If you think you’re good with blue runs but not quite ready to take it to the next level, we bring to you some drills to up your game and prepare you for the black runs.
The one ski drill:
It is essential to learn to be in complete control of your body while on one ski. This improves your balancing ability and your revolving strength both in and out of turns. You should be able to link turns by putting most of your weight on a single ski. At the beginning, you might be able to put as less as 10% of your entire weight on a ski and the rest on the other one. In order to turn, just shift your weight from your big toe towards the little one and you’ll feel the end turn. To balance your body, you can extend your arms out in front of you. This should be practiced using both legs until you’re good to alternate between the skis.
Complete revolution:
This drill is to be done on a mediocre slope. You get into the turn but should remain rotating at 360* in order that the turning edge stays uphill in the same direction as the one you’re turning in. When you spin, you improve your edge control and also your ability to ski roll. The best way to get a hold of this is to link the spin turns as you go down the mountain and also fluctuating the pressure level on the edge.
Pole Plants:
These help you align the upper part of your body with the bottom both in and out of turns. You should begin with stretched radius turns. The key is, if the ends of the skis are at a 12 o’clock angle, you should touch the pole at an 11 or 1 o’clock angle. This touch of the pole should initiate another turn so must be timed such that the skis go about the fall line and slash across the slope. If the radius turns are short, the pole should be touched at a 3 or a 9 o’clock angle.