Ski IQ
Welcome to Ski IQ, your go-to resource for elevating your understanding of ski technique and all things skiing. Dive into our comprehensive guide featuring ski terminology, safety rules, and tailored advice for skiers of all levels. Take our interactive quiz to assess your knowledge and discover personalized exercises to achieve your skiing goals. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced skier, Ski IQ is here to boost your Ski IQ and enhance your on-mountain experience!
Need To Know Common Ski Terminology
Beginner
Snow Plough - Creating a triangular stance with you ski tips close and your tails wide apart
Plough Parallel - A blend of snowplow and parallel with in the turn
Parallel - Skis are aligned and pointing in the same direction, parallel to one another.
Fore-Aft - Forwards and backwards movement
Downhill Ski - This is the ski further down the hill.
Vertical Movements - Range of movement up and down. This typically comes from flexion and extension of your ankle and knee.
Slope Levels - Ski slopes are graded depending on their gradient. The most commonly used scale is green, blue, red, black. Black being the most difficult ski run.
Intermediate
Pole Plant - Planting your downhill pole in the snow before you turn.
Lateral Separation - The separation between your upper and lower body through your torso leaning laterally towards your outside ski.
Rotational Separation - The separation between your upper and lower body through your feet pivoting while your upper body points downhill.
Outside Ski Pressure - The pressure applied to the ski on the outside in the turn. For example, this would be pressure on your left ski when turning right.
Turn Shape - The shape of turn created between the start and the end of the turn.
Edging - Angulating the ski to place the edge of the ski into the snow.
Skidding - Sliding the ski sideways or obliquely. this is when the ski has some grip on the snow but is also sliding along the surface at the same time.
Advanced
Edge angulation - The amount of angulation your skis have.
Inclination - A term commonly used for the movement at the top when your body inclines inwards. This is done to help the skier achieve a higher edge angulation.
Carving - Where the ski is bent against it’s natural camber into an arc, and that arc shape guides the skis along a curved path.
Base of Support - Location of the skiers weight on the snow.
Centre Of Mass - Specific point in the body where we consider the mass of the skier and equipment to be concentrated.
Ski Technique
Ski Fitness
Learn The How-To Basics!
Beginner
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How To Learn
Notes: No ski poles needed. See technical notes below before performing the steps.
Step 1 - Choose a flat section on the snow with no traffic. With your ski’s on, practice going from a parallel stance into a snow plough while stationary.
Step 2 - Practice turning around with your skis on in 360 degree circle bother ways.
Step 3 - Side step 10 meters up a gentle ski slope with a flat run out. When side stepping, dig your uphill edges in the snow to gain traction. Take small steps, keep your ski’s parallel and face across the ski slope.
Step 4 - Face down the ski hill in a snow plough stance. Then place your ski’s parallel and slowly move your ski’s into a snow plough stance until you come to a stop.
Step 5 - Once comfortable with step 4, go a little further up the hill and try again but this time go from snow plough to parallel 2 - 3 times.
Technical Movements
Shin Pressure
Maintain shin pressure with the front of the boot throughout the movements.
Keep your hips elevated and forward to help balance and low your lower joints to be mobile.
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How To Learn
Notes: You may opt to not use pole. when learning to snow plough. See technical notes below before performing the steps.
Step 1 - Choose the bottom section of a gentle ski run with a flat run out (approx. 10m in slope length), side step up and try to perform one singular snow plough turn stopping to one side. Remember where you point the arrow of your snow plough is where you’ll go.
Step 2 - Repeat the singular snow plough turn multiple times on both sides until comfortable.
Step 3 - Go further up the hill and try again but this time try linking two snow plough turns together.
Step 4 - Now do the same 2 snow plough turns with your hands up and out wide and reach your hand over to touch your down hill knee when completing the turn.
Step 5 - Now hike or side step higher and do 4 long snow plough turns across the hill linked together while touching your downhill knee with your hand.
Step 6 - Once you are achieving the first 5 steps easily, try it on the easiest beginner slope available. This would typically be a magic carpet area.
Technical Movements
Shin Pressure
Maintain shin pressure with the front of the boot throughout the movements.
