fear of speed when learning parallel sking

Thanks for that, it brings a lot of clarity.

Carving turns at low speed needs good balance, if you are doing something fundamentally wrong you will definitely end up on your a*se.

Pablo Escobar wrote:Carving turns at low speed needs good balance, if you are doing something fundamentally wrong you will definitely end up on your a*se.

Pablo,
I totally agree with this.
I tried carving slowly, in a lesson, and I couldn't do it at all. Once you're going fast enough (not too fast though!) it's easy. But I did find I needed a wide clear area to do it in. It's no good trying to do it if there are other people all over the place (as a beginner carver I mean).

Ally

Pablo Escobar wrote:Carving turns at low speed needs good balance, if you are doing something fundamentally wrong you will definitely end up on your a*se.

That's why I said lower speeds. You do need to create enough force in the turn to balance against, but the speed needed to create enough force to balance against, becomes lower with a smaller radius carved turn, which is easier to
do on a smaller radius ski.

AllyG wrote:Pablo,
I totally agree with this.
I tried carving slowly, in a lesson, and I couldn't do it at all. Once you're going fast enough (not too fast though!) it's easy. But I did find I needed a wide clear area to do it in. It's no good trying to do it if there are other people all over the place (as a beginner carver I mean).

Ally

Absolutely. wide, smooth, easy runs. Wait for lulls in traffic, so you can concentrate on carving, not doing a people slalom. Check for the potential traffic from above.

Trencher

Thanks again! :thumbup:

At lowish speeds my GF proceeds down the mountain with small wiggling turns, relatively effortless, upper body hardly moving. Starting this thread came out my session trying to learn to imitate that, but probably it is not carving, and she does not call it carving. Maybe I can teach my straightish skis to do tighter neater skidded turns for the times (actually, most of the time) when I want to be slow. It is no good asking her how to do it, she just says '1. face down the mountain, and 2. ski and ski ski.'

Hi,

A great way to learn parallel is to do the following:

Get shorter ski's, 10cm shorter than your use to. Start by doing one full turn at a time, loose the poles, aim yourself straight down the hill with your arms out in front of you, as you build you speed put both hands on your inside knee of the turn and push the knee into the hill, as you begin to turn put pressure on outside ski until you stop.

Practice this in both directions. when you get used to turning with more speed, start to link your turns, to do this, again without the poles, as you turn release the pressure on the ski's by standing up as straight as you can on the ski's and take your hands of your knee and pionting them straight in front of you again, and you will notice the ski's will automaticlly start steering themself's down hill again. When the ski's are facing straight downhill start making your next turn, again going down and pushing both hands on the inside knee. Keep at it untill you get nice flowing turns. You will also notice the faster you go the easier it gets.

Before you start using the poles again, repeat the above steps by placing your hands on your hips throughout the whole turn, this will get your stance right. When you do start using your poles again, remember to keep your hands up and forward as if you holding a giant steering wheel, you should always be able to see your hands in front of you.

Carving is the much the same as above only with more speed in the turn, and not putting any pressure into the turn, as you turn try and keep your weight driving forward on your toe's.

Maybe none of this will help, but it's how I teach all my friends.

Just one more thing, a common mistake with people learning to parallel/carve is they keep there ski's too close together. Keep your ski's shoulder width apart, you will have better balance. Keeping your ski's close together is old school, and not really thought anymore.

Innsbrucker wrote: she just says 'face down the mountain'

That's what I told my oh when he was learning...He did and broke his collar bone! :shock: But I know what she means. :D