Step 1 – The Flats

Ski

Develop Athletic Stance & Balance

Equipment Check – Tighten your boots, clear snow from the bindings and boots and insert boot toe first into the binding.

Athletic Stance – Stand Tall with Ankles, Knees, and Waist flexed (like a soccer goalie’s ready stance).

Movements – With two skis on, flex your knees and get small, extend and get tall, lean from one foot to the other, lean over tips and tails of your skis, hop, pivot, play!

Skating – Start by shuffling your skis across the flats. Try walking like a duck by making a V with your skis (Don’t let your tails cross)

Ready to move on – When you feel confident moving in your skis.

Snowboard

Develop Athletic Stance & Balance

Equipment Check – Tighten laces, clear snow from the bindings and put your heel into your right binding. Secure your ankle strap first then, your toe strap.  Then repeat with your left foot and binding.  Note: You may find this easier to do this sitting down until you develop your snowboarding balance. 

Athletic Stance – Stand with your knees and ankles flexed, back straight, weight balanced on the balls of your feet, and your head turned in the direction you want to go. (like preparing to make a free throw in basketball)

Movements  – With your board on, flex your knees and get small, extend your knees and get tall, lean from one foot to the other, over the tip and tail of your board, pressure from toe to heel and heel to toe, hop, pivot, play!

Skating – With one foot out of its binding (this will become your back foot), make small pushes to scoot yourself around in the direction of your front foot.  Don’t let your pushing foot travel past your back binding to stay in control.  You can push with your free foot in front of or behind your snowboard.  If you’re on a slope, dig in your uphill edge to stay in control. 

Ready to move on – Once you feel comfortable and balance while strapped into your board and you can skate with confidence.

Step 2 – The Mini Pipe

Ski

Develop your balance and practice dropping-in!

Pumping – Standing on the edge of the pipe, pressure the tongues of the boots and lean forward to drop in. Flex your knees as you drop in then rise up as you go up the other wall, as you start to slide backwards (switch) get low again and keep the pressure on the tongues of your boots.

Side Stepping – Turn skis across the hill, lean your knees into the slope and use your uphill edges to climb up the wall of the pipe.

Side Slipping – With your skis across the hill, slowly flatten your skis beginning with the down hill ski until you start to slide.

Turning – Begin with your skis in a triangle shape with your tips close together but not touching and your tails away from each other (pizza/wedge), then with your weight evenly on both skis, slowly rotate your legs and turn your feet to turn the skis.

Ready to move on – When you are comfortable dropping in a gliding on your skis to a controlled stop.

Snowboard

Develop your balance and practice Dropping-In!

Pumping – Start on edge of the pipe with both feet strapped in and in your athletic stance. Tip your lead leg forward and bend at the knees to drop in. Keep you base flat as you glide.  Rise up as you ascend the opposite wall. As you start to slide backwards down the wall (switch) turn your head in the direction you’re going, get low, and glide to a stop.

Side Stepping – With your back foot out and your board across the hill, face uphill, dig your toe edge into the snow.  Use your board to grip the snow as you climb the hill taking small steps upward with your board followed with your free foot behind.  Always make sure you are balanced and confident before taking your next step.

Side Slipping – begin with your board across the hill and both feet strapped in. (athletic stance with weight balanced on both feet)

• Heel Edge: sit back and lift your toes up to engage your heel edge. Engage your edge more to slow or stop and release your edge by allowing your board to flatten to start sliding.
• Toe Edge: squish the tongues of your boots with your shins and shift your weight towards front of your foot to engage the toe edge. Same as the heel edge, more edging will cause you to stop and less edging you will allow you to slide.

Turning – Drop in with a flat base, then, using your lead foot, squish the tongue of your boot to engage the toe side edge (like pressing on a gas pedal) OR lift your toes up to engage the heel side edge.

Ready to move on – Once you are comfortable dropping in and gliding to a controlled stop and engaging both your toe and heel edges.

Step 3 – The Rollers

Ski

Explore extended movement, pumping the terrain and using the Magic Carpet!

Start with a good Athletic Stance – Chest up with Ankles, Knees, and Waist flexed. Pressure the tongues of your boots.

Pumping – In your athletic stance, drop into the rollers. Slowly extend your knees as you ascend the front of each roller, Stand tall at the top, then flex your knees as you descend the back of each roller.

Magic Carpet – Using your poles, push up to the magic carpet. While leaning forward on your skis, allow the carpet to pick you up. Be sure to leave space between you and the person in front of you.

Ready to move on – Once you are comfortable moving in the fall line and can link each roller top to bottom.

Snowboard

Explore extended movement, pumping the terrain and using the Magic Carpet!

Athletic Stance – knees and ankles flexed, back straight, weight over your front foot, looking where you want to go.

Pumping – In your athletic stance, drop into the rollers. Slowly extend your knees as you ascend the front of each roller, Stand tall at the top, then flex your knees as you descend the back of each roller.

Magic Carpet – Using your skating to push up to the magic carpet. While leaning forward on your lead foot, allow the carpet to pick you up while you place your free foot between your bindings. Be sure to leave space between you and the person in front of you.

Ready to move on – Once you are comfortable moving in the fall line and can link each roller top to bottom.

Step 4 – The Banked Turns

Learn how to steer your gear!

Ski

Start in your Athletic Stance again-  Let the banks do the work, drop in straight, maintain a proper stance and stay balanced over the center of your skis.  Allow the terrain to assist you in making your first few turns.

Steer Your Gear! – As you become comfortable, see if you can steer your skis through the turns. By rotating your legs and feet to turn your skis, see if you can engage a turn without the assistance of the banks.

Ready to move on – Once you feel confident in engaging turns on your own. 

Snowboard

Start in your Athletic Stance again.   Let the banks do the work, drop in straight, maintain a proper stance and stay balanced over the center of your snowboard. Allow the terrain to assist you in making your first few turns.

Steer Your Gear! – As you become comfortable, see if you can steer your board through the turns. By slowly pressuring the heel or toe edges, see if you can engage a turn without the assistance of the banks.

Ready to move on – Once you feel confident in engaging turns on your own. 

Step 5 – The Perfect Slope

Now you are in control.  Time to find your flow.

Traversing – Start by traveling perpendicular to the slope using the sides of the trail to assist you in making your turns.

Turning – Flatten the downhill ski and steer the uphill ski to start your turn. Then steer both feet until you are traversing in the other direction across the hill.

Speed Control – The further you turn up the hill during a traverse the slower you will go. It’s okay to ski slow as your skills start to grow! Always be in control and feel confident before starting your next turn.