Two Keys to Parallel Skiing

Parallel skiing is a great milestone when you first learn how to ski. When you are able to keep your skis parallel, you are no longer a beginner skier, but have transformed into an intermediate skier!
Let's go!
In this video, I share two effective keys to achieve a more parallel position on your skis. Each key is presented with a step-by-step progression, so you can learn these parallel skiing skills in a fast and safe manner.
0:27 The first key is to balance on your outside ski. This will liberate your inside ski, so it is no longer “locked” in a snow plough position.
2:31 The second key is to make an up and forward move to release the edges from the old turn and easily start the new turn with parallel skis.
These two keys for parallel skiing have proven to be important and effective in transforming my students skiing from skiing in the snow plough to skiing with parallel skis.
I hope it will work well for you too. Enjoy!
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[@Jimmy_Cavallo]

💥💥 I am ABSOLUTELY leaving a “like” 👍🏼👍🏼 I’m actually giving this 2 thumbs up here. I’m an advanced skier of over 40 years and only came here to YT to see if I could pick up any tiny pointers. I just saw a video from REI along with several other channels which were not nearly as effective at communicating the philosophy of properly executing how to parallel ski as you have done here. BRAVO…!! This will definitely be my go to video to recommend to my friends that are looking to advance past the snow plow. Thank you and rock on…!! 🤟🏼⛷🏆

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks a lot for your comment and your like, James Mason! I am truly happy to hear that and I hope that your friends will find the video helpful as well and enjoy their journey into parallel skiing territory. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@Jimmy_Cavallo]

@@InspirationalSkiing Best ever by far. Thanks again.

[@breeze7403]

I dont get how so mamy videos cant explain these things , this video is just perfect transitioning from wedge to parallel i love it . It explains exactly what i needed ❤

[@susanp176]

🎿Excellent parallel skiing video with clear instructions followed by helpful footage! And the instructor's voice is very calm. Very inspiring so I've subscribed to keep improving my technique. Grateful to find this out of so many mediocre or complicated ski videos. Thank you!

[@yuliyalevina1986]

Thank you so much! I’m a beginner, and went skiing today after watching some of your videos. What a difference did it make!! I used to get tired and frustrated after a couple of trails, but today i was able to ski all day using the parallel technique, I didn’t get tired as i used too, i was able to gain speed and control it, and it added confidence and fun!! Can’t thank you enough!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

This is so good to hear, Yuliya Levina! You are most welcome, and good job with the practice! Keep at it and it will only get more and more fun as you keep progressing. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@Puzzoozoo]

@@InspirationalSkiing I'm retired and I'll be a mature - 67 yo - beginner next season, and this has given an insight on what to do when I'm in the class with my fellow mature beginners.

[@chunfengzhou1870]

This is the best lecture I have ever seen to learn parallel skiing! Great video!

[@judylan7720]

Oh, I wish I had seen this 3 days ago when I hit the slopes, first time in over 30 years! You really do a wonderful job, easy to understand.... Can't wait to go skiing again, remembering these videos I have just watched, thank you!!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thats awesome, Judy Lan! In my experience people who once skied - even though it has been a long time - often get back on track pretty quickly. The body remembers. I hope you will enjoy your skiing comeback and that our videos will help you with your skiing. /Janus

[@sunbird2479]

Love your instructions. Crystal clear!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thank you, Break darkness Light! We do our best to be as clear as possible to help people the most. We are happy you love it! Have a nice Day! /Janus

[@jamevaalet8942]

Thanks! This just unlocked parallel skiing for me in a day, and made skiing even more fun. Hope to see more videos.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are most welcome, jame vaalet! Good to hear, you had success with this, it makes me really happy to hear. Thanks for sharing your experience. We will for sure make more videos to help you guys succeed with skiing. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@nextspring9916]

One of the best videos on this category. Explains so many issues I have. Thanks for sharing !

