Guide to Ski school skill levels

Teaching at everyone's personal skill level

Check out your skill level, and you will know what skills would be good to practice next in a ski school! Choose your skill level below and book a course or private lesson according to your skill level.

Alpine skiing skill levels

  1 FIRST TIMER / BEGINNER  - GREEN LEVELS 1 - 1½
Whether you are skiing now for the first time or you have tried it once or twice before, and you still can’t make smooth turns or control your speed. First you will become familiar with the equipment and learn moving on flat ground. , how to slide straight and how to stop on easy slope. We will also exercise the basics of turning and stopping on easy slope. You will learn how to use ski lift and you will learn the slope rules.

  2 LOW INTERMEDIATE - BLUE LEVEL 2
You already know how to ski gentle slopes by stemming, how to stop in a controllable manner and use a ski lift. On this level lesson the aim is to learn to ski with parallel skis and to bring more flow in your skiing. You will also gain confidence to become confident skier even in red level slopes. You will also learn how to use different types of ski-lift(s) safely.

  3 INTERMEDIATE - RED LEVEL 3
You already ski middle range slopes in a controllable manner with parallel skis. However, on steeper spots of the slopes, you might feel slightly insecure and occasionally lose control of the speed/balance. You will exercise techniques to allow you to ski challenging slopes with nice pace and confidence.

  4ADVANCED / EXPERT - BLACK LEVEL 4 

You can already ski good pace with parallel skis even at steeper slopes. We will practice for example carving technique, to be able to ski sportier and faster on more demanding slopes. Versatile practice improves balance and board control in all situations.

 

LEVELS 3 - 4 Freestyle jumps and rails, Half Pipe etc. special skills training lessons are well suited for snowboarders, who already know how to ride middle range (red) slopes in a controllable manner. Read more about Freestyle Skiing skills.

Snowboarding skill levels

  1   FIRST TIMER / BEGINNER  - GREEN LEVELS 1 - 1½
Whether you are boarding now for the first time or you have tried it once or twice before, and you still can’t stop and / or make smooth turns on the easy (green) slope. First you will learn moving on flat ground, how to slide straight and how to stop on easy slope. We will also exercise the basics of turning on easy slope. You will learn how to use magic carpet lift. We will also practice safe fall and how to get up. You will also learn slope rules.

  2   LOW INTERMEDIATE  - BLUE LEVEL 2
You can already do basic turns, control your speed and stop at blue level slopes. Now you will practice tecniques to improve your skill to next level and to become confident boarder even in red level slopes. You will also learn how to use different type of ski-lift(s) safety. 

  3INTERMEDIATE - RED LEVEL 3
You can already snowboard in a controlled manner on middle range slopes (red). However, on steeper spots of the slopes, you might feel slightly insecure and occasionally lose control of the speed/balance. You will exercise techniques to allow you to board challenging slopes with nice pace and confidence.

  4ADVANCED / EXPERT - BLACK LEVEL 4

You can snowboard already with good pace even at steeper slopes. We will practice for example carving technique -to be able to board sportier and faster on more demanding slopes. Versatile practice improves balance and board control in all situations. 

Freestyle jumps and rails, Half Pipe etc. special skills training lessons are well suited for snowboarders, who already know how to ride middle range (red) slopes in a controllable manner. Read more about Snowboarding Freestyle skill levels.

Telemark skill levels

  1 FIRST TIMER / BEGINNER - GREEN LEVEL 1
Whether you are now trying telemark skiing for the first time or you have tried it before, but you still can’t make smooth telemark turnings on easy slope (green). You will practice the basic positions of telemark, as well as the basics of the telemark turning technique. We will also teach you facts about telemark equipment and slope rules.

  2 LOW INTERMEDIATE - BLUE LEVEL 2 
You have already done some telemark skiing.  Sometimes you still lose telemark positions while doing the telemark turnings. We will do exercises to practice basics of telemark turning technique. We are looking for smooth, confident sliding with telemark style. You will also practice telemark skiing on more challenging slopes. 

  3   INTERMEDIATE - RED LEVEL 3 
You are already telemark skiing in balanced telemark position at moderate slopes (red). However, on steeper spots of the slopes, you might feel slightly insecure and occasionally lose control of the speed and telemark-postion. You will exercise techniques to allow you to ski with Telemark techinique even in challenging slopes with nice pace and confidence.

  4 ADVANCED / EXPERT - BLACK LEVEL 4 
You can already ski good pace withTelemark tecnique even at steeper slopes. We will practice f.ex. carving technique, to be able to ski sporty and faster on more demanding slopes.

3 - 4 LEVELS: It is also possible to train Freestyle skills like jumps and rails, moguls, Half Pipe, freeride, and Giant Slalom with gates etc.

