Until now, you've learned the plow techniques, including plow with parallel. Hereafter, you'll learn the (continuous) parallel-turning techniques. For reasons described earlier, Pro Ski Instruction (PSI) teaches them in a different order than the Austrian School (AS) does.
That order is described below, but first the many parallel-turning arts:
- Modern wedeling with skidded turns (see About radius, corridor width and short and long turns why all wedeling turns actually are medium- to long-radius turns, not short-radius turns).
- Modern wedeling with carved turns.
- Classic wedeling (= with skidded turns).
- The skidded short turns.
- The hairpin turns: ultrashort skidded turns with carved between-turns traversing within a wide corridor (in a slalom, it has a different meaning).
- The step-up technique (for steep slopes with a rough snow deck).
- The carved long-radius turns at fairly high speed.
- Skiing competition moguls (with a fixed shape and position pattern).
- Skiing bumps (with naturally varying shapes and position pattern).
- Skiing powder.
- Modern slalom technique (with cross-blocking).
- Classic slalom, giant slalom and super G technique.
It is essential to remember that all techniques have different movement patterns at one or more points. At some points the movements are even contradictory between two or more techniques. If a ski instructor is telling something and does not mention about which turning art they are talking, you should ask them.
For leisure skiing, you should start with learning the following four techniques, because these are the ones you need in the mountains, even if your intention is to stay on easy slopes:
- Side-skidding, a technique for steep, icy trail parts. This technique is also included in the first lessons on this website, but you may have skipped those. And it isn't listed above because it isn't a parallel-turning art, but it is an essential beginners' skill for skiing in the mountains. To practice it, you'd need a medium steep slope with a smooth snow deck.
- Modern wedeling with skidded turns, a technique for narrow trails and wider but crowded trails. To practice it, you'd need a gentle-gradient slope with a fairly smooth and fairly grippy snow deck.
- The skidded short-radius turn. To practice it, you'd need a medium steep slope with a fairly smooth, grippy snow deck.
- The carved long-radius turns at fairly high speed, a fun technique for gentle-gradient to medium steep slopes with an smooth, grippy snow deck.
The order and the pole plant
The order in which the four techniques are learned is interchangeable, and it depends on your ability and the circumstances. The pole plant, where useful and possible, is covered in all the chapters about parallel-turning techniques.
Change log
- V. 2.0: changed concept.
- V. 2.1: added side-skidding as essential technique; edited text.
Continue to The Starting Postures →