Separation
Lean your upper body up and over to place weight on your downhill ski. Outside ski will be the left ski to turn right and vis versa. This will give the downhill ski edge traction to take your ski’s across the hill.
Edging
On the side of your ski’s are metal edges. Use these edges to grip the ski to the snow by angulating the ski the appropriate amount to gain edge traction
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How To Learn
Notes: To first learn parallel, you will need to perform plough parallel turns. Choose a easy green run for this.
Step 1 - Bring your skis to match into a parallel stance in the transition phase between turns. This mean parallel skis when skiing across the slope and snow plough in the turn. Perform long turns for this exercise.
Step 2 - Now try to bring your inside ski in to match your outside ski towards the end of the turn. The aim is to finish your turn with skis parallel
Step 3- Now try try bring your inside ski in to match your outside ski towards the middle of the turn. And continue this progression until your entire turn is parallel.
If you need to step instead of slide your inside ski over, then do so. If not, roll your inside knee in to help match your outside ski edge angle.
Technical Movements
Vertical Movement
Extend by moving your hips tall for the beginning of the turn to unweight the ski’s, then gradually flex your ankle, knees and hips midway through the turn. This will help initiate the turn.
Shin Pressure
Maintain shin pressure with the front of the boot throughout the movements.
Separation
Lean your upper body up and over to place weight on your outside ski. Outside ski will be the left ski to turn right and vice versa. This will give the downhill ski edge traction to take your ski’s across the hill and allow your inside ski to step in.
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How To Learn
Notes: There are two types of chairlifts, fixed grip and detachable. Newer chairlifts are typically detachable meaning they slow down when in the lift stations. Fixed grip chairlifts stay at a consistent speed meaning they usually give you less time to get on and off. So keep an eye out for the older looking lifts!
Step 1: Take your pole straps off and wait at the loading gate
Step 2: When the gate opens move all the way to the loading area which will usually be marked with a red or green line. If you are not ready at the gate then skip a lift and wait for the next.
Step 3: Place both poles in one hand holding them half way down.
Step 4: Look back and ensure you are in the correct position and ready yourself for the lift. If you're on a chairlift then lean back and slowly pull the safety bar down. If it's a button lift then be sure to stand and not lean back into the button when placing it between your legs.
Step 5: When unloading, stand tall, keep your skis parallel and lean forward. Lift the bar on a chairlift and place your hand on the seat to help push yourself forward. For button lifts, widen your stance and push the button lift away from between your legs when at the top.
Intermediate
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How To Learn
Notes: Pole planting is an essential movement to tackle steeps, bumps and short turns. It also helps with your timing and tempo.
Move your hips tall upon starting the turn -
Plant your downhill pole right before initiating the turn near the tip of the ski. First practice in medium or long radius turns.
Pull the pole out of the snow as soon as you start your turn. It is ok if it's more of a pole touch than a plant and should happen quickly.
Once comfortable try it in short radius turns
Aim to pole plant from your wrist rather than swinging the arm to stable the upper body
Technical Movements
Vertical Movement
Extend by moving your hips tall for the beginning of the turn to unweight the ski’s, then flex your ankle, knees and hips midway through the turn. This will help move into a good position to pole plants.
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How To Learn
Notes: Short turns are a very useful turn shape for variable snow conditions, moguls, narrow ski runs and high traffic areas.
Make your corridor of turns no more than 10 ft
Rotational separation is key to help control and tempo
Narrow your stance to enable more mobility on the skis
Pole planting will help change from one set of edges to the other more easily and quickly
Move your hips up and tall at the start of each turn. This will help initiate the turn.
Technical Movements
Vertical Movement
Extend by moving your hips tall for the beginning of the turn to unweight the ski’s, then flex your ankle, knees and hips midway through the turn. This will help initiate the turn.
Rotational Separation
Separation between your upper and lower body by facing your torso down the hill while your feet pivot below.
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How To Learn
Notes: We do not recommend attempting runs steeper than a green prior to skiing parallel.
Adapt your turn shape when skiing or approaching a steep run. Finish your turn across the hill and use the shape of your turn to control your speed.
The edge angle is higher when the slope is steeper making it harder to balance and have edge grip. To counter the edge angle below you must lean your torso laterally to your downhill ski. This will help you balance on the edge and apply force (weight) to the downhill edge giving it traction to take you across the hill.
