Angle building

 Goal: Dynamic long radius turns
Level: Expert
Suggested terrain: Groomed (nearly flat) beginner terrain
Author: Suzy Chase-Motzkin
Summary: To help your skis maintain a good carved turn it is important to have consistent edge contact with the snow. This exercise will help you achieve this.

Photos and Videos coming soon!

IMPORTANT! Understanding our approach and philosophy is important if you'd like to successfully use the drills in Ski Smarts
 ... read more.

Deposit your ski poles somewhere safe and begin with your skis in a wedged position, pointed across the flow line.

Stand with your hands as if you're holding your poles.

Find a target down the flow line and face the palms of your hands toward it--now raise your uphill hand higher than the downhill one.

Begin to glide while continuing to hold your uphill hand high.

Very slowly begin pointing your skis toward the flow line and as you turn, bring the uphill hand down to the same level as the other hand. By the time your skis are pointed down the flow line, both hands should be in a neutral position in front of you, still pointed at the target.

As the skis cross the flow line, raise the uphill/inside hand and lower the downhill/outside hand, keeping them both aimed at the target

Start another turn and again, as the skis point down the flow line, return the hands to neutral, still pointed at the target. As the skis cross the flow line the uphill hand raises and the downhill hand lowers.

  • Keep your hands parallel to the snow and pointed at the target.
  • Keep your upper body facing toward the target.

Link turns.

Keep trying this in slow motion and gradually turn up the volume until you can ski dynamic long radius turns with wicked angles.

Print this out for future reference and remember to have fun!