Craving that Carving Feeling

What could be more fun than ripping up a clean sheet of corduroy snow? Shaped skis make it easier than ever to really carve it up. To get the most out of your skis it is integral that you are the one dictating your turn shape, not your skis.

The first step to carving a turn is the set up between turns. This is where you release your edges from your previous turn and get stacked for the new turn. The best thing you can do to have awesome edge performance at the end of your turn is to take the time to set yourself up properly at the beginning of the turn. Be patient. When you release your edges from your previous turn, allow your skis to be flat on their bases before beginning to simultaneously extend your legs and turn your feet to begin your new turn.

Be sure to continue extending as you enter the fall line (skis straight down the hill). At that point begin to progressively bend your legs (ankles, knees, hips) as you steer your skis across the fall line. For ultimate edge performance, you should get the sensation that you are almost steering back up the hill as you finish your turn. The energy you create should propel you into your next turn. The following are a few tactics you can use to help develop the edging sensation.

1. Feel as though you are pressing on the inside corner of the tongue of your boots as you complete your turn
2. Uphill Christies - on a quiet hill, practice doing one large turn at a time where you come to a stop by edging up the hill
3. Rollerblade turns - on flat terrain practice going edge to edge by rolling your ankles and legs without pivoting
4. When completing the turn allow your inside (uphill) leg to go completely soft
5. My new personal favourite - pretend you have elastic bands around each leg extending from the knee to the bottom of the ski. As you stretch the band on your outside leg through the turn, feel as though the band on your inside leg is contracting. If you are at the stage where you are skiing laterally with a wide natural stance, your inside leg will actually be a lot more bent than your outside leg making it easy and natural to do.

Take the time to play with some of these ideas and enjoy carving it up at a whole new level. Carve on!