Turning Right and Turning Left

[D.B. Cooper]

If your hands are in front of you..your usually foreword.

Well, you want to stay well balanced. The litmus test is, with skis off, try pressing down like you're going through a turn. Now hold it. To ensure proper balance, you'll need to move your hands forward as you're pressing down. Keeping the hands still will result in you sitting back. As you start to rise for your next turn, you'll want to bring your arms back a little. Therefore, you will want to be dynamic with the whole body as you go through each turn.

Someone told me this when I taught, many moons ago. I promptly told this to a group of mountain hosts I was teaching, including Ken Read's (Crazy Canuck downhiller) mother. She said, "that's great, I've never heard that before." To this day, probably the highlight of my working career.

 

[Harvey]

One thing is for sure, when you feel like you are finally starting to get it, it's a great feeling.

I still get back seated plenty, but it's no longer my go to move.

 

[raisingarizona]

For me it's easier said than done. The word trick helped but really it was more about determination and repetition.

I never naturally skied forward. Staying out of the backseat has taken years for me. I'm still not there, especially if the snow is sticky, but I have improved.

It think it takes repetition to train our brains to become comfortable with the sensation of committing to the fall line. It’s not really natural to strap two long planks to our feet that are waxed underneath to go fast and point it down a steep, snowy face. If someone doesn’t initially get a fear response from that they may be crazy.

 

[raisingarizona]

Shorter poles help in the moguls too. They keep you forward, your balance lower and help quiet the upper body. I use collapsible poles and shorten them in the bumps and trees. When you look at the bump pros they all have wicked short poles.

I’ve always been a fan of shorter poles. There’re guys out there that ski with really long poles and it looks like they do a lot of unnecessary movements all day while skiing to get those things up and around. It looks kind of exhausting.

 

[tirolski]

It think it takes repetition to train our brains to become comfortable with the sensation of committing to the fall line. It’s not really natural to strap two long planks to our feet that are waxed underneath to go fast and point it down a steep, snowy face. If someone doesn’t initially get a fear response from that they may be crazy.

Ya can learn to fly, allegedly.

 

[Kingslug]

After all that..try this. Get on a small outcrop or cliff about 10 feet high. Stick your skis over the edge..lean foreward and drop straight down it. Its how we practice dropping into things ..like corbettes..which I will not do. But it helps when you get caught on something like that. A lot of people lean back..with less than stellar results. Gore has stuff to practice on.

 

[MarzNC]

I’ve always been a fan of shorter poles. There’re guys out there that ski with really long poles and it looks like they do a lot of unnecessary movements all day while skiing to get those things up and around. It looks kind of exhausting.

Depending on their age, could be a carryover from decades ago. I shortened my old poles from the 1980s twice. Using poles that are 2 inches shorter than the previous "correct length."

After we did a lesson together at Alta in December, my ski buddy was told his poles were probably 2 or 3 inches too long. My usual L3 instructor (from NC) is willing to talk about gear with returning guests. J has been skiing bumps out west for 25 years, after starting to ski as an adult. Only recently retired so getting in more ski days. He used a pair of rental poles to see how going shorter felt. By the time we skied together in Colorado in February, he'd bought new poles that were 2 inches shorter.

Taos instructors favor shorter poles. Shorter skis too.

 

[Kingslug]

Yet I blow through moguls on 117 wide by 191's...not a zipper line..and if its icy..well..not so much. Would never downsize length..
My wife just upsized from 149 to 163...she likes the speed better.

 

[raisingarizona]

My kendos are 193’s but they are mostly my groomer ski. They feel more like race skis than freeski skis imho.

My big fats are 183, 122 under foot with a center mount. They have a lot of tail and rocker and are wicked damp. They take you to another level in the right conditions but were too much on our Taos trip last season.

My small fats are 180’s and 100 under foot. I haven’t skied them yet, they are in the shop right now being mounted. Taos inspired the purchase. They are Atomic Bentchetler 100’s. They seem like the perfect all around freeski ski or quiver killer. 180 is as long as I’d want for tight, mogul filled steep lines.

I really want a mogul ski and thinking in the 173-175 range. The K2’s look really cool and are reasonably priced.

 

[gorgonzola]

at the end of the season i usually do a slush bump session and break out my old dead head iXRC1100's - 68 under foot at 177 - for some corn face shots!