FREE  MONTHLY SKI LESSONS

                                               -Lessons Coming Soon-

• Jan:   Float, Levitate, Light Tips; What is this all about and how can it help me?

• Feb:    (Still Under Consideration) What do you want to learn about? Contact us with your suggestions GO>

Current Ski Lessons Available on this Page

• Dec. '09   Ten Things Expert Skiers do Differently when compared to Intermediates

• Nov. '09:  Start the Season with a Plan - Finish Strong!

• Oct. '09:   Debunking Powder Skiing Myths

• Sept. '09: Body Perpendicular to the Slope

• Aug. '09:  Dry-Land Training with Ski Movement Simulation

• June '09:  Summertime Mind/Muscle Programming

• May '09:   Static Villain vs. Kinetic Hero (Don't just stand there, dance, move up & down, do something)

• April '09:  Great Skiing is Voluntary (and it is something you need to think about)

• Mar. '09:  Are Your Skis on Edge Most of the Time?

• Feb. '09:  Exaggerate to Succeed - with Video Demonstration

• Jan. '09:  Trees are 90% Air

• Dec. '08   Getting Children Excited about Skiing

• Nov. '08:  Powder Skiing - Understanding Extension and Retraction Turning

• Oct. 08:   Angulation = Control

Dec.'09 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Ten Things Expert Skiers do Differently when compared to Intermediates

1. Relax, ride the carve, let the turn develop. Try this on groomed runs.

2. Never lose sight of your hands.

3. Do more than just tip skis from edge to edge. Experts put pressure down on the ski edge  by flexing their ankles forward and driving their knees toward the turn. Then an expert skier stands up at the end of the turn to release the skis and float toward the next turn. A cross-under release may also be used, however it is best to first learn the up and down movement from turn to turn.

4. Expert skiers have learned to make practice drills fun. They do them every time they go skiing. It is fun for them because it improves their skiing. They are learning.

5. They read and watch ski instructional materials, take clinics, go to camps, and study the art of ski technique. Just skiing a lot of days without awareness will never help you improve.

6. Experts jump in behind other experts (better than they are) and follow the line these "better experts" ski. I have seen world class skiers doing this drill. Anyone can learn, no matter how good he or she is. Learn by mimic.

7. Expert Skiers get early initiation into the turn. To do this, they practice getting the turn started high in the "C". This is explained in our Expert Skiing Book.

8. To ski at a higher level, experts put pressure on the skis as early in the turn as they can. Similar to #7, but different. Read this thread in our forum: Early Pressure

9. Expert skiers keep their skis tuned. If you don't, seven bad things can happen GO HERE>

10. Expert skiers create a correct stance over their skis with custom fit boots, stance analysis by a professional boot fitter, and having an awareness of the total ramp angle created by the ski, the binding, and the boot. To learn about these talk to your boot fitting specialist (not available in a big-box store).

Nov. '09 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Start the Season with a Plan

    It's the beginning of the season and everybody usually starts out very excited about becoming a better skier. Perhaps you have new gear, are in better shape, or you are planning to take a few lessons (always a good idea) in order to make this your breakout year; the one where you transition from obscurity to greatness on skis. However, for most this simply remains a fantasy and they end up doing the same old thing and skiing the same old way. You can make this year different by having a plan and doing a few simple things:

• First, develop a plan and stick to it.

  • Start by writing the plan down.

  • Include the following and check each item off as you complete it.

    • __Have a shop do an initial tune on your skis - very important, learn why here....

    • __Make sure your boots are correctly aligned to your leg, have custom insoles, and have a soft, progressive forward flex with no hinge points. Your ankle must be able to easily flex forward in a warm boot. Most of the time a custom boot fitter can work with your current boots and there will be no need to buy new ones. Get professional help to set up your boots.

    • __Pole Length; get it right with help from your local ski shop (not a big box store)

    • __Make sure that the combined ramp angle of your skis and boots allows for a neutral stance over your skis. If you are set up so that your shins are always pressing against the front of your boots you will not be able to stay centered over your skis and utilize fore/aft movements as needed. A stance with just a slight bend at the knee will work in most cases.

