Certified ski instructors know that edge, pressure, rotary and balance are the fundamental skiing skills. Some instructors teach these skills by breaking down the movements into smaller tasks. Others use on- and off-slope ski-teaching games. While ski games are more common in children's classes, adult instructors also use them to add an element of play into their classes.
Online Games
Skiing requires strategy and fast reaction times. While video games won't teach you to ski, the results of a 2009 study performed at the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester indicate that online games may improve your reaction time. Ski-specific games, such as the Candystand ski game, feature a racing course, with typical obstacles found on the slopes. Maneuver your mouse to avoid the obstacles, and track your time.
Mental Games
Mental games play a key role in the Canadian Ski Coaches Foundation teaching methods. Instructors relax their students by telling them to imagine that their bodies transition from uncooked to cooked spaghetti. Instructors at the Okemo Women's Spree in Vermont tell their students to imagine their bodies as water, and to ski down as if they were water flowing down the mountain. Since the fall line of a trail is the path that water would take as it flows down the slope, this is an effective game to teach skiers to stay relaxed and remain in the fall line, as opposed to traversing to the edge of the slopes.
Simon Says
Simon Says develops on-slope reaction time. "Simon" skis part-way down a a trail, and calls out directional cues to the class. Participants only heed directions prefaced with "Simon Says."
Reach And Crouch
Mogul skiing involves dynamic level changing. Ski down the slope, extend your legs, reach your arms above your head and shout "reach for the sky." Then, bend your knees, crouch down and shout "pat the dog."
Harry Potter Turns
This game is aimed at kids, but kids at heart may enjoy it. Place your ski pole between your legs, and use it as a broomstick. When you want to turn, push your "broomstick" against your leg. Push it against your left leg to turn left and your right leg to turn right. The push will cause you to flatten your ski for easy steering.
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