The short turn technique is in demand on tow paths and narrow pistes with little space. It also looks elegant.
Our tip: Keep your upper body as still as possible while your legs swing back and forth. Tilt the skis properly. Imagine you are skiing through a tunnel in a slightly crouched position and try not to hit your head on the top. A good exercise to start with is the so-called hockey stop, similar to slowing down when ice skating.
Do you love speed when skiing? Then carving is of course your first choice, provided the piste offers enough space.
Our tip: Don't drift, but "cut" the turn - the ends of the skis should ideally follow the tracks of the ski tips. The bottom ski remains the boss, at the start of each turn you move slightly forwards, upwards and tilt the skis inwards. Lead the turn nicely with your forefoot. With a little practice, you can play with the centrifugal forces and fully savour the carving feeling.
They are a challenge for every skier, but with the right technique, steep slopes are great fun.
Our tip: Less experienced skiers can slide sideways on steep slopes by putting more weight on the bottom ski and leaning their upper body slightly towards the valley. Experienced skiers press the edges briefly and firmly into the snow and stretch slightly after each turn. This lifts the end of the ski, allowing you to turn the skis faster over the fall line. This technique is also helpful in difficult terrain. Good exercises to get you started are the "sliding stairs" and the hockey stop.
Especially early in the morning, ski pistes can sometimes still be frozen hard, but during the day they soften and small bumps form. With Nik's tips, you can ski down the mountain safely and elegantly even in such difficult conditions.
Our tip: slow down a little on icy slopes, use your edges well, put more weight on your downhill skis and avoid falling back by shifting your centre of gravity as far forward as possible when turning. Sliding sideways is always possible in an emergency. On soft, rutted pistes, you can use the piles of snow that have slid together to help you turn. Always keep your legs together.
Are you a freestyle beginner? Then try switch riding, i.e. riding backwards, as your first exercise. Then you can try your first straight jumps, rails and boxes.
Our tip: Switch riding is best practised on a flat slope with enough space. When initiating a backward turn, look over the valley shoulder in the direction of travel. If you want to jump over a kicker in the snow park, try a straight jump first, i.e. a straight jump in a slight squat. Stay nicely centred over the ski. It's best to try your first spins on small crests - turn your upper body when you jump and fix your gaze on the landing point. The legs follow the rotation of the upper body. As an introductory exercise for sliding, simply ride straight over a wide box in the snow park. Do not edge up! Next, you can try hopping onto the box with a 90-degree turn. Stay centred and with your legs wide apart over the box. Always check the surface of the box for unevenness beforehand.
If you can master a mogul piste without any problems, you have mastered the supreme discipline in alpine skiing. To do this, you should already have a good command of the short turn technique (see point 1).
Our tip: There is always a so-called crest between two moguls. As soon as you reach the crest of this wave, pull your knees in, turn your ski tips downhill and slide into the wave valley. Keep your legs close together. Experts also call this the "equalisation technique". As an introductory exercise, look for a so-called "roof ridge" at the edge of the piste. You can practise this balancing technique very well on these bumps.
Backward lean, inward lean, rotation: these are probably the most common skiing mistakes that you can avoid with a few simple tricks.
Our tip: If you constantly feel your heel and your thighs burn when skiing, then you may be skiing too much in the back position. Tilt your upper body slightly forwards and press your shins a little forwards onto the ski boot. You can practise this by holding your hands as far horizontally as possible in front of your body during the descent, for example. If you tilt your upper body inwards when cornering, you are in the "inside position". Imagine in every bend that you have to press a big red button on the outside of the bend. This will keep your upper body above the bottom ski at all times. Some skiers initiate a turn by rotating their upper body. To avoid this rotation, keep your shoulder in front on the inside of the turn.
Riding through deep snow feels like riding on cotton wool. Here are a few tips to help you fully savour this floating, light feeling.
Our tip: Because the ground here is very soft in contrast to the piste, you have to overcome a little more turning resistance when skiing in deep snow. To get started, ski straight ahead on a flat deep-snow slope, bend and stretch your knees slightly. Can you feel how your skis come down and up again? This is exactly the movement you use to make a turn in deep snow. Next, in addition to this exercise, make slight changes of direction to the left and right, always rhythmically. Avoid falling backwards! Wide powder skis make skiing in deep snow easier. Please never ski alone, only with the appropriate equipment and knowledge about avalanches in deep snow away from secured pistes.
Before you head off-piste away from secured ski pistes, you should definitely take note of the following tips.
Our tip: Early in the morning, before heading up the mountain, the avalanche report should be the first thing you read. You also need adequate avalanche equipment: an avalanche transceiver (always carry it on your person), an avalanche shovel, an avalanche probe and a first aid kit in your rucksack, as well as a mobile phone for emergency calls. If available, use an airbag rucksack. Apart from the equipment, one other thing is essential: never go off-piste alone! Even a minor injury can cause major problems if you are travelling alone. Always do a mutual avalanche transceiver check before you go off-piste. Even the best equipment is only useful if you practise using it. It is best to attend an avalanche course once a year. During a skiing holiday, we recommend taking a ski guide or a ski instructor. As locals, they can best assess the snow situation and show you the most beautiful powder snow slopes without any great risk.
We hope you enjoy trying out our riding technique tips! Here is an overview of all the videos:
