At Ski Armadillo we have guests who join us year in, year out. Although we love introducing skiing novices to the slopes, it’s great to see some friendly faces every year.
A lot of our regular guests are fantastic skiers – most are at an intermediate level and happy to enjoy another holiday refreshing their skills on the slopes. Every year though, we see frustrated faces returning to their chalets, as they try to better their performance within a couple of days. However, it is possible to see a difference within a week’s stay, especially if you’re really making the most of your time on your skis – here are our top tips for overcoming the “intermediate plateau” we see every year.
- Make sure your equipment is up-to-date. If you’re using the same equipment that you have been for years, the chances are it needs a refresh. New technology has meant we’re enjoying a better quality of ski with more bounce to it. If you don’t want to pay for new equipment, you can always rent from us.
- Set yourself realistic goals. You can’t expect to take an annual break from skiing and pick up where you left off when you return the following year. Instead, expect to go back a couple of steps at the beginning of your holiday before achieving the same level of skiing as you did the year before.
- Take a refresher lesson. This will mean that you’re far more likely to get back to where you left off the year before, and can progress at a more realistic rate.
- Ease yourself in. A lot of people get into holiday mode the minute they drop off their suitcases. They’ll hit the slopes at full speed, return to their chalet and enjoy all of the luxuries that are included at Ski Armadillo (including plenty of Champagne!), and find that they can’t get back on the slopes the next day due to strains, injury, a hangover and dehydration.
- Get fit before you arrive. We wrote a blog on our top fitness tips to make the most of your time at Verbier – including which areas of the body to work on before you arrive. The better shape you’re in, the better you’ll perform on the slopes.
Let us know if you have any other tips to getting the most out of your return to Verbier, and how you overcome the “intermediate plateau” – or even the “advanced plateau”!