Pole Planting
Your turns will develop a confident, rhythmic beat that improves timing and balance simultaneously.
Timing your downhill pole plant to trigger turn initiation — the heartbeat rhythm that gives advanced parallel skiing its cadence and balance.
Saved on this device — no account needed. View your progress →
Watch & Learn
Not clicking? Try a different teaching style below.
Key Moments
Downhill side, level with your boot toe — not behind you
Plant comes from wrist and forearm, not the whole arm swinging
Plant triggers the turn — the pole hits just as you begin to tip the skis
Think of it as a metronome — plant, turn, plant, turn, consistent beat
What It Should Feel Like
- ✓The pole tap is light — a touch, not a stab into the snow
- ✓Each plant sets off the turn like a starting gun — you don't plant then wait
- ✓Your arms move forward constantly, not reacting after the turn is done
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Planting the pole too far behind
Keep hands in your peripheral vision at all times — forward, not back
Swinging the whole arm
Flick from the wrist — arms are mostly quiet, wrists do the work
Planting after the turn has already started
The plant must come first — it triggers the movement, not follows it
Practice Drills
Touch-the-snow drill: ski without poles and reach down to touch the snow where your pole would go — builds spatial awareness
Arm frame check: hold both poles out horizontally across your chest — they shouldn't move as you turn, only your wrists dip
Walk-the-talk: stand still and mime the plant motion slowly 20 times — wrist flick, arm stays still, imaginary touch down the hill
The full guide
Reviewed September 2026
How to learn Pole Planting
A pole plant is a light touch of the downhill pole in the snow that marks the start of each turn. It's for parallel skiers whose turns work but whose rhythm feels inconsistent, or whose upper body tends to swing around. With practice, you should be able to time a pole touch with your edge change on groomed runs and use it to keep your hands forward and your turns flowing.
What it is and when you'll use it
A pole plant has three parts: the swing, the touch, and the recovery. As one turn finishes, you swing the downhill pole tip forward with your wrist. The touch lands as you tip into the new turn, and then your hand keeps moving forward, ready for the next one.
Skiers use it for timing and stability. The touch cues the edge release, gives you a brief extra point of balance, and helps you keep facing down the hill. It matters most in short turns, on steeper terrain, and in bumps, where rhythm counts.
Before you start
You should be able to link parallel turns on green and easy blue groomers. If your turns are still inconsistent, keep the touch light and treat it as a timing cue rather than something to get exactly right.
Check your pole length too. A common rule of thumb is to turn the pole upside down, grip it just below the basket, and look for your forearm to sit roughly level. Poles that are too long push your hands up and back, while poles that are too short make you reach and bend at the waist.
Step by step
Start on an easy groomer at a relaxed speed, where your turns don't need any help.
- Hold your hands forward and slightly apart at about waist height, where you can see both of them at the edge of your vision.
- Grip the poles lightly, with the tips pointing down and a little behind you.
- As a turn finishes, begin swinging the downhill pole tip forward with your wrist and forearm while your elbow stays fairly still.
- Touch the tip to the snow on the downhill side, about level with your boot toe, at the moment you start tipping your skis into the new turn.
- Let your body flow past the pole as the turn begins, without pausing or leaning on it.
- Bring that hand forward again right away so it never drags behind your hip.
- Repeat on the other side, keeping the same beat from turn to turn.
Why it works
Good turns depend on timing, and the pole touch gives your body a clear signal for when to change edges. Tying the touch to the edge change removes the pause many skiers leave between turns, so your rhythm steadies.
It also shapes your posture. Reaching down the hill draws your upper body to face that way, which helps it stay stable while your legs turn underneath. And because the swing starts before the turn, your hands stay forward, which helps keep your weight centered instead of drifting back.
How to practice it
Begin by skiing medium turns and saying 'touch' out loud at each edge change without using the pole. When the word and the edge change line up every time, add a light pole touch at that same moment.
Next, try a series of short turns on a gentle blue, where the rhythm becomes more obvious. Move to steeper groomers, and then to easy bumps, only once the touch feels automatic, since that's where a well-timed plant gives the most support.
Common questions
Do beginners need to plant their poles?
Not at first. Many programs introduce a light pole touch around the time skiers start making parallel turns, then refine the timing once those turns are consistent. Beginners mainly use poles to push along flats and to get up after a fall, and some programs start people with no poles at all.
Should I plant my pole on every turn?
In short and medium turns, most skiers do, since the plant sets the rhythm. In long, fast turns on groomers, many skilled skiers use only a light touch or skip it. Whenever you do use it, time it with the start of the turn.
Which pole do I plant?
The downhill pole, which is also on the inside of the turn you're about to make. To turn left, you touch your left pole.
Why does my pole plant twist my shoulders around?
That usually happens when your whole arm swings across your body, or when you reach so far that the plant pulls your shoulder with it. Keep the motion in your wrist and forearm, plant to the downhill side rather than across the front of your skis, and recover the hand forward quickly.