How to ski powder - The Ski Co. Learning Centre

Do you want to learn how to ski powder with better flow? Dive into this online resource from The Ski Co. Learning Centre to build your knowledge and gain some confidence for when you ski the deep stuff next!
If you want to take a personal touch to develop your powder skiing then book your powder experience with The Ski Co. now.

[@paulwhetstone0473]

Wow, that was the best demonstration and explanation of powder skiing I’ve encountered. Thanks for laying it out in such a clear and organized way.

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed the video

[@opinion56]

I agree. I swear nobody can get all the nuances totally covered, but this guy does it well

[@Bigpictureskiing]

Great static exercise for keeping the body together as one in powder.

[@gavinjennings8319]

I’ve watched a lot of powder technique videos and this is definitely one of the best. Good job!!

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

Thank you Gavin. I’ve got a bumps one coming out this month (December 2021)

[@2204pc]

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE Josh , give us MORE MORE MORE FOOTAGE of when your skiing in the POWDER (and on bumps as well), since it’s so beautiful and instructive just to see you on hard terrain. Humain brain works with MIMETISM , and by watching you we learn. And one day I will do the trip from Val d’Isère to Italy to have a lesson with you. Peter from France.

[@robinwhitelaw2986]

I'll add my praise too. Love the drill where u have someone just move one ski, have not seen that before and I can wait to use it with my students to help them understand what it means to engage your core.

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

Great, thats why I love sharing. I hope your students understand the learn the feelings you are trying to teach. Let me know how it goes.

[@robinwhitelaw2986]

@@JoshuaDuncanSmith And I should add, you make really great turns both in the bumps and the powder. What stands out to me IS your great core control that contributes to that look of you almost being in slow motion ... in real time.

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

@@robinwhitelaw2986 Yes I 100% agree, trying to keep my arms and core engaged the whole time is key to stabalise the upper body.

[@bobhoye5951]

Good explanation on the "modern" way of skiing powder. Beginning in 1964, I had the privilege of skiing at Alta, Utah. Still likely the best for steep and deep. And at times unusually light. I had a pair of Head Deep Powders and they were soft enough that when your knees were cranked over the skis bent which forced the turn. So you wanted to keep the skis under the snow. On top and you went too fast. Slow was assisted by lots of finish with the tails. Body position was important. To keep your back vertical, you kept your chin tucked down. In order to keep your upper body blocked down slope you held on each turn your hand slightly out. Cranking your fist in, forced the body to rotate. If anyone is interested I can still give lessons while sitting on a tall, but rotating bar chair. Best with a seat belt.

[@rmsmith2396]

Great job, made it easy to understand. Wish it was as easy to put into practice.

[@user-cj5gs2kh4c]

Какой прекрасный английский! Большое спасибо! И не только за произношение😊

[@gordonmcdermott5941]

Great demos and clarity in the explanations! Thanks!

[@csedan510]

Not that we know much about this in Vermont, but that was the best most concise explanation I have seen.

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

Thank you 🙏

[@robinwhitelaw2986]

From a teaching perspective I think the video is going to be very helpful to those that are trying to take their POW skiing up a notch ... and start venturing into more challenging terrain ... like trees. It would be interesting to see a video from u Joshua on tactics to help those that are just venturing into powder. Fear of going too fast and losing control tends to be high ... just like when skiing bumps. And similar to my comment for helping intermediate skiers learn bumps ... the challenge is about learning how NOT to over edge your skis, coupled with avoiding the temptation to lean in towards the inside hoping to stay closer to the mountain/slope ... for security (which edges the skis even more). So in powder I've had success with talking about keeping the skis flat (keeping a low/flat physical profile under the snow) so they are easier to turn at slower speeds. Just like in bumps, keeping the skis flatter promotes a smeared turn that really helps with speed control. Be great to hear your thoughts Joshua on the use of edges by intermediate skiers both in bumps as well as powder.

[@teknik12k]

Powder makes it hard to go fast at all let alone too fast, it was a huge builder in confidence for me.

[@theopinson3851]

I really appreciate the explanations for WHY you have to do this for powder.

[@Jtflights]

Love the way you have edited this. Very useful cheers gents

[@ruffwill15]

Excellent video with great drills to practice.

[@YehShano]

Sensational video, realised now my issues with learning powder skiing is that I’m trying to turn my skis when they’re buried

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

Glad the video helped! 😆

[@adayyho]

The tips really good, I hope I knew that before I ski in Whistler last month. The 1st day of Whister trip n she she got 51cm new snow the night before. The snow depth up to my thigh. I have never ski that much snow in my life, for sure I have hard time there, but enjoy that and dare to continue till 2pm on thst day. I plan to try your tips on the coming season..I will let you know as I tried...Thanks Joshua

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

That sounds like a fun and exciting first day of your ski holiday. Please let me know how you get on trying these tips out. Thanks

[@nightsidewanderer]

Every video I watch, talks about skiing but all forget the most important part when you are learning: how to stop or slow down on powder? I feel that if I apply the same braking methods as on-piste, I will either eat some snow o break a leg.

[@jasonleftwrightleftsnowspo307]

Great video!

[@Slooties]

Great video, well done

[@shoes123uk8]

Great video ! 👍

[@bobhoye5951]

I'll add a little more. On a steep chute you traversed to the right spot. Then carefully, one at a time, drove the tail into the snow. Thereby ending up with both tips straight out, with half a turn done. Your skiing buddy would then "Figure Eights" over your tracks.

[@ioanstetca4705]

All nice and perfectly executed and explained! But where is the powder this year! 😊

[@sanderkan3796]

Nice footage from Nendaz!

[@TheSnifmister]

Great video like the exercise

[@juancarlosruiz5285]

muy bueno !!

[@teknik12k]

Speed! You need speed to ski powder and that's the biggest things. You don't need to hop at all, you just need to go fast enough to float. If you have to hop to turn you're not going fast enough and you should just keep pointing it instead. Powder has a lot of resistance and it slows you down a ton, speed is the trick to success, always anticipate flat sections of the hill and point it to compensate for the speed you're going to loose. Have fun!

[@dirk2518]

Imagine you want to jump in a trampoline. If you want to get hight you have to go in first and use the rebound. It is the same in powder snow. The harder you push in the bigger the rebound and the easier it is to get out of the snow.

[@roy87345]

Very nice

[@antreg2008]

2:48 great tip

[@dougyoung9617]

Great job Joshua. If you don't mind though I would like to add an additional thought to this concept. When the stance is wider, not only do the skis get crossed or blocked, but the ski that penetrates deeper may tend to move slower and produce an unexpected turn speed. What are your thoughts?

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

Yes I agree. If one ski penetrates deeper it will move through the snow at a different speed (slower) than the ski on the surface of the snow. Thats why you want to keep the skis working together through the powder.

[@dougyoung9617]

@@JoshuaDuncanSmith Thanks for responding :). I am also a snowboarder (since 1978 Burton Backhill) so I try to consider the conditions and tools I use. Groomers=Fischer CURV. Up to about 20cm Rossingnol Soul 7. over that I snowboard, Never Summer Chairman , center of mass over base of support is simple to control then. I hope to ski with you one day soon!

[@JoshuaDuncanSmith]

@@dougyoung9617 Sounds like you've got a great set up for all conditions!

[@justinwight2213]

Skis ? Width, Brand and length

[@inquistive]

#JoshuaDuncan-Smith Can you advise about weight distribution along the skis please? I can see in the video you were using off-piste skis, but what about say GS skis which I try to use, should your weight be slightly back to stop the tips from submarining or can you distribute your weight the same as on piste?