If you are looking for a new hobby that can both test and thrill you, then skiing could be the answer. For most, it does mean travelling but that is all part of the fun. You have the option of learning on dry slopes in the UK or with instructors in ski resorts. Whatever level of skill you achieve, there are fantastic ski resorts all around the world so you’ll have plenty of choice for weekend breaks and longer holidays. We can’t think of many more sports that are as personally challenging and rewarding, not to mention fun and unique! An added bonus is that skiing is a sport the whole family can enjoy.
Even if you have never considered skiing before, allow us to share some of the reasons why we think that it should be the next big hobby on your ‘to-do’ list.
1. It’s An Outdoor Adventure
Skiing offers a wonderful opportunity to get out in the great outdoors and explore natural landscapes while having fun. For those who don’t like the idea of aimless hiking to appreciate nature, skiing offers the same natural beauty, with the added benefit of being a thrilling sporting activity.
2. Skiing Contributes to Physical Fitness
There are few sports that give you as good a full-body physical workout as skiing. You are required to engage every muscle group in your body to perfect the discipline, and while it can be tough to learn at the start, you get a huge sense of achievement when it starts clicking and you whoosh around the slopes with consummate ease.
3. It’s Good For Mental Health
The psychological benefits of active sports should never be underestimated or taken for granted. The freedom and satisfaction of being able to get out on the beautiful mountain slopes can be a boost for improving general mental health. It is something that allows you to escape from the stresses of real life for a few hours at a time.
4. Skiing Provides Great Social Interaction
One of the more underrated positives of the skiing experience is the social interaction it presents. Any great skiing resort or facility has welcoming and hospitable places where everyone can enjoy some rest and relaxation after a hard spell on the slopes. There you will be able to meet and make connections with like-minded people who share a common interest.
5. Skiing Downhill Gives An Adrenaline Rush
There are not that many situations in everyday life that provide the opportunity to experience a real, pure adrenaline rush, but skiing is definitely one of them! When everything clicks out on the slopes, it can really feel like you are flying down the mountain, and nothing can beat that!
6. There’s Skill Development Involved
When you learn to ski, you are constantly developing and fine-tuning your newfound skill set. Skiing is a challenging thing to master, but it is far from impossible, and you can gain a lot of satisfaction when you feel that you are improving session by session.
7. It Provides Winter Recreation
When you think about it, how many recreation opportunities are there in the winter that involve being active rather than staying indoors and generally falling into what might be described as unhealthy? Skiing is the perfect antidote to all of that seasonal fun that you are perfectly entitled to have over the holiday period!
8. The Landscape Gives Scenic Views
There really is no other kind of sporting hobby that allows you to spend so much time in extreme natural beauty. The kinds of snow and rock landscapes that you are likely to encounter over the course of your skiing experiences are unlike anything you will see in the gym or on a sports court, that’s for sure!
9. There’s Plenty Of Opportunity For Family Fun
One of the great things about skiing is that it can be enjoyed and experienced at all ability levels, making it perfect for fun family bonding fun. All of the best ski resorts have slopes and areas that suit a variety of experience and ability levels, so no one ever has to feel left out.
So, what are you waiting for? Head to Snow + Rock for all equipment and clothing from skis and boots to a mens ski jacket and kids salopettes. Hit the slopes we can promise that as soon as you get out on that fresh powder, you will feel such a sense of freedom and exhilaration that you won’t believe it has taken you this long to get around to it! Good luck, and most importantly, be safe!