My skiing is gting worse not better - what should I do?

[rookiemere]

I started skiing late teens. Went a few times in my twenties and actually got to be fairly reasonable - able to do all Reds, be confident on the slopes etc.
Started going again when I was 40 and I just seem to be regressing Benjamin Button like every holiday.Last year when we were away I was ok on Reds, but this year on our ladies ski trip I actively avoided them and even found some oF THE Blues fairly challenging.

I'm frightened that next time I go I'll be stuck on the nursery runs. We met some older ladies in their late sixties I would have said, when we were away - i want to be like them in the future, but at this rate I won't be. What should I do to get better/be more confident?

I was looking at the Italian skiing and food one as well crispyFB - probably because it was the only one I would be qualified to go to, but a long weekend whilst DS is still at school is really as much as I can justify.

Owlmother - I have been to Ladies morning, I went a few times on a Monday morning when it was a bank holiday and found Allis instruction really good. I also started going on the Fridays but wasn't good enough for the good group and felt I wasn't learning as much I had hoped from the more basic group. Ponders if I have met you there !!

The course sounds great - do you know which instructor it is, I could email them and say I'm interested. Hillend is embarassingly close to us.

If you've been on a Monday, I'll have been there- i find if I miss a week it only makes me more nervous. It was Ali who was talking about the course, I'll ask tomorrow if she's any further forward. The classes get much quieter as we get out of the proper ski season, much more one to one time. Although they haven't normally kept the Fridays running all year round.

Thanks owlmother if you could ask Ali that would be fab - I'd definitely go if I can, but work all days except Friday. Ali is a great instructor and I did find the few sessions that I was able to go to with her very helpful.

Yeah, long weekends for me as well at most until they're a lot lot older.

Having said that, coincidentally I just got back today from a literal day trip to Les Arcs with my 8 year old. £100 return on Eurostar (booked through Lastminute - need to book quite a way in advance though) 28 euros lift pass through a Saturday ski scheme, and 20 euros for ski hire and we were sorted! Leave Friday night, sleep on the train to Bourg Saint Maurice, funicular up to Les Arcs, ski, evening meal in BSM and the train back to arrive Sunday morning crack of dawn.

Okay, so we're absolutely shattered, but it's doable.. and it's fantastic to get a day in proper mountains and snow without losing days off work/school etc. I still have a 12 month old so this was as long as I was prepared to leave her (36 hours in total) especially as she's still breastfed!

Anyway, it's a way to get to the snow relatively cheaply and without too much time away..

.. although I've just realised you're probably in Scotland in which case getting to the Eurostar is a mission in and of itself, but then again you have Proper Mountains With Snow a lot closer than us southerners do! I regularly go to our local snowdome (Hemel) but I find that unless I go to actual mountains every so often, I pretty much stagnate even with decent instructors there. I need to put into practice what I've learned for real every so often or it just doesn't stick.

Okay, I'm a totally cowardy crap ex skier, but I remember coming across some articles about women's ski ing, and the fact that our physical make-up makes it more difficult, especially when the equipment and techniques are designed with men's physiology in mind.
This all gets a bit technical, but there are a few websites with tips on ski ing for females; a quick Google might throw up something useful.
I do remember a suggestion to 'engage your core' to help with leaning forward, which I previously found impossible to do, and it did gelp enormously. Sorry probs teaching grannies to suck eggs!

rookiemere I could have written all your posts! Began as a teen, went a few times in my 20s, then a gap until the kids were around 8-10 and been every year since. I used to be quite OK, but suddenly, around 3 years ago, I started wimping out of even red runs. I too freak when I hear the scrape of a snowboard behind me, or see that glint of ice ahead.

I've heard a few people say that this fear can come with age (just turned 50), but I think it's also that I know the complete disruption to our lives that injury (to me, mainly ) would cause. None of us has ever had the slightest injury on skis so far, luckily, but I did break my leg (unrelated - slipped on the stairs at home) 2 years ago, and that hasn't helped at all with the fear. Last year was hopeless - I was like a beginner. Was much better this year, but I don't think I'll ever get back to my "peak." (dh always laughs hysterically when I say that! )

I'm kind of resigned to it. I like the whole package of a ski trip, so was never really one for being up on the first lift and skiing hard until the last lift. I have also found my style to be much better on an easy slope, and when skiing with anyone who's a newbie. It doesn't do much to the confidence to be at the back, feeling like you're holding everyone else up.

Oh, and I've found it's absolutely vital to do stretching exercises at the end of each session, lunch and teatime. That helps avoid that "concrete slats in the calf" feeling.

I am similar, clam. I have been skiing for 40 yrs, without injury, and I think it is that fear that gets to me now, when it didn't used to.
I know I will never get back to my peak.
I am actually going to be more choosy on resort next time and go somewhere with lots of long blues from the highest point to the resort. This year it had to be reds to get all the way back down.

I have just come back from a fabulous few days in the French Pyrenees which was a positive eye opener indeed. Less crowded slopes which were fabulously wide and great for confidence building and lots of glorious sunshine. 08h00 flight from Stansted to Lourdes if you can cope with that and on the slopes by lunchtime on the Saturday as the transfers are less than an hour (return transfers 30€). Most resorts have their own thermal spa bit too it might be worth considering as a destination next time?

Glad you had a good weekend really. Sadly I cannot blame the pistes or the crowds for my poor skiing. We were at the Grand Massif and whilst it was uncomfortably busy on the Friday, it was pretty good on the other days once French school holidays were over.

Reallyfeelingmyage Is there anywhere in the Pyrenees that is ski-in/ski-out, do you know? Or near enough?

Maybe we should have a Mumsnet ski weekend - only uber cautious skiiers allowed !

Although that didn't work so well with my other slowie friend and I - we kept almost traversing on top of each other on steep bits.

Darn it - I used to be a good skiier also used to be a size 12, and could remember pertinent work facts, and get drunk without horrendous hangovers , I need to Let it Go.

Would we have to wear high-viz jackets?

Absolutely - these should do the trick

www.notjusttshirts.co.uk/image/data/Hoodies/Untitled-1.jpg