Keeping skis parallel to each other can be difficult, especially when you are skiing down an uneven hill. But if you don’t do it, guess what? You’ll wipe out faster than you can say: “oops!” And hopefully, it won’t be a dangerous fall.
So, in this lesson, you’ll learn how to keep your skis parallel to each other while skiing. Not only is this a must have skill for you to learn that will keep you safe on the hill, but it’ll allow you to try new tricks. How cool is that?
Before 1980″s the “desired” skiing style was having legs very tight together so that the two skis were in “parallel” at all times. The “lower” level skiers would open up into a pie shaped arrangement during the turn. This was called “stem christien”. The experts would keep legs together showing the lesser ones that they are the “alpha” males (and some females). Very much like dogs that keep their tails high to show social strata!
Many tears ago for skiers wishing to be level 3 ski instructors they had to ski down terrain with varied inclinations with a red handkerchief stuck between their knees. Open just once, you failed the examination since the red handkerchief would fall to snow!. That is parallel skiing at its best. Few skiers, except some “old instructors” ski this way now!
Why?
Equipment has evolved resulting in a more dynamic skiing style. Boots have a softer flex, skis are more “shaped” for effective ski performance.
Due to the major changes in equipment skiing has really become easier. Really! But changes, any changes for some is difficult ,,,,,,initially!
Carving means that you use the ski effectively. The skier carves the ski run very much like you using a knife, from one edge (of one ski) to the other edge ( of the other ski). In short, in a carving ski technique you transfer all pressure from one edge, right away to the other edge. There is no flat stage where you stay flat on the ski bases. It is a “on the edge” skiing style which is very effective, very flowing, very sharp with no lateral tail movement!
You will also note that skis are apart and NOT parallel while skiing. yes the elegance is gone!!!!!
In short “parallel skiing” is gone!
Carving skiing is IN!!!
This is not just a “vogue” or passing fad! New skis require you to ski this way. It is easier. It is more fun, once you accept the change and take the time to learn it.
Look at it this way, some years ago the skiing world was “rejecting” steel edges as “cheaters”! Poles were rejected since one pole was enough. Plastic boots were “cheap’ and of course wool was much better than polar fleece!
Time to change. The term and concept parallel skiing should be allowed to rest. Elegance still has its value, not efficient this glued legs technique called “paralleled” but elegant!
As a result, parallel skiing enables faster shorter radius turns suitable for steep terrain where speed control is important, carving is great fun on well-groomed blue pastes where long sweeping turns at high speed are possible.
Modern parallel technique is that the skier should adopt a wider stance (i.e. skis not close together) since this gives a more stable base and facilitates angulation at the knee joints as well as the hips giving much better edge control. It should be noted that even though the skis aren’t together they are still parallel.
Another thing to note is that a Pure carved turn cannot be any shorter than the turn radius designed into the ski. A pure carve is achieved when the ski is set on its edge, and pressure at the center of the ski causes it to Decameron bend such that the tip and tail of the ski are “higher” than the middle. This creates a track in the snow that the ski will follow, and very little snow will spray.
Racers do this all the time; you can tell when they’re losing speed because more snow flies around as the ski skids sideways. You will note that a modern slalom ski has a radically short turn radius, and a correspondingly high side cut. Fat powder skis have much less side cut, as the narrow waist would sink, and the much wider tips would dive into the soft snow. Really fun powder skis have reverse side cut and reverse camber, but that’s another topic entirely!
Last, carving is a form of parallel skiing.
Parallel simply means both skis are pointed the same direction. That old hokey knees-together crap that we did up to the mid-80s … is also parallel. It’s just not appropriate to today’s equipment, and physically impossible with some of today’s skis.
I hope you enjoyed watching this video. If you are wondering which skis are best for you, personally, checkout our equipment guide where you can see which types of skis are best for you. And as always, if you have any questions, you can always call our store and get your answers from one of our knowledgeable staff members. 🙂
Good luck and keep those skis parallel!