Beginners! Need lots of advice please!!

I didn't learn at the snowdome but have been there a number of times and the lessons look pretty good to me (though expensive). Everyone is different though. Why don't you visit a slope and have a watch, that'll probably make your mind up for you.

I definitely agree that you need to do a full week of lessons in resort.

skidaddle wrote:I know I bang on about this, but...

YOU CANNOT OVERSTATE THE VALUE OF HAVING PROPER LESSONS IN RESORT.

Snow-dome instructors over here do some crazy things (so I hear) and charge a fortune for it.

Trying to teach yourself would be equally mad and possibly quite dangerous too. So please, do it properly and you will get maximum enjoyment from this wonderful sport.

Skidaddle.

I agree entirely!

I am a beginner / intermediate skier (and new to this site, first post) and I had the unfortunate experience of learning to Ski at Xscape in Manchester (i think)... it was aweful. Too crowded and very little individual attention from the instructor. Obviously, not all of them are bad.

It was NOTHING like the real thing. We were off to Meribel and I had some lessons from an experienced friend over there and progressed so much quicker. I feel Xscape did NOTHING to prepare me for the real thing...

Just my opinion though!

Mac

I did the learn to ski in a day at Snowdome before heading of to Austria 3 seasons ago.

So glad i did, got the basiscs out the way there, practised a couple of times and then enjoyed 5 great days in ski school on the mountain rather than stuck for half it on the nursery slope.

Have now done around 14 weeks over the last 3 years - but I still have a few hours private lesson at least every other break, just to improve technique and knock out any bad habits that are forming/coming back.

Dave

The best way to spend a lot of money learning to ski, is to teach yourself, or be taught by a relative, girlfriend, in many cases, soon to be ex-girlfriend!!

Invest three years into becoming a good skier. It migh take a bit longer.

Then, for those who have a limited amount of time to ski, perhaps only one or two weeks a year, it is likely to be cost effective to get used to the skis, and learn some basics before you head abroad.

Instructors will tell you, that when they are sorting out beginner ability at the start of the week, people who have some snowdome/dryslope experince are generally put into a class that is a couple of days ahead of absolute first timers.

That couple of days, could make the difference in your end-of-week ability.

I learned on a dry slope, snowdomes were not around then. I had 4 hours of instruction and then practised by myself. My 1st trip to resort I went in the ski off for the classes and was placed in a group who all had 5 weeks skiing experience. For me lessons in the UK worked well.
I have also had some coaching at Snowdomes since and would disagree that their instructors do "crazy things". That seems to be an attack on BASI/ASSI professional standards and UK snow teaching qualifications which are pretty tough to achieve.

I agree with Skidaddle - lessons in the resort are invaluable, and cannot be overestimated. Having formal instruction instills good technique in you from the very beginning, and gives you plenty of confidence. The instructors will also be able to push you to improve, knowing how far they can push without breaking your confidence. If you're confidence is high, you'll enjoy your holiday more.

It's certainly worth paying for a week of lessons for your first few weeks of skiing, and to keep having lessons thereafter to ensure that you're not developing too many bad habits.

Before my first skiing holiday, I had a few lessons on a dry ski slope, and whilst the white stuff is completely different, the dry slope did give me a good idea as to how the skis and boots felt!

I'm sure you'll have a great time.

I've booked lesson for december in a dry slope, and I'm planning to have more lessons before my trip in april.

Learning ski at home may be inexpensive but it wouldn't be of much help. I suggest you actually go for it and take lessons at a ski school. Some ski resorts offers lessons for beginners and they could guide you along while hitting the slopes.