Turning Techniques

Skiing has been a popular sport for about 150 years. During that time various techniques have been developed for navigating down snowy slopes. Some of these techniques eventually lost popularity but there are a few enduring methods that are still in use today.

Telemark

The earliest skiing technique was developed by Norwegian Sondre Norheim in the 1860s. It became extremely popular and was in continual use until the 1940s. Telemark turns are accomplished by letting the downhill ski trail behind the uphill ski by bending the knee of the downhill ski. The skier's weight is shifted to the uphill ski which forces the skis to turn.
Although telemark skiing lost out in popularity to stem skiing and parallel skiing, it enjoyed a revival in the 1970s and today enjoys a loyal following – mostly among those who combine cross-country skiing with downhill skiing.

Stem Skiing

Stemming was introduced by the Austrian skier Mathias Zdarsky in the 1890s. It involves pushing the uphill ski away from the downhill ski to form a 'V'. Zdarsky went on to train the Austrian army with this skiing technique during the First World War. Most beginner skiers are familiar with stemming in the form of the snowplough.

Stemming can be used for controlling the speed of the skis as well as for turning. By angling the skis inward and applying pressure to their inside edges the skis can be slowed and stopped. Snowplough turns are done by angling the uphill ski away from the downhill ski while shifting the weight. As the turn is finished the two skis are brought parallel to traverse the slope.

Parallel Skiing

Parallel turns were introduced in the 1930s. This style of skiing paved the way for high speed alpine skiing – in fact, it can only be done at relatively fast speeds. Parallel turns are accomplished by angling the outside ski toward the direction you want to turn. For example, if you want to turn right, you have to apply pressure to the right edge of the left ski. This forces the skis to cut into the snow on one side and turn.

As the name implies, parallel skiing involves keeping the two skis parallel to each other. Weight can be quickly shifted from one ski to the other to perform fast, tight turns. However, the cutting action of the ski edge makes the ski lose a bit of speed, so to overcome this, carve turns were developed.

Carve Turns

Carve turns became possible with the development of shaped skis in the 1990s. The shape of the ski allows it to turn naturally by placing weight on it, so high speed turns can be accomplished without any of the skidding associated with parallel turns.

In order to master carving technique you have to control the weight distribution over each ski. In particular, the weight must be smoothly shifted from ski to ski as each turn is finished.

The turning ability of a shaped ski is determined by its sidecut radius. Skis with a deep sidecut (the 'cutaway' section of the ski under the boot) can turn more easily than those with a shallow sidecut.

Recommended Reading

1. Winter Sports, Skiing
Skiing is a sport wherein the skiers glide over snow with the help of skis made out of wood planks...
2. Parallel Skiing Comes Second
Ever wonder how Olympic skiers go from the bunny slopes to the big boy hills? It takes practice, practice and...
3. Water Skiing Techniques
When you are just starting out as a water skier, or if you are more advanced water skier, there are...
4. Formula D Racing Drifting Techniques Used In The Sport
Have you ever watched a Formula D race before? Formula D Racing, also commonly referred to as Formula Drifting, is...
5. Speed Water Skiing
The main idea of water skiing is to run a course at all ability levels and being able to create...