First Time Skiing? Tips for Beginners

Book a lesson. This is the single most important tip. A professional instructor teaches you proper technique from day one, keeps you safe, and makes learning dramatically faster. Group lessons typically cost €40-60 for a half day.

Rent your gear. Don't buy equipment for your first trip. Rental shops fit boots properly, adjust bindings for your weight, and give you appropriate skis. Reserve online to save time and often money.

Get in shape first. Skiing uses muscles you didn't know you had — especially quads and core. A few weeks of squats, lunges, and wall sits before your trip will make a huge difference.

The morning: You'll learn to put on boots (they're supposed to be tight), snap into bindings, and do basic movements — snowplow, turning, stopping. It feels awkward. That's normal.

The magic moment: At some point in your first or second day, something clicks. You link two turns together and suddenly you're gliding, not fighting. This is why people love skiing.

The afternoon: You'll be tired. Muscles you've never used will start complaining. This is when most beginners fall. Take breaks, stay hydrated, and don't push through exhaustion.

Stay on green and blue runs. Don't let friends pressure you onto red runs before you're ready. There's no shame in the learning area.

Learn to fall safely. Fall to your side, not forward or backward. Keep your arms in. Don't try to catch yourself with outstretched hands — that's how wrists break.

Know where you are. Ski resorts can be disorienting. Study the piste map, note which lift brought you up, and identify your way back to the base. Sheleg's "Take Me Back Home" feature is built exactly for this.

Respect the mountain rules. The basic FIS rule: the skier below you has the right of way. Always look uphill before merging onto a run. Stop only where you can be seen.

Bring snacks and water. Mountain restaurants are expensive. Pack energy bars and a water bottle. Altitude and cold dehydrate you faster than you realize.