 |
The author’s unique offering is a comprehensive guide to preparing anyone from age three to eighteen to ski. In addition to the standard areas of preparation such as outfits, appropriate ski poles (adjustable ones are more expensive but may be more beneficial to a very young skier), instruction on positions regarding the skier's body and posture, and finding the right coach for the young person, Naito briefly describes the perspective of each age group, the importance of proper nutrition and hydration, and additional aspects of preparation that usually are not covered in traditional lessons. One example is the importance of the ski student going to the bathroom prior to the lesson.
Naito's book focuses on appropriate mental and physical preparation, not only for the young person's first lesson but also for the outdoors in general. Intriguingly, the age groupings that the author employs in the text differ from what is frequently encountered in other disciplines. For example, the book includes eleven to eighteen-year-olds in one group, which in other arenas are a large and diverse span in growth and development. It also defines the mindsets of children and teenagers in broad, brief ways. However, the categories regarding everything the reader may want to know about preparing to ski appear all-inclusive and are clearly defined. Those who take these chapters to heart will have an education in skiing that will facilitate safety, function, and fun. To paraphrase from the book’s introduction, when you know how and what you want, and how to look for it, you get a better fit.