Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced skier, good skiing techniques help to make your winter experience fun, enjoyable and injury free. Learning the correct way to ski gives beginners a good foundation before advancing on to more challenging skills. If you are an advanced skier who has developed flaws in your techniques, you may find it necessary to spend some practice time on the slopes to perfect your skills.
Short Turn Exercise
Skiing the bumps, or moguls, requires quick, short turns, and this exercise may help improve your turns for your next mogul run. Practice this exercise on a well-groomed, gentle slope until you are comfortable with your rhythm and technique. Keep your upper body stable and point your skis downhill. With your torso facing downhill, rotate both skis 90 degrees to the left. Plant your left pole and quickly rotate both skis 180 degrees to the right. Plant your right pole and quickly rotate 180 degrees to the left. Repeat the back-and-forth movements and link several turns together. While working on your rhythm, concentrate on keeping a slight bend in your knees, skis together and your chest pointing downhill.
Weight Swing Correction
If you find that while carving your turns your upper body and hips swing in the direction of your turns, these exercises may help correct the problem. It is best to practice on a smooth, gentle slope. Hold your poles together, horizontally in front of your chest. Point your skis downhill to start moving. Make a large turn to the left, keep your upper body facing downhill and resist moving the poles to the left, in the direction of the turn. Repeat with a large turn to the right. Concentrate on keeping your poles parallel to your shoulders and your chest facing downhill with each turn. Another technique to prevent your weight swing is to make several large turns without your poles. As you carve your turn, put your hands on your outside knee.
Skiing Moguls
To improve your mogul skiing, start on an intermediate slope with several small moguls. Move your weight onto your downhill ski as you traverse across the hill toward a mogul. Lower your hips, have a slight bend in your knees, and lean a little forward to where you feel the front of your boot. As you reach the mogul and start your turn, plant your downhill pole on the front side of the bump. Keep your hands forward, unweight your downhill ski and shift your weight onto your outside ski. Ski around the bump, traverse back across the hill to the next mogul and practice the same technique, turning in the opposite direction.
Powder Skiing
Good powder skiers look like they are floating on top of the snow. To ski in powder, keep your skis closer together to create a platform and to keep from sinking too deep into the snow. You want your weight evenly distributed with a balanced stance. Your weight should not be too far forward or backward; it should be centered on the balls of your feet. Practice making wide turns first. As you steer into your turn, plant your downhill pole, extend your legs and push up from your platform; you should feel like you are floating. To make the turn easier, pull your legs up to get your skis to the top of the snow. Concentrate on keeping your chest pointed downhill and your hands out in front of your body.
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