    • __Commit to starting every ski day with a few runs on easy groomers and never vary from this rule. During these warm-up runs be sure to practice the basics.

    • __Make a list of the basics you will practice  each time out. Change up your list from time to time.

    • __Start with the basics of the pole plant and arm position.

    • __Other good practice ideas are SSTFF, Disco Nights Move, and CPCPU.

                                               

                     SSTFF                  DISCO NIGHTS MOVE                 CPCPU

    • __Read ski books and watch ski DVDs/Videos to pick up other techniques to work on.

    • __Learn short radius turns and put the most pressure down on the front of the ski at the end of each turn to create rebound and literally get the skis bouncing out of one turn and into the next. See this demonstrated in the Ski Like A Warrior video.

    • __Video yourself early in the season and critique it with a keen eye. Better yet, post your video here on our forum or on EpicSki.com for analysis.

    • __Finally - DON'T TRY ANYTHING NEW UNLESS YOU KNOW YOU ARE PHYSICALLY CAPABLE AND ALWAYS BE SURE TO GET PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTION OR GUIDANCE FROM A DOCTOR, A PHYSICAL THERAPIST, SKI INSTRUCTOR, ETC. BEFORE YOU TRY NEW MOVES OR TECHNIQUES ON SKIS.

OCT. '09 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Debunking the 4 Myths of Powder Skiing          

POWDER SKIING MYTHS

     Powder skiing is not difficult if you forget everything your friends have told you. The most common myths are: sit back, ski with your feet apart for better balance, turn as if you are on a groomed run, and last but not least, be sure to fling your arm high above your head at the end of every turn to help lift you out of the snow. These suggestions will not help you become a better powder skier. However, each one can make it more difficult. By the way, if you would like to know the proper powder skiing technique that replaces each of these myths you can find out by purchasing our 32 page booklet download with links to three on-snow demonstration videos that help make you a better powder skier in short order. I strongly believe this download product is one of the best offerings we have ever created, and for only $6.95 you receive a wealth of information on becoming a better powder skier. The combination of the text, illustrations, photos and videos is a winning combination unlike any I have seen before. With that said, enjoy the following free internet ski lesson as you read about the 4 most common powder skiing myths.

MYTH 1: Swing the Outside Arm Up to begin each Turn

            It is fine to throw your arm up high above your head if you are enthusiastically waving at a friend. However, in the world of powder skiing that is a bad thing to do. Alternately throwing your outside arm up above your head to initiate each turn causes you to fight for or lose your balance. It does not help you come up out of the snow so you can turn. When skiing correctly, you are able to rise up out of the snow because the snow is pushing your skis toward the surface.  This creates a firm platform for you to push back against with your skis. This allows you to unweight your skis by using a retraction or extension movement of the legs, while keeping your upper body quiet. The concept of retraction or extension turning is covered in depth in our Weekend Warrior's Guide to Powder Skiing Technique.

MYTH 2: Sit Back to Keep your Ski Tips out of the Snow

            This will make those dogs (your thighs) catch fire! Sitting back will take away any control you have (over your skis) and it physically drains you in a very short time. The net result is “no fun” as you become exhausted from trying to dig yourself out of the snow and put your skis back on your feet. At this point, your goggles are probably fogging, you have snow up your jacket and down your pants, and you may be dripping wet from sweating profusely, as you struggle to survive the experience.  

MYTH 3: Use the same Technique as on Groomed Runs

            When carving on the groomed runs, skiing with most of your weight on your outside ski will work great. Try this in bottomless powder and you may survive two or three turns before enduring a full-on face plant. In powder you must weight your skis evenly, creating a platform. For more information on creating a platform when powder skiing, read chapter 14 in our Guide to Expert Skiing. Here you will find 15 pages devoted to powder skiing technique.

MYTH 4: Keep your Feet Apart for Better Balance

          What you do with your feet and legs when powder skiing determines your balance and your ability to stay centered over your skis. If you ski with your legs far apart bad things are likely to happen as your skis pass through a fluid substance such as snow. Your legs will tend to separate on both the vertical and horizontal planes. Do you know what happens to novice powder skiers as their legs separate in two directions at the same time? Splat!

