Skiing Skills Checklist

--amadeus--

I'm not sure there is a "right" answer to this question but here's hoping...

I am very much a beginer skier and I know that the key to getting better is to practice what I have learned. But I also know that there are probably things I'm not practicing yet because I haven't learned them! So I was wondering what are the core skiing skills that you need to learn to actually be a competent skier, the ones that - once you have learned them - all you need to do is practice rather than continue to learn new things?

For example when you first learn to drive it's a mess of brake, clutch, gear lever, indicators and none of it is very controlled. But when you break it down driving is really just four key movements - moving off and progressivley gaining speed; progressively reducing speed and stopping, changing gear and safely changing direction. If you can do those four things safely you can drive and everything else is applying those skills either in different locations (RHD vs LHD, motorways, busy town centres) or specific situations (parallel parking, hill starts). So being able to do those four means you can drive but practicing them makes you a good driver.

What are teh equivalents for skiing? From my limited experience I've got Basic ski control (side stepping, herringbone, skating on the flat as well as ski lifts for example), Snowplough and Parallel turns. But surely there is more to it than that?

MonkeyWrench

I'm off for a weeks skiing in Soll Austria on saturday and was doing a bit of a search myself for a similar 'checklist'. I found this site one of the most comprehensive for skiing tips:

http://www.mechanicsofsport.com/skiing.html

robinph

It's all about how you balance your body over the skis so that they move over the snow in the way you intend.

You might add in side slipping as another movement type, but that could almost be called a controlled failure of side stepping up the hill. It all comes back to getting the skis working the right way with the snow though, and how you control that with your body movements.

You did forget the other important skills needed in the bar afterwards of walking in ski boots whilst carrying several pints.

--amadeus--

robinph wrote: »

You did forget the other important skills needed in the bar afterwards of walking in ski boots whilst carrying several pints.

Pfft, I'm an expert at that. More difficult is convincing the ski bum babes that you did just do that double diamond black run even though you refer to your bindings as "those clippy things"

Fattes

MonkeyWrench; As a qualified instructor that site you posted has allot of flaws, the hip positoin in every diagram is wrong and will lead to difficulties in engaging the ski and remaining balanced through the turn. Also on parrallel turns you do not roll from Edge to edge the ski is still relativley flat.And the advice to lean back in Powder is so outdated and dangerous it is not funny!!!The internet is a dangerous place!!!!

Try this site for tips http://www.warrensmith-skiacademy.com/online-tips.htmamadeus--

2 big things for skiing is to stand on your skis right and move on them right once you have this sorted everything else will be easier.

Skiing is an ever developing sport and the changes in equipment are leading to rapid updated in technique.

Stance, Knees over toes bum over heels and hips centered over your skis hands out in front of your chest and shoulders slightly rounded and over the front part of the skis.Focus on developing a range of turn shapes using Pressure on the skis, Rotation and Edge control Most of what turns your skis happens below the waist. Ankle and Knee flex into the front of the boots.

Develop a range of movment both for and aft on the skis as well as lateral hip movment across the skis. Focus on keeping the body centered over the middle of the skis.If you can nail the above all the various techniqes required for Carving, Short Radus and powder turns will come.

Plenty of options for lessons at the www.skiclub.ie and somewhere to practice.Oh and Remember PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!!!!! Let me know if you need anything else

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Hi Fattes, any good websites for a snowboarder!? Thanks BN.

Edit: Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread amadeus.

--amadeus--

That's great stuff, thanks. Looking at the videos on your site I'm probably currently somewhere between C and D level - I can traverse and link my turns even though it all probably looks pretty sloppy.

Boys weekend away in a few weeks and I reckon I'll be able to sneak in a day and a half of practice then, based on what I've seen I think I'll skip a lesson and just concentrate on repeating what I know.

Cheers!

Fattes

"You might add in side slipping as another movement type, but that could almost be called a controlled failure of side stepping up the hill."Excellent suggestion by the way and developing it to Bracquage rotating the feet through 90 degrees while seperating the upper and lower body is a great exercise.BearNecessities; Will ask the lads and see what I turn up.

robinph

There was various sideslipping exersises they had us doing on the course in NZ. Either exactly as I said initially in a type of failed standing still with just very controlled side slip and then stop repeated all the way down a slope. Also did traverses along as well but then releasing the edges and slipping and then re-engaging the edges back to a traverse and doing that back and forth across the hill.

markhenry5

For advice on higher end ski technique, check out the tips section on www.proskitraining.com.

The Big Gig

BearNecessities wrote: »

Hi Fattes, any good websites for a snowboarder!? Thanks BN.

Edit: Hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread amadeus.

snowboardaddiction.com
Got a great 45 min long video on it (was €20 though)

snowprofessor.com is good too.

ct5amr2ig1nfhp

Thanks TBG. Will check 'em out.

The Big Gig wrote: »

snowboardaddiction.com
Got a great 45 min long video on it (was €20 though)

snowprofessor.com is good too.