Are your skis really parallel?

The goal for almost every skier starting out is to get their skis parallel. To a beginner skier this means eliminating the wedge they use to initiate a turn. However, there are at least three other ways skis can be less than parallel with advanced skiers. The next time you are out skiing have your instructor or a friend watch or video you skiing past them so you are seen from the front, side, and back. Here's what to get them to look for:

1. A wedge to initiate turns. This is caused by pushing out the outside ski to initiate turns. While most common with beginner skiers, intermediate and advanced skiers will sometimes revert to using a wedge to initiate turns on steeper or more intimidating terrain. Similarly they may "step out" to initiate short radius turns or ski moguls. Tactics to eliminate the wedge include moving to easier terrain to build confidence, exercising patience when initiating the turn, and braquage style drills.
2. A reverse wedge where the tails of the skis come together at the middle to end of the turn. This can be seen even with advanced skiers and is best diagnosed by watching a skier from the back. It can be caused by having the weight on the inside ski instead of the outside ski, by solely pivoting instead of using a blend of pivoting and edging to steer, or by poor body alignment. Depending on the cause some tactics that can be used to address the deficiency are outside ski turns, rollerblade turns, or feeling the feet flat in the boots and legs stacked in a natural standing position.
3. An exaggerated lead change where the inside ski is far out in front of the outside ski. This is usually caused by having too much weight on the inside ski but also can be caused by alignment issues (i.e., dropping the butt into the turn). Tactics to have skis more parallel fore/aft are to consciously pull the outside leg forward so the tips match when in the fall line and "kick start turns" where the inside ski tail is lifted as the turn is initiated.
4. Skis are not equally on edge (i.e., one is flatter than the other). This can be caused by sitting too far back or by A-framing (not having the outside and inside knees move equally into the turn). Tactics include feeling pressure on the front-inside of the outside ski boot and front-outside of the inside ski boot rather than full on the front or on the rear of the ski boot and uphill Christies.

Have fun checking each other out and getting parallel on all four fronts!

Mastering Short Radius Turns

Being a versatile skier means being able to ski a variety of turn sizes from great big carving turns to tight little short radius turns. Being able to ski short radius turns in particular is very useful when skiing steeps, moguls, or glades. For those learning how to ski short radius turns, or who just want to improve their short radius skiing, I have developed a short radius progression guaranteed to making you better at skiing short radius turns. Spend at least an entire Ontario-length run performing each one of the following steps before progressing to the next.

1) Side slipping. Slide sideways down the hill increasing edge angle by rolling your ankles and knees up the hill until you come to a stop. Then release your edges by flattening your ski to resume sliding. Repeat over and over again facing one direction until you are halfway down the slope. Then do it facing the opposite direction. Remember to keep your upper body facing down the hill as your legs are across the hill. This will help you develop muscle memory of being counter-rotated. The act of applying edge angle and just importantly, being able to release it, will help you finish your turns strongly and start the next turn in a balanced position.

2) Braquage. Start by side slipping in one direction with your legs (ankles/knees/hips) bent. Turn your legs as you extend (straighten) them as much as possible as you enter the fall line and then bend them as much as possible to bring your skis back across the fall line. Repeat down the hill. The result should be something that looks like sloppy, slidey short radius turns. Tip: the more you bend and extend your legs the easier it will be to turn them. Again, remember to keep your upper body facing down the hill. The object of this step is to improve your pivoting (ability to turn the ski with your foot) and to reinforce counter-rotation.

3) Hockey stops. Point your skis down the hill and then bring them out of the fall line coming to a full stop in one direction. Once you have stopped, plant your pole strongly down the hill. Repeat down the hill alternating directions coming to a full stop with a strong pole plant with each turn. This step will work on your steering as you must bring your skis completely across the hill to stop. Having a strong pole plant down the hill will set you up for your next turn and yes, reinforce counter-rotation.

4) Link it all together. Start your run doing the hockey stop drill above, then a few turns in, stop coming to a complete stop between each turn. You are skiing short radius! You have learned how to apply edge angle and release it in step 1, pivot your skis by unbending and bending your legs in step 2, and steer your skis in step 3. Throughout you have kept your body facing down the hill and using a strong pole plant at the end of your turn, stabilized your upper body so all the skiing happens from the legs, not the upper body.

Now get out there and have fun ripping it up with your small tight turns!

The Importance of the Pole Plant

The pole plant is one of the most overlooked parts of skiing. For those not yet skiing parallel, poles are great for propelling across flats, getting up after falls, and keeping balance on magic carpets. For parallel skiers a pole plant can be an integral tool to help them ski better.

