Parallel Turns
You'll stop snow-plowing and start carving clean arcs down groomed runs with speed and control.
The foundation of confident skiing — carving turns with both skis moving in unison across the fall line.
Watch & Learn
Key Moments
Hip-width apart, knees flexed, weight centered
Tipping both skis to initiate the turn
Plant downhill pole at turn initiation
Shift onto outside ski through the arc
What It Should Feel Like
- ✓Your outside ski feels like it's gripping a rail
- ✓You're steering your knees into the hill
- ✓The turn completes itself — you're not muscling it
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Leaning back on the tails
Press shins against boot tongues throughout
Skis splitting apart mid-turn
Focus on moving knees together as a unit
Upper body rotating into the turn
Keep shoulders pointing downhill, let hips follow
Practice Drills
Garland exercise: make 5 half-turns in one direction without completing the arc, then switch sides — feels the edge loading
One-ski skiing: ski down balancing on your outside ski only, lifting the inside — forces correct weight transfer
Counting the arc: count 'one, two, three' for each turn and make sure each number happens at a different spot across the hill