Dry ski slope for the kids' first lesson.
Discussion
You could try Skiplex in Basingstoke. It's a revolving carpet that helps you master turns. It's far away from perfect, but my lad did a dozen lessons on it a couple of years ago and went straight to snow, so it did work (he did need a little extra coaching when on the snow to teach him to turn across the hill rather than straight down the fall line.
I used it a little last season and, due to the mirror at the bottom of the slope, you can really see where your technique lets you down. Again, it's not perfect but beats not doing anything
I used it a little last season and, due to the mirror at the bottom of the slope, you can really see where your technique lets you down. Again, it's not perfect but beats not doing anything
Well worth it. My first introduction to skiing was on a dry slope when they opened one of Europe's first in around 1964 in Edinburgh. 50 years on and I'm still skiing (I was very young in '64!). The Edinburgh schools made a lot of use of the slope and as well as rugby and football teams and leagues, the all had ski teams too; so we were up skiing every weekend.
Anyway, I think there are actually a few advantages on starting on a dry slope rather than snow. On Dendix mat certainly, it's far slower than snow, so beginners don't find themselves running away downhill, or having to really struggle to keep the speed down. They can focus on technique. And because its not as slippy I think beginners get a better comprehension of the 'fall line' and the implications of pointing more or less steep down the hill. On snow often at whatever angle they are at the think they're 'zooming' down the hill...often trying to get a beginner to stand 'across the hill' when there's a barely perceptible slope can be a problem and you have to start marking out the fall line for them. On the mat, you really get to appreciate what the fall line is...as on the beginner slopes unless you're pointing down it you probably aren't going anywhere.
You also need to have far better technique - exaggerated almost - on Dendix...which when learning is a good thing. Anyone who's learned on Dendix can transition to snow on the first run. Good snow skiers usually transition to Dendix pretty quickly and I'd say it equates to the the edge-grip of ice with 6 inches of heavy slush on top! It's the folks with bad technique on snow (who can only really handle a prepared piste) who slate it off I've found. And with a few goes on the mat they'd probably find that on their next trip to the snow they could handle ice and heavy conditions a lot better.
Plus it's typically outside in the fresh air and not stuck in a fridge; the runs are typically longer; and as a beginner unless it's raining you'll be a whole lot drier.
The downside is 'thumbs'. Falling over may be more painful than soft snow, but then you aren't going to crack your head open like on ice. But its not uncommon for beginners to fall 'forwards' and put their hands out front to stop them. And with a spread hand, the thumb can get caught in the mat. The dry slope in Edinburgh used to be called 'Hillend' and I gather the Royal Infirmary coined a particular hand injury 'Hillend Thumb'. Not saying it's going to happen - I personally never knew anyone who was injured in such a way and I knew/know a LOT of skiers who learner there - but I think it's the only think you could possibly do on a dry slope that you couldn't/wouldn't do on snow. Not so much a problem for small kids as they have small hands and their thumbs aren't big enough to get caught below the mat. For everyone else, just don't stick your hand out fingers-and-thumb splayed ahead of you.
Enjoy
Anyway, I think there are actually a few advantages on starting on a dry slope rather than snow. On Dendix mat certainly, it's far slower than snow, so beginners don't find themselves running away downhill, or having to really struggle to keep the speed down. They can focus on technique. And because its not as slippy I think beginners get a better comprehension of the 'fall line' and the implications of pointing more or less steep down the hill. On snow often at whatever angle they are at the think they're 'zooming' down the hill...often trying to get a beginner to stand 'across the hill' when there's a barely perceptible slope can be a problem and you have to start marking out the fall line for them. On the mat, you really get to appreciate what the fall line is...as on the beginner slopes unless you're pointing down it you probably aren't going anywhere.
You also need to have far better technique - exaggerated almost - on Dendix...which when learning is a good thing. Anyone who's learned on Dendix can transition to snow on the first run. Good snow skiers usually transition to Dendix pretty quickly and I'd say it equates to the the edge-grip of ice with 6 inches of heavy slush on top! It's the folks with bad technique on snow (who can only really handle a prepared piste) who slate it off I've found. And with a few goes on the mat they'd probably find that on their next trip to the snow they could handle ice and heavy conditions a lot better.
Plus it's typically outside in the fresh air and not stuck in a fridge; the runs are typically longer; and as a beginner unless it's raining you'll be a whole lot drier.
The downside is 'thumbs'. Falling over may be more painful than soft snow, but then you aren't going to crack your head open like on ice. But its not uncommon for beginners to fall 'forwards' and put their hands out front to stop them. And with a spread hand, the thumb can get caught in the mat. The dry slope in Edinburgh used to be called 'Hillend' and I gather the Royal Infirmary coined a particular hand injury 'Hillend Thumb'. Not saying it's going to happen - I personally never knew anyone who was injured in such a way and I knew/know a LOT of skiers who learner there - but I think it's the only think you could possibly do on a dry slope that you couldn't/wouldn't do on snow. Not so much a problem for small kids as they have small hands and their thumbs aren't big enough to get caught below the mat. For everyone else, just don't stick your hand out fingers-and-thumb splayed ahead of you.
Enjoy
Years back I went as a complete beginner - booked myself 5 x 1hr lessons before heading for my 1st overseas Ski Holiday.
Plan worked - learned the basics / used the muscles / didn't get stuck in a beginners class.
(Learning the basics on Dry Slope was enough to get me into an intermediate class straight away on the snow)
Money well spent in my opinion.
Plan worked - learned the basics / used the muscles / didn't get stuck in a beginners class.
(Learning the basics on Dry Slope was enough to get me into an intermediate class straight away on the snow)
Money well spent in my opinion.
AndyAudi said:
Years back I went as a complete beginner - booked myself 5 x 1hr lessons before heading for my 1st overseas Ski Holiday.
Plan worked - learned the basics / used the muscles / didn't get stuck in a beginners class.
(Learning the basics on Dry Slope was enough to get me into an intermediate class straight away on the snow)
Money well spent in my opinion.
I did exactly the same. Well worth it.Plan worked - learned the basics / used the muscles / didn't get stuck in a beginners class.
(Learning the basics on Dry Slope was enough to get me into an intermediate class straight away on the snow)
Money well spent in my opinion.
I spent most of my childhood skiing on dendex doing various Scottish and British school championships. I'm firmly of the opinion that if you can ski well on plastic then you'll be a great skier on snow.
As others have mentioned, skiing on plastic makes you work harder and exaggerate your movements which is great for your technique.
Try and go when it's chucking it down with rain as it'll make the slope much faster and easier link up some turns imo.
As others have mentioned, skiing on plastic makes you work harder and exaggerate your movements which is great for your technique.
Try and go when it's chucking it down with rain as it'll make the slope much faster and easier link up some turns imo.
Bill said:
Is it worth it? And how do I work out if the instruction is any good? Tripadviser doesn't have much on either of my two closest slopes (Warmwell nr Weymouth and Snowtrax nr Bournemouth if anyone knows them.)
Definitely worth a couple of lessons before going on snow. It will at least get them and you used to putting boots on and how they feel etc.. without feeling that you're rushed etc.. it will save you a load of time, hassle and struggles when on snow and in resort.From what ive been told Carpet/Plastic and Snowdomes (the snow at snowdomes is more like sand, it does clump) are a lot harder to ski on than proper powder, so will make it easier once you get on the proper stuff, train hard, fight easy and all that.
Ive learnt to snowboard in a snowdome, ive not been on proper powder yet.
Ive learnt to snowboard in a snowdome, ive not been on proper powder yet.
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