Can you learn to ski later in life? A 70 year old rode on her own, and how coaches teach older or less fit beginners

The short answer

Yes. FUYU has taught a 70 year old grandmother skiing for the first time, and by the end of the lesson she was riding on her own, controlling her speed and direction.

• Which discipline: skis. You can move on flat ground almost the way you walk, which takes the edge off the nerves
• Is a full day too much: no. Your coach paces it to your fitness
• Three generations together: book separately, with a different coach for each

Skis or snowboard? How to choose for your first time

The 70 year old grandmother

We taught a 70 year old who came to learn to ski, on skis. By the end of the lesson she could ride on her own and control her speed and direction.

She had exercised regularly for years and is a relentlessly positive person. She was the one who dragged her son and grandson along on the trip.

What is different about learning later in life

Mostly reaction speed, and the fear of falling. Everyone is wary of falling whatever their age; what an older student needs more attention on is how freely they can control the skis.

Coaches give older students more support and more explanation, so the lesson runs smoothly and stays safe.

Will I fall over constantly on my first day?

How a coach runs a lesson for an older student

The terrain is the same as for any beginner: flat ground first. The coach watches whether you can control things independently, control speed correctly, and understand the concepts correctly.

What differs is that the coach asks about how your body feels more often and watches your responses more closely, adjusting the pace through questions as the lesson goes.

Can I ski with an old knee or back injury?

What needs most attention in a lesson is how freely you move and how you generate force. When a coach teaches a movement, they confirm you can do it before going further. That keeps both sides relaxed and lets the coach help you more effectively.

FUYU has coaches trained in adaptive teaching who can help students with an injury learn more safely. Tell us about your situation when you book and we will assign a suitable coach. If you have a chronic condition or an old injury, please also check with your doctor before you travel that skiing is advisable.

Is a full six-hour day too much?

Plenty of people ask. In our experience: no.

Over a six-hour lesson the coach paces it to the student's fitness and adjusts as they watch how the student is responding. On a three-hour half day the coach still works to get the full set of drills across.

The students we have taught are tired by the time they get back to the hotel in the evening, but through the lesson itself they are learning the whole way.

What should you train before a ski trip?

Three generations on the same trip

Book a different coach for each group. Grandparents, parents and children differ in fitness and in how they move, and separate lessons let each coach adjust to the person in front of them. Children under 7 are one to one anyway.

Kids' ski lessons