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SOME BASIC TERMINOLOGY
Fall Line: the route leading straight down any particular part of a slope.
Uphill: leading to a higher place on a slope
Downhill: moving towards the bottom of a hill.
Traversing: moving across the fall line
Straight running downhill: moving along the fall line
Transfer the weight: to move the weight from one leg to the other
Stopping technique
Skiing in a straight line can be fun in theory, but knowing how to stop is essential for safe skiing. Adapting your speed to the situation is the basis of mastering this beautiful sport. There are three techniques for stopping while skiing: the Snowplow (AE)/Snow plough (BE) or Pizza Stop, the Turn Stop, and the Parallel or Hockey Stop.
The Snowplow Stop
The snowplow stop is the most basic way to stop on skis and one of the first skills every new skier needs to know how to do. It’s a pretty simple way to stop.
To stop in snowplow:
bend your legs on the front of your boots,
keep your back straight, and then
bring the tips of your skis closer together while spreading your heels/the tails of your skis.
Your skis should form a sort of triangle. The more you spread your heels, the more you slow down.
There you go! You know how to stop on the slopes.
Be careful not to cross your skis, you may fall.
The Turn Stop
Once you have the snowplow stop mastered, you can move on to learning how to stop by using your turns. Contrary to what classic ski movies teach us, you don’t want to just straight line down the mountain. Doing so will pick up a lot of speed and can be dangerous. The whole point of turning is to slow you down and help you stay in control.
To do this:
Point your skis downhill to get a bit of momentum and start moving. You don’t want to go too fast, just fast enough to allow you to turn.
Make a few gentle turns, as you usually would, when heading down the slope.
When you are ready to stop, make one final turn, but instead of shifting your weight to turn in the other direction, dig in your uphill edges to stop your skis.
Dig your edges in as you make this final turn and point your skis slightly uphill. This will slow you down and eventually bring you to a complete stop.
The Hockey Stop
The hockey stop is an advanced method for stopping on skis. It’s highly effective and a lot of fun. This method will help you stop quickly and can be used in all situations. But it takes quite a bit of skill to master.
To hockey stop on skis, follow these steps:
You’ll need more speed to perform a hockey stop than the methods mentioned above.
Point your skis downhill to generate speed.
Now make a very exaggerated parallel turn, keeping your skis and knees very close to one another as they turn parallel to the downhill slope.
Dig your uphill edges hard and push down through your heels and hips. This will bring you to a quick stop using just your edges.
The harder and faster you make the final turn and dig your edges in, the quicker you will come to a stop. You can play around with this until you learn to stop on a dime.
Turning technique
Once you learn the basics of how to ski, you can move on to learning how to turn. If you are a beginner, start off with the snowplow turn by angling your skis in a “V” shape. For an intermediate option, learn the parallel turn by keeping your skis hip-width apart and straight at all times. After you learn parallel skiing, try carving down the slope by keeping the inside of the ski flush with the ground.
The Snowplow Turn
Completing a Snowplow Turn
Completing a Snowplow Turn
Position your skis in a “V” shape. Angle the front tips of your skis toward the middle so the back end of your skis is spread wider than the front end.
Slide forward with your weight evenly distributed to start moving. Start at the top of the slope. To gain momentum, bend your knees slightly, keep your feet centered, and angle your shoulders slightly forward.
If you want to turn left, push with your right leg. Distribute your weight onto the right ski /outer ski/ as you slide down the slope. Since your right ski is slightly angled to the left, you'll slide toward the left side.
If you want to make a right turn, push with your left leg. Distribute your weight onto the left ski /outer ski/ as you slide down the slope. Your left ski is slightly angled to the right, so you'll slide toward the right side.
Distribute your weight evenly on both skis again to initiate a new turn.
Change your weight distribution to travel quicker or further.
The Parallel/Skidded Turn
During these turns, your skis stay parallel to each other throughout the entire turn. The turn is made by pivoting your hips to redirect your weight. Match the direction of your skis and your body to orient your turn. To turn left, move your hips toward the left. To turn right, move them to the right.
To turn:
roll/lean your knees and ankles in the direction you want to turn.
balance on the outer ski when turning
steer the skis together
tilt the skis together in the same direction
balance in the middle and don't lean back
The Carve Turn
A carve turn is a type of parallel turn. Here, the ski shifts from one side to the other. To do this, redistribute your weight onto the edges of your skis. Skis are thinner in the middle than at the nose and tail. This hourglass shape makes it possible to make a Carve turn. Keep the edge of your ski firmly against the ground, and your momentum will naturally make the turn.
To start carving turns, there are two things to focus on:
To start carving turns, there are two things to focus on:
rolling your knees and ankles
keeping your weight forward
Every carve turn has 3 parts: the initiation, the shaping, and the finish.
In the initiation - Rolling your knees and ankles starts by pointing your knee down the hill and rolling onto the big toe of your outside ski foot as you start to engage the edge of that ski in the snow.
In the shaping - drive your knees to the toe binding. That force transfers into the ski, bending it and carving your edges into the snow.
In the finish - release the pressure you built up by rolling your knees and ankles upright to a new outside ski.
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