[@InspirationalSkiing]

What a great comment, nextspring99! We are happy you found it helpful and rate the video amongst the best on this category. We have an ambition to constantly improve the quality of our videos, both in terms of production value and the way we explain and demonstrate, so it is as enjoyable and helpful as we can possibly make it. I am sure you will like some of our upcoming stuff as well. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@kenco72]

Very practical and easy to understand instructions

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, kennycheung6916. I really appreciate it. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@theoilymama8138]

Very clear instructions and love the slow motion to break it down visually.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Good to hear, The Oily Mama! We bought the GoPro cam for super slow motion and close ups on out last production trip, and we were pretty excited ourselves to see what it was able to do, so it is great to hear you like it too. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@mrspock312]

These videos are great! I have just started going from wedge to parallel, very helpful!!!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

This good to hear, Eric Townsley! I wish you good luck on your journey from wedge to parallel. We will soon release a step-by-step guide on Inspirationalskiing.com about that exact topic, so that might be something for you to check out. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@VicenteM]

Probably the best tutorial to paralel ski in the internet.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thank you for the kind words, Vicente M. It is really encouraging for us. We will work hard to give you more awesome content. /Janus

[@paulwhetstone0473]

Your diagram, explanation and demonstration of the top, traverse and bottom of turns down the fall line was the best I’ve seen.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks, Paul Whetstone. I really appreciate your comment and I am glad you like the way we have made the video. /Janus

[@mikeshong]

Thank you! The up and forward movement really helped me with my transition. I used to use my upper body rotation to start each turns.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Wonderful, Seung Hwan Hong! Exactly! The up and forward movement will give you better balance and more control than using upper body rotation to transition into the new turn. Thanks for sharing your experience. /Janus

[@davidwang6889]

the best channel for ski, love it!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thank you for this comment, David Wang! It is truly an honour to get this kind of feedback, we really appreciate it. We will keep making great content for you, that I hope you will enjoy. /Janus

[@joylee8153]

easy to understand!!! thanks!!

[@dwfriess]

Excellent instruction techniques for all levels. Keep it up. 👍

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, dwfriess! Glad to hear you appreciate the video. We will for sure keep it up and make more stuff for you guys. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@sdinc1]

It is very informative and easy to grasp. Thank you for your effort.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are welcome, Siret Dinc! I am glad to hear this, thanks. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@gabomcav]

Love this channel! Thank you!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

And we love that you love the channel, Gabriel Maldonado! It is so good to hear. It encourages us to make more videos for you guys, so you can improve your skiing and have even more fun with it. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@TheUnforgiven1313]

thank you very much! very helpful!

[@gfox-eu6bb]

Great video. Thanks so much for posting.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Glad you enjoyed it, gfox1606. And thanks for the comment. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@stephenkennedy3145]

Thank you so much for sharing

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are so welcome, Stephen Kennedy! I am happy you appreciate it. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@gabbyhe161]

Thank you! I have to say that your video is even better than the group lesson I got yesterday!!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, Gabby He! I am happy you like the video and got some value from it! Have a nice day! /Janus

[@Musicman7007]

Thx Janus! This was very helpful. Very good tutorials 😊

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment and support, ANewBassLineEveryday! I am happy you like our videos. Cool name for your channel, by the way. /Janus

[@HS-ob3fz]

These really great tips! Thanks!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are very welcome, H S! We are happy, you like it. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@xiaoben86]

Simple and inspirational~

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for the comment, Meet JEZUS, Your Maker! We hope to inspire people to try these - as well as other - moves out to improve their skiing. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@iglooshoe12]

Wow, subscribed! Amazing video and you know I've watched a lot trying to learn.....thank you so much!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

That’s amazing, Hang Nguyen! Welcome as a subscriber to the channel. I am so glad to hear you enjoy our content. More to come. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@oakland439]

this helped me parallel ski for the first time today! bridger bowl, montana. keep up the great work. cheers.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thats awesome, Paul Hoi! I love these stories from people succeeding with the tips and exercises from our videos. We will for sure keep up making great content for you guys. /Janus

