When to take a lesson

Would you ski or ride more if you do it better? If you answer "yes" to this question, then you agree that there is a strong relationship between skier/boarder proficiency, enthusiasm and participation.

In other words, the better you are at skiing or riding, the more you will enjoy it. More than half of those new to the sport of skiing said they would be much more likely to ski more if they were better at it.

OK. How can I get better?
Instruction and mileage are the quickest ways to improve. But don't put the cart before the horse. You don't want to gain mileage on bad habits. Learn the right way and build on it.

Learning to ski is like constructing a building. You start with a strong foundation by putting the blocks on nice and straight. If the blocks get crooked, you must take them off and put them back on straight in order to keep the building tall and strong.

Begin with three
New skiers or snowboarders should take at least three lessons. At that point, the person is usually competent enough to ski all the green or yellow trails with proficiency. After that, skiers and boarders can maintain their skills and improve them with additional lessons. Reasons people give for taking lessons vary from wanting to feel safer on the slopes to desiring to have more fun to gaining technical proficiency.

Criteria for continuing lessons
Those of us who love skiing never seem to feel we can learn enough and always are striving to get better. But if you're wondering when to take another lesson, ask yourself these questions:

1. How good do I want to get? Obviously, the more lessons you take, the more advanced you will become. If you aspire to snake down steep bumps seamlessly or float through deep powder effortlessly, you will need to get your flat-terrain skiing down pat. Learning to control speed through turn shape on groomed slopes will translate to more efficient skiing in the hard stuff. And by the way, if you don't want to ski bumps or powder, there is nothing wrong with staying on groomed slopes — as long as you're having fun.
2. How much fun am I having? When you're bored on greens and blues or just not having as much fun as when you first learned, it's time for another lesson. Developing new skills or venturing on to more challenging terrain can be exciting as well as rewarding. But you don't have to.You will know when it's time for a new challenge. At that point, take a lesson so you'll be successful.
3. Do I need a lesson for my new shaped skis? At least one lesson is recommended, even for proficient skiers who have never skied on shaped skis. When shaped skis made their debut, teaching was assumed would remain the same; but it was discovered new ways to simplify moves and to clarify teaching (on the new skis). Confidence and success come quicker to the students today and the fun of the sport is realized in a matter of hours, not weeks.
4. Can I self-correct? If you have taken many lessons, have seen videos of your performance, and have been through lots of repetition, you may be able to assess your ability and identify areas for improvement on your own. A good instructor should end each lesson with a few key messages that you can use for practice. If you can't remember them or you are confused with instructional overload, always get your instructor's card so you can call to refresh your memory. A good instructor will remember. Teaching skiing is all about developing relationships.