While standing on flat snow,
with your body comfortably flexed and lined up with your skis, raise your hands
and arms so that your poles can swing freely.
Swing one first, then the other. On the way forward,
gently slap your thigh with the pole (about one third up from the basket).
Add a pole touch with the other pole--as one pole touches
the snow the other slaps the thigh.
Practice this until it feels natural.
On the hill:
First on a moderate slope, point your skis across the hill
and turn your upper torso to face down the hill.
Reach both arms down the hill, tips of poles behind you.
Then, rest the uphill pole about one third up on your uphill thigh and reach the
downhill pole tip down the flow line beneath your feet.
Begin moving by touching the downhill pole to the snow to
signal a release and change of direction. As your skis enter the flow line,
return the touched pole and swing the other. As the skis turn the other way, the
new pole touches down the flow line, the old pole slaps the thigh.
Tips:
- The arms shouldn't move from their position in the flow
line (facing down the hill.)
- If you feel like you've lost it, check to make sure
that you are slapping the pole one third up from the tip, while pointing the
grip down the hill.
