Should a beginner skiier learn without poles?

[rememberscott]

So the instructors at my resort teach their beginner skiiers how to ski with these obnoxiously long ski poles, and it's just pathetic watching them try to push themselves down the ramp. What happened to learning how to use your feet? So what do you think?

 

[xPhilipJFryx]

I learned without poles, then learned "proper technique" with them after a couple years. I think everyone should learn how to ski without them, at least at some point, so that they don't become dependent.

 

[UFOsarereal]

no poles, no question about it.

 

[CashmereCat]

I'm an instructor and it depends on the age of the person learning and the group size. With little kids they don't really need them and they become more of a weapon. They are useful to have when teaching teenagers and adults to keep forward pressure. If they have their hands out like they're holding a lunch tray and the baskets back by their heels it is much more natural to have weight forward and not be back seat.

 

[NMMedia]

I would mirror the response to the above post. Ive been teaching skiing for quite a while now and it really depends on the age. With adults and older teens I usually like em to have poles just because it automatically sets their stance correctly in a lot of cases, or makes it very easy to correct. Children however they become a distraction of something to prod their friends with. That being said if your resort is truly using stupidly long poles that is detrimental. If anything I go short with students so they dont just use em to push themselves through the lessons/drills

 

[turntwood]

I'm an instructor and it depends on the age of the person learning and the group size. With little kids they don't really need them and they become more of a weapon. They are useful to have when teaching teenagers and adults to keep forward pressure.

I concur with this and the post below this one. Kids really don't need them, just a distraction from controlling their lower body I think. Also they are used as weapons, dropped off of chairlifts, get caught in chairlifts, get dropped mid run, and kids love to use them to push themselves instead of walking with their feet and learning basic skills. I am not a fan of allowing children with poles unless they rip. I'm a fan of no one using poles until they really can control their lower body, but in some cases poles can really help balance people too.

 

[mr-mcsteeze]

I'm an instructor and it depends on the age of the person learning and the group size. With little kids they don't really need them and they become more of a weapon. They are useful to have when teaching teenagers and adults to keep forward pressure. If they have their hands out like they're holding a lunch tray and the baskets back by their heels it is much more natural to have weight forward and not be back seat.

I would mirror the response to the above post. Ive been teaching skiing for quite a while now and it really depends on the age. With adults and older teens I usually like em to have poles just because it automatically sets their stance correctly in a lot of cases, or makes it very easy to correct. Children however they become a distraction of something to prod their friends with. That being said if your resort is truly using stupidly long poles that is detrimental. If anything I go short with students so they dont just use em to push themselves through the lessons/drills

I concur with this and the post below this one. Kids really don't need them, just a distraction from controlling their lower body I think. Also they are used as weapons, dropped off of chairlifts, get caught in chairlifts, get dropped mid run, and kids love to use them to push themselves instead of walking with their feet and learning basic skills. I am not a fan of allowing children with poles unless they rip. I'm a fan of no one using poles until they really can control their lower body, but in some cases poles can really help balance people too.

basically this

basically once you hit a certain height you pretty much need them for upper and lower body separation while you are skiing but until then, you can live without them

 

[Scotty_B]

I think beginners should get a lesson. They will know the answer to this question based on ability age ect ect

 

[Aidin954]

At my resort we were trained to teach without poles then transition to poles once the skier is able to ski parallel across the hill.

 

[Pac2]

What is the big difference about poles or no poles I mean skiing is skiing and it really has nothing to do with have something in your arms or not atleast to me. People say when they ski the park without poles it screws with their balance up but I've skiied without then all season and I think it feels fine but I just got some small ones for the park to see how they hold up.

 

[Aidin954]

What is the big difference about poles or no poles I mean skiing is skiing and it really has nothing to do with have something in your arms or not atleast to me. People say when they ski the park without poles it screws with their balance up but I've skiied without then all season and I think it feels fine but I just got some small ones for the park to see how they hold up.

For beginners it's a form thing. Using poles encourages backward lean which will throw off your balance. There's more reasons too but im lazy as fuck and dont wanna pull out my handy dandy training guide.

 

[.MASSHOLE.]

Poles are just another thing for a beginner to be worried about. Have them focus on their feet and proper body position first.