How to increase your edge angle | Advanced ski carving

In this video, Tomas Mical, level 4 ski instructor, Aspen pro and Carv Performance Insitute instructor shows us to how ski with a high edge angle. It's a topic that comes up a lot at Carv. Most of us aspire to look like Tomas when we ski - and the Carv system is always pushing you to ski with a dynamic, stable turn - but the clue is in the 'stable' part.
The secret to skiing like Tomas isn't just 'getting low' or pushing it at the apex. The thing is, high edge angles are just the output, and it’s knowing the input that’s the tricky bit.
It's all about two other metrics in Carv - Early Edging and Early Weight Transfer.
Two subtle but powerful Carv metrics are key to mastering the art of high edge angles. To score well, you'll need to use these skills much earlier in the turn than you might think.
Tomas Mical breaks down how Carv's Early Weight Transfer and Early Edging metrics actually work, and how to put them into your technique so you can make turns like his.
Watch the video to get his tips and drills for getting your "ass to the grass".
Check out how Carv works at: getcarv.com/data
With thanks to Aspen Highlands and Aspen SkiCO
Skier: Tomas Mical
Tracking sensors: Carv
Music: MB01E3DTOYI5RNZ

[@mehrdadshayegh3955]

While skiing, when you get the feeling that you are walking on clouds, then that is the ultimate pleasure.

[@hondajacka2]

Your skiing is so beautiful. I need to watch this again to grasp these concepts.

[@WildMidwest1]

This is the exact video I have been looking for to get me into these skills. I was struggling with early weight transfer and early edging last week. Your drills are greatly appreciated. Heading to the airport for Carv Camp this week at Castle Mountain in Alberta. 😊

[@CarvSki]

Say hi to Morgan for us. Hope these help you crack those metrics - it’s hard to retrain your body and technique so make sure to practice!

[@WildMidwest1]

@@CarvSkiWill Do 🎉

[@michaelbrown3351]

Excellent explanation and demonstration.👏🏾👏🏾

[@CarvSki]

Thanks!

[@waki_resigns]

I am a beginner who just discovered sensation on getting on the edge and staying on it through a portion of the turn. I also learned how not to hurry into a turn and hurry the "rotation" which casuses skidding (aside of pushing with legs too fast and sometimes chaotically. Now, I am a much better mountain biker than skier, often doing cornering drills on an asphalt parking lot with a rather rigid bike with slicks. I also do some drills on wide gravel roads with proper full suspension MTB. Watching your video it becomes clearer to me how similar these two sports actually when it comes to trying to achieve a smooth, powerful turn with a big dose of lean angle!

[@marcogiardinastories]

Tomas and CARV Team 🙏 for these quite relevant Drills … and YES 🙌 they truly works … I couldn’t 🎥 film as I was too focused on the execution and with too little time but amazing feelings as the edge angles start to naturally increase…it felt really like driving a sport car with superior grip …

[@14anjuli]

Simply perfect explanation❤, this video is gold🏅

[@CarvSki]

Thanks a lot 😊

[@ramirochipont8770]

Perfect explanation as usual! Great to see a coworker showing how great ! SALUDOS TOMI!

[@CarvSki]

Glad you liked it!

[@giuseppemicheli596]

Very Good explanation on transition And what To do To early weight transfert To The Next outside ski .

[@julsia6798]

You explained it so well, thanks! Sometime the simplest things take time learn! I love Carv...

[@CarvSki]

Glad you’re loving it 🙏

[@ionlovsky3983]

Great skiing, great tips. Thanks for posting this!❤

[@CarvSki]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@thediamonddad9531]

Best video of demonstration following clear explanation. Great work

[@CarvSki]

Glad it was helpful!

[@marketasveda9138]

great job! Simple explanation and great performance... and motivativation for others

[@CarvSki]

Thank you 🙏

[@charlesarcher9626]

Thanks so much for these helpful drills and explanations

[@CarvSki]

You're so welcome!

[@ahbd1212]

thank you so much! very useful 🙂....I will try next week in Arabba, Dolomites

[@patrickpurcell3671]

Wow did not realise that you can shift your weight to new outside ski so soon. Thanks for great explanation 😊

[@CarvSki]

Happy to help - it’s really a big change in mindset how early you need to shift the weight.

[@MarisaGiuliana]

Beautiful explication Many thanks From Italy and France border Livio

[@cinzia598]

Thank you for this video. I did the drill all afternoon, and my early edging went from 50 to 60. My edge angle has improved also, although a little less. I wish there were more videos with drills to help improve the Carv metrics. Thank you!

[@CarvSki]

Fantastic! great job! thanks for the feedback, im happy it helped your scores so quickly

[@pezhmanmostafapour4405]

Perfect👌

[@kuanjuliu]

I'm allowed to exaggerate my fundamental A-frame for an early edging drill? Challenge accepted! A wonderful video: I hope there is time left in my season to try this.

[@mersindvstries9911]

Amazing project

[@CarvSki]

Thanks 🙏

[@Davidr3G]

Most amazing skiing here. I like this style better than Ligety. So much power and grace.