Aim to keep your speed consistent. If you slow down considerably at the end of the turn then the acceleration when you start to turn will feel abrupt and the ski will feel more difficult to turn.
Try to feel shin pressure with the front of the boot to help maintain control of the entire length of the ski.
Technical Movements
Vertical Movement
Extend by moving your hips tall for the beginning of the turn to unweight the ski’s, then gradually flex your ankle, knees and hips midway through the turn. This will help initiate the turn.
Shin Pressure
Maintain shin pressure with the front of the boot throughout the movements.
Separation
Lean your upper body up and over to place weight on your outside ski. Outside ski will be the left ski to turn right and vis versa. This will give the downhill ski edge traction to take your ski’s across the hill and allow your inside ski to step in.
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How To Learn
Notes: When the snow conditions are icy we recommend choosing easier ski runs and avoiding red or blacks. Look ahead and aim to make your turns on the outside of the ski run can help you get to some softer snow. Sharp edges also help!
Shin pressure is essential on the ice as it allows you to have control and gain traction of the entire length of the ski edge
Separation should be exaggerated on ice to prevent the skis from slipping away.
Technical Movements
Shin Pressure
Maintain shin pressure with the front of the boot throughout the turn.
Separation
Lean your upper body up and over to place weight on your outside ski. Outside ski will be the left ski to turn right and vis versa. This will give the downhill ski edge traction to take your ski’s across the hill and allow your inside ski to step in.
Advanced
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How To Learn
Notes: Carving must first be learned on easy green runs and then progressed from there. The steeper the run the higher the edge angle required to control your speed through turn shape.
Choose a wide run with little traffic. Start with pointing your ski’s across the hill, push off and roll on to the edge by moving your ankle and knee laterally without your feet rotating until you come to a stop. If you leave two clean lines in the snow behind you then you've achieved a carve.
Repeat this multiple times both ways.
Now try linking carved long turns on a wide flat piste by repeating the same movement. It is key that you are patient when rolling onto the edge to avoid skidding. You may stop again to check you have left clean lines in the snow.
Once you are able to carve wide long turns consistently you may then try shortening the radius.
Technical Movements
Shin Pressure
Maintain shin pressure with the front of the boot throughout these movements to have control of the entire length of the ski.
Separation
Separation through leaning your upper body laterally and allowing your knees below you to set the ski on edge is key to balancing when carving.
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How To Learn
Notes: Moguls demand physical fitness, requiring mobile movements and core strength making them fatiguing regardless of skiing ability to navigate the challenging terrain effectively.
Practice traversing across moguls at slow speed with the goal of as much ski and snow contact as possible through absorbing the bumps by flexion and extension of the ankle, knee and hip joints while keeping your torso stable.
Now practice short turns in a narrow corridor on piste with a narrow stance and strong pole plant near the peak of the mogul while exaggerating your flexion in the transition(in between the turns) and extension at the start of the turn.
Next; combine these movements in the bumps attempting your turns in a narrow corridor.
Pick your first 5 turns before setting off and look 2 turns ahead while in the moguls to choose the best line,
Technical Movements
Stance
Ski with a narrow stance to help pivot your skis turn together and maintain a narrow corridor.
Pole Planting
Use a strong pole plant to help with your transition from turn to turn
Maintain shin pressure with the front of the boot throughout these movements to have control of the entire length of the ski.
Separation
Separation through keeping your chest facing down the hill while your feet pivot below you.
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How To Learn
Notes: Your ski type will make a huge difference to your ability to ski powder and the amount of effort required, this is why we recommend a powder ski. We only recommend skiing powder for advanced skiers.
Move your center of mass slightly back so you feel yourself steering the ski through the heel of your feet while maintaining ankle flexion and shin pressure. You should aim to keep your ski tips just abover the powder.
Pressure should be applied gradually and skis should pivot on top of the powder
A narrow stance will greatly help with turning the skis together and keeping your ski’s afloat
Use a strong pole plant to help with your transition from turn to turn
Technical Movements
Shin Pressure
Maintain shin pressure with the front of the boot throughout these movements to gain control of the skis.
Poleplant
Planting a downhill pole just before you start your turn. We recommend powder baskets on your poles when in powder.
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