3 Tips to Better Carve on Skis | Fixing the A-Frame

In this ski tutorial, we teach you how to carve better by getting rid of the A-frame and its underlying causes. We teach you how to trust the edges by angulating better, how to activate the leg muscles needed to angle the inside ski better and how to fix your rotating hip. All common mistakes that may inhibit your carving technique. Join a Ski Technique Camp: stompittutorials.com/camps/
Get 10% off with the discount code: CARVLIKESTOMPIT
bit.ly/CARV-DIGITAL-SKI-COACH
00:00 Intro
00:43 What is the A-Frame?
01:31 Why is it bad to have an A-Frame while skiing?
02:05 What is causing the A-Frame?
02:17 A-Frame Cause 1: Blunt edges
02:36 Fixing edge distrust 1.1: Sharpen the edges
02:54 Fixing edge distrust 1.2: Pole drag to angulate
03:44 A-Frame Cause 2: Lazy feet/legs
04:04 Fixing lazy feet 1.1: Stand still rolling feet
04:57 Fixing lazy feet 1.2: One leg skiing to activate the muscles
05:44 A-Frame Cause 3: Hip dump
06:23 Fixing the hip 3.1: Build hip awareness
07:39 Fixing the hip 3.2: Build hip awareness (Less silly)
08:38 Put together: Trust edges, Roll feet, hip straight
09:19 Bonus drill: Soften inside leg
Join a Ski Camp for Adults: stompitcamps.com/
Stomp It Camps - Ski camps for adults
Ski Technique | Freestyle | Freeride
stompitcamps.com/camps/
Email Tutorials: mailchi.mp/stompittutorials/g...
Instagram: / stompittutorials
TikTok: / stompittutorials

[@anthonyalpha4118]

Your joy for Skiing is infectious! Thank You!

[@bearclaw5115]

Jens, you are the world's coolest ski instructor, big thanks for all the tips!

[@anthonyalpha4118]

Skied w/a younger racer yesterday, gave me valuable insights that I A-frame, and I skid-slide in my turning transition, especially on my bad knee rt side. Back to training today!

[@anthonyalpha4118]

After getting some excellent instructor observational feedback I can't agree more, and I appreciate this video all the more now!

[@anthonyalpha4118]

After skiing today, even more appreciative of this video. I'm aware of the ski-skid in my turn transition, I can feel it, and I'm now trying to correct it. Keeping even edge pressure is a challenge often. I really enjoy the poles strapped across the hips drill, easier doing up on the lift I found! Not silly at all, feels rather bad-ass actually!

[@adamshea7708]

A carv app would be cool but Jens is my digital ski coach. Thank you man, you rock! Biggest influence in my skiing getting better over that last 2 seasons. Much love from the Sierras

[@StompItTutorials]

Haha thank you Adam🤩 Id like to ski the Sierra’s some time.

[@anthonyalpha4118]

My exact sentiments Love Jens discovered him 9 months ago. Has forever improved & inspired my skiing. Hitting 180s w/a bad knee at age 52 now! I'm a Sugar Bowl/IKON Sierra skier myself

[@nextspring9916]

One of the best ski videos ! Explained and demonstrated very clearly. I did No know why My legs are so wide apart, and I was doing the hip dumps to compensate weak carve/edges. The drills are very useful and executable. So appreciated it, thank you🌹🌹

[@StompItTutorials]

Thank you so much 😊

[@yanxialzhou]

LOVE these videos! You make it look easy (by explaining it so well) and fun! Thanks!

[@MattsBaseballWorld]

Great video on fixing A-Frame... love the drills.

[@ludali8804]

Thank you so much ​@Stomp It Tutorials, I have this A-frame in one side but not the other, I'm thinking different ways to fix it but no luck yet. Until this video I know the exact cause: hip dump, I'm pretty sure it is the root cause and it happens to my right side hip. Cannot wait for my next run to fix it. Thank you so much again, keep on your good job!

[@mafiaduck01]

Great video, keep up the amazing content.

[@themorganator]

Wow, what a great video! Thanks for this!

[@lenzwiechers3961]

Awesome! Can't wait to try all of this in Austria in April!

[@c6moneypit8]

This was super helpful! I'm gonna work on these drills this week! Also, awesome jacket 👍

[@IMP3TIGO]

Another helpful video, thank you!

[@123CaSsE123]

heard about the "lifting inside leg" 4 years ago, it improved my fun level on piste alot. sadly we were not so much able to ski the last two years.

[@StompItTutorials]

i hope you get to ski this winter

[@anthonyalpha4118]

You guys rock it out thanks!

