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With winter tapping on our windows, snow mountains will soon have skiers showing off their practiced tricks. However, people new to the sport are curious yet afraid to try skiing due to certain limiting and false beliefs.
Therefore, we are here to bust these common skiing myths and replace them with some skiing facts. This myth-busting hopefully will give you the confidence to try and get on your skis and carve through the snow.
MYTH 1: Skiing Is for the Rich
The prices are the first myth about skiing that keeps countless people from even going to a ski resort. Since many renowned ski resorts are located in sophisticated areas and attract an elite crowd, people believe skiing is expensive. Hence, they leave the sport for the rich and try some free or less expensive sports.
However, since it’s the first myth on the list, you know that’s not the complete truth.
Skiing is an expensive sport for first-time skiers due to skiing gear. Obviously, any quality sports gear doesn’t come cheap, and the same is true for skiing. Nevertheless, once you purchase durable skiing gear, it will last for ages, reducing your cost.
Each skiing season, you’d only have to figure out how to afford your accommodation at the ski resort and other activities you wish to try. Hence, there’s no doubt that skiing can be an expensive sport. However, it’s affordable if you can find good deals on gear and accommodation.
MYTH 2: To Learn Skiing, You Must Be Young
Another common myth that has kept a lot of adults from ever trying skiing is age. Masses believe you have to be a certain age to learn skiing. That’s certainly not true.
When you’re young, learning things is easy. Therefore, parents who want their kids to ski professionally enroll them in classes at a young age. The kids learn some Olympic-style skiing and tricks while they are at it.
For adults, learning becomes more challenging as the brain takes time to get hold of a new concept. However, learning doesn’t stop when you’re older; it just requires more time. Hence, learning to ski in your late 20s is okay and doable.
If you’re determined to improve your craft and show some crazy moves in the snow, you can enroll in a class before the season. Or you can find training courses at the ski resort you’re at and learn from experts in the field.
Everything’s doable regardless of your age. All it requires is the zeal to learn and the courage to practice.
MYTH 3: There’s No Need for a Sunscreen When Skiing
Here’s this myth that’s been ruining faces for many: you don’t need sunscreen in winter.
It’s understandable how people, who have never skied before, came up with this belief. Since the sun doesn’t manifest itself in the clear winter skies, we believe it’s not there. Fact check: the sun rises each day, stays its course throughout the day, and sets in the evening.
Therefore, there’s no debate whether sunlight can affect you during winter or not. Regardless of the season, the sun emits UV rays known for their harmful impact on the skin. Wearing sunscreen protects your skin from these detrimental effects.
Hence, when skiing, even if the sun’s playing peek-a-boo or showing magic tricks through hiding, the UV rays are still around you. Moreover, the white snow blanket allows sunlight to reflect and bounce on people and surroundings more. Therefore, you need quality sunscreen with 30+ SPF to shield your skin against the rays unless you want a natural face tattoo or ski glasses.
MYTH 4: Focusing on the Mountain’s End Is Crucial for Downhill Skiing
It’s hard for some people to let loose and enjoy the moment. Especially in sports like skiing, it becomes even more challenging for these people to focus on the task. Instead, they are only determined to reach the end.
Downhill skiers make this mistake all the time. They are so worried about making it to the end and keeping their laser focus on the mountain’s base that they forget to have fun.
Living in the moment and dedicating your attention to the turns you make while skiing will bring more joy and let worries fade. Taking your mind off the goal won’t make you lose balance; it’d help you regain it since you’ll be more present.
Hence, the next time you’re skiing, enjoy the beautiful white space and let go of any inhibitions in your mind. It would help if you reached the mountain’s end, though looking only at the goal isn’t necessary.
MYTH 5: You Need a Wide Stance for a Good Performance
Here’s a myth about skiing that’s often considered a rookie mistake. Having a wide stance will distribute your weight on the skis horizontally. However, it will reduce the control you have over your skis.
Instead, on well-groomed snow, keeping your feet closer and approaching a narrow posture will push your weight on the skis. This centered weightage will allow more control over the skis while playing with various turns and angles. Hence, you can show off some cool tricks without wobbling and entirely at ease with a narrow stance.