Classic cross country skiing skill levels

  1FIRST TIMER / BEGINNER - GREEN LEVEL 1
This lesson is for you when you want to experience classic Nordic sport of cross-country skiing. During the lesson, you will become familiar with modern cross country ski equipment. Cross country skiing is first practiced by learning a turn-stroke and equal thrust. The terrain will be easy, to keep practicing comfortable and workout fairly easy during the lesson.

  2LOW INTERMEDIATE  - BLUE LEVEL 2
You've been cross-country skiing for some time, but there are still some things to workout on the basics skills. During the lesson you will learn a light and smoother skiing technique as well as the active use of equipment.  We’ll practice one-kick equal thrust and a good climbing and downhill technique, giving you also tips for safety descends. The terrain is easy to keep practicing nice and comfortable while your skiing gets relaxed.

  3INTERMEDIATE - RED LEVEL 3
You've been cross-country skiing a lot already.  And you might have been looking at other skiers how relaxed, lightweight and effective they look.  You might have got an idea that maybe you also could ski sometimes like them. Yes you can! We will train weight transfer and push. You will find a proper grip on your kick and relax slide for the support leg. The goals are active overall performance and relax skiing style, and you will be able to use different techniques depending on terrain variation. Variable terrain brings new feeling to your cross-country skiing.

Skate style cross country skiing skill levels

  1 GREEN LEVEL 1
This lesson is for you whether you are a first-timer or you have sometimes tried skating-style cross-country skiing by yourself. First, you will learn balanced and smooth skating and the basics of skating-style skiing skills. The terrain will be easy to maintain nice and comfortable learning through the workout during the lesson. 

  2 BLUE LEVEL 2
You have already done some independent skate-skiing rounds, and you need to improve your skating style. This class focuses on the rhythm of skate skiing, developing better one and double kick skating techniques, different uphill techniques, and poling in the right direction. Finding a rhythm for different situations guarantees you a smooth skate skiing technique. 

  3 RED LEVEL 3
You master the basics of skate style techniques. During this lesson, you will refine an overall active performance and rhythm of skating. We will use varying terrains to exercise it. The goal is a smooth and relaxed skating technique that is great even for longer trips.

Freestyle skill levels

  1 GREEN LEVEL

You already have good basic slope skiing/boarding skills. At your first freestyle lesson, you will learn straight basic jumps and railing at press-obstacle at easy mini-park. You will also learn important safety issues and Park rules.

  2 BLUE LEVEL

You master the basics of freestyle skills ot the green level. During this level's lessons you will learn to rail at easy tube rails. You will also learn basic grabs while jumping straight and we can also practice 180 degrees from small size jump.

  3 RED LEVEL

You master the basics of freestyle skills of the blue level. During this level's lessons, you will learn and practice more demanding tricks while railing (side-way, backward in - straight out etc.). We can also practice more demanding jumping tricks and grabs, from both smaller and mid-size jumps.

  4 BLACK LEVEL

You master the basics of freestyle skills of the red level. During this level 's lessons, you will learn and practice more demanding tricks in bigger jumps and more demanding rails. You will learn to combine slope style tricks. 
Freestyle skiers and boarders must use the helmet, and use of back protection is recommended. Snowboarders could also use wrist protections. Please note that reiling wears edges.

 

Adaptive alpine skiing skill levels

  1 GREEN LEVEL

You are a first-timer in adaptive alpine skiing. We will get to know this sport and equipment for the first time.

  2 BLUE LEVEL

You are a beginner in adaptive alpine skiing. The equipment and utilities are already familiar to you. 

  3 RED LEVEL

You are in the intermediate level of adaptive alpine skiing. You already practise adaptive alpine skiing.

Adaptive alpine skiing offers you an opportunity to experience the joy and happiness of skiing, even if you or your family member has a physically challenging injury or disease requiring personal assistance. All this is enabled by our professional adapitve alpine skiing instructors and the utilities at use. With us you get new experiences and learn more through upright skiing or sled riding.When teaching, we choose the priorities and rhythm appropriate to each student. Tell your skiing instructor about your wishes and special needs, and your instructor will contact you before the lesson. Together you can design a lesson that meets your needs.

Ruka ski school's adaptive alpine skiing classes are always private lessons, where the wishes and needs of each individual are taken into account.

Some skiers need utilities always, for others the tips and instructions from the teachers are enough. Skiers with balance difficulties or weak brawn can benefit from the support provided by the upright skiing instructor or from the separate support control. For example, people using a wheel chair need a skiing sled for skiing.

Assistants or friends with skiing skills are warmly welcome to join the sled lesson and we'll provide them with the required basics needed to assist sled skiing.  It is important that also family members, friends, personal assistants or guides get guidance in how one can ski slopes with a person who needs special assistance. In this way alpine skiing can become a shared activity!