[@realdealneal14]

Thanks, very good content from Carv as usual. I didn’t though really follow the first exercise, could you repeat the key points from that? The second exercise to go down and incline the inside leg looks really good and I look forward to practicing that one!

[@meiocheng817]

Nice! I've never been much for trying to achieve certain body positions in drills, whether it's learning skiing or golf or any other sport. I found, for me, that upping my ski speed, the physics of turning forced me to also increase my edge angles and get my butt closer to the snow. Then, the rebound off the apex of the turn, forced an early weight transfer and early edging. Pure physics. But the key for me, was to increase my overall speed about 25%. Last year, my avg speed was about 18mph, and this year it's almost 23mph, so my edge angles have increased, and my early edging has increased, and my early weight transfer has increased. I was at Aspen just a couple weeks ago, when the World Cup circus was in town, and I was carving big GS turns at 45mph, on Spar Gulch! Having beautiful groomed trails helps a lot.

[@Matt-cc1jv]

Ski Faster, Turn Quicker, Don't Fall (that is my mantra) your body will learn what you need to learn to do naturally if you push your limits. Did those frisbee catching dogs go through drills and step by step training, or did the just have a goal, "catch that moving thing as quickly as possible"!

[@labibnader8755]

Logical because the maximum outside pressure is reached when the skis become parallel to the slope. The minimum or zero outside pressure, (flat skis) is reached when the skis are perpendicular) 90deg) to the slope. Therefore, the beginning of weight shifting or transfer begins at the apex of the turn. The good skier is the one who can tell exactly when his skis become perfectly parallel to the slope(Ie, determine when the apex of the turn is reached). This is the most difficult part. Needs milage!!! Conclusion:Tomas has described it perfectly well.

[@kenken23]

It was also very insightful that how Early Edging metric is calculated inside Carv. I hope we can see this kind of explanation for other metrics as well.

[@CarvSki]

Thanks we will certainly consider it!

[@beastyfast]

I was interpreting it totally different based on the in-app description. The chart was very helpful.

[@onlinewen]

Yep, it is kind of different from in-app explanation

[@Joevannini69]

I’ve used CARV in this ski season being very happy with it. Your drills are well explained and especially the second one is opening my mind, surely next time I’ll try to apply them, thank you for this video. Congrats for the CARV project and greetings from Italy! ⛷️👍🏻

[@CarvSki]

Thank you and we’re thrilled you like it!

[@phlack1001]

Sounds like an advanced topic. Maybe I can work on it later in my ski week at the end of the month!

[@CarvSki]

Good luck!

[@karengleason4791]

I’m skiing Aspen, Snowmass now!!!!

[@marianvendel1418]

Very good dear friend.

[@msfinch2930]

Do you think by starting the weight transfer at the apex, where the skis are pointing down the fall line, you loose the opportunity to use the energy stored in the ski to create acceleration through the transition?

[@shijunli]

Vow, beautiful and powerful skiing. I need to watch it again to digest. As an adult, I find it's so hard to improve. It might be because of the limit of flexibility overall. The way to fold the body like you requires quite a lot of flexibility, especially the dorsiflexion on both ankles, especially again the inside ankle. 😅

[@CarvSki]

You are retraining your body with new movements. It is hard, practice on gentle terrain to relearn the feeling of these moves - especially early weight. If you’re using carv the feedback shows you when you’re doing it right

[@davidballou8693]

Really nice description. I want to try it today, but unfortunately, Iam not at Aspen Highlands.

[@CarvSki]

Oh no! Have fun wherever and whenever you get on snow

[@RaulTT1812]

Nice video and good explanation. But the conditions that he's skiing are even rarer than a bluebird powder day. Think about it, recently groomed snow, no ice, no bumps, uncrowded or empty piste, perfect almost constant pitch, unlimited visibility, and reasonably wide piste.

[@CarvSki]

Yes I think that’s a reasonable comment - we are lucky to ski mid week at amazing resorts like aspen. Although most of the time we don’t get this lucky!

[@ardenpowers7730]

While focusing on high edge angle and turn shape, it is important not to "hip dump" in the process . . . Thanks for sharing

[@CarvSki]

Very true!

[@houhenry1]

​@CarvSki he said "drop down ", it's very easy to be interpreted as hip dumping ...

[@ardenpowers7730]

@@houhenry1 After 27 years of instructing, I can assure you that I know and have seen "hip dumping" 1st hand . . . Some students like to exaggerate their hip position to try to touch/get closer to the slope.

[@gabrielalvarez5154]

What's the difference between hip dump and what he said about getting the hips down the ground ?

[@ardenpowers7730]

@@gabrielalvarez5154 Hips out of anatomical position in regards to the mechanics needed to properly execute the turn. ( see Deb Arnstrong vid which includes hip dump )

[@user-ks2vd5ws7g]

Interesting how the ski instructors' world is so different to race skiing. For any race coach this would be a video "how not to ski", basically never "ass to the grass" and always stay over the outside ski. Especially nowadays, with Marco Odermatt in charge... Otherwise it is nicely presented ski instructor stuff.

