How To Ski Without A Coach (Singaporean Edition)

Skiing looks fun and easy in all the snow but looks can be deceiving. 

The first thing you will realise as you attempt to ski is just how heavy the ski boots are. Initially, I could not really comprehend why people were walking weirdly with their ski boots. It is only after experiencing first-hand that I understood why walking becomes a chore with the ski boots. Ski boots are REALLY HEAVY! I exercise on a regular basis but even then, I feel like the ski boots were weighing my calves down. Ski boots are usually also tight-fitted to your feet and it should be so since they are meant to keep the different bones in place even during harsh impacts so as to prevent breakage. You will probably take some time to get used to being in ski boots. 

I just want to disclaim that skiing is not as easy as it seems but once you master the basics of it, skiing can be pretty enjoyable. 

My virgin ski experience was in Zermatt, Switzerland. As an amateur skier, Jeremy and I chose the gentlest ski slope to learn skiing. We skied at Wolli Park, Sunnegga. Wolli Park is actually a park for kids to ski. Things in Switzerland are expensive and hiring a ski instructor is no exception. In a bid to save money, Jeremy and I decided to learn skiing on our own after watching some Youtube video tutorials. Three hours into this decision and I must admit there was a tinge of regret as picking up the skill to ski isn’t as easy as abc.  

Search “how to ski” on Youtube and the results returned would show many Caucasians providing tips on how to ski. For most of them, they grew up in countries with four seasons and the experience of snow would not be a novel thing. I would like to provide some tips on how to ski especially for Singaporeans or South-East Asians who have not even had the chance to experience snow before. Acclimatizing to the cold weather would already have been a feat, what’s more picking up a new sport. If you’ve ice skated or rollerbladed before, you might have a rough idea of how it is like to balance on snow skis, but that’s about it. Snow skiing is an entirely different experience. 

Tips to learn basic skiing in 1.5 days!

1. Ski on flat surfaces to get a feel of how it feels like to balance yourself on snow with ski boots.
2. Wear waterproof jacket and pants but don’t layer up! It can get pretty hot up there on the mountains especially when you’re actively moving.
3. To snow plough, ensure your legs are always positioned /\ without either of the skis obstructing the other. Open you legs wide to help achieve a more stable equilibrium.
4. You have to put force on your hind legs and by force I mean real force for you to be able to control your speed on the snow. The more forceful you are on the hind legs, the slower you go.
5. Bend your body if you need to. That’s pretty normal as you try to gain your balance. For me, I usually bend backwards to gain more stability especially when going downslope.
6. When going downslope, be sure to exert even more force on your hind legs. When going downslope, my legs went soft and that’s when I lost control. Exerting force to ensure your feet stays grounded going downslope helps prevent that.
7. When falling down, try to make sure that your arms and legs are straight and not bent in weird angles. For me, I try to fall sideways.
8. Steps to stand up with your ski boots after falling down:

(a)Shift your skis horizontal to the slope and ensure both skis are parallel to each other

(b)Poke the ski poles into the snow and use them as support to push yourself up

(c)Use your abdominal strength to push your upper body up and balance yourself as you do so

9. After mastering snow plough in a straight fashion, try making snow plough turns by shifting your body weight to one side to make a turn. Shift your body weight to the left to make a right turn and shift it to the right to make a left turn. Try these on gentler slopes before attempting them on steeper ones. If it helps, lift your left hand up as you shift your weight to the left to make a right turn and vice versa.

10. Don’t be afraid to fall.

These tips are not meant to replace any ski lessons but are meant to be some tips to ski coming from a Singaporean who have not experienced snow before trying out skiing for the very first time. 

I returned home after each ski session feeling exhausted with my legs full of bruises from the ski boots and from the impact of all the falls. It is however all worth it as the feeling of satisfaction overwhelms me knowing that I got to master the basics of snow skiing from my own trial and error. Special thanks given to Jeremy for being so patient with me, for picking up this new skill with me. Hope this post helps in your first virgin ski experience!

Till then,

Harmony Tee