Skiing fresh untracked powder is one the most sublime experiences a skier can enjoy. Yet it can also be a daunting experience that can be frustrating for an experienced intermediate skier who has yet to attempt powder. I’ve seen and spoken to many a skier new to powder coming away from their experience either fearing…
Previously using a pair of Fritschi Diamir Experience, there were things I liked and did not like about that binding. I loved that it was so easy to go into and out of touring mode. Compared to my fellow skiers with Marker Duke and Baron bindings, I could switch to touring mode with a flick…
I apologise that it’s been awhile since my last post. Other commitments get in the way and some things get neglected as a result. Regardless, I’m writing today about one of my pet peeves that I’ve been noticing recently: ski drills. Let me start by saying that I’m not totally against all drills. There is a time…
A special post for all Australian Snowsports instructors.It’s that time of the season again; instructors all around Australia are heading off to different resorts to take their examinations. Unless the premise of the examination is your home resort, you will likely be on unfamiliar terrain. Australian ski instructor exams follow the format of one terrain…
Traditionally, the start and end of the turn has been defined by a C shaped curve. Linked them together and you should end up with the S shaped turn that we so commonly see. Traditional turn shape. Now here’s the problem. Almost all skiers mentally approach skiing using this traditional C shape curve. What results…
To the untrained eye, skiing appears as a fast and sudden moving sport. That’s a big part of the appeal and attraction of the sport for most people. Unfortunately, skiers also usually attempt to imitate what they see. Good skiers often make what seem like quick, jerky movements and those learning the sport try to…
Skiing is made up of a series of simple movements performed in repeated succession. That just means we move parts of our bodies in certain ways and we do it over and over again. More importantly, almost all the movements in a snowplough turn are fundamentally the same to the movements performed in the moguls,…
Continuing on from the last post, while I’m an advocate of intermediate/ advanced skiers not teaching beginners how to ski, there are experiences you can share with them regarding equipment. Skiing is a fairly equipment intensive sport and all of it can seem rather daunting to a novice. Guide them with the use and care…
This post is inspired by a friend who will soon be going skiing for the first time. We’ve all been there and for those of us who can remember our first time on skis, we tend to remember it with a certain fondness. May she join the rest of us on a lifelong journey of…
When skiing we look ahead. Simple. But there is a little bit more to that statement. For where exactly do you look ahead? In short turns, it’s straight forward. Pick a point, actively look at it and keep heading towards it. (The technical definition of a short turn is one where the radius of the turn is within…
It took me almost 5 years to learn how to ski. From never ever to acquiring the skills and confidence to ski any natural terrain on a mountain and more importantly having fun doing it. This include steeps, ice, bumps, powder, crud, trees and any of those combined. So here’s the thought. Knowing what I…
Lower leg and spine are at parallel angles due to equal flex at ankle and hip joints. I’ve been in Canada for the past few weeks working with a former colleague on some of my personal methodologies for the instruction of skiing. It’s been an interesting an insightful time from a teaching perspective. To be…
A good pole plant will make your turns both easier and better. A bad pole plant on the other hand can be completely detrimental to your skiing. In fact, it’s almost better for you to NOT pole plant than to do a bad pole plant. Again, like most things in skiing, a pole plant is a…
In skiing there is talk of a ‘Basic Position’. It is essentially a basic athletic stance + angulation and is referred to as a strong desirable position. The basic athletic stance is flexed ankles, knees and hips. Angulation is creating angles with our body by moving our knees and hips. When you’re traversing, you’re pretty much…
Active inclination at the start of a turn. Inclination is an active edging skill. Active means we have to consciously perform it. The opposite would be a passive movement. Flex your ankles (active movement) and your knees will flex (passive movement) as well. Inclination allows you to achieve that ‘oh-so-mysterious’ high early edge and it also…
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