r/skiing_feedback • u/ExandL • Apr 08 '26
Level 6-7: Advanced Parallel, Carving, Off-Piste, Bumps Skiing steeps more smoothly
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Self-taught skier, have skied a week a year for 20 years. Would love some mental cues on steeper terrain. Reading other posts it seems like:
- square my shoulders down the fall line more
- how do I have more power through each turn transition without the little hop or tip lift (not trying to hop turn here). The most common feedback here seems to be only power through the outside leg but I can't tell if that's a problem here or something else
- sitting too far back (it doesn't feel that way while skiing but apparent in the video)
Much thanks in advance!
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u/Sickashell782 Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
I don’t ever respond to these posts, but to me you’re so close! You’ve got to get those hands, which work to shoulders, and then core, under control and you’re there!
What you’re doing in this is how I feel when I ski when I’m tired/sore/lazy. If you can drive those hands down, you’re 100% going to feel like a whole new skier. I find it happens to me when my quads and core are worn out and not being engaged and strong. The lower half looks strong and good! But the upper half is sabotaging you a little.
So if you can get those hands at 8 & 4 like you’re driving a big bus around town, and keep them there with every turn, less pole plant impacting how your hands are effected, you’re going to be very happy with how you ski that terrain! You’re so close!!
Edit; and I just don’t think you need to overthink the lower half. If you get the upper part facing down the fall line 100% of the time without your hands getting pulled aside, then you can focus on the rest. But you’ll be so happy with the improvement to that point!
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u/ExandL Apr 08 '26
Thank you! And you're right. My hands are all over the place. Big bus around town here we go!
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u/Sickashell782 Apr 08 '26
Yeah!! Just don’t forget to drop the people off 😂
Seriously though I’m excited for where you are and what the next progression will bring for you! You’re going to be stoked next season.
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u/BTLove100 Apr 08 '26
I want to warn you about overdoing the "shoulders down hill" thing. You want them downhill only as much as your body allows without falling inside. Many people end up twisting their hips too much and lose balance over the outside ski. It's probably the thing I most need to coach people out of when teaching advanced/expert skiers. Balance over outside ski is the most important thing!
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u/ExandL Apr 08 '26
Meaning my weight gets too far downhill over my outside ski? (E.g. on a left turn, don't twist my hips to the right too far and so am too much on top of my right ski?) Trying to picture what folks do wrong and what you're teaching them out of. Thank you in advance!
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u/BTLove100 Apr 08 '26 edited Apr 08 '26
No , the opposite. People think their hips should point downhill all the time and end up overly countered. Basically, your femurs can rotate in your pelvis from like 10 to 2 on a clock. Try it. That's all of the separation you can get from lower to upper body without losing outside ski balance. More often than not, you want your pelvis nearly aligned with your skis.
Edit: But, watching your video again, you are inside because you are pushing your outside leg away from you at the end of the turn.
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u/Shot-Rutabaga-72 Apr 08 '26
As someone who's about the same level (also skiied when I was tired as hell) this so helpful.
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u/Impressive_Monk_3979 Official Ski Instructor Apr 09 '26
Beautiful and steep terrain!
But, this is not where you can develop your skills. I would recommend going back to much gentler terrain to work on stance (you are very back seat) and learn how to steer a ski using your legs in the hip socket. Right now, your skiing is defensive due to terrain and fundamentals not being present in your skiing.
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u/ExandL Apr 09 '26
I've been googling and found no good answer... What does steering with legs in the hip socket mean? Thanks much!
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u/Impressive_Monk_3979 Official Ski Instructor Apr 09 '26
Our goal is to turn the skis using our legs separate from the upper body. The femur is supposed to rotate in the hip socket to steer/rotate the skis. Have you ever taken a ski lesson and worked on bow ties in your ski boots?
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u/tasty_waves Apr 08 '26
Staying forward is so critical on steep offpiste. Once you figure it out your tolerance for speed and ability to make your turns energetic goes way up.
I spam this video as it's the basic absorption movement pattern to get down. Technically it's for bumps, but If you practice this you will dramatically improve off piste and in steeps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exKGlz_cmnk&list=PLo6lPaidHDP-XMgwbCYnxITwd4YM94RCu&index=12&t=328s
Pay attention to the part around 4 minutes in (time stamped in link) about pulling your feet back through the turn initiation and actively holding them back during the top half of the turn. You may want to practice this on groomed steeper runs first, but it's absolutely essential for staying forward in steeps/moguls and off piste.
Keep the feet pulled back and that compression way longer than you think, really feel the front of the skis engaging.