When in the turn should you pole plant? If you answered "at the beginning of the turn", while technically correct, you are probably pole planting too late. Skiers who think of the pole plant as the beginning of the turn generally start to extend and turn their skis into the new turn before they pole plant. The pole plant is the link between two turns. Because one turn begins when the last ends, thinking of the pole plant at the end of the turn puts it in the right spot.

When skiing medium to larger turns, the pole plant is more of a pole "touch" and is used primarily as a timing device. For these types of turns the pole touch is forward towards the tips of your skis. This changes in short radius turns and moguls where the pole plant becomes a strong plant and is further from your body and not as far forward. By reaching your pole down the hill in line with your boots in short radius and moguls, the pole plant does more than control rhythm and symmetry. It has the folowing additional benefits:

1. It gets the pole out of the way as your skis slide into the next turn. I have seen many people trip over their poles in steep terrain when the skis must slide to begin a turn.
2. You can do a shorter radius turn because you don't have to ski out and around a pole that is planted forward towards your tip
3. It forces your downhill shoulder down the hill so that it is parallel with the slope, thus allowing you to angulate properly over your outside ski.
4. It stabilizes the upper body so that you are steering with your legs, not your upper body
5. It allows you to recenter your body over your skis and down the hill between turns

So the next time you are out skiing, think about where and when you are planting your pole. For short radius turns and moguls reach down the hill in line with your boots and plant that pole firmly. You will be amazed at the results.

Pre-Olympic report from Whistler

The hills are alive with the sound of...military helicopters?!? It is an interesting time to have moved to Whistler. The village is changing daily in anticipation of the games. The military and RCMP have established a presence. Volunteers have arrived from all over the country. Many Whistlerites, including a large portion of the ski school, have temporarily left their regular jobs to work for the Olympics. Every day there are new banners hanging and new stages installed. Stores and public buildings have been repurposed as Olympic houses. I can't wait to sample Swiss chocolate at Swiss house and have my fingers crossed that the outdoor bar at Austria house has gluhwein!

As I write this I have just arrived home from the torch lighting ceremony in Whistler Village. An estimated 10,000 people showed up. That is the entire full time population of Whistler! Julia Murray, daughter of legendary Crazy Canuck Dave Murray and Olympic Ski Cross hopeful, rode on the back of the snowmobile up the hill where she handed off to Crazy Canuck Steve Podborski, who skied the flame down to the village and turned it over to Whistler high school student and potential 2012 Olympian Tyler Allison, who lit the cauldron. Very cool. It was so exciting to see Canadians being patriotic. People were wrapped in flags, had red painted faces, and belted out Oh Canada when the time came.

The next few weeks are going to be an exciting time for Whistler, Vancouver, and the rest of Canada. Go Canada go!

Overcoming Fear

The hardest part of learning to ski as an adult is overcoming fear. Fear takes many forms. For beginner skiers, it can be fear of going too fast, of being out of control, or falling. For intermediate and advanced skiers fear can be caused by poor visibility, steeps, ice, powder, trees, or moguls. What all these fears have in common is that they are fear of the unknown or unfamiliar.

Today I skied Spanky's Ladder at Blackcomb for the first time. As I climbed up to the top of the mountain ridge it quickly became apparent why it is called ladder. I had to kick the toes of my boots into the steep narrow ledge to make my way up. It was so narrow I dared not look over the edge. A couple of times my boots slipped on the icy ascent and I dropped to a knee. I could not tell if my rapid heartbeat was caused from exertion or fear.

I was wildly relieved to get to the point in the climb where my whole ski boot could make contact with the snow. Then I realized I must ski down. The entry to Garnet Bowl was narrow and steep. There was lots of fresh snow that my narrow eastern skis sunk into. But taking it section by section it was totally skiable and dare I say it, fun. When I reached the valley floor I felt like I had conquered my own Everest. I couldn't keep a big grin off my face as we skied back to the lift. The next double black diamond we skied, Pakalolo, had a narrow entry which ordinarily would have been intimidating yet didn't feel so bad after Spanky's.

So how does one overcome fear? To become better at something you must do it. Yet getting into an intimidating situation often leads to a skier regressing to old habits - leaning up the hill, stiffening up, and even beginning a turn with a wedge. The best solution: put yourself into situations on the edge of your comfort zone. If you don't usually ski anything harder than a black diamond, try a double black diamond that isn't too long (Elevator Shaft at Blue Mountain comes to mind). Then the stakes aren't too high. Try to ski at least one run that challenges you every time you are out. As you become familiar with what was once unknown you will find that what used to look steep begins to look flat. You will begin to seek out moguls and more challenging terrain. What used to scare you will give you an adrenaline rush. And isn't that the reason we all started skiing to begin with?