            You must keep your knees as close together as possible and to do this requires control of your mind over the matter of your legs wanting to maintain a wide athletic stance – it is a natural defensive mechanism when you are afraid (of falling in the powder) to separate your legs for balance. Yet, it is oh-so-wrong! 

KEEP YOUR KNEES GLUED TOGETHER AND IGNORE YOUR MIND AS IT SCREAMS AT YOU TO SEPARATE YOUR LEGS! (watch video)

Purchase Powder Booklet Download w/Video Links $9.95 and Ski Powder Effortlessly

 Back to List of Free Ski Lessons

SEPT. '09 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Upper Body Perpendicular to the Slope.

TORSO: Shoulder, Chest, Stomach, and Back      

          Your upper body has a very important assignment to fulfill as you ski like an expert.

            Your upper body is most effective when it remains quiet, erect, and adjusted to the pitch or steepness of the hill as it relates to your direction of travel. This means your upper body should always be perpendicular to the slope angle you are descending. It is important to realize that the slope of the hill is not always the same as the fall line. To better understand this think about the difference between skiing straight down the hill and skiing at a downward angle across the hill. These two directions of travel represent different slope angles, and you need to keep your chest facing the direction of travel at all times. This allows your upper body to be correctly positioned so that it can also remain perpendicular to the direction of travel. Do not shy away from leaning out over your skis and matching the angle of the slope. This is the only way you will be able to keep pressure on the front of your skis to stay in control. Make the commitment! Practice this body position on skis in a controlled environment, where you are in no danger of hitting natural obstacles, or falling in a manner that is not typical of normal recreational skiing. Learn this body position on easy groomed runs. Use a graduated progression from less steep to more steep runs.

            You should not be rotating your shoulders back and forth, swinging your arms across your body, or bending your upper body significantly forward. For our purpose, quiet means lack of movement in the upper body. Relax and sssh!                                             

TIP: To help yourself get out of the backseat, try driving your arms further out in front of your body and be sure you can always see your hands. Beach Ball Arms will keep you centered over your skis.

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

AUGUST 2009 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Dry-land Training; Ski Movement Simulation + Strength and Quickness Development Tools

Summer is definitely the time to become a better skier! Use this ski tip and June's to become a much better skier next year.

     In the June ski lesson we talked about training your brain and muscles to do ski-related movements this off-season so when you hit the slopes you will have an awareness of correct movement and from there you can morph these summer "movement memories" into the appropriate movement on skis. I want to stay with that June theme and share with you a variety of exercises* and drills* you can do to increase your awareness of ski-specific movement patterns. This is a powerful learning tool, so I suggest you get busy and put together a program for yourself with the help of my suggestions. The following list of links should stimulate your thought process, making it a bit easier to put together a program*.

      I also suggest you get our Expert Skiing Book and our Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD and study both before the summer turns to winter.  I think one of the keys to successful learning is to become familiar with SITS (our Simple Imagery Teaching System), and develop the basic positions and movements for correct skiing with the help of the book. It includes over 100 photos, illustrations and drills to help you improve. Then you can take take it to the next level with SVMM, our Sun Valley Mogul Method that is based on the traditional carved turn and actually helps you ski better all over the mountain. Learn more....

       To begin, here is a list of links that you can visit to explore different ski-related movements and strength-building exercises.

• SSTFF - An Excerpt from our Expert Skiing Book: This is a repeat of our June tip, but I think it is so easy to do and so important to apply to your skiing that I am going to repeat it here. This link takes you to a detailed description of SSTFF right here on our site. It is an easy exercise to perform in your own kitchen, while waiting for your toast to pop. It takes very little effort to do and translates big on the snow. It will teach you to feel the inside edge of your foot pressing on the downhill ski throughout the entire turn. Way more control!

• HIPS-IN-A-BOX - An Excerpt from our Expert Skiing Book: This is another drill you can practice in a hallway of your house and then take it to the slopes using our Disco Nights Move Drill.

• WARREN SMITH SKI BIOMECHANICS AND PHYSIOLOGY: This appears on Warren's ski site, from across the pond, (from the U.S. perspective anyway). At this webpage focus on the dry-land training and biomechanical tips.