[@mbal4052]

Brill thanks! I’m going to Meribel at the end of the month I’ll be trying some of these tips 😁

[@christianhorner001]

Excellent video tutorials! Thank you! and G'day from the Aussie snowy mountains 🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@growgoodco]

Your piste always looks amazing! And the videos are great too. Thanks for all your work.

[@StompItTutorials]

Thank you very much! :)

[@Rocstoneau]

I love your tutes. :-)

[@falk.r.h8963]

very helpful vid

[@anthonyalpha4118]

On a roll today, I'm like you, in the middle of drilling I feel the need for a quick Send-like a quick Spreadie, then slide rt back into the drill. Mabey someday I'll Send a quick 3 like yourself virtual ski buddy/coach. Well sorta like yourself anyways lol!

[@robharrison1010]

Did the drills and incorporated your tips this afternoon at Red Mountain, BC. Super helpful! Thank you Jens!!!

[@Yepowful]

even the straps on the 2 poles?

[@robharrison1010]

@@Yepowful got me - no didn’t do that. Did hold them together across hips though :-0

[@chendavid2880]

I love you Jens, you made the video that I have requested and commented in your last video, although the tips being very good I tore my acl so maybe I’ll try them next season

[@StompItTutorials]

Thank you and I am very sorry to hear about your ACL. May it teach you patience and disciplined rehab :) I wish you speedy recovery.

[@eadecamp]

Last time I skied was 2006 and I was just about ready for the diamond. I wish we had videos like this.

[@JP-we7gm]

Good job Thanks

[@Jakob_Nybo]

Thanks for a nice video ;-)

[@Chipmunk1215-]

For anyone struggling with the a frame I would just like to mention you can only fix the a frame if you know it’s cause, do not try random a frame drills because I have used 6 different drills over 5 weeks and got absolutely nowhere. This is because I was trying to fix it without knowing the cause, just like curing a tarantula bite with scorpion antidote. It has no effect. My cause for the a frame which was not meant io ed in the video is mostly a lack of the build phase in the turn - I jump from 1 edge to another without having the skis flat in between edge change, as soon as my trainer noticed this during a basi exam I tried it and had better results with a reduced a frame than any over drill by having an actual build phase i Ahmed to completely remove the a frame on my left side as my right is the outside ski then on the right hand turn it is still there. I believe this is because my left foot is weaker so to fix this I am going to strengthen my elf side 1 ski skiing. This is not a dis on his video, he is a much better skier than myself but I have only just found the issue 2 days ago meaning it’s cure is Fresh in my head as he is way past a framing so would have forgotten some stuff he went throigh to rid of it. So if you read this far figure out the cause then fix the frame. You cannot cure covid with a flu vaccine nor can you fix an a frame with the wrong drill

[@rich8304]

Drills build skills !

[@christy4akiki444]

very useful🔥

[@StompItTutorials]

Glad it was helpful!

[@philliptoone]

9:28 Interesting comparison to archery. I've never heard this before. I'm going to try it. Thank you for sharing this with me.

[@philliptoone]

@@JB91710 Awesome! Thank you. I think I kind of do this anyway but I will try this mental exercise and see how it feels.

[@altair1983]

I still suffer from this. (especially if piste is in bad shape) but have improved a lot recently. What helped me, besides improving my physique, was getting better, more aggressive, skis. Now I have more confidence that they will bite the slope, especially if surface is hard

[@zway436]

Could you do a video on „ skills and tricks you can learn in a week“? For all the people with max. 10 ski days a year. Make the best out of those nice rental skis 😂👍

[@charliemotts]

Another trick to help with getting rid of the A-frame, is to initiate your turn with your inside knee. Use your inside knee to point in the direction you want to turn, and your outside knee will follow. That helped me.

[@shooter7a]

This is truth. But using that inside leg is hard. The balance is very very difficult for many. One ski skiing is key to developing this inside ski awareness and control. A light forward tilt of the pelvic bone and arching of the back really improves inside ski edge control. It also puts you in a stronger position. This is hard to describe, but doing uphill ski Garands drills will help you feel it.

[@rafalwachulka340]

Your tutorials are great, but your camera man is even better :)

[@kimsiekerman]

Nice video... Will deffo try that out tomorrow. I've a massive a-frame and unfortunately wide hips so it looks even worse. I have tried pushing out my inside knee but that ski always ends up riding away up the hill from me too much. Yet when I check the videos, the inner ski is at a lesser edge than my outside ski. How can that happen 🧐???

[@kunz6512]

The bonus tip is good. Focus on outside ski. Personally, I feel this is drill is useful when we want to ski bumps/moguls.

