You use ski poles to maintain your balance while skiing. You also use them to help prevent falls and initiate turns on the snow during downhill skiing. A beginning skier relies heavily on his poles, often using them in several aspects of skiing, from climbing hills to reach a lift or the top of a slope to helping him to complete a standing turn without falling. More advanced downhill skiers use the poles to push through gates and establish a rhythm during downhill runs.
Step 1
Hold one ski pole vertically, its tip pointing at the ground.
Step 2
Grasp the strap and hold it away from the pole, horizontal to the ground.
Step 3
Slip your fingers up though the strap and grasp the pole handle by wrapping your fingers and thumb around it. The strap should encircle your hand so that when you grasp the handle, half of the strap is between your palm and the handle and the other side of the strap lies across the back of your hand.
Step 4
Grasp your other pole the same way.
Step 5
Hold your hands and the tops of the poles in front of your body during your downhill run, angling the bottom of the poles slightly behind and away from you. This allows you to alternately swing and plant the poles in the snow to prepare for turns.
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