Garland Exercise
Garlands isolate the hardest part of carving — the turn initiation — and repeat it so many times it becomes effortless muscle memory.
Linked half-turns that swing toward the fall line and back without fully completing the arc — a classic drill for building edge feel and turn initiation.
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Watch & Learn
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Key Moments
Swing toward the fall line, then steer back across — like scalloped curves along the slope
Feel the ski load up as you tip into each swing toward the fall line
Keep the swings even in size and tempo — build a metronome quality
Run garlands in both directions across the slope — balance both sides equally
What It Should Feel Like
- ✓Like drawing linked S-curves on the slope that never quite close — a rhythmic, hypnotic motion
- ✓The edge loading builds and releases on each swing — you can feel the ski gripping and releasing
- ✓No complete turn means no speed buildup — it is a safe way to repeat the initiation phase endlessly
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Turning completely across the slope and stopping the rhythm
Stop before the full turn — only swing 60-70 degrees toward the fall line then return
Flat skis with no edge engagement
Tip the ski actively into each swing — garlands without edging are just traverses
Rushing the rhythm
Slow down and make each swing deliberate — quality of edge feel beats number of repetitions
Practice Drills
Counted garlands: perform exactly 10 garlands in one direction then 10 in the other — forces equal attention to both sides
Garlands to full turn: do 3 garlands then complete one full turn — the contrast between half and full turn teaches you what initiation feels like
Balanced stance garlands: perform garlands with your feet a comfortable, hip-width apart — a stable base improves edge sensitivity
The full guide
Reviewed September 2026
How to learn Garland Exercise
A garland is a series of partial turns strung together as you travel across the hill: you let your skis swing down toward the fall line, then steer them back across the slope before the turn is complete. It's a drill for skiers who can make wedge christies and are working toward parallel turns, and a useful warm-up for anyone who wants cleaner turn starts. Afterward, you should be able to release and re-engage your edges on demand.
What it is and when you'll use it
Seen from above, your track looks like a row of shallow scallops hanging from a straight traverse line. Each scallop is the opening part of a turn, repeated without ever crossing the fall line.
Because you never point straight downhill, speed stays low and you get many repetitions of the trickiest part of a turn in one pass. Instructors use garlands to teach edge release, to smooth the move from wedge to parallel, and as a warm-up for strong skiers sharpening their turn entries.
Before you start
You should be able to hold a steady traverse on your uphill edges, sideslip under control, and link wedge christies. A wide, smooth groomer of green to easy blue pitch gives you room to travel across the whole slope.
Start each pass from the side of the run after checking uphill for traffic, and finish where people above can see you. Work both directions equally, since garlands expose a weaker side quickly.
Step by step
Build each garland from a stable traverse, and keep the first swings small.
- Set off in a shallow traverse, standing on your uphill edges with the uphill ski slightly ahead and your hands forward.
- Release your edges by easing your ankles and knees a little downhill, just long enough for the skis to flatten and the tips to start drifting toward the fall line.
- Let the skis turn partway down the hill, guiding them with your feet and legs rather than your shoulders, and let your body move forward and slightly downhill with them.
- Before the skis point straight down the slope, tip them back onto their uphill edges and steer them back across the hill.
- Feel the edges bite and slow you as the skis come back across, then settle briefly into your traverse.
- Repeat the release and re-engage in an even rhythm as you travel across the run, keeping each swing about the same size.
- At the far side, stop, turn to face the other way, and do the same number of garlands in that direction.
Why it works
Every turn starts with two things happening together: the edges release so the skis can change direction, and your body moves toward where the new turn is going. In a full turn that moment passes quickly and is easy to muddle, especially when crossing the fall line feels intimidating. Garlands slow it down and repeat it, so you can feel exactly when the skis let go and start to turn downhill.
Steering back uphill trains the other half: re-engaging the edges and feeling them grip. Because each swing back across the hill controls your speed, you can stay relaxed and pay attention to sensations rather than survival, which builds trust in your edges.
How to practice it
Start on gentle terrain with small swings. If releasing both skis together is hard at first, open the uphill ski into a slight wedge to begin each swing, then bring the skis back together as you steer across the hill.
As that becomes easy, keep your skis parallel throughout, so the release comes from tipping both skis at once. Then make the swings bigger, letting the skis get closer to the fall line before you steer them back, and occasionally finish with one complete turn to connect the drill to real skiing.
Finally, take garlands to a slightly steeper blue slope or add a little speed with a firmer edge grip on the way back up. If the swings fall apart, return to the previous stage for a pass or two.
Common questions
Why is the drill called a garland?
The track looks like a decorative garland: a line of curved swoops hanging from a straight path. Each curve is a partial turn, and the straight line is your overall direction across the slope.
What is the difference between a garland and a traverse?
A traverse holds one line across the hill on steady edges. A garland uses that line as a base but repeatedly releases the edges to drop toward the fall line and then re-engages them to climb back, so it trains edge changes rather than just edge holding.
Should garlands be done in a wedge or with parallel skis?
Both are common. Wedge garlands help skiers still building confidence with edge release, while parallel garlands are the goal and make a good warm-up for stronger skiers. Some coaches also use a sideslip version.
How do garlands help me get to parallel turns?
The hardest part of leaving the wedge behind is releasing both skis at once and letting them turn toward the fall line. Garlands isolate that moment at low speed, so by the time you link full turns, the release already feels familiar.