Snow Adventure

Do you feel like you’re stuck at the same level?
Do you speed out of control on steep runs?
Do moguls scare your pants off?

These might all be questions pointing to the reason why some people might want to join a ski improvement course but the reality is that absolutely anyone can benifit from beginner to advanced skiers.

For me personally the key to enjoying my skiing more and more is to always improve. Continual ski improvement is what makes me tick. My favourite thing in the whole world is to be on a training session or course with some of my fellow ski instructors. We’re group of like mined people coming together for more or less the same reasons. We all want to improve our skiing and we all want to have a great time doing it. This is what it is all about. Ski improvement courses are fun, effective and a great way to turn an ordinary skiing holiday into a unique experience that you will never forget.

One thing that I can tell you for certain is that taking ski lessons from a professional ski instructor is the only way to make improvements in your skiing. Next time you are on a chair lift look around and count the number of people who look like they really know what they’re doing and you will realize that there aren’t that many. Ask them and they will tell you that some time or another they had recieved consistant coaching from a knowledgable person. How do you think the instructors ski the way they do? Ski instructors do regular ski improvement training with their ski trainers.

This kind of training is not only available to the instructors. There are ski improvement programmes of a variety of duration and intensity at several ski resorts in Canada and some of these ski improvement courses may be just what you need to get you to that next level.

If you are thinking about joining a ski improvement course you should find out exactly what the course offers before you decide which one to choose. Not all ski courses are created equally. Here are some useful tips on what to consider:

Group size: 6 participants per group should be the maximum number of people on a ski improvement course. This number allows for efficient ski improvement sessions while making the coursee cost effective.

Amount of tuition: Judge your skiing fitness honestly from your previous experiences on skiing holidays and choose a ski improvement course that will challenge you while allowing enough recovery time. There is no use in being so sore by day 2 that you can hardly make a proper turn.

Type of ski improvement course: If you’re after improving specific aspects of your skiing find out about courses that will adress your individual needs. For example if you are interested in venturing off piste but need assistance then you would do well to find a ski course specifically for that. There are also men’s ski weeks and ladies ski weeks available so keep an eye out.

Level of instructors: Instructors teaching on a ski improvement programme should be internationally qualified. In Canada they should have a CSIA Level 3 qualification. This means that they are certified by the International Ski Instructors’ Association.

Video analysis: All ski instructor courses should include video analysis. Have you ever seen yourself ski? If not, you are in for a real treat! The truth hurts as they say. But you will learn what an amazing tool this is to improve your skiing technique and style. There is often a huge discrepancy between the way we feel that we are skiing and the way we actually ski. The body lies to the mind. Video analysis is the best way to train our proprioception - the sending of information from our muscles and ligaments to our brains. Ski instructors use it all the time to improve their skiing.

Snow reliability: Look for a ski instructor course that runs at a resort with reliable snow conditions. Though poor snow conditions can be used as a tool to improve skiing we all know that we prefer to ski on fresh snow rather than ice.

Location, location, location: Look for a ski course that runs at a ski resort that has ski-in/ski-out accommodation. This is a covenience that is totally worth it.

Cost: Do your market research and compare costs of ski improvement courses that have similar features. Some ski improvement companies offer all inclusive packages and some offer their ski courses seperately.

An aspect of ski improvement that I like to promote is that of sport psychology. There are some very easy to learn mantal imagery techniques available that are very valuable in enhancing your performance and skill acquisition. These techniques are scientifically proven to be very effective and are now considered an essential part of the training programmes of Olympic and elite athletes. Recreational athletes in many sports now also use these techniques to improve there performance.

Whether you want to just be in control or whether you want to go steep and deep there is a ski improvement course out there with your name on it. Try it! You might enjoy it so much that you’ll make every ski holiday a ski improvement holiday.