I came across the article below, which is more of an ad than anything else, but it does bring up an interesting point. Should one get a ski/snowboard instructor or should one learn from a friend?

In the article the author talks about a few of the differences between learning from a professional and learning from a friend. It really comes down to two differences. The fact that it might be more comfortable learning from a friend and that it is a professional's job to teach.

From my own experience I would suggest that anyone that wants to learn how to ski or snowboard go to a professional. The fact is that it is always more comfortable to learn anything from someone familiar. However, I feel it is better to get past the embarrassment that one might feel with a stranger to get to an all around better learning experience.

I've taught people to ski in the past. To this point, I have three examples. I taught a friend to ski and he eventually got near to a level that I was at. I tried to teach his wife, which lasted about an hour and she never did it again. The third person, she was in the middle. She kept doing it, but got to her level and stayed there.

Without getting too much into the specifics, I know that each of them would have had a better time with an instructor. Again, each would have only had to get past the social issues with meeting new people and the possible embarrassment of falling with strangers.

Fact is, instructors teach everyday. They know how to deal with the social issue, the embarrassment, and know all of the tips and tricks. Me, I can only show people what I do, not always how I do it. That's the biggest difference. Instructors can show a student what to do and how to do it.

So, Ski Rex says take a lesson. It's more than worth it. I took lessons when I first learned how to ski and it made it much easier for me to progress later in life. If you wish, have a read below to see what someone else thinks on the subject and you can comment with your own experience or what you think as well.

Should I get a ski instructor, or let my friends teach me?

Is it always necessary to get a ski instructor? For a complete beginner, can't a friend who knows how to ski teach you the basics? Published on Fri 04 Jan, 2019 In theory it's cheaper to get a willing friend to teach you how to ski.

Photo Credit: Tiia Monto [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]