[@theoilymama8138]

Love your instructions... very clear and helps me visualize what to do when I’m on the slopes. Can’t wait to master the parallel turn. Can you talk about how to handle steep terrain and icy terrain next time? Also as a starting intermediate skier, I always hate picking up speed when I am facing the steep of the mountain, any tips on how to conquer that with control? Thank you!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Good to hear you find the video helpful, Oily Mama! We actually filmed for a video on how to ski on hard snow last winter. But then it started snowing… and suddenly the slopes were filled with perfect soft snow for the rest of our production trip. Which was pretty awesome, as well! I like skiing on all types of snow. We will definitely finish that video as soon as we get a chance to ski on hard snow again. I am sure it will be helpful to a lot of people. I would also very much like to do some videos on steep terrain and speed control, as you suggest. These things are related, since steep terrain will make you pick up speed faster. Here two things that will help you improve your ability to control your speed in steep terrain: 1. Practice your ability to stop whenever you want. Check out our video How to Stop With the Hockey Stop on skis for some tips on how to do that. 2. Practice making a round turn shape balancing primarily on your outside ski, as opposed to more zig zaggy turns. Round turns are a bit counter intuitive to begin with, since you will pick up a bit of speed in the beginning of the turn. But keeep turning, turning, turning… and eventually you will start going across the hill and then uphill, which definitely will bring you to a full stop. Normally you only want to continue turning to the point where you have taken off enough speed to feel secure and still carries a bit of speed to help you start the next turn. If you want to dive deeper into this you should definitely check out our step-by-step guide, Learn to Turn With Parallel Skis, over on Inspirationalskiing.com. It is packed with tips and exercises that will really accelerate your parallel skiing journey. I hope this helps and I have put your video suggestions on our wish list for future videos. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@dari564]

this is really well explained !!!!!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for you comment, dari! We are really happy, you like the explanation. We put a lot of thought into making the explanations and our videos as good as we possibly can to help you guys succeed with skiing. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@SkyHermit]

Prepare, Up, Turn! I didn't know I have to do the 'Up' part that's why parallel turn was hard for me. I will keep this in mind next time I ski!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You got this, SkyHermit! The up part will help with getting out of the old turn by flattening and unweighting the skis, which makes it easier to get into the new turn. Just remember that the up part also needs to go a bit forward. Many people tend to go up and back, which will cause trouble and difficulties turning. Feel free to let me know how it works out for you. /Janus

[@matthewbunkin3110]

Great video! Keep doing what you’re doing

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, SALTx! I really appreciate it. I will for sure continue, sharing and building community here on KZbin is amazing. /Janus

[@jamesdunn2214]

Excellent video, well presented and helpful. As a ski teacher I use this progression often.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your kind comment, James Dunn! Great to hear that you also have success with your students using this progression. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@nenaradlovic2619]

Thank you very much! ❤

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are welcome, nenaradlovic2619. And thanks for your comment. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@PAman82]

This really summarizes the keys for the beginners! good video!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thank you, I am glad to hear you think so. I have seen many great results with this approach. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@btang1491]

Thank you very much !! 🥰🥰

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are very welcome, B Tang! We are happy you like the video. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@TheOlbo77]

Wow this video was a game changer for me - thank you so much!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

I am so glad for letting us know! It is awesome to hear! In our How to Ski guide, Learn to Turn - With Parallel Skis, there is a progression from Snow Plough to parallel and many more valuable tips for parallel skiing, you might also be interest in. I hope you will have an awesome skiing season. /Janus

[@leozendo3500]

absolutly best skiing tutorial on youtube,

[@PCB91]

So helpful!