[@mrfuckyou1972]

Question. I'm having issues with my parallel turns and carving. I'm a novice skier (I've mastered the snowplow turn and can I can easily do javelin turns) I rented my skis this season and noticed I have very soft boots (Tecnica Mach Sport HV 70) could that be contributing to my problem? Should I move up to 90's ?

[@dasalpengluhen1747]

To draw a bow? Have to say I never heard of the idea to describe the motion by that. But, of course, it might be a pretty good way to soften the inside leg, get more pressure on the outside leg AND get the upper body outwards much more naturally and easily… Interesting! 👍

[@Gottenhimfella]

I have not heard of the bow analogy but I'm certainly inclined to agree with him (and you) that it could be a great way to get the inside ski at the same edge angle as the outer ski. There's no snow where I am at present but I will definitely try this once there is. Another thing I find helpful is not just softening the inside leg, but the largest muscle in the body. Particularly when starting a series of short turns from a traverse on steep terrain, I find it very useful to radically soften the downhill gluteus maximus (butt cheek) as the first step in initiating that difficult first turn in the sequence. As the softening spreads down the leg, the body's centre of mass naturally tips down the fall line and there is no impediment to loading and edging the turning ski so that it will begin the turn whose conclusion will restore harmony by passing back across (and again slightly uphill of) the centre of mass.

[@Joe-wi3rv]

Is the skiing with one ski drill possible to do on skis with asymmetrical edges? I have K2 Marksman’s and I find that one ski skiing is incredibly difficult.

[@matiaspoutanen271]

Thanks for the tips👍what Atomic skis are u using? Redster X9?

[@GooogleGoglee]

I would like to know too 👍🏻

[@StompItTutorials]

In this video I ski the X9 WB (wide base) its a little wider which is nice after snow fall or in spring. I like it alot as i find the radius perfect with around 14.7m.

[@juanf9078]

Where are you guys? And how we can contact for personal coaching

[@oscarlainz]

What skis do you recommend for a skier with good level (20years+ skiing in the pyrenees), I would like a ski for 80% carving long turns on the piste and 20% going off piste, 0% park. Injured knee. Stockli sr95 or similar?

[@s1mo]

Hey this video is cool! I'm currently skiing on the bent chetlers 100 I absolutely love them for literally everything, I'm learning to carve better and I love them for that too But on very very icy snow, as you said, I don't trust their grip because I can feel them sliding a little, so I end up just giving up carving on black icy runs, or the steeper parts of red runs Everything is fine literally everywhere else and I love how playful they are Would it make sense to sharpen the edges? I bought them 2 years ago, but only skied about 12 days on them this season

[@ewanharvey6900]

Yes

[@doanything5659]

I finally landed a 180 of a small/ medium park jump.

[@MartinClimbs]

nice work bro, 360 soon!

[@doanything5659]

@@MartinClimbs yeah, I’m supper excited. I’m going to post a video of me doing it soon on my Chanel hopefully.

[@sir_bumpalot]

One other possible reason for A frame might be your boots. You can make an test. Put on your boots at home at a firm surface, stand up and stand like you would ski in a upright position. On what part of the sole are you standing? For me i was on the outside edge. To be flat on the sole(and ski) i had to bring my knees/legs in an A frame (or X frame.) Watch my video, this is before i adjusted the boots. Clearly i tend to do have an A frame here. I will do another video with the adjusted boots.

[@jerzybartonezz4439]

Every racer does a hip dump. I am confused. Thanks for sharing.

[@ginale7649]

Hi, I'm starting to learn how to ski and find it difficult to parallel and carve the way you do in your tutorial, I came stumbling down the mountain not being able to make left turn and crashing as I feel I'm going to fast and try to control my speed but couldn't. Do you have any advise for me? Thank you.

[@NowImUnderControl]

I am not Jens but it may be case (like with me) that you maintain too much pressure on the left leg when turning left because it is your dominant leg. Elate media has a great Video on this (and other beginner topics)

[@danielclv97]

you can control the speed by making bigger turns and going in an diagonal path between turns, the closer you are to going perpendicular, the slower you will go, if you point your tips slightly up-hill, you will loose speed or even stop. Basically you can adjust your speed at every turn. Try to find a slope with bigger width so you can have space practicing this, try to first control your speed and always go with the speed you feel comfortable, increase the speed as you feel more in control. You don't have to worry and try to carve like this from the beginning. Also, if you don't feel in control on red or black slopes, just stay on blue ones until you learn more. At least this worked for me. Good luck!

[@Gottenhimfella]

My main advice would be to be more selective in which videos you watch. You are aiming way too high. This one (along others from the series) is aimed at expert skiers. They have different problems and challenges than you do, and their solutions will not work for your problems. You need to forget trying to ski like an expert and try to ski like a strong intermediate skier. When you have achieved this, try to ski like an advanced skier, and so on.

