Falling Leaf
Your edge control and fore-aft balance will improve dramatically, and sideslipping in any direction will feel natural and precise.
A controlled diagonal sideslip that alternates forward and backward — drifting down the slope like a leaf floating in wind — a key drill for edging and balance.
Watch & Learn
Not clicking? Try a different teaching style below:
Key Moments
Begin from a static sideslip — flat skis, sliding straight down the fall line
Press your toes to shift weight toward the tips — the skis drift diagonally forward-downhill
Press your heels to shift weight toward the tails — the skis drift diagonally backward-downhill
Alternate forward-drift and backward-drift in a flowing S-pattern down the slope
What It Should Feel Like
- ✓Like you are steering a boat with your weight rather than your hands
- ✓The skis responding instantly to where you shift your pressure — fore moves tips, aft moves tails
- ✓A drifting, fluid motion that feels effortless once the fore-aft balance clicks
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Edging too hard and stopping the drift
Keep skis nearly flat — just enough edge to control speed, not enough to grip and stop
Using the whole body to shift instead of just the feet
Pressure comes from rolling your ankles toward toes or heels — the hips barely move
Looking down at your skis
Eyes forward and across the slope — looking down shifts your weight back and disrupts the balance
Practice Drills
Pure forward drift: sideslip and just press your toes — only drift forward-diagonal until you feel consistent control before adding the backward phase
Rhythm counting: say 'forward, forward, back, back' out loud as you drift — the verbal cue links the weight shift to the movement pattern
Narrow vs wide: do the falling leaf with a narrow stance then a wide stance — feel how stance width changes your balance point and drift direction