Snow Skills

Build your balance on the outside ski with a soft leg.

Parallel skiers have learned to develop a turn by changing their weight from one side of their body to the other. Improve that skill by building good balance on the outside ski with a ‘soft’ outside leg. Relax your knee and ankle joints to allow your body to fully balance over the outside ski. A stiff outside leg will cause your weight to fall off your outside ski; a soft outside leg will keep your primary balance on the outside ski and help add black diamond trails to your terrain list.

The use of trekking poles with powder baskets will help maintain your balance with whatever you have on your feet. Get the adjustable type of poles to adjust for various snow conditions; the length will depend on the snow’s density and hardness. You’ll also find that shortening your poles will make it easier to climb in fresh snow while shortening them will make it easier to descend. Powder baskets are usually $5 to 8, from the manufacturer.

Compliment the balance of your body in skiing with the movement of your arms.

The movements of your arms will help to fine-tune the balance generated by your body. Stand in a balanced stance and place your forearms roughly parallel with the snow. Keeping your head facing straight ahead, explore the range to which you can move your hands without taking them out of your vision; these movements help balance. Then explore the movements that take your hands out of sight; these movements will not help balance.

Now, make some turns and try to keep your hands where you can see them. Each hand should move independently to assist any variation in your balance while moving. Add in a pole swing that meets these guidelines and the entire body will begin constantly moving to maintain balance. These arm movements will also help you in skiing terrain such as moguls and trees.