[@ChrJahnsen]

GREAT video. I can't wait to hit the slopes next weekend. 🙂

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks, Chr Jahnsen! I hope you enjoyed your ski trip. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@user-bh5lv1cz8h]

❤ really helpful!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, user-bh5lv1cz8h. I really appreciate it. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@ScottyInVancouver]

One of the best and easy video I have seen so far! I would love to see how to carve video if possible😆🤟

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment and your suggestion, 溫哥華滑雪的Scott. Great to hear that kind of feedback. I would love to do a video about how to carve. This topic is the one we get the most requests for, so it is definitely on the wish list. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@anatasadilelteh7833]

It really helping me, thank you so much

[@InspirationalSkiing]

So glad to hear that, Anatasa Dilelteh! You are most welcome. I hope you continue learning and have fun on your skiing journey! /Janus

[@sgy4408]

It is the best explanation about palallel ski practice what I have ever watched so far.

[@lisezeuthen9978]

I am looking forward to use thise tips🏃‍♀️

[@InspirationalSkiing]

I hope you will have fun with them and that they will work for you. Have a nice day! Janus

[@maneeshkhare]

Single most helpful instruction I’ve seen. Thank you!!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thank you so much for sharing this with me, @maneeshkhare. We have many more videos in the pipeline, that I hope you will find as helpful as this one. Have a wonderful winter with lots of great skiing! /Janus

[@callieray8290]

This videos is so great! I have just started going from wedge to parallel, very helpful and clear! Thank you!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, Becky Chao! I am very happy this video is helping you on your skiing journey. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@larigab_n3782]

I’m going to put this tips on practice next time I’m going skiing. Thank you ^^

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are welcome, Larigab_N. Have fun with it, I hope it works for you. /Janus

[@JackBosphorus]

Very useful video.👍🙏

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks a lot, Cemil Atinc! I am glad you found it useful. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@davidn.2555]

I tried the up and forward today and it works like a charm. I have problems with weight shifting and balancing. My imbalance is caused by catching speed really quickly.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Good to hear, David N. It seems from your recent comments that you are making good progress. Awesome to follow your skiing journey here in the comments. No matter what level you are on currently, there will be challenges - and that's is one of the things I like about skiing. There is always another level and something you can strive to achieve. And when you do, it is such an awesome feeling. To prevent catching too much speed, I suggest you practice keep turning turning turning until you go across the hill and almost uphill if necessary to take out the speed, before you start the next turn. But you want to keep a bit of speed to help you start the next turn. Depending on a lot of factors, at some point you will be ready for The Hockey Stop (check out our free video about it). This will give you an effective tool to control your speed. In our guide Learn to Turn with parallel skis (find it on www.inspirationalskiing.com) there is a much more detailed progression to The Hockey Stop as well as more tips to control your speed with parallel skis. I hope this helps! /Janus

[@jimbeson2001]

Thanks!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thank you so much for the Superthanks, Jim Beson! We really appreciate this gesture. I hope you will have some awesome skiing days and benefit from the ski tips on our channel. /Janus

[@HelenF77]

Спасибо!!!

[@alanyeo8371]

i am from the tropics and a fan of your skiing video. i will be going skiing this December and can still do the plows and turns on the green slope. Still, as a beginner, looking downhill is intimidating and fear not being able to slow my speed when going gets too fast for me and crashing into objects or people. a big part of the fear comes from no confidence in stopping in time and speed control. Can you share some tips on how to manage these fears?

[@ziaeshan2477]

This is help me ski better so much

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, zia eshan! This is awesome to hear! /Janus

[@MrWolfyWolfy]

Another great little video 😊👍

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, Richard 'Wolfy' Wolfenden! I am happy you enjoy our videos, we put a lot of effort into them. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@MrWolfyWolfy]

@@InspirationalSkiing They are really good. Keep them coming 👍

[@InspirationalSkiing]

@@MrWolfyWolfy We sure will and we really appreciate your support 🙌🙌🙂

[@andreyzenkow981]

Thank you! Great work, and hello from Russia!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are welcome, Andrey Zenkow! And thank you for you comment. Have a nice day from Denmark! /Janus

[@lordjayson3741]

This is very informative..

