Too cool for school?

With the exception of those lucky enough to have practically been born on skis or those who have amazing innate ability, skiing and snowboarding are not easy sports to master. Even once you have got the basics the slightest thing can throw your progress off course; a change in conditions, a bad habit picked up unconsciously or more often than not simply forgetting what you already know.  Having invested money in a winter sports holiday why not invest a small amount more and take lessons? The reasons why people don’t always take lessons are varied, for many it is the thought of a week of “bend zee knees” and “follow me” when they would rather be with their fellow holidaymakers even if it’s painful to keep up at times.

If you are reluctant to join a group lesson have a think about private lessons which are usually for between 1 and 3 people and can accelerate you progress and more importantly your enjoyment so you get the very best out of your time on the slopes. We have recently enjoyed the company of friends from Australia, it’s a long way to come and we haven’t seen them for 4 months so we wanted to get around the mountain together safely and have fun. We are skiers they are boarders, one person has about 6 days snowboarding under their belt the other has enough experience to have been Heli boarding. The solution to our predicament was in the form of Marmalade – that is Ski Marmalade and a couple of private lessons with Greg Jones. So what was so good about the sessions? Well according to our happy visitors:

• ·         Greg was observant, quick to pick up on what could be improved
• ·         The suggestions on how to improve were clear and concise
• ·         The amount of information and guidance given was well paced and not overwhelming
• ·         Greg listened as much as he spoke – sounds silly but learning anything has to be a partnership
• ·         They left with a clear idea of key things to work on
• ·         They got around the mountain – when you are with an instructor there is no time wasted pouring over Piste maps you can cover a lot of ground quickly
• ·         They had FUN – isn't that what a holiday is all about?

So if you can afford a ski holiday you can afford lessons, here in Meribel a 3 hour private lesson for between 1 and 3 people will cost you between 200 and 300 Euros. It’s a small price to pay and will no doubt increase your holiday enjoyment immensely. So even if it means leaving your friends for half a day take the plunge, unless you are a hairdresser you probably don’t cut your own hair so unless you are a ski Instructor don’t try to teach yourself or someone else skiing or snowboarding.

Greg and his colleagues at Ski Marmalade can be contacted at: http://www.skimarmalade.com/  they offer other great mountain experiences other than private lessons so check them out. Learning from a professional really is quite painless so treat yourself and give it a go!

Snow update - another glorious week here in Meribel and it's snowing again, pictures to follow on next Post