Is Skiing Dangerous for Beginners? 4 Important Things to Avoid!

You've probably heard or seen skiers who have suffered critical injuries. These are frequently connected with the fast speeds attained by skilled skiers... However, beginner skiers do not travel as quickly. So, is skiing risky for beginners?

Being a beginner skier might be dangerous, but it all comes down to chance and technique. If you attempt it without professional assistance, you risk injuring yourself. This is also true if you try to brag. However, even at modest speeds, you can fall awkwardly and receive an injury.

In this article, I'll discuss how dangerous skiing can be for beginners, how to stay safe, and... whether you should just go snowboarding instead!

Is Skiing Dangerous for Beginners? 4 Important Things to Avoid!

Is skiing risky for beginners?

The Risks of Learning To Ski

Of course, skiing is dangerous.

While how you approach the sport contributes to a major part of the danger, there is always the possibility of a freak accident.

Nonetheless, accidents are frequently the result of inexperience, changing snow conditions, and bad luck. As a result, you must accept the risk while also managing it by not skiing above your limits.

Skiing is no more dangerous than driving a car, but what are the risks?

1. Hitting Things Or People

In the beginning, you'll feel like Bambi on ice.

Don't be concerned... That is a phase that we all go through!

Controlling two boards (while wondering what the poles are for) is no easy task. This frequently means that you may fail to see what is going on around you.

Many objects surround ski slopes, including:

• Trees
• Ski lift pylons
• Piste markers
• Signs
• Rocks!

If your eyes is fixed on the snow or your skis, you may miss one of these objects and collide with it.

Fortunately, during this early stage, your speeds are likely to be rather low, making injuries rare. Hitting someone, on the other hand, is a bit more serious. Your combined speeds have the potential to create a serious accident. Take a look!

2. Someone clashes with you

This conveniently make me goes to the next point...

Ski slopes can get crowded.

Crashes are not uncommon.

There is a code of behavior in place to keep everyone as safe as possible, but it is not always followed. As a result, it's best to be cautious and ski defensively.

3. Falling Over

Falls are typical when beginning to ski, but they are usually mild.

However, falling awkwardly is part of the danger you incur. This can result in shattered bones or a brain injury, but you'd have to be extremely unfortunate or traveling at high speeds for this to happen.

4. Sunstroke, sunburn, and snow blindness are all possibilities.

The sun's power is one of the most common things new skiers ignore.

Sunstroke, sunburn, and snow blindness are caused when the sun's rays reflect off the snow. This isn't a problem as long as you use goggles and sunscreen.

Before you hit the slopes, make sure you have the proper equipment.

What Is It Like to Fall Over While Skiing?

Despite what you see and hear about skiers collapsing, most falls are so mild that the impact is barely felt.

This is more true on steeper slopes since the gradient absorbs a large portion of the impact energy.

Surprisingly, coming to an abrupt stop on flatter ground is more likely to cause injury.

However, this does not imply that you should proceed directly to the steep slopes!

Start with green runs and work your way up to blues and reds as you gain control.

Falling is an inevitable part of learning how to ski. It tells you what you did incorrectly and how to fall more securely as your speed increases. In reality, falls can be amusing for you as well as the others watching.

Staying Safe While Learning To Ski

1. Put On A Helmet

Nobody should ever go skiing without a helmet.

I don't care how cool you are (or believe you are).

Helmets protect your head and prevent head injuries in mild crashes. Of all, helmets only protect to a certain extent, therefore there are still fatalities in extreme situations. Nonetheless, they dramatically minimize life-changing injuries. Keep your mind safe!

2. Watch Where You Stop

Stopping over the brow of a hill, around a blind curve, or on the landing of a jump will result in injury. Skiers and snowboarders are unable to notice you and may collide with you at high speeds. Instead, when you need to take a break, stand to the side of the slope, out of the way.

3. Do Not Ski Beyond Your Limits

Learn to slow down and stop before moving on to more difficult hills. These are important abilities to have when you progress beyond the nursery slopes.

Do not follow your more experienced pals on challenging terrain until you are ready.

You're probably out of your depth, which is risky for both you and others. There's no need to race up to more difficult slopes.