[@zarmusic8155]

What ski u use. Green one.

[@Gumby1974]

Will your tracks show a-framing?

[@sl0m0_]

"If you are someone you know is suffering from A-Frame, you may be entitled to monetary compensation"

[@sunuciha7308]

Hello im beginner i from 🇯🇵

[@user-vd6wb5ef8v]

I have A-frame but the effect is opposite: my skis tend to go apart, which means that my outside ski wants to make larger radius than the inside one.

[@kevinwu693]

This is because you didn't apply direct pressure onto the outside ski during your turn. Practice stork turn should fix your issue right away.

[@user-vd6wb5ef8v]

@@kevinwu693 Thanks, Kevin. What do you mean by DIRECT pressure? As to stork turn - I do practice it and am quite confident with turns on the outside ski. Yet cannot turn on the inside leg, though do it easily on skates

[@kevinwu693]

@@user-vd6wb5ef8v Direct pressure means that throughout the turn from initiation and release, you should balance yourself and steer your turn shape ONLY on your outside ski. Your inside ski should be unweighted throughout and only following your outside ski to get ready to become the new outside ski in your next turn. You should not try to turn and steer with weight on your inside leg as that will make your inside ski have a narrower turn shape then your outside ski, creating a V shape and unmatched edge angles, which is causing your A-frame. If you truly can do stork turn consistently, all you need to do in your normal skiing is to just lightly put your outside edge of your inside ski on snow, matching the edge angle of your outside ski. It would be hard to form a V shape skis if you don't have pressure on the inside ski and steer it.

[@user-vd6wb5ef8v]

@@kevinwu693 Thank you for detailed reply. I need to say that I practically got rid of A-frame by practicing angulation at the mirror to control correct posture of both shins and upper body as well as skiing without poles with my hands on my knees. This reduced my problem with skis going apart but not completely. Another detail is that my skis go apart only on the right turns. The left turns are OK. Incidentally on skates similar thing: I do left turns on the left leg more confidently, with more tight turns and more tilt (hockey U-turn), than the right turns on the right leg. This makes me think that my problem is with the inside leg. Indeed on left turns I manage to load the inside left leg probably 30% of my weight and it goes OK. Attempt to load the inside right leg on right turn makes me loose the balance. On my last skiing session I managed to bit this problem by loading the nose of the outside ski to bend it more. PS. A bit of theory from school mechanics. When I see a good skier on the slope I examine his tracks. The depth of the inside ski track seems to be almost the same as that of the outside ski - this does not match the theory that the inside ski should be loaded very lightly. Besides is the inside ski is not loaded, or loaded insignificantly, and it will not be bended as the outside one. Consequiently it will carve a bigger radius - how would you comment on this?

[@kevinwu693]

@@user-vd6wb5ef8v Unloading the inside ski does not mean you should not carve your ski in the snow. It is about how you distribute your body weight onto two skis. Your outside ski should be held responsible supporting your body weight in the turn. Inside ski is carved into the snow but not supporting your body weight. Think of inside ski like a rail that is just helping your inside leg to follow your outside leg in parallel. You can't get rid of the tracks. Your boot, leg, and ski are heavy and it will leave a similar track like the outside ski even you fully unweight it.

[@shooter7a]

10:10 is not a good tip. Do not "pull" up your inside leg. The carving action of the inside ski must do the work to PUSH the inside leg into the shortened position. If you find you must pull up your leg, it indicates that you lack inside ski awareness and the ability to control your inside edge. As soon as you start your new turn, you need to sort of lock your outside strong leg in a stable position (20-25 degree bend at the knee) and your INSIDE ski is what controls your turn radius. If you crank the inside ski to a higher edge angle, it will start to carve away from the outside ski. Use this to push your inside leg into the short position. Never simply "pull up" on the leg. It will likely put your back into an A-frame position and generally just mess up your turn. One ski drill and gaining confidence in the inside ski edge is the best way to enable this driving of the inside ski/knee.

[@weirdbeard1980]

When I'm coaching I just say "uhhh ski better"

[@nathanville3810]

Where he is?

[@maloneycraig]

Laax

[@pinoterenzi5180]

Learn to ski

[@0leandr1]

You better get rid of you low rider position :)

[@Moose_Knuckles]

3:29 a skier sprays a snowboarder on purpose and keeps going!!! how rude

[@amundekroll7490]

I do not think that you have a lot of experience teaching people to ski.

[@BeastModeWarrior]

fav video

[@StompItTutorials]

Thank you°