Skiing is a great pass time in Canada, regardless of age or gender. It lets you get outside and be active, while also teaching your body new skills and forms of exercise. For first-timers, and for newcomers to Canada, skiing might seem a bit intimidating. Thankfully, there’s plenty of steps, tips, and precautions you and other skiiers can take by browsing our list and using our tips to better your skills on the slopes!
Purchase Travel Insurance
Since Canada is a country with public and largely free healthcare, this specific rule doesn’t apply to Canada as a whole. However, if you’re traveling abroad and in foreign countries and have decided to go skiing, it isn’t a bad call for you to invest in travel insurance. In the event of injury, costs of onsite treatment may fair exceed your available budget. This is why travel insurance is a must-have for those traveling and skiing abroad.
Research Where You’ll Be Skiing
One important factor in skiing is making sure you’re going on ski runs and resorts which match your skillset. Going to advanced runs or resorts runs the risk of possible injury for beginners, and certain slopes and hills have different rules and methods of operation depending on how they’re laid out and the danger of the runs themselves. Be sure to properly research where you’ll be skiing and if this area is right for your skillset.
Learn the Basics, Properly
While you might be excited to hit the slopes without getting the basics in first, this isn’t a great idea. Skiing is all about the subtle shifts and movements we make with our bodies while skiing and how this can impact our movement and where we end up. You need an experienced ski instructor to show you the step-by-step process for nailing the right skiing technique for you.
Accept the Fact You will Fall
No matter how well your first run or lesson on a slope goes, at some point, you’re going to fall and wipe out. This is simply par for the course when you’re learning anything new, but it goes for skiiers especially. Thankfully, there’s little to worry about. Most beginners rarely travel at speeds that could injure them in the event of a fall or crash. Plus, the snow provides a soft breaking of most falls; making it safer to land on than ground, dirt, or asphalt.
Don’t Expect Too Much from Yourself
Even if you feel you’re naturally sporty or athletic, mastering the art of skiing is a long-term process. It has its own unique set of challenges, and no one masters them right away. Progress and learning are the keys to improving your skills, as well as practicing and building the right muscle memory for the activities themselves. Try to hit the slopes regularly, practice makes perfect!
Wear Proper Ski Clothing
First-time skiiers should never skimp on their equipment. Not only does proper ski wear help to keep you warm, but it also protects your body during impact and prevents cuts and scrapes on more hardened, icy pieces of snow. It’s recommended to buy a pair of ski pants, ski socks and gloves, a skiing jacket, and a proper pair of steel-toed boots. These will help keep you safe while skiing and in the event of a possible collision.
Always Use Padding
On top of wearing proper ski clothes, padding is another great way to protect yourself when you’re hitting the slopes in Canada. In fact, most ski slopes won’t allow you to participate without the use of a helmet. They’re your ultimate defense against serious head injuries and should be used by every member of your family when you decide to go skiing.
Don’t Overdo and Stress your Body
While skiing is indeed a fun activity and great physical exercise, it also puts strain on your body. Learning to ski is both a mental and physical challenge, involving complex muscle usage and placements your body won’t be used to. Try to go slowly with your learning and not over-exert yourself. It isn’t worth the pain you can cause to your body.
Use Sunscreen
You might think just because you’re out in the snow during the wintertime that you’re safe from the penetrating UV rays of the sun. However, many skiiers will tell you about a dreaded goggle tan on their face they got from a long day at the slopes without any sunscreen. Be sure to wear sunscreen on your face, as UV rays are more easily reflected off of white snow and can increase the chance of your skin burning.
Get in Shape Before Skiing
Skiing is a high-intensity pass time, and for those who aren’t in shape; it may be difficult to ski for an extended period of time. While you don’t need to be an olympian to go skiing, having a reasonable fitness level can be beneficial for the first-time skiier. For one, it allows you to be more agile while navigating downhills, and also provides you with more stamina which means you can ski for longer periods of time.