4. Schedule Some Lessons

To assist you grow, an instructor will advise you through the proper skills and alter their teaching style. Ski lessons will keep you safe, prevent you from developing poor habits, and help you become a better skier faster.

If you book a lesson to get you started, you'll be able to ski down the mountain in no time. However, if you simply hop on a chairlift and hope for the best, your danger grows enormously.

5. Select A Pleasant Weather Day

If your ski trip is short, you must make do with whatever weather conditions are. If the weather is bad and you can only ski in a whiteout, go for the tree-lined runs because the sky is the same color as the snow and it's much easier to see.

However, as a learner, if you can avoid skiing on a terrible day and save it for a good day, you'll have a lot more fun. You'll be able to react to snow conditions much more quickly, you'll be more comfortable, and the overall experience will be lot more enjoyable.

6. Improve Your Fitness

Even if you're sliding downhill on skis, having a decent fitness level will help you perform better and be more resistant to damage. Skiing and snowboarding use an enormous number of calories!

In the weeks leading up to your ski trip, work on strengthening your legs and core while improving your flexibility.

7. Make Use of Appropriate Equipment

You will not have the requisite control if you attempt to ski on skis that are too advanced for you. At the absolute least, you will despise skiing. At worst, it can result in injury.

The same is true for ill-fitting ski boots. Your control will be weakened if your ski boots do not fit properly, resulting in a miserable day on the mountain (yes there is such a thing).

8. Take a Break From Time To Time

The majority of skiers are hurt when they are weary.

Tiredness inhibits your muscles from working properly and impairs your concentration. Before getting back into it, it's sometimes best to stop for a hot chocolate, a leisurely meal, or a sit down.

Taking a day off in the middle of the week can also be useful.

This will allow your legs to recuperate while you enjoy the various activities available at ski resorts.

Learning to ski is exhausting because you use muscles you didn't know existed. Furthermore, attention is a significant element of learning something new, which can be exhausting.

9. Stretch Before Climbing The Mountain

Stretch before leaving your lodging in the morning.

This will warm up your muscles so they can work properly. However, because your muscles are loose and not under a lot of tension from being overly tight, it also prevents injuries.

It is also necessary to stretch at the end of the day. It can be difficult when all you want to do is hit the after-party bars, but a cool-down stretch will ensure that your muscles aren't as sore the next day.

Injuries Common Among Beginner Skiers

As previously said, skiing can result in injuries. So, which ones are the most common?

According to King Edward VII's Hospital, one accident occurs every 10,000 days of skiing. ACL, MCL, shoulder injuries, head injuries, concussion, whiplash, and thumb and wrist fractures are examples.

These injuries can happen to anyone, but skiers between the ages of 35 and 50 who rent their ski equipment are at a larger risk. These injuries are the outcome of the risks I mentioned previously.

My Personal Thoughts

I understand what you're thinking... Why am I even discussing skiing on a snowboarding blog?

After all, skiers despise snowboarders, don't they?

We're all in this together, after all!

The mountain is shared by skiers and snowboarders. Everyone should do so as safely as possible.

Finally, both sports are dangerous. But practically everything enjoyable in life is fraught with danger. To me, the risk of sitting on the sofa and never really living my life is a far worse idea.

So get out there and have fun, but remember to stay safe.

Should You Instead Snowboard?

Snowboarders are statistically more likely to sustain an injury. However, they have a lower probability of dying.

Basically, if you don't mind getting pounded around, snowboarding is safer.

Fortunately, the aforementioned advice for mountain safety apply to both beginner skiers and snowboarders.

However, you should not choose a sport solely based on its injury and fatality rates.

Before becoming a snowboarder, I skied for 11 years. I no longer ski because I like the sensation of snowboarding. My friend, the option is yours!

Conclusion 

Skiing and snowboarding both include sliding down a mountain. As a result, there will be dangers (including human error, natural hazards, and bad luck).

However, these dangers should not deter you from participating in any sport.

The danger is part of the fun; if everything was perfectly safe, it would be uninteresting. We wouldn't receive the surge of excitement that comes with speed!

However, by minimizing the risk, you can greatly lower the possibility of injury. Do not run before you can walk; instead, take some lessons, utilize proper equipment, and build on your fitness.

You're going to adore it!