One-sided skiing

I have spent about 9 weeks skiing over the years and have come to the end of my tether.
I can ski parallel fine one way, but the other I still have to make snowplough turns until I am along the straight, and it is frustrating the hell out of me!
Don't get me wrong, I can whizz down medium reds and get to the bottom in one piece, and I can go a whole week without falling, but I just have this real problem which I want to get sorted. I've tried private lessons but unless I spend a whole week with one instructor, I don't think I'm ever going to conquer this, and think I may have to give up skiing or change to boarding, which I've tried a couple of times.
If anyone else has had this problem, I would greatly appreciate any feedback. many thanks!

Hi,

I had the same sort of problem. The only advice I can offer is : -

1. Before initiating the turn make sure you plant your pole in the snow right out past your ski, marking the area where you want to turn. Then.
2. Bend your knees and lower your body in preparation to spring back up to take the weight off your skis.
3. When initiating the turn around your pole try reducing the snow plow turn as much as possible and then spring (or jump up) whilst in the turn, this should make the turn easier as you have taken the weight off of your ski?s.

For what it?s worth!

I can't address your problem directly. I'm sure there are other who can.
A couple of ideas did occur to me though.

Have you ever tried inline skating (or ice skating)? The progression for making turns is very similar. I suspect your problem is getting your inside leg out from under you and skating would be a way do do this without wasting valuable ski time. Ask for more info if you are going to try this approach.

The other, more personal question to ask is, do you have problems with other task that require physical movement symmetry ?. It's one of those left/right brain things and would be useful to rule out. A lot of people have differences between thier left and right turns on skis. A lifetime of asymmetric movement takes some time to overcome.

Trencher

You are normal, most people are stronger at turning one way or another in the same way that when snowboarding you will favour either a natural or goofy stance. I would make an educated guess that if you?re a natural stanced snowboarder, you?ll find it easier to make right turns on skis or vice-versa if you?re goofy.

Your problem of not being able to make parallel turns is a symptom of having your weight over the front of your skis when you initiate the turn (on your weak turn), and can easily be eliminated with some cognitive learning. Performing a series of hockey stops on your unfavoured side would be one drill I'd recommend if a client came to me with this problem.

Another good idea is to do a drill called garlands. You need a fairly wide, uncrowded slope. What you do here is start a left turn, until you're in the fall line (skis pointed directly down the hill), and then turn right. Repeat until you're at the side of the hill, and then go back the other way. This way, you can keep practicing turn initiation on your weak side while finishing on your strong side. And vice versa.