• ZIGGYSKIER EXERCISE AND AWARENESS: This silly guy has some high quality, fun stuff. At this page, be sure to read Athletic Stance, Belt or Jacket Pull, and Mirror. These dry-land drills help you feel ski-related movement that you will need in your toolbox come winter.

• SKI STANCE SIMULATION: An Excerpt from our Expert Skiing Book: Spend $10.00 on a plastic balance disc and do this. Then try to develop a whole balance routine on the board. Improving balance always helps improve skiing.

• A PLETHORA OF STRENGTH BUILDING EXERCISES: Choose from many good "Get Ready to Ski" strength building exercises, demonstrated by video and pictures, at this Core Performance site.

• BOSU JUMPS: This link goes to Mindy Mylrea's Bosu site where you can watch her do a short workout on a Bosu Ball while simulating some ski-specific movements. This is food for thought as you may want to get a Bosu Ball and a few videos to develop a great workout to add to your pre-season training. Remember it is all about simulating ski-specific movements and building ski-specific strength.

     Hey no ski lesson is complete without some videos. Here are two that illustrate different aspects of our teaching systems. The first demonstrates the basic arm position from SITS (our Simple Imagery Teaching System). The second gives you some fantastic insight into SVMM (our Sun Valley Mogul Method). The "Skiing the SVMM Way" video accompanies our Weekend Warrior's Guide to Mogul Skiing Technique. It is a download product that contains this video and a 32 booklet that explains everything demonstrated in the video, all for only $9.95 Learn More or. Get It Now>

• Beach Ball Arms as talked about in our Expert Skiing Book and  our Basic Skills Booklet Download

• Skiing the SVMM Way in the Moguls from our Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD and our Mogul Booklet Download. This is a condensed 10 minute version of our full-length DVD; Real Moguls, Expert Runs.

*As always, never try any new exercise or drill that you may not be capable of or that causes any discomfort to your body. To make sure you are performing new drills and exercises correctly be sure to get help from a fitness professional when starting any new program, exercise or drill.

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

JUNE 2009 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Summertime Mind/Muscle Programming

     Train your brain and muscles to do specific ski-related movements in the summer and - duh, your skiing improves next season. You only get out what you put in! Learning to ski better requires practicing proper ski technique every month of the year. Working on different movements during the summer only takes a few minutes every few days or weeks, yet it pays big dividends come ski season.

      One summertime exercise that has really helped me put more edge on the snow is called the SSTFF. It is all about creating an awareness of feeling your arches pushing down on the inside edge of your boot, over the downhill ski, throughout the turn. Practice this move during the summer, then apply it next season and I guarantee your turns will feel better. For details go to Ski Lessons and click on Subtle Shift to Flat Foot in the "Current Ski Lessons" list at the top of the page.

      In the left illustration the arch is not engaging the boot resulting in far less pressure being transferred to the ski edge.  In the right illustration the arch has flattened out just ahead of the heel resulting in far more pressure being applied down onto the ski edge. Visit Ski Lessons and click on Subtle Shift to Flat Foot (top of the page in the Tips List) to learn a simple dry-land exercise that will improve your skiing next season.

This tip is an excerpt from our book: A Weekend Warrior's Guide to Expert Skiing

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

MAY 2009 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Static Villain vs. Kinetic Hero

Static: (sta' ik), adj. Lacking movement, development, or vitality.

Kinetic Energy: (ki net' ik), adj. energy of a body with respect to the motion of the body (no motion basically no energy created).

     You can not just stand on your skis, tip 'em from side to side, and expect to excerpt any control over your skis and the terrain. If this is what you do when turning, then let's face it, the Static Villain has control of your mind and you do not move up and down on your skis. Think of it this way: Without the driving force of your ankles, creating pressure down on the front of your skis, it is not possible to get control of your descent by using the energy from your ski fronts driving down into the snow. With the tips pushing through the arc of a turn (with the greatest downward force coming at the end of the turn) you create a braking action that controls the forward speed of your skis. Combine this with the carving action of a ski and it becomes much easier to stay centered on your skis which in turn allows you to stay in control.

