 Poster: A snowHead
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I've been trying for a long time now to improve my parallel turns. I can usually get round sort of alright but, no matter how I try, the trailing ski never becomes parallel to the turning ski without me actually lifting it up and moving it near the end of the turn - it has on occasions crossed over the turning ski. I'd be very grateful for any instructions.
Geoff
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shelmerdine, have you had lessons up till now?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| shelmerdine wrote: |
I've been trying for a long time now to improve my parallel turns. I can usually get round sort of alright but, no matter how I try, the trailing ski never becomes parallel to the turning ski without me actually lifting it up and moving it near the end of the turn - it has on occasions crossed over the turning ski. I'd be very grateful for any instructions.
Geoff |
It sounds like you are not well enough balanced on the outside ski when you are trying to match the inside ski so they are parallel. Focus more on what you are doing with the outside ski and when the inside ski no longer plays a role in a stable stance it will begin to come in to parallel more smoothly. If you are having to step the inside ski inwards you might develop that as a bad habit. As holidayloverxx suggests, lessons with a good instructor should help you get the right movements in place.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Yes, I simply get told that if I "bend zee knees" the trailing ski will come round automatically
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| shelmerdine wrote: |
| Yes, I simply get told that if I "bend zee knees" the trailing ski will come round automatically |
 My suggestion would be to change ski schools!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I'm afraid that's not possible
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| Quote: |
I simply get told that if I "bend zee knees" the trailing ski will come round automatically
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then I'd say you've found a really, really, peculiar ski school
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| shelmerdine wrote: |
| I'm afraid that's not possible |
I'm afraid you won't solve the problem then!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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shelmerdine,
A few things could be preventing you getting your inside ski parallel round the whole turn. As rob@rar, mentioned you may not be committing sufficent weight to your outside ski which means that your inside ski is difficult to match with the outside ski. this may be because you are defensively leaning into the hill as you make your turns.
You may have an edge on your inner ski due to 'A' framing your knees.
You may have your weight towards the tails of your skis making them difficult to steer, bending the knees will most likely make your situation worse if you have no ankle flex as your balance will go further back as you bend your knees more.
Lifting your ski is a habit that you will find very difficult to solve once you have started it.
Your ski school sounds worse than useless, you need to change before you get stuck in a rut.
If you post some video of you skiing it will be easier to give you advice
Edit:
| Quote: |
| it has on occasions crossed over the turning ski. |
Just re-reading that bit please can you describe what you define as the turning ski? and where you feel your balance is on your feet as you make the turn. Also what position are your ski tips relative to each other as you turn the skis.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi Kevin
Thanks for your reply - which sounds very useful to me. It could be that I'm not committing all my weight to the uphill ski when wanting to turn and it could also be that I'm 'A' framing the knees - I will have to find out and I will see if I can post a video.
What you said about bending the knees and making matters worse if there wasn't enough flex in the ankles, was interesting to say the least. I fasten my boots pretty tight since it's been drummed into me how important it is to lean forward and have shins on front of boots so that pressure is applied to the front of the skis. I don't know how I can achieve this if I loosen them so that I have more flex in the ankles. Maybe I have to try for a happy medium.
Regarding the tips of the skis when I start my turn, I guess my feet are aligned and so the tips of the skis will be.
Again, I'd be very grateful for your advice.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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shelmerdine,
I am definitely NOT an expert but...
Stand up and flex your ankles into a skiing position, allowing the knees to bend.
Then stand up and bend your knees into a skiing position.
Do you feel the difference?
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Hi Kevin
I was a bit puzzled at first and doubted I'd find any difference. But, when I was doing the first one right, I seemed to move forward a little and the weight seemed to be more on the forefoot.
When doing the second exercise, I seemed to stay in the same posiiton but the weight seemed to be on my heels.
Was this to be expected ?
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You know it makes sense.
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I'm not sure I even understand what the turning ski and trailing ski are unless you are skiing telemark where its very possible to ski unparallel a lot of the time. I'd call the outer ski the turning ski but then due to ITL it also trails the innner ski.
It's not uncommon for people (particularly if their formative experience was on straight skis) to do a bit of lifting on their inside ski to put it parallel in the last half of the turn but a bit of concentration on your little toe edge/ 2 footed skiing can coach it out of you.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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shelmerdine, Turn the inside ski first, simply a brain trick to get both skis rotating.
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Poster: A snowHead
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[quote="shelmerdine"] Do you perhaps have a romantic connection to your instructor? I thought I might suggest this before anyone is rude about her!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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shelmerdine, I often do a visualisation excercise with people and get them to move back and forward on their feet whilst standing in a flat horizonatal area.
Move back and forward till you feel your weight evenly distributed over both your feet.
Take time to do this regularly and know what it feels like.
Try doing it with your eyes closed and feel the balance point
I would then lower them onto the slope and hold the tips of their skis and get them to repeat the excercise, feel for a balanced weight distribution over the whole foot and your foot should be relaxed (no toe curling). You should be skiing with a relaxed foot with even weight distribution.
It is very important that as you approach the turn that you do not just 'stand up' but that you make a movement that is upwards and forwards, If you dont move forwards then your balance will move backwards as the skis turn down the hill. Check your ankle flex 
Another think to check is your stance width (how fat apart your skis are) if they are more than hip with apart then they will be very difficult to match round the turn as the difference in heights will be greater.
Also as you make the turn you may just be getting nervous and becomming tense and impatient and not giving yourself time to make the turn because you fear the speed. Relax and let the skis do the work. But make sure you keep turning them across the hill to complete the turn otherwise you will start to pick up speed and start tensing up and rushing the turns. You should have nice curved turns that look like 'S' shapes, I would imagine that your turns are a series of traverses followed by a panic sharp turn and then another traverse and the result will look like a 'Z' shape.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Tom Doc, Oh is she nice? edit: we need pics
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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When you get the hang of parallel skiing it will become another tool in your quiver of skiing skills.
You will aquire other skiing skills along the way and all have a time and place to be used as conditions dictate.
Alternatively,Take up Mono skiing ( It began 60 years ago and was most popular in the 1980's) and i assure you that skiing with your legs together is as definite a goer as trying to do a Snowplow on one,is not .
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Make sure your weight is over the centre of the ski through your boot to help them pivot around the centre. If the tips of the skis cross, this is because your weight is too far forward and the skis are pivoting ahead of your boots rather than under your boots.
Then use a good pole plant and topple your bodyweight downhill to change edges. During the edge change, the inside ski will momentarily be flat to the snow surface, allowing it to easily be tucked parallel to the outside ski.
Bending the knees helps as long as your body stays in pretty much the same place, i.e. don't simply bend to lower body, keep body in same place and suck up skis from the snow surface to unweight them.
Make sure your skis are hip width apart with space between your knees to avoid A-framing which will leave the inside ski edged and difficult to rotate.
Push on the outside ski to initiate the turn, the harder you push, the quicker the turn.
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