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for the comment, Lord Jayson. We are happy, you found it informative. We really do our best to be helpful. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@doBobro]

You have a really great control to be able to press ski against slope quickly after up and forward motion. Thumbs up. Unfortunately many students including myself tend to overshoot movement and lose control and gain too much speed in the begging of the turn. Do you have some advice to mitigate this issue?

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your question, Anton Bobrov! It is a good point you make. There are two things I suggest you try to begin with. 1. Make sure you pick a slope which is flat enough so you can comfortably try new movements without picking up too much speed. This is always a good idea when trying new stuff. 2. When you are at the end of the old turn try making the up and forward movement with a stepping up on the new outside ski. Imagine that you are on a bicycle constantly shifting the weight from one foot to the other in a smooth and ongoing effort. Another way to think of it is to walk on stairs. You move up by stepping up on the new outside foot. Another important thing in order to stay in control is to start the steering effort early. Not all the steering at once but gradually throughout the turn. But that could be a great topic for a whole video. I have put that on the list for future videos. I hope this helps. Just let me know if you have more questions. /Janus

[@dmitriyyankovskiy8196]

Supa, these exercises are really good

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks, Dmitriy Levchenko! We are happy you like them. In my experience these exercises are a great way to get started on (or refining) your parallel skiing journey. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@ricardomarinho7819]

Thanks.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

You are welcome, Ricardo Marinho! Have a nice day! /Janus

[@roseinusa1611]

Great VDO

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your nice comment, @UCS0nty2Ke164Hb2glKyICFg. I hope you have a nice day skiing! /Janus

[@minatonomachi]

日本のスキー教程3本の矢の、シュテムターンからの展開のお手本ですね。まさに谷回りの習得方法です。私も実践させて頂きます。良いお手本ありがとうございました。japan Instructor

[@InspirationalSkiing]

（グーグル翻訳で翻訳）コメントありがとうございます、 谷川秀人。 日本語でコメントをもらうのはとても楽しいです。 私は空手を練習していて、日本語でいくつかの単語を学びました。 このビデオが気に入ってくれてうれしいです。いつか日本でスキーをする機会を得たいと思っています。 良い一日を！ /ヤヌス

[@minatonomachi]

@@InspirationalSkiing さん 返信ありがとうございます。 今、日本はスキーシーズンの真最中です。今日は午後からスキーに行き、早速ビデオを実践する予定です。 是非日本のスキー場にお越し下さいね☺️

[@BOGOSLOVdotcom]

Super!!!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for the comment, Richard Berger! We are happy you like the video. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@MisterTMH]

The micro movement in the ankles known as the Bow tie is involved in this parallel turning technique and that makes a difference for making a turn.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your input, @MisterTMH. I love the Bow tie movement, it definitely helps making short turns more smooth, dynamic and round and ultimately with better control. I actually wanna make a video about this move at some point. I hope you are all set for a great ski season. /Janus

[@MisterTMH]

I am going skiing in Japan in Jan. 2024.@@InspirationalSkiing

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Sounds absolutely amazing@@MisterTMH. Have a nice visit winter in Japan. I will probably be travelling between Denmark, Austria and Norway. /Janus

[@dillangrover8585]

Awesome I’m going skiing tomorrow! Do you recommend that I combine these techniques or should I do it one at a time? Thanks!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Hey Dillan Grover! Thanks for your question. It really depends on where you are on your skiing journey. If you are new to parallel skiing, I suggest that you practice it in the order presented in the video. First build your ability to balance on your outside ski and let the skis become more parallel. Once this is achieved to a satisfying degree, you can experiment with the up and forward move to initiate the next turn whilst keeping the skis parallel. I hope this helps and that you experience success and have fun with improving your skiing. /Janus

[@dillangrover8585]

@@InspirationalSkiing Thanks so much!

[@robytudor]

Thank you Janus! Your tips helped me improve my skiing this weekend and I am progressing from wedge turns to parallel. Still making a slight wedge because I am not yet so confident with changing the edges/balancing on the other foot earlier. Any tips on that?