Imagine springs connected from your knees to the tip of your skis. Never stop applying and releasing force on these springs and you will never run out of useable rebound energy to keep going up and down on your skis.

     That brings us to the subject at hand - the kinetic chain. In order to be able to put pressure down on the front of your skis, when on edge throughout the turn, your body must be compressing and extending like a spring through every turn sequence. This is harder to do than it may seem. To keep the energy flowing to the skis you must not extend all the way up and then pause. Once the body has stopped moving the stored energy has been expelled from the kinetic chain and it really wreaks havoc with your turns as you have created a pause in the movement of the chain (read become static). From this static position the skier cannot create or use rebound energy from within the body and they* will always be late for the next turn. You will have to spend time gathering energy to get the spring (your body length) going again. As you can surmise, if this takes only 1 second you will still be late for the next turn. It is worthwhile to note here that a lot of skiers simply assume a position somewhere near full leg extension and they never move from that position. They are trapped in the realm of the static skier.

      I have provided a video link below that I hope will enlighten you to the up and down movement that occurs from turn to turn. Watch carefully, particularly in the beginning, and see how much the skier's body goes up and down from turn to turn. Yes, modern ski technique has taken up and down movement to a new level with the addition of such movements as "crossing under" etc., but until you are in the top few in NASTAR RACING at your local ski area, you need to concentrate more on GETTING AWAY FROM THE EVIL VILLAIN - STATIC BODY POSITION. Don't just stand there riding your skis, do something. Skiing is a close cousin of dancing; do you stand around on the dance floor? Release the Kinetic Hero within you and cut a mean set of tracks.

     And lastly, don't be fooled by the apparent lack of up and down movement exhibited by expert skiers you are watching. They are fully utilizing the kinetic chain, but so subtly it is difficult to see at their level of performance. Look closely and you shall see it.

     Forgive me, oh God of Skiing, for I do harp on this whole up/down, living spring, kinetic chain thing, but it takes a lot of awareness to get it. So repeat the concept I will. WATCH THIS VIDEO:

Demonstration Video: Arcing: The Laying of the Rails

     P.S. For those of you that live to criticize this video, when your Nastar Handicap reaches low single digits and you are one of the best in the nation (like some of the skiers in the video) then let us ski together and share the knowledge. Until then please use the pareto principle and say four nice things for each criticism you give.

*They is used in place of he or she to achieve gender neutrality.

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

APRIL 2009 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Great Skiing is Voluntary

          Skiing correctly is something you need to think about while you are doing it. It needs a "voluntary" focus on technique while you strive for improvement. You may remember the following photo from our October tip, but this time I am using it to illustrate angulation of another sort - lower leg.

      When looking at this photo, take a moment to notice how much "lower leg angulation" this skier is creating during the turn. He learned that not by making the same old turn, but by voluntarily thinking about increasing his lower leg angulation during each turn, as he practiced on easy groomed runs.

      If you want to get more control, by increasing your edge angle and grip on the snow, then you must voluntarily think about increasing the angle of your lower leg in the direction of each turn. If you can think about two things at once, also concentrate on driving your ankles forward during the turn. Your knees will be moving into the turn as you strive to increase your lower leg angulation.

      Other things to think about: Make sure to maintain the upper body angle illustrated in the photo above. You must keep your shoulders level as you increase the angle of the lower leg in the turn. Do you feel your hips driving into the turn as well? This is a good thing!

     You may be surprised how much more control you get from your skis during the turn. So, do you ski along, from turn to turn, involuntarily doing the same old repetitive motions, or do you think about and voluntarily experiment with different movement changes during your turns?

INVOLUNTARY SKIING = STAGNATION

VOLUNTARY SKIING = IMPROVEMENT

     95% of all skiers do not consistently put enough pressure down on their ski edges. This is accomplished by continually driving the ankles forward through the turn. 95% of skiers do not create enough edge angle to get the maximum control out of their skis in the turn. Don't miss out on the fun. Practice achieving higher edge angle. More on this concept can be found in our March tip shown below. Be sure to watch the videos.

COMING IN MAY: Kinetic Chain - A Living Spring brings life to skiing.

