Anyone learned to ski later in life?

[malificent7]

Dd just came back from her school ski trip totally in love with the sport. It was her first time and she got good quite fast.
Her pictures look amazing and I'd like to go but I would need lessons.
I am 47, perimenopausal, reasonably fit but always tired. I tried the dry ski slope but I was shit. I hear it's different on snow.
Would it be madness for me to have a go and do these resorts offer lessons?

I had my first lesson aged 49. I had daily individual lessons for an hour for a few days (I think four with a midweek break for my legs to catch up).

I also hike and was reasonably fit. I found it really hard, but great to take on the challenge.

My kids were also on their first ski holiday and were up on the big slopes within a day or two. On the last day my DS and I spent an idyllic afternoon noodling about on the training slopes together - one of those magical memories!

I started skiing when I was 45 and continued until I was 72. We had lots of wonderful family holidays with our DSs and more recently DGCs. I really regret having to accept I am a bit past it at 80.

My dh did aged 30 no issue at all
if you’re fit and outdoorsy then I think you can

do you age one of those big snowdomes within reasonable distance (eg Manchester chill factore). I’d recommend getting a 1-1 lesson there to see how you get on before committing thousands

I learned in my 40s in a beginners' group in the Alps, full of 40-something mums whose kids were belting down the red and black runs.
I found it hard work for the first couple of days but by the end of the week could navigate blues and greens competently. Most importantly though, I've discovered I absolutely love it. Best family holiday we've ever been on and we can't wait to go again.

I would have a go in a snowdome before you go out to the mountain though, if only to learn the absolute basics of how to put skis on, what the boots feel like, and how to stop. Will be helpful when you're trying to navigate kids and skis and poles and everything else to the start of the ski lessons while you're away (ime that bit is harder than the actual skiing!!)

Me! DH & I both learned at 45 after the kids went on the school ski trip and loved it. We have been away every year for 5 years now.

We had a few lessons in the snow dome before we went the first time so we weren’t total beginners on holiday. We usually get a private instructor for the whole family each morning when we’re away. The kids are much better than us so sometimes the instructor takes them on more challenging stuff while we pootle about the blues & sometimes we all ski together.

I am very risk averse & don’t like to go on anything to steep. Just love the fresh air and the feeling of swooshing down a gentle slope!

If you’re reasonably fit and want to do it then it’s not too late!

I learned to ski when I was young but husband learned at 42 ish about 12 years ago). He loves it so much that he goes twice a year now.

Google ski fit exercises and do those and lots of squats before you go, to limit the burn when you are out there.

Definitely get lessons. Loads of adults learn later in life so you will be amongst like minded people of all ages.

Dry skin slopes are nothing like the real thing.

I learnt in my thirties.

dry skin slopes are shit. Get yourself to a snow dome.

I did this aged 43. Had a professional 1:1 half day on first day, had more instruction on day 2 with DH who is a good skier. He told me in no uncertain terms that we weren’t staying on the bunny slope all week, took me to the top and made me ski down the whole way in snow plough.
Spent a couple of hours the next day with another friend who is a qualified ski instructor and PE teacher. Skied down the red on day 3, mistakenly went down a black on day 4 (thought it was marked blue because I was wearing my yellow visor) and never looked back. That was almost 20 years ago, skied every year since and now strong intermediate/ early advanced depending on which scale you use.
If you’re fit, there’s no reason why you can’t do the same, but fitness is key!

No need to try indoor skiing in UK - it’s expensive and nowhere near replicates skiing outdoors on real snow. Also, skiing with more experienced friends really pushes you on in a good way.

I'm an instructor. 47 is not really any issue as long as you're reasonably fit and have a positive attitude towards trying something new. My oldest beginners have been in their 70's and they have still managed to have a good time skiing some of the easier runs.

Some tips:

Get yourself fit - cycle, walk, go to the gym if that's your thing, do some stretching exercises. If there are a few "extra" kilos hanging around, try to lose them.

Do a trial session at a snow centre (Milton Keynes, Hemel or Chill Factor in Manchester) to get a feel of what it's like - but don't expect to be an expert after just one or two sessions.

Pick the right resort - or rather, stay away from the more difficult resorts. For beginners, Saalbach-Hinterglemm is better than St. Anton. La Rosiere is easier (and cheaper) than Courchevel. The Tour Operator websites (Nielsen, Crystal, Inghams, Heidi etc) usually grade the resorts, or look at the Snowheads website.

Get the right instructor. An older instructor who understands the physiology of beginners aged over 40 and who paces and adapts the lessons accordingly is by far the best option. Snowheads is a great source of information and you can ask on the forum there for recommendations, both for the best ski schools and the best instructors in a given resort. Group lessons can be great fun - everyone is in the same boat and you can learn and laugh together. Individual private lessons usually help you to progress quicker, but these are more expensive.

Be positive - skiing really is fun, which is why so many people rave about it. Modern equipment has made it far safer and more comfortable than it was even just 10 years ago and many resorts have also focussed on making the pistes safer, particularly for children and for beginners. Thankfully things have moved on since this famous BBC documentary from 1987 ... 😆

We loved our first ski holiday over the Christmas holidays so much that we persuaded six friends to come with us and try it at Easter. We had benefitted from practice on the local dry slope so urged them to do the same.
The shed where you were given boots was about a 20 metre toddle from the bottom of the slope.
One friend managed to fall over between shed and slope and break her wrist.
Her enthusiasm for the forthcoming holiday was seriously dented.