<p>Overwhelmed by the options when it comes to ski tuition? Take a look at our top tips for getting the most out of your ski lessons.</p>
Photo: Ski Cool St Moritz

Guide to Booking Ski Lessons

Overwhelmed by the options when it comes to ski tuition? Take a look at our top tips for getting the most out of your ski lessons.

Advice
Published at: 29 Oct 2019
Last updated at: 5 Apr 2022

With the first snowfall already arriving in some resorts, it’s time to dust off your skis and get ready to enjoy an incredible winter season. Skiing is a sport which can be enjoyed by everyone, from novices to experts but in order to improve your skills, tuition is worth considering. We are here to guide you in making sure you make the right choices for you, so take note of our top tips when it comes to skiing lessons.

Alicia Bryan
Alicia Bryan
Ski school in Crans MontanaPhoto: CMTC/Olivier Maire1 / 5
Element ski instructors in VerbierPhoto: Element Ski School, Verbier2 / 5
Matterhorn Diamonds Ski School in ZermattPhoto: Matterhorn Diamonds3 / 5
Ski Lesson in Crans MontanaPhoto: CMTC/Luciano Miglionico4 / 5
Element ski lesson in VerbierPhoto: Element Ski School, Verbier5 / 5

5 Top Tips for Booking Ski Lessons

  1. Choose your level - For beginners, one of the most important things to avoid is starting out with bad habits, so it is best to avoid having friends or family try to teach you to ski. Through ski lessons, instructors will make sure you progress at a rate appropriate to your level, teaching you ski safety from day one as well as how to master the correct technique.
  2. Book early - With so many holidaymakers flocking to the Alps over the winter season, we would recommend organising your skiing lessons as soon as you have booked accommodation - you don't want to arrive to find all the instructors and ski schools are fully booked.
  3. Pre-holiday fitness - Prepare your body in the weeks running up to your ski holiday through a combination of cardio and strengthening exercise. Helping to increase your endurance and reduce your chance of injury, running as well as squat and lunge exercises are the perfect way to prepare for your trip to the Alps. Stick to your cardio and strengthening routine and you will be on the right track to skiing longer and aching less.
  4. Lessons for any level - Ski lessons don't just have to be for beginners, experienced skiers can also benefit from ski guides and coaches as they show you around the best slopes and hidden locations of the resort.
  5. Ask for recommendations - If you have never been to the resort before and don't know where to start when booking ski lessons, speak to us. We will know the resort and can help you find the right tuition and specific instructor to suit your needs.

Types of Ski Lessons

Group Lessons
Group sessions are a great way to learn to ski as you can make friends with like-minded people along the way. If the ski school has several levels on the go, keen and competitive skiers of the group can also work their way up through each level during their holiday.

Individual Lessons
For those wanting more tailored tuition, then individual lessons are right for you. Instructors will give you their undivided attention honing in on what you personally need to work on, helping you to advance quickly during your stay.

Who to Book Ski Lessons With?

Swiss Ski School
If you are taking a trip to the Swiss Alps, the Swiss Ski School welcomes guests in over 155 winter resorts. Established in 1932 this ski school provides lessons to learners of all ages. With an academy programme popular with children, students can keep track of their progress and set targets within their lessons. The academy is made up of three stages, starting from the Swiss Snow Kids Village then on to the Swiss Snow League (4+ years) and finally the Swiss Snow Academy.

For adults, both individual and group lessons are available with courses such as ‘Learn to Ski in 3 Days’ being offered. More experienced skiers can also benefit from lessons with instructors by partaking in experiences such as skiing on unprepared terrain, or with lessons in the fun park.

French Ski School
Much like the Swiss Ski School, the French Ski School also has different levels in place to measure the skiing ability of students. For children, these range from beginner’s Piou Piou to the advanced Gold Star. Adults can also work their way up from 1st ski (becoming familiar with the equipment and snow) to third-degree (descent with perfect turns on all types of piste).

Independent Ski Schools
From Element Ski School in Verbier to New Generation in Morzine, these independent ski schools tend to be smaller than those of the Swiss and French Ski Schools. Providing a variety of lessons from beginners to experts, Element Ski School offers off-piste lessons as well as ski camps which run over five days or the weekend. These camps allow skiers to gain a deeper understanding of the technical skills required when skiing and include off-snow sessions which teach you the psychology and biomechanics behind this sport.

Should you be an expert skier, you can also benefit from skiing lessons through the help of off-piste ski schools such as Powder Extreme in Verbier. Offering lessons on a variety of terrain, ski schools like Powder Extreme will really push your limits building your fitness and technique along the way.