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD 

Back to List of Ski Lessons

MARCH 2009 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Are Your Skis on Edge Most of the Time?

          When you think about it, it's pretty easy to turn on the "carving" light bulb in your head. Just watch great skiers ripping on the groomed runs. As you look at them slice down the mountain you will see them keep their skis on a high edge angle 90 to 98% of the time.

Call it what you wish - arcing, carving, railing, or tail follows tip. To do it, you need to get your skis up on edge and keep 'em there. So, how do you practice?

1. Find a nice easy groomed run and begin to make some nice round turns, get the rhythm, then do the following:

2. Drive ankles forward as you roll your knees into the next turn. This puts pressure down on the ski edge.

3. Stand up before the end of the turn and repeat step 2, creating another turn. This gets the kinetic chain going. The up and down motion created by you ankles flexing forward and then your legs extending up just before the end of the turn makes you more fluid through the turns. Practicing turn initiation by standing up just before the end of the turn will enable you to get from edge to edge more quickly and help you drive pressure down onto your edges with forward ankle flex, turn after turn, all the way down the run or until out of breath - don't overdue.

4. Watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXy_JriRbys

5. The Pure Carve Drill: Once you have mastered steps 1 - 4 it will be time to take it to the next level with a new trick for your bag. Watch this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HO0hjU5Vmuo

HIGH EDGE ANGLE HIGH EDGE ANGLE HIGH EDGE ANGLE THAT IS THE SECRET!

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

FEBRUARY 2009 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Exaggerate to Succeed - With Video

             Staying with our favorite mantra, KEEP IT SIMPLE, this month's tip boils it down to the four basic things you can do to ski better, carve better, and have more control in any condition. The secret to applying the four basics correctly is to exaggerate your way to success. It will all add up to turning correctly. After reading this entire tip, click on the Exaggerate Video button at the end of this article to see our skiers demonstrating the four movements/positions for better skiing. The video starts with a dissertation on the proper pole plant and finishes with a great skiing demonstration of the four techniques discussed below.

               TIP: The following list of basic body positions and movements, when done correctly, will help make good skiers great skiers.

1. ARMS: Place your arms further out in front of you than ever before. Keep your arms wide apart and your elbows held high as if holding a beach ball chest high.. Practice this position until you never drop a hand out of your vision. Every time you lose sight of a hand while turning, push your arms out further in front of you, widen them, and get the elbows up. Exaggerate this movement until you are sure you look silly then it will most likely be correct..

2. POLE PLANT: Plant your pole at the end of the turn and plant it where you want to go. This drill is best done by skiing directly down the fall line and planting your pole out by the tip of your ski for each turn. You can do this drill on an easy groomed run and when you are ready, you can take it into other terrain. If you are reaching out to plant your pole, at the tip of your skis, you will get "back-seated" far fewer times per run. Exaggerate the pole plant, by flicking it further out in front of you, using minimal arm movement. Flick the pole forward from the wrist and and slightly extend your elbow out to achieve this forward plant.

3. SKI PRESSURE: Put more pressure down on the front of your downhill ski during the turn. Flatten the inside edge of your foot against your inside boot edge, on the downhill ski, making sure to reach maximum downward pressure on the ski at the end of the turn. This may be difficult to achieve at first, so you can begin by applying downward pressure to the edge throughout the entire turn. Roll your ankle inward toward your uphill ski and then drive your ankle forward to achieve this edge pressure. Push down harder and longer  than you ever have through every turn. Practice this exaggerated edge pressure on an easy groomed run.

4. HEAD UP TO PLAN: Look ahead to plan your continuing path down the hill. Always be looking for the connecting ridges, the open white spots, the piles of fluffy snow pushed up by the other skiers, and the untracked snow between the tracks. Strive to go where no other skier has gone before (i.e. stay away from the ruts and areas that are scrapped clean). Open white spots provide an easy place to turn, piles of fluff will actually push back against your skis slowing you down and giving you more control, as will untracked snow, and finally skiing on the connecting ridges (especially in moguls) will help keep you out of the ruts. I am not saying you will always be skiing on the connecting ridges but when the opportunity  is there take it.  With your head up you can look ahead to clearly see what is coming and adjust for it. Life is too short not to exaggerate so be sure to hold your head up as if  it was a helium-filled balloon, always trying to float straight up off your neck. Enjoy the following video and it will all gel.

