From Beginner to Pro: Teaching Methods Used in Skiing that Work Anywhere
Working a couple of winters as a ski instructor taught me more than good skiing techniques and how to handle my liquor.
We were slowly slipping down a ski trail, suddenly the Russian lady I was teaching sped past me. Clearly, she couldn’t stop by herself anymore and there was a chance she’d end up in a tree. I pushed forward with my poles, passed her, turned around and caught her skiing backward.
From that moment on, although we could only communicate through body language since I don’t speak Russian nor she English, she trusted me completely and 3 days later we were skiing on red, i.e. intermediate, slopes.
I worked a couple of seasons as a ski instructor while studying at university. Obviously, it was a fun and crazy time. While it might not have filled up my bank account, it taught me many valuable lessons. Here are 5 of those:
1. Every “student” needs a different approach
First and foremost I learned that everyone learns differently. The crucial factor is not age, gender or something else. It simply differs for everyone. Sometimes you can teach a 60+ year old best with kids “games”, i.e. exercises to get him into a stable position.
On the other side, sometimes, young children respond better to a detailed explanation of the correct posture. Of course, these two examples are rather radical outliers, however, the carrot that gets someone going looks utterly different to each and every person. Simply knowing that is already a game-changer. However:
You have to find a connection, be attentive to what works and what does not with every person you interact with. Then stick to that approach.
2. Methodology is crucial
While the approach that works differs from student to student, the steps to progress don’t.
Step one: learn to walk in your ski boots. Step two: how does a binding work, then try out sliding on one ski — repeat with the other leg. Step three: glide on two skis on an even underground. Step four: slowly glide downhill including balance exercises. Step five: snow plow to break. …
You cannot jump gradual development of technique. Methodology is crucial.
The steps to learn and progress in skiing are the same for everyone, no matter the student. Of course, everyone has a different speed. Some students might be able to take two steps at a time. But you cannot skip steps entirely.
This translates to everything else you want to learn yourself or teach someone. There is a way to learn and progress. The steps build on each other. The correct sequence is important.
Anything you want to learn, find the correct sequence and follow it.
3. Practice is better than theory
Try to explain step-by-step, verbally how to throw a ball. Honestly, I can’t.
Don’t get me wrong, theory is important. It is even crucial to get to the right technique. But sometimes it is just annoying or does not make sense to explain something in theory.
You need to get your students to do something not listen to you explain it. In skiing, I love to use “movement exercises”. For instance, you take your polls like extensions of your arms and put them in a certain position during turns. It works a whole lot better than explaining to someone what his posture is supposed to be.
The same goes for a lot of other situations. I work in sales and nothing teaches you like talking to a customer. It’s even disproportionally more effective to pitch to a colleague than to talk and think about how to pitch.
So get out there and try stuff. Practice makes perfect.
4. “Nudge” into a challenge
Remember the Russian lady from my introduction story? Two days later she was skiing down red slopes. How did that work? Well first of all I found the right approach for her, followed the gradual development and we practiced 2,5 days. But the key to her skiing down red slopes was a different one:
Instead of taking a right turn early to follow the beginners’ slope down the mountain, we stopped for a little break just ahead of an edge starting a steeper red slope. She couldn’t see the down there. Then I made her concentrate on following me and my tracks, my exact turns. Not even a dozen turns later I stopped and told her to look up. She saw the steep, red slope she had just skied down and nearly fell over. Amazed, thrilled, afraid and proud at the same time.
Had I asked her beforehand, she never would have gone for it. I repeated a similar approach several times, even with my wife, which was the bolder move for me I guess.
Sometimes you have to push people a little, even without them knowing. The returns can be extraordinary.
5. Celebrate milestones
A 65-year-old English lady, not particularly sporty wanted to learn skiing so she could take her grandchild on skiing vacations. Wonderful thought, but hard to execute. She was very eager, but also very afraid and simply not a natural talent.
Sometimes I had to help her see some progress to not lose hope. When she managed her first consecutive turns, i.e. combining a right and a left turn we celebrated like she had just won the lottery.
It was vital to stop, take it in and celebrate the progress so she did not lose hope and fun.
This is something that can and should not be forgotten with any project you are following. Set milestones and once reached, celebrate them!
These are 5 lessons I took from being a ski instructor. However, they are valid for learning or teaching:
- When you interact with someone, find their carrot.
- Follow the procedure to progress gradually.
- Practice is better than theory.
- Nudge people into a challenge.
- Celebrate milestones.
Bonus lesson!
Now as you can imagine working several winters as a ski instructor in Austria’s Alpine resorts was a great time. People pay a lot of money to go on vacation and learn how to ski, so we were also taught an additional lesson to become a ski instructor:
People want to be entertained. And by the way: you are also having a way better time if you are having fun.
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Additionally, I am a certified personal development coach in Austria. Check out my offer if you’d like.
