Help - shaking legs and speed control issues on steep reds

hi,

I've just become an intermediate skier - progressed to red runs with little trouble - but when the slope steepens I've had some problems containing the speed, in particular when the edges start to bite my whole leg + skis start shaking violently, I lose control (and it's not very pleasant!) and I fall quite often.

Question: am I simply using too much edge? I've tried to use less and the shaking eases off but then I slide more and can't seem to control the speed properly. Do I maybe need to lean forward more? Or perhaps it's normal to be going faster and I just need to get used to it?

I'm off to chamonix next week so sorting this problem out will ensure getting the best out of the place!

Thanks

If you are making parallel turns, my guess is that you are pushing out with your heels at the start of the turn and then sliding sideways on high edge angles. Use turns, not braking to control your speed. You need to shape your turns into half circles, and don't stop turning until you have slowed to your desired speed. The longer you ski like the way you describe, the harder it will be to improve, so taking some lessons will pay off.

Excellent, thanks a lot! One last question: you mean making bigger turns slows you down, going all the way across the piste? Or can you slow down with smaller turns too?

But I'll definitely get some lessons.

I think what Trencher means is you turn uphill in order to slow your speed down. The instructors call it 'finishing your turn' which I find a very confusing term because as far as I can see it's a totally new turn up hill after you've actually finished your original turn just to slow you down. So instead of following a nice S down the mountain you sort of put in little loops uphill in between each turn.

Ski instructors seem very keen on this technique and they keep banging on about it as you progress up the ski lesson groups. In fact, I got told off last month for braking after a turn instead of turning up hill as I was approaching one of those narrow junctions.

If you have some lessons you will very quickly learn how to do it because you just follow the same route on the snow as the instructor. When they were teaching me how to do it they made me ski straight down the fall line and then turn off and swing back uphill in order to slow down.

But it does make the next turn more difficult because you have further to turn.

If you're struggling on reds then I'm sure lessons would really help. Everything becomes much harder when it gets steeper.

Ally

Thanks, that's really helpful. In fact, I did more or less know this and that's what I was trying to do, or thought I was, but the turn 'uphill' on steep slopes is exactly what was causing the problem - it seems easier just to go more quickly down. You're right about it making the next turn more difficult - also, looking at more advanced skiers, it just doesn't look like that's what they're doing. Ok, more lessons it is for me!! Thanks again.

Can you recommend any good instructors in Chamonix?

Would recommend BASS and having 1/2 day ski lesson. I ski 5-6 weeks a year and awlays take time out for some instruction from them.

From what you are describing I would suspect your weight is too far back meaning not enough pressure over center of ski. This is likely combined with you leaning slightly into slope on steeper runs hence the un-weighted ski is getting lively.

Lessons and practice will cure that one.

Cheers! Thanks all.