1. Get Fit — Sliding around on snow doesn’t sound tiring but it is, getting up after falling over is hard work, so a basic level of fitness can go a long way. Whether it means you can practice for longer or gives you the strength to improve your technique it will definitely help speed up your learning! Check out this article by welove2ski for some great ski specific fitness programs.

2. Ice Skating — Balance is an important part of skiing, so anything you can do to practice and improve your balance will help! Ice skating is an obvious choice, there are many similarities between ice skating and skiing, you will find the ‘skate’ technique is similar to the technique used when walking around on your skis. Most cities in the UK have an ice rink making it very accessible.

3. You Tube — It’s the second largest search engine in the world for a reason and searching for “How to ski” will bring up a whole host of video tutorials, this will increase your knowledge base and help you understand ski terms an instructor might use.

4. Fear — Many beginners think skiing is going to be scarier than it actually is, so end up being very nervous before even getting out on the snow! Beginner ski slopes are generally incredibly flat, so think car park instead of vertical drop when you’re picturing yourself skiing. Embrace your fear, use your nervous energy and turn it into a positive mentality — remember skiing is all about enjoyment!

5. Ski lessons — Having some ski lessons can seem expensive but in the grand scheme of things, they are definitely worth it. It takes most ski instructors an average of 6 years to become fully qualified, so even a couple of lessons will allow you to glean some great tips and feedback. Ensuring you have the right basic technique, will allow you to improve rapidly and reduce your chances of picking up an injury.

Make sure you are ready for your ski lessons this winter and book your instructor at www.maisonsport.com