[@InspirationalSkiing]

That is awesome to hear, R T! You progress makes me so happy for you. It is natural to have a small wedge when you first learn to keep your skis more parallel. I have a more detailed progression from wedge to parallel turns in our How to ski guide, Learn to turn with parallel skis, that you can find on Inspirationalskiing.com, that might help you. Simply keep practicing and build confidence will definitely help, but one thing I suggest you try is to go on flatter terrain (something you are comfortable on) and make less complete turns, i.e. a more stretched out c-curve/turn with a bit more speed. Don't go too fast and always be able to stop easily at will. The extra speed will help you keep your skis more parallel and the more "flat" c-curve will make changing the edge a bit easier. I hope this helps! /Janus

[@davidn.2555]

@@InspirationalSkiing That's the exact problem I was having today. It was with my left leg (weaker foot), whenever it became the outside ski turning to the right I can't seem to get my weight shifted to it. It makes me go on a back sit and my right ski lifts from the top end off the snow causing loss of balance and more uncontrolled speed. On the other hand, my right leg, when acting as outside ski and when turning left, is so perfect and I don't even make a noticable wedge anymore when turning left.

[@davidn.2555]

@@InspirationalSkiing And I am right footed!

[@guitarstreet]

Great video!! what is the pole plant for?

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Hi guitarstreet! Thanks you. And thanks for your good question. The pole plant is essentially for better overall balance (you get a brief support touch in the snow), rhythm (makes it easier to start the next turn) and overall upper and lower body coordination (everything works together instead of some parts working against other parts). But it is really important to do the pole plant correctly to gain these benefits. Take a look at our video How to do the Basic Pole plant in Skiing for some tips on how to do the pole plant in a helpful way. Once you get it, it can be transformational for your skiing. I hope this answered your question. P.S. I play the guitar too and music has always been a huge part of my life. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@guitarstreet]

@@InspirationalSkiing Thanks for your very thoughtful comment! Great to hear your passion for music - I'm the other way around, just got more into skiing in Switzerland and already addicted!! Your videos are really awesome, keep them coming, all the best my friend!!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

@@guitarstreet Thanks a lot! All the best to you also my friend, and good luck on your skiing journey!

[@sageblack6963]

Thank you so much for this video!! I tried it today and my skiing improved immediately

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Awesome to hear, Sage Black! We love to get these comments from people who have had success with our content. It is truly encouraging for us to make more videos. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@tk67n]

This resort looks nice. Which period is this and where is this place?

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Hi TK67 N and thanks for your question. This video was recorded early and mid season in Trysil/Norway. I personally love this resort. It is beautiful and has a variety of slopes even though absolute experts might want more challenging slopes. The vibe is family friendly there are great beginner and intermediate slopes. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@123pharmacology]

Thats awesome. My problem is that my uphill Ski gets stuck in snow (while cutting) and i lose balance and fall. I dont know how to fix it 😔

[@papinkelman7695]

👍

[@InspirationalSkiing]

:-)

[@Justin-zw1hx]

Could you please answer my question: does this turn requires less upper body facing down hill, I mean the upper and lower body separation? Because I am seeing you are still turning your upper body a little bit, but for short turns you always keep your body position strong and facing downhill.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Hi Justin. Thanks for your question. Yes, you are right, when You do longer turns, your body will naturally want to have less upper and lower body separation. This will keep you in a stronger position and prevent you from becoming locked. In short turns having more separation will create less balance disturbance and allow you to move quicker. Check out our video about getting back to your best skiing for an excellent exercise for upper and lower body separation. I hope this helps. /Janus

[@robsmith2375]

I'm a bit of an "old school" skier (knees together and parallel) it was just the way I was taught in the 80s and 90s. I haven't actually skied for 10 years now and want to get back into it, but I just wanted to know if this older technique is still doable on modern "carving" skis? I will probably learn to carve at some point but want to get back on the slopes first.

