What You Know Can Help You:
Getting the Most out of Your Ski and Snowboard Lessons
By Jenn Weede

There's more to life than reading, writing, and arithmetic. Skiing and snowboarding, for example. In snowsports, much like in grade school, individuals have different strengths when it comes to learning. Knowing and applying your individual strengths will help you master learning to ski and snowboard.

Today, learning styles can no longer be characterized by generic statements such as "she's better in math than she is in language arts." Modern learning styles are now described in exhaustive detail. One of the most popular models of learning styles is Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences Theory. It proposes that there are nine primary means for experiencing and learning about the world: interpersonal, intrapersonal, natural, kinesthetic, logical, verbal, musical, visual, and existential. While everyone has the capacity to learn in each style, individuals innately possess strengths in certain areas, and usually excel in two or three.

"Most people are smart in different ways," said Megan Harvey, a Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) Demonstration Team member, divisional clinic leader, and trainer and instructor for the Ski and Snowboard Schools of Aspen, Colorado. "This means rather than asking, 'How smart are you?' you should ask, 'How are you smart?' In teaching skiing we use Gardner's theories to work with students' strengths to help them become better skiers."

For example, one of Harvey's young students got off the lift and asked her, "Did you know there are 169 chairs and 23 towers?" That was a clue to her that the child loved numbers, so she asked him to count his number of turns, count through his turns, ski down four towers and wait for the group, etc. Another student loved to sing. Harvey used musical/rhythmic suggestions, such as asking her to hum softly and ski softly, then hum loudly and ski strongly, and carry a tune through the whole turn, to help her connect to the learning process.

How do you identify what type of a learner you are? Sandy Weede is a Peoria, Illinois-based skier and teacher who has a master of arts degree in teaching and leadership. Weede, who specializes in teaching children with special needs, offers the following snapshots of each learning style and explains how you can employ them when learning snowsports.

Interpersonal learners are extroverts who enjoy working with others. They are social creatures best served by learning in a group. If you are an interpersonal learner: Take a group lesson or pair up with a partner and take turns mimicking and analyzing each other's skiing. Then discuss how to make improvements.

Intrapersonal learners are introverts who learn independently. They are self-aware thinkers who understand material by internalizing, reading, and writing. If you are an intrapersonal learner: Take your time ingesting information, then visualize yourself doing it before you try it. Between runs, ride the lift solo to let things sink in.

Naturalist learners are aware of nature and their place in it. They are scientists and explorers who are curious about the environment and who gather sensory input from their natural surroundings to survive. If you are a naturalist learner: Pay attention to the mountains, aspect, the fall line, the quality of snow, light play on the snow, etc., and use feedback from nature to help you understand how skis and snowboards serve as tools in that environment.

Body-kinesthetic learners learn by doing. They are athletes and dancers with good motor skills who deftly manipulate objects and their bodies to achieve harmony between the body and the mind. If you've ever known someone who just went out, tried a new sport, and picked it up without any trouble, he or she was probably a kinesthetic learner. These people are likely to learn skiing and snowboarding the most easily. If you are a kinesthetic learner: Just do it. Practice drills and spend time on the snow. Lessons are often a great way to learn since instructors are experts at getting your body into the positions it needs to be in. Exaggerate your movements to get immediate feedback on what works and what doesn't.

Mathematical-logical learners use reasoning and logic to explain physical reality. They understand math, science, numbers, and statistics and are precise, neat, orderly, and strategic. If you are a logical learner: Ask for clarification as to how skills work. Count the duration of turns. Rate the use of techniques such as edge pressure where 1 is barely any pressure and 10 is stop-on-a-dime pressure, or where 1 is a short, tight turn and 10 is a giant, wide turn.

Verbal-linguistic learners use language and the meaning and manipulation of words to understand the world. They excel in reading, writing, listening, and linking information. If you are a verbal learner: Envision the shapes of your turns as letters, then ski a J, C, or S shape. Ask your instructor to guide you through varying turns by saying, "turn, turn, turn," or "toe side, toe side, toe side." Read magazine articles and books to reinforce the absorption of information.

Musical-rhythmic learners comprehend pitch, tone, rhythm, rhyme, songs, and of course, music. They are sound sensitive and remember patterns and progressions. If you are a musical learner: Make up rhymes or raps to remember techniques or sing varying beats to help vary turns. Sing loudly to speed up and softly to slow down.

Visual-spatial learners see forms, colors, textures, pictures, shapes, and distances. They see things in the mind's eye and transfer that into art or being. If you are a visual learner: Plan to make turns structured around certain trees or lift towers down the hill. Envision turns as being different shapes and colors, and play with using them to affect your skiing or riding. Pay attention to the varying texture of snow to learn when to change your technique. As you advance, use moguls to define and refine your turns.

Existential learners see the world and their place in it through "the big picture." They learn through meditation, historical context, philosophy, spirituality, and by knowing the value of things. If you are an existential learner: Quiet your mind and be open to the full experience of the sport and of being in nature rather than focusing on specific skills. Ask questions about the history of the sport.

If you're still uncertain about your strengths, take the quick test at www.surfaquarium.com/Miinvent.htm and see where you score the highest.

Once you become aware of your assets, you can let your instructor know so he or she can tailor a lesson to your strengths to amplify your comprehension. In addition to relying on the instructor's expertise, you can take charge of your own learning to get the most out of your experience.

"I tend to learn by reading," said Laura Edwards, a freelance publishing consultant. "After skiing for 10 years, I reached a plateau. I improved my technique significantly after reading Breaking Out of the Intermediate Rut.

Weede, whose 8-year-old son, Thomas, is a kinesthetic and interpersonal learner, had a very different learning experience. The first day she had a relative try to teach Thomas by explaining what to do, and he spent the day frustrated, flailing, and wanting to give up. The next day, Weede put him in a group lesson where the kids practiced drills together and made a game of moving on skis. By the end of the second day, Thomas was skiing easy intermediate runs, and he loved it.

As illustrated in these two examples, teaching to the appropriate learning style can have a dramatic impact on a student's rate of progress. Everyone has multiple learning strengths, and not all of them are so clearly defined. Fortunately, many instructors structure their lessons in such a way that progressions and explanations will be understood by all participants, regardless of the learning style each favors. If you are open-minded in your lesson, chances are your instructor will hit at least one of your strengths.

In addition to understanding your learning style, how can you go to a lesson better prepared to learn? To set yourself up to succeed, dispel any preconceived notions you might have, which can interfere with the learning process.

"A lot of learning or not learning is built into expectations," said Harvey. "People come with a set of expectations, but if they can open themselves to lots of possibilities, they are more available to learn. They should also have proper clothing and equipment, because any time a person is physically uncomfortable they struggle more with learning."

Instructors today are better equipped than ever before to identify learning styles and then use that information to develop effective lessons for their students. But learning requires active participation. You can do your part by showing up self-aware, open-minded, and with a positive attitude. The combination of the mindset you bring and the expertise your instructor offers will accelerate the learning process and let you enjoy the journey. So, determine how you are smart, and apply that knowledge the next time you're on the hill…because what you know can help you!