Arms Held High and Wide, Elbows Up          Roll Ankle into Turn, Drive it Forward             Keep Head Up to Plan Turns

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

JANUARY 2009 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Trees are Ninety Percent Air        

Tree skiing can be a fun and safe activity if you follow a few simple tips:

1)      Never ski alone in the trees, period.

2)      Never lose sight of your companions.

3)      Always wear a helmet and goggles. We wear helmets and goggles for all types of skiing, because it is safer and your goggles never fog when you put them on your helmet.

4)     Know how to make kick turns, and be able to put your skis back on in deep powder before you go. There are no groomed runs in the trees.

           Skiing trees isn’t about the trees themselves, it is about the white open space around and in  between them. This is your target, your focus, and your place to be when skiing in the trees. It is this white space that will provide you a skiing adventure that unto itself is totally fulfilling.

            The trees seem to tighten together as often as they seem to open up and give way to the white space between them. The amazing thing about this opening and closing is that there almost always is a way to ski through it. Well, that last statement is mostly true after you have been skiing trees for a long time. Why? The experienced tree skier knows a few tricks of the trade that helps guide them through the random pattern of open space created by trees.

            But, before we talk about these tricks of the trade, you should know that tree skiing is an  advanced type of skiing. It is necessary for you to have mastered crud and powder skiing techniques in order to be a competent and fluid tree skier. Tree skiing is sure to take you through every type of snow condition. Expect it.

             Now let’s talk tricks. First, you need to learn how to see the big picture and not focus only on the trees blocking your path. Look around and beyond the trees, scouting ahead for a continuing route through them. Always keep the trees somewhere in your vision, but bring the white space into sharp focus and find your line. If you are skiing into an ever tightening group of trees, glance left and right for an escape route and take the first one that opens up. As you make this jog continue to look left, right, and ahead through the trees for the next big open space (glade) as you continuously plan your descent. This is big picture vision.          

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

DECEMBER 2008 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: You want your child to begin skiing, so how do you make sure they are as excited as you are?

      When beginning this life event, there are a number of things to think about. The following thoughts and  suggestions should go a long way toward getting you started on the right path.

STEP ONE: PARENTAL REALIZATIONS FOR CHILDREN AGES 3 TO 6.

NEEDS

•  Can focus on only one thing at a time.

• Must have structure

• Everything should revolve around play

• Wants to copy you

• Wants to be warm and comfortable

LIKES

• Wants to feel safe

• Feels best when parents are near

• Seeks and enjoys praise

DISLIKES

• Standing around listening to you

• Going too far

• Movements that require use of arms and legs at the same time

• Being cold, wet, uncomfortable

STEP TWO: EQUIPMENT AND LEARNING THE BASICS

EQUIPMENT

• Putting equipment on for the first time should be done in the living room or backyard

• Next, simply walk around in boots and skis

• Make sure everything fits and functions easily

• Mittens instead of gloves?

• Do goggles fit on their helmet?

• Clothing appropriate for weather - not too hot or cold

LEARNING BASIC MOVEMENT ON SKIS

• You may want to start at a Nordic center.

• Rent equipment

• Make the outing an adventure

• Ski/Walk to nearby trees - look for animals

• Day two try a little downhill, herringbone uphill, sliding in the track, etc.

• Bring the dog if Nordic area allows it

• Take the child on a magic carpet lift to begin their introduction to a downhill area

• Always finish the outing with Hot Cocoa or other reward by the fire (not at home)

FINISHING TOUCHES THAT HELP

• As a parent, get up to speed by purchasing and viewing our Skiing for Kids DVD

• Peruse the internet forums at Kid's Websites to see what other parents are doing and saying

• Once a child is ready to be left with others in a formal setting, get her or him into a lesson or program

     In the beginning, a parent should be prepared to expend a lot of time and patience to prepare their young child for a lifetime of skiing enjoyment. After all, the payback is fantastic - years of skiing as a family!

