Snow Skills

A good edge set on the snow relies on how you edge your skis.    If the skis can move off and onto the edges cleanly, your edge set will be strong and decisive.  If you add a steering motion of the skis to the edging, your edge set will be weak and result in a loss of balance and control.

Try to edge the skis by focusing on tipping them from side to side as the only movement.  Practice standing still on flat terrain, tipping the skis from side to side without any turning of the skis.  Feel that the edges are working together, such that they come off and on edge together.  Use your ankles primarily to send the skis alternately to their left and right edges so that the skis are only lifting and lowering, never twisting.  Focus on both skis doing precisely the same movement at the same time.  Avoid a “1 then 2″ feeling where one ski leads the other: that motion will encourage an unwanted steering motion.

After trying this, carefully step out of where you were such that your tracks are undisturbed.  Check out the tracks: a great image is one where both tracks have a sharp, distinct line along the sides of the track.  If the sides of the tracks are blurry, you’re putting a small twist in the skis when you edge them.  Practice again until you can edge your skis without twisting them.