How to Correct Downhill Ski Skips

As skiers progress in their skills, one of the more difficult parts of the transition from intermediate to expert is forcing the skis to carve during a turn instead of skid, or skip, out. Getting the skis to carve will give the skier more control through the turn and enable the skier to pick up speed coming out of the turn, instead of using the turn to just check speed. When a skier is carving well, gravity becomes an asset rather than a hindrance.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Carving

Things You’ll Need:

Skis
Boots
Poles

Step 1

Find the fall line. The fall line is essentially the line your skis would follow if you pointed them downhill and let them flow down the hill. Good skiing involves skiing the fall line with your upper body square to the fall line and your skis turning across it.

Step 2

Get your skis into a neutral stance, about shoulder width apart. Beginner and intermediate skiers often maintain too wide a stance to try to control speed. A more neutral stance gives you more control.

Step 3

Control your edges by using your upper body and hips to get your mass away from your edges. Ski racers, for instance, who are skiing much faster than recreational skiers, often have extreme edge angulation in their turns, with the legs almost parallel to the ski slope and the upper body forming a 90 degree angle with the legs.

Step 4

Use the uphill ski edge more. Many intermediate skiers make the mistake of putting almost all their weight on the downhill ski in a turn, which leads to the ski skipping instead of carving. Get more weight on the uphill ski to help control the edges in a turn.

Step 5

Punch downhill with your hands holding the ski poles to keep your upper body square to the fall line. Each turn should be initiated by getting the ski pole planted down the hill in front of you. Try to keep your poles always in front of your body so that they don't rotate around during a turn and throw your mass too far across the fall line.

Article Written By Candace Horgan

Candace Horgan has worked as a freelance journalist for more than 12 years. Her work has appeared in various print and online publications, including the "Denver Post" and "Mix." Horgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and history.

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