Skiing for Kids (By Kids)

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

NOVEMBER 2008 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Excerpt from Powder E-Ski Booklet

POWDER SKIING: Understanding Up, Down, Retraction, Extension

     On the other hand, instead of flexing your legs up (Sucking them up as if jumping rope) you can also make a powder turn by extending them down to push your body up out of the snow. These two methods of turning in powder are known as retraction and extension. No, don’t get confused here. It is not that big a deal to understand these two types of turns.

*Retraction: Suck up, or retract your legs to transition from the end of one turn and feel your skis float under your body and across the snow, down into the next turn. 

*Extension: Stand up or elongate your legs to push yourself up and out of the turn and float your body across or over your skis (side-to-side) and down into the next turn. 

     When do you use retraction turning vs. extension turning?  It may help to think of retraction un-weighting as a close cousin to terrain "up" un-weighting. Retraction is very helpful in terrain where the surface under the powder changes during the same run. For example, if you are skiing through  the trees and out into an open area you may encounter three different surface textures: deep powder, no powder, or shallow powder on a firm surface. These changes are caused by the effects of sun exposure, wind, and protection from trees, etc.

     THE POINT: When transitioning your turns from seemingly bottomless powder into a drift, or snow that has been scraped clean by the wind, you will definitely want to engage your retraction turning technique. It  is like terrain un-weighting in the following manner. As your skis contact a firmer surface it is easier to suck your legs up to absorb the terrain change. To do this, use the muscles that pull your legs up under your  body as you relax the muscles used to extend your legs. This retraction movement allows you to skim over the firmer terrain and not be bounced out of position. Practice terrain un-weighting over small bumps and ripples, on easy runs, to prepare yourself for skiing varying powder conditions. After retracting your  legs to avoid abrupt impact with terrain, extend your legs down into the next turn for speed control. The most successful skiers are able to use both retraction and extension during the same run, depending on the snow consistency under foot. With practice, using both turning techniques interchangeably becomes second nature.

     *Again, retraction turning creates a feeling of your skis floating under your body from turn to turn. Extension turning creates a feeling of standing taller out of each turn, accompanied by the feeling   of your upper body floating across or over your skis, from turn to turn.

      Final Word: Use the extension turning technique for deeper, consistent, light powder. However, it is important to remember that you can use retraction turning for depth-consistent powder as well. It is fun to mix it up. Having a good command of both turning techniques is very helpful when skiing tracked powder.

STAND UP OR SUCK UP

– IT’S THAT EASY -

 AND THE TWO ARE ONLY SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT FROM EACH OTHER!

OCTOBER 2008 SKI LESSON OF THE MONTH: Angulation = Control

THIS PHOTO ILLUSTRATES THE SVMM MOGUL TURN

This turn works well all over the mountain, not just in the moguls.

      When skiing the SVMM technique, the skier's legs move far left and right of his center of mass, placing the skis on a higher edge angle than other mogul methods. This allows the skier to carve in the moguls, generating energy in the ski by counter-flexing it through the turn and rebounding off the energized ski into the next turn. If you want to learn more, our Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD gives a very simple explanation and visual demonstration of this technique. It is not surprising that this style of skiing works well all over the mountain, not just in the moguls.  Our other trademarked ski instructional system, SITS®, teaches you the fundamentals of ski technique in an easy and fun way, using simple imagery and basic on and off-snow drills. The secrets of SITS can be found in our book, A Weekend Warrior's Guide to Expert Skiing. After reading the book you can take your skiing to the next level by purchasing our DVD, which features the SVMM approach. It is a fantastic compliment to the book. If your serious about becoming a better skier these two products will get you there.

HIP ANGULATION

      The arrow in the photo above illustrates the angle created at the hips, between the upper and lower body. Notice the skier's shoulders are level. If you drop your shoulder into the turn you transfer more weight to your inside ski and increase your chances of losing edge control and falling.  If that were happening in this picture the skier's left hand would be lower than his right. To learn more go here.

Skiing for Kids      Testimonials      Online Store     E-Ski Booklets      Expert Skiing Book      Real Moguls, Expert Runs DVD

Back to List of Ski Lessons

Back to Bulletin Board