Skiing is a sport that has quite a long history associated with it. The BBC states that the ski was invented before the wheel. If you're like tons of us that enjoy skiing and see it as a way to relax, then all you need to do is strap your feet to some skis and make your way across the slopes. However, if you want to be a bit more professional in your skiing, there are a few things you ought to keep in mind. In this article, we'll look at a few things you should address to become a better skier.
Adapt Training to Focus on Balance
It's no secret that balance is a critical part of being a good skier. Without proper balance, you may find yourself running headfirst into a tree. While you could always check Dr. Hal N. Arnold to get your teeth fixed, it's best just to avoid running into any trees. Ideally, the best way to train your balance is to practice skiing on each leg individually. You don't want to attempt this on any dangerous slopes. Just standing on the ski and shifting from one leg to another every thirty seconds can do wonders to improve your balance and endurance. You should aim to keep your hips level and your hips and shoulders facing downhill.
Use Your Edges for Skiing
Skiing isn't just about having the flat sides of your skis on the ground always. Ideally, you'd be using the skis' edges to guide your motion and make sharp turns. To start training for edge skiing, consider standing on the hill perpendicular to the slope with the uphill edges dug into the hill. With your skis parallel, pole-plant, and roll with your ankles so that you turn about the pole. Set up again in the opposite facing direction and try the move again. After a while, it'll feel like second nature to you. Skiing makes use of the edges. If you're not using them, then you're not skiing - you're sliding.
Lean into Your Stance
Have you ever heard someone use the phrase "skiing in the back seat?" The term deals with leaning back when skiing, making it seem as though you're seated in the backseat of a car. You lean back on your skis, using the rear of the apparatus to pivot your movement. Skiing in the backseat is no fun because you lose a lot of presence on the slope and have less control over your activity. To get out of the backseat, lean forward as you ski. Your shins should be pressing against the front of your boots. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet with your hands forward. This form lets you use the whole edge of your ski to initiate stable, smooth turns.
Being Better at Skiing Takes Practice
Very few prodigies simply strap on a pair of skis and automatically know what to do. For the rest of us, if we want to be better at anything (especially skiing), we need to practice. Some practices are easier to break than others, and it's only through dedicated practicing that we can make our mistakes and learn from them. No one becomes a pro overnight, and these exercises will work if you keep doing them often to become second nature.
