anatols/Getty Images/iStockphoto
There's nothing quite like gliding down a ski hill, powder spraying at your feet, the wind nipping at your nose. And there's nothing quite like spilling down a ski hill, your face planting in the snow, gear flung far and wide.
But don't let the threat of losing your balance and dignity stop you from tackling the slopes this winter. Instead, learn to fall like a pro.
For starters, don't fret too much about trying to avoid it. Falling is inevitable, says Jason Young, education and program co-ordinator for the Ontario region of the Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance.
"If you're going to be trying new things and pushing your limits and having fun on the ski slopes, eventually you're going to fall down," he says. Although he adds a caveat: Taking a lesson with a certified ski instructor will help you stay on your feet as much as possible.
The moment you start to feel yourself losing control, focus on where you want to land, he advises. That means making sure you turn your attention to a clear patch of powder, for instance, instead of that cluster of trees near the edge of the trail. "If you're focusing on where you don't want to go, that's probably where you're going to go," he says.
Then, fall to your side and slightly back, he says. That way, you fall in toward the hill instead of toppling head-first down it.
To get back up safely and gracefully, take off one or both of your skis by pushing down on the back of the binding before you stand up, Young advises. Then, arrange the ski or skis across the hill, horizontally so they don't escape downhill without you. And place them above you on the hill so you can catch them if they start to slip away. Make sure your bindings are pushed back and ready for you to click your boots in.
Once your skis are in place, use your poles to help you get up and click the skis back on, Young says.
"It's all a part of learning," he says. "And the beauty of falling on snow is it doesn't always hurt too much."
Wency Leung