[@ryanslab302]

I have this guy as an instructor. He knows how to teach for Carv’s way and he knows how to teach the right way.

[@pad2120]

Hi Tomas great video! I'm a Deer Valley ski Instructor taking a bunch of training clinics. Also skiid with Ted Ligedy in Park City. The focus of early edging for us is the "hip thrust" over the downhill ski earlier than normal. Do you have any comments on this?

[@chrisbaynhamhughes2376]

Could you explain this please? Describe through the hip thrust or better still, a video on it please? Super curious as to what you mean

[@ivokoimecs]

Nice! ... 😀👍

[@CarvSki]

Thanks! 👍

[@giuseppemicheli596]

It would be apreeciable if The ski coach spend a further explanation on upper body movement To The Fall Line during transition. ..

[@estelja]

What radius ski were you on for this video? I'm guessing 16-19 meters.

[@sinclair7673]

What location is this? The background looks so pretty!

[@CarvSki]

Aspen highlands

[@pablomartinez7093]

👌

[@tvardalos]

superb instructions and tips here,...

[@CarvSki]

Glad you liked it

[@RolandYong]

Regarding 0:14, I'm hoping someone can answer this here or explain why this happens. I'm also experiencing this where the new downhill/outside ski is not tracking very cleanly as compared to the inside ski (has vertical motion while in the arc). Increasing outside pressure kind of helps but not consistently. This also seems to only happen with softer snow, whereas on ice it's not an issue. I'm on a pair of Rossignol Hero Master STs, so it's unlikely a stiffness issue.

[@74neverlast]

I assume - you have to build up the right edge angle BEFORE you pressure it ... otherwise it wont hold - secondly your body is not in the right position - means too much inside ski pressure. Either of those or both

[@onlinewen]

If i start shiffing weight at apex to old inside/new ouside/up hill leg, on the pressure graph, shouldn't I see the inside leg getting darker at the end of the turn? Instead, on leader board, the inside is getting lighter as the turn ends.

[@CarvSki]

Good question - Carv's pressure curves in the app look at relative pressure, with the highest pressure being darkest - so your transition will always be quite faint as the pressure transition is occuring gradually and is basically 'overshadowed' by the high pressure in the apex. The metric is very sensitive to it - in particular having a very light (new) inside ski at the start of the turn - so I suggest you use that more than the pressure curves. We will consider making these more sensitive to early weight

[@brookscurran]

holy outside ski chatter at 0:14

[@CarvSki]

haha for sure!

[@izichdv2022]

Да как вы так ездите!!!???

[@ursoos2]

I can't see Tomas Micek on the official Carv leaderboard. It's pretty discouraging to see Carv instructor not using Carv 😢

[@tomasmical]

Hi there,thank you for your relevant comment you made..I have been using carv since 2019 and pretty intensively while teaching and coaching since 2021..I have been on the leaderboard every season since,however as an anonymous as I haven’t had that many freeski days for crushing the top score this season..Based on your comment though I made myself visible on the leaderboard so you can find me easily..my name is Tomas Mical..not sure whether you can find me under “Tomas Micek”..Wish you all the best and happy skiing days!Cheers

[@normalizedaudio2481]

Try that on ice dude!

[@guidouytterhaegen]

Very good ,very good,but…… maybe point down the min. Level you need to start this phase off advanced carving,tell something about the required material,such as what kind off ski ,edge angles and scharpness,state ( snowquality, and angle) off the required piste you will use to do this exercise,instead off making publicity for an electronic ski app?

[@roor.berllou]

学废了😅🎉

[@adrianarchie]

Edging lol

[@anthonysears871]

Way way over contrived! Park and ride. What's with the 50 meter locked up turns on 15 meter skis?

[@amundekroll7490]

Peter Bridge....It is very good that you get into the discussion about skiing mechanic but if you talk about weight transfer during edge changes You are at least 40 years behind the equipment curve.Get out of the old traditional stuff.

[@amundekroll7490]

Stop talking about weight transfer. You have to change the transition if you are trying to get an early edge changeThis is to much talking about nothing.Learn something about kinetic energy.

[@peterbridge9394]

Weight transfer IS the transition. Learn something about skiing.

[@johnhesh8252]

You have no idea how to ski Buster

[@eyesrightout]

After years of using funcarve and SL skis, this year I have assured myself at top advice: Attack the turn-in through low leg, focus hard on lean your body forward and firmly press the outward ski - this gives you train-like stability. Then step into tightening the radius through inward ski, transfer body mass into back and jump quickly into another bend through so called low leg transition ❤😊

[@redsock4843]

In my opinion, the much better methodical approach to achieve high edge angles can be found under: "Hand Drag Drill For High Edge Angle Carving", Tom Gellie - Big Picture Skiing "How to Ski Groomers - with Performance", Joshua Duncan-Smith "How To Ski - Dynamic Carving", Joshua Duncan-Smith

[@CarvSki]

Thanks for the suggestions

[@majestik866]

What is this place? Cool wide tracks

[@CarvSki]

Aspen highlands