The simple answer is that 97% of the people who take the time and hire an qualified instructor, can, in about an hours time be skiing down the slope of a mountain. No kidding; you can actually learn the basics and put them into practice in a very short time.

But what's the best way to go about this? My recommendation is an all-inclusive ski vacation. Do this. Type "ski vacation: all inclusive" (without the quote signs) and you'll find close to a million related pages on all inclusive ski vacations. Have a particular area of the US or world in mind? Just add that name to your search. For instance... want to go to Montana? Type Montana ski vacations: all inclusive, and you'll find everything related to all inclusive ski vacations in Montana.

Once you've picked your destination and arrived and are ready for lessons, your ski instructor should start with the basics such as learning the proper way to handle ski equipment. You may feel a little strange the first time you put on your ski boots; you'll get the feeling that you are leaning forward... and you are. Ski boots are designed to keep you leaning slightly forward to help center you over your skis. The first few steps you take are going to feel really awkward. No need to worry! You'll quickly learn that if you walk with your knees bent slightly, it will feel more natural, and in no time, you'll look as good as the experienced skiers out there.

Learning to ski takes patience and like any other sport you attempt, practice makes perfect. The basic maneuver you learn is how to "snow plow." This is a pretty simple thing to learn, but again it does take practice. In about an hour you will most likely have this down pat. The snow plow allows you to control your speed and stop. By applying pressure to the rear and moving your skis outward, you'll see just how easy it is to control your speed. Your instructor won't let you out of his/her sight until you have this down and you feel confident.

One of the best things about learning the snow plow maneuver is that you can then go out and practice by actually going down the beginners slope. All slope are marked for their difficulty and are easy to recognize. Green for beginners slopes... intermediate trails have blue emblems.

The next step is getting your courage up and trying out what you've learned. Take a lift up to a green trail and give it a go, remembering to be careful and not to go too fast. Don't get over confident. Take your time and practice. I've seen too many people think that after one successful trip down the green trail that they can go for the blue the next time. I can tell you from experience, go slow and build your skills.

The whole learning to ski thing is a lot of fun. Not only are you earning a new sport, the ambiance surrounding a ski vacation is awesome. The smell of smoke coming from the huge lodge fireplaces, the camaraderie of your fellow skiers sharing their ski stories, the great food etc., all add up to a very memorable experience. Learning to ski is fun and yes, just about anyone can do it. So if you're ready for your first ski adventure, pick up the phone or search the internet and book that all inclusive ski vacation today.

Article by: Terry Hudson