Snowplow to Parallel
You'll make the leap every beginner dreams of — ditching the snowplow for good and skiing like the people you've been watching all day.
The full transition from snowplow skiing to parallel stance — systematically reducing wedge dependency run by run until both skis move in unison.
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Watch & Learn
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Key Moments
The trailing inside ski is the last link to the wedge — learning to match it is the whole skill
After crossing the fall line, actively draw the inside ski parallel — commit to the movement
Each run open a smaller V — the goal is to barely open at all before matching
A touch more speed makes parallel feel natural — being too slow makes the transition feel forced
What It Should Feel Like
- ✓The wedge feels like a safety net you're slowly pulling away from yourself — that's exactly right
- ✓When the inside ski matches cleanly, there's a moment of pure parallel skiing that feels completely different
- ✓Progress is non-linear — some runs feel like full parallel, others fall back to wedge — both are normal
Common Mistakes & Fixes
Trying to be parallel from the very start of each turn
Use the wedge to initiate and match at the end — shrink the wedge each session, not overnight
Matching too early in the turn before weight is transferred
Wait until you are past the fall line before drawing the inside ski in
Forcing the parallel and losing control
If you feel unsafe, open back into a wedge — comfort builds the confidence to match naturally
Practice Drills
End-of-turn match: ski a full wedge turn and only match the skis in the last meter of the arc — isolates the matching movement
Wedge shrink game: rate your wedge opening on each turn from 1 to 5, and try to lower your average each run
One perfect turn: make one clean wedge-to-parallel turn, stop and feel it, then make the next — quality over quantity
Prerequisites
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Your Progression
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Level 1
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Snowplow to Parallel
Level 3
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Side Stepping
Level 1