with the equipment and movements that will help you progress even more quickly once you’ve landed in the resort.
Create your tribe.
It’s so important to ski with others of your skiing ability. Realistically, your skiing group has mixed abilities, but try and partner up with someone of a similar standard for you to buddy up with on the slopes. Nothing knocks your confidence more than feeling like everyone around you is much better and that you’re holding up the group.
Skiing should be fun, so don’t take things too seriously. If you feel uncomfortable, choose to ski on a different slope. Refrain from feeling pressured by friends to ski the same slopes as your more advanced friends.
If you feel out of your comfort zone, choose a different route and meet them at the bottom of the run instead.
New to Skiing? Everything you need to know
Choose the right resort.
Choosing a resort can be tricky, but finding one suitable for your level is crucial. Each ski resort is unique and will have a variety of easy, intermediate and advanced pistes labelled with the colours green, blue, red and black.
Green and blue are the easiest, and red and black are more challenging. For nervous skiers, we suggest aiming for the blue and green slopes that are gentle and wide. These gentle slopes will make you feel more comfortable and help boost your confidence.
Nowadays, most ski resorts cater to everyone’s needs, especially beginners. So, there is usually a mixture of pistes for every level of skier. If you’re looking for the best resorts for beginners or the best resorts for intermediates, then check out the piste map to ensure there will be the most terrain possible for you to learn on.
Best ski resorts for beginners
Avoid the crowds
Even the calmest of skiers can become anxious on crowded slopes. If you’ve got a holiday booked for peak season, why not use a ski guide to take you to the quieter parts of the resort?
Hit the mountain early! Another top tip for avoiding crowds is to get out early or to ski around lunchtime. Most people have a leisurely breakfast and hit the slopes at 11 AM, meaning you’ve got two hours of quieter slopes to make the most of!
Around lunchtime, between 12-3, most people go to the sun terraces and restaurants to take a break and fill up on yummy mountain food. This period is a prime opportunity to explore whilst the slopes are quieter.
It’s also worth looking at a piste map to find other runs if the main pistes in the resort get congested. Explore a little further, and you might be surprised to see some perfect pistes for your ability just across the mountain.
Build your confidence with a ski instructor.
Build your confidence with a ski instructor who can ensure you ski on runs aligned with your ability and support you to overcome your nerves.
If you’re apprehensive about learning to ski, you need to find an instructor you trust and feel at ease with. When booking your lessons, feel free to give us a call or drop us an email to ask for some advice on who will be the best instructor for you.
Don’t be afraid to ask, as this will benefit you greatly. We’re on the phone year-round, and our guest support team knows our instructors well. We have lots of experience pairing the right people, so please don’t hesitate to contact us.
By finding a ski instructor that you trust, you’ll build your confidence in skiing.
How many ski lessons do I need?
Avoid skiing in poor light.
Skiing in poor light increases anxiety, so when planning your holiday, consider which times of the season are better for sunshine and excellent visibility.
We naturally lean back and feel apprehensive when making out anything on the slopes is difficult. Take the fear and anxiety out of your day and head back to the chalet or apartment. Don’t succumb to peer pressure and ski home if you don’t feel in control.
Be bold and take the bus or gondola down the mountain if that’s the way you’ll feel most comfortable. You’ve got to remember your ability level and ensure you feel confident and in control.
Tips for skiing in bad visibility
Set small, achievable goals each day.
Create small, achievable goals every day and don’t be too ambitious. Make sure you stop for a break to reflect on your achievements. You’ll feel a massive sense of accomplishment throughout your week if you break things into small bite-sized chunks.
Remember to breathe and smile. It’s about giving yourself little wins that help build confidence and remind yourself that you’re doing well. Practice does make perfect when it comes to skiing. The more time on skis, the bigger the gains you’ll make.
Start your day right.
Whether you’re learning to stop, trying to ski in parallel or standing at the top of your first black run, we all feel nervous at times. So, we like to start the day on a familiar slope to warm up.
Trying to tackle the most challenging slope first thing in the morning is never a good idea. So make sure you start the day right, on familiar terrain. Give yourself this little confidence boost to ensure you start as you mean to go on. We know from experience your body will be thanking you later for those morning warm-up laps.
Skiing is a sensual sport.
Another tip for nervous skiers you can try is to visualise what you’ll do. Pausing at the top of a tricky section allows you time to focus on the task ahead. Relax your shoulders, inhale with deep breaths and plan how to get down the slope most efficiently.
You could get a friend to video you so you can see what the ski instructor is talking about, and that will help you visualise what you should be doing. That way, you’ve something to show your friends when you tell them how much you improved.
Concentrate on the skiing sensations.
A lot of your nerves can come from overthinking and underestimating your ability. Aim to focus on exhilarating feelings to keep you calm.
- Flow
- Fresh air on your face
- Glide
- Grip
These sensations will help you to enjoy the feeling of sliding on the snow. Sometimes, we all have a little skid, but avoid focusing on it, and you’ll stay at ease on the slopes.
Be in the moment.
When you’re anxious, remember you’re here to enjoy yourself and calm your inner voice with techniques such as deep breathing and mindfulness.
Remember where you are – the beauty of the mountains and the exhilaration of being in the fresh air and use that positivity of the moment to overcome your anxiety.
How to ski in variable conditions
Learn at your own pace.
Set a time limit on how much you ski each day. This tip for nervous skiers is vital for keeping you fresh on the hill. We recommend setting a time limit on how much you ski each day so you stay calm. Skiing all day can be tiring, so take a break and mix things up.
We all know you won’t ski your best when you’re exhausted. That’s why everyone needs to learn at a pace that works for each individual, whether in a private one-to-one lesson, a group lesson or just with friends.
If you’re a nervous skier, our aim in lessons is to make you feel as comfortable as possible on the slopes. If you’re skiing with friends, tell them how you feel so they know to keep you from pushing you too far if they’re more advanced.
Sometimes, a private lesson is more beneficial for building confidence as you get more personal feedback in a one-on-one environment. You don’t need to worry about keeping up with others. The focus is just on you.
Take a break
A ski holiday doesn’t have to be all about skiing after all. You can swim in thermal pools, the spa, snowmobiling or paragliding! The list is endless if you’re looking for other things to do on a ski holiday.
If you’ve already chosen the resort you’re going to, you can click on the ski schools tab at the top of the page and scroll to find your resort. We have lots of helpful information to help you make the most of your holiday.
By incorporating a couple of these pieces of advice and tips for nervous skiers, we guarantee you’ll have a more enjoyable holiday. After all, skiing should be fun, and we want you to finish your holiday feeling positive, motivated and keen to learn more next time.
Ready to transition away from a nervous skier?
On our Coaching for Nervous Skiers Courses, we explore overcoming fear, skiing anxiety, and nerves and calming that inner voice. Let us take you on a journey so you feel happy and exhilarated when skiing with friends and family. Imagine how incredible that would feel!
To save money and learn more tips for nervous skiers, check out our Ski Coaching for Nervous Skiers Courses today.
Sign up today to receive 10% off ski lessons and a further 10% off Ellis Brigham if you want to buy new ski equipment.
