Dear ski enthusiasts:
Over the last few years I have had a lot of questions from advanced skiers asking me how to control their speed on steep slopes.
You have to understand that it’s the shape of your turn that allows you to manage your speed. The paradox lies in making your skis accelerate across the fall line in order to widen your passageway. You heard correctly—you slow down by speeding up across the fall line. Here are the key steps to getting your skis to accelerate through the turn:
- Work on rolling onto the arch of your outside foot. If you feel pressure on your shin or your calf, you are interfering with the glide of your skis and you’ll slow the speed of your feet through the fall line. If you work on actively rotating your ankles and feeling the arch of your outside foot, your skis will accelerate instead of braking.
- Think of your body as a spring. Twist the base of the spring by turning your feet but resisting the urge to turn your upper body in the direction you want to go.
- Feel the pressure you are exerting on the snow. If you are too heavy, your feet will slow down. Avoid this by concentrating on the arch of your outside foot rather than pushing down on the snow.
- Lastly, if I divide the arc of your turn in two, the first half of the arc should be identical to the second. In order to achieve this, your turning effort must be constant from the start to the finish of the curve.
We work very hard at the Mont-Sainte-Anne Telus Snow Sports School and at the Head Academy to develop our sport. This year we have created a new training method adapted to all levels to help you get a better feel for your skiing. We are also proud to offer a closed section of slope for members of the Head Academy only. Drop by and see us!
Making learning fun!
Jean-François Beaulieu
Directeur, Mont-Sainte-Anne Snowsports school director