MYTH 6: Your Upper Body Helps You Turn
If you imagine a skier pacing down the hill, you’ll assume they are using their shoulders for supporting and driving their turns. However, think about it logically, skiing requires foot support for each move. How can turning your upper body drive your lower body to turn the skis?
Thus, here’s the skiing fact: your control over your knees, feet, and ankle determines how smooth your turn will be. Whether you ski powder or carve a groomed terrain, the immediate contact with your skis is through your legs. Your feet drive the skis in different directions and make turns; shoulders have nothing to do with it except for maintaining support.
MYTH 7: There’s Nothing More to Do on Your Skiing Trip
Let’s bust this myth about skiing once and for all: a skiing trip isn’t boring because there are so many other activities to participate in around the resort.
For starters, instead of skiing, you can try other winter activities such as snowboarding, sledding, etc. Furthermore, every resort town has other social places where people can hang out after a tiring day in the mountains. These places include bars, shopping arenas, restaurants, etc.
Hence, when planning your ski trip, search for other activities around town to fully enjoy the trip. A skiing trip doesn’t have to be all about skiing. It’s about fun, and you can source fun from other activities.
MYTH 8: Skiing Areas Are Uncomfortably Cold
You don’t have to worry about the cold if you have the right ski gear. Whether it’s windy or calm weather, quality boots, jackets, hats, etc., can protect you from every situation. It would help if you layered up slightly more than on an ordinary winter day, but the bulky look pays off.
Hence, invest in excellent, long-lasting ski jackets, boots, socks, etc., to fight the cold weather. You won’t be uncomfortable then.
MYTH 9: You Need Fat Skis to Maneuver Ski Powder
This myth about skiing is somewhat true. Nevertheless, its interpretation is a bit shaky.
Fat skis are an excellent choice for ski powder. However, you don’t require fat skis as additional gear in your skiing equipment pack.
Skiing gear isn’t cheap, and as a seasoned skier, you can collect as many skis as you want. In contrast, if you’re only a beginner, you don’t need to invest in multiple gears. Your basic skis can work just fine for every kind of snow.
Since fat skis give more surface area for contact with the snow, they distribute your weight evenly. This feature allows you to ski powder almost weightlessly, and the snow feels like a fluff underneath the skis. Consequently, you experience floating on the snow, which undeniably is a great feeling.
However, spending hundreds of bucks on additional equipment is only worth the hassle if you plan to use it long-term. If you’ll hardly ever ski again, enjoy ski powder using your existing pair of straight skis.
MYTH 10: You Must Lean Back While Skiing
Here’s the science behind leaning back while skiing: your weight considerably shifts backward, which can cause your ski tips to turn upward and your body to stumble backward. That’s big and short of it.
Therefore, leaning back while skiing is a big no-no. Instead, crouch down slightly and lean inwards. Bend your knees and maintain this posture resembling the letter ‘Z’ while skiing.
Leaning forward is perfect for assuming control over your skis. Your upper body weight evenly transfers to your lower body, which passes the weight to your skis. Hence, whether you glide through or make turns to show some flawless skiing, you stay on your skis and don’t stumble.
MYTH 11: You Need Painful Ski Boots
This last myth is perhaps the most debated topic around ski gear: the tight ski boots.
Your ski boots must be snug to hold you tightly on the skis since your feet are the only contact with the equipment. However, extraordinarily stiff or painful ski boots are never recommended.
When you push your foot slightly forward, it frees up some room around the ankles. This room can be used for movement and adjustment when making turns.
However, a painful ski boot won’t allow this flexibility and will make skiing harder. Moreover, you don’t need chafing around your feet as treating them can take days and ruin your ski trip.
Hence, always look for a snug fit that gives room for movement. Such ski boots will always provide your feet with more comfort.
Final Thoughts
These 11 myths about skiing have kept people from trying out arguably the most enjoyable winter sport. However, by busting these myths and replacing them with skiing facts, we aim to encourage people to let go of their inhibitions and try skiing. If you love outdoor activities and winter, skiing is a must-try. All the best!