[@Schwadroneur]

My mom still skis that way with modern skis. And in my opinion the skis from 10 years ago aren't much different to the ones now at all. So if you were fine then, you'll be fine now.

[@robsmith2375]

@@Schwadroneur Thankyou

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your question, Rob Smith! Some of the old moves like the up and forward move still works perfectly fine on modern shaped carving skis. Steering will actually be easier on shaped skis because as soon as you are a bit on edge and steering/turning your feet the skis will help you turn even though you are not pure carving. I think it is a great idea to (re)build confidence with the technique you know and then you can start exploring carving. Check out our video "Get back to your best skiing fast", I think it might have some great tips for you. I hope you will enjoy your comeback on skis. /Janus

[@FlamingCockatiel]

How does balancing on the outside ski work? I'm afraid I'd fall down because I'd be leaning uphill or too far downhill. I am progressing to more parallel skiing but need more practice, as I have trouble using turning to slow down on steeper slopes and tend to shoot down like a cannonball. I think it's a mental block. That looks like a nice, wide place to ski. I'd love to be there to practice.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, FlamingCockatiel! Yes, this was recorded last year in beautiful Trysil/Norway. One of my favourite places in the world and a great place especially for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers. I lived there for a whole winter many years ago just to practice (mostly park)skiing. How balance on the outside ski works can be explained in many ways depending on what aspects of it, you are focusing on. We have actually planned a one or maybe two full videos about this topic. It seems to me you are mostly interested in how to improve your outside ski balance to get more control over your speed and turning. My suggestion is that you 1. Find a slope where you feel confident, when you practice your outside ski balance. Get used to it by tapping in the traverse and while turning. Start out with only one or a few small taps. 2. Experiment with tapping more and more or keeping your skis lifted for longer. It is all about making your body used to this balance. With this progression your body will have time to learn to adjust so it does not fall too much uphill or downhill. 3. Practice to stand on one leg regularly outside of skiing. This is quite similar to when you ski with outside ski balance. Support your balance by holding on to something if necessary and build up to being able to stand on one leg for longer and longer without support. Regarding your problems with using turning to slow down, a mental block seems like a plausible reason. I suggest you practice this skill on a slope where you feel comfortable and then gradually build up to steeper slopes as you build confidence with it. Don' t rush it and enjoy the process. I hope this helps. /Janus

[@JB91710]

Read my comments for your answers.

[@Skedawg88]

@@JB91710 Lol.

[@JB91710]

@@Skedawg88 Yep, an 8-year-old.

[@davidn.2555]

Wonderful instruction. But what if I go too much up and lose traction?

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thank you and thanks for your great question, David N. It is definitely possible to go too much up and forward, which might make you vulnerable and losing your balance. I suggest you experiment with how much you move up and forward in the comfort of the stationary exercise, then the traverse and then to release the turn. Once you get the timing right you really don't need much movement to feel a helpful effect. Experiment with a fluid and kind of slow move to prevent the movement from becoming too much. A little speed down the hill also helps with starting the new turn, and then the direction of the up and forward movement will start to go a bit more into the new turn. You should only apply as much up and forward move as necessary to help you release the edges and start the new turn, and a good indicator if you are doing it right, is that you are staying connected to the ski with your whole foot primarily on your outside ski. I hope this helps and please let me know if you have further questions. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@davidn.2555]

@@InspirationalSkiing Is it necessary to master this style of parallel skiing or can I just go from wedging to carving?

[@InspirationalSkiing]

@@davidn.2555 Carving, in the sense of turning by putting the skis on edge and let them turn as a result of the skis sidecut (along with intentional skier movements) with no skidding, I consider an advanced skill which for most people would be too much of a step directly from wedging. When you are turning in a pure carved turn, speed will pick up quite fast, which often cause beginners and even intermediate skiers to lose control. There are ways to control your speed with pure carved turns, but for most people it would be a good idea to learn a more skidded/steered parallel turn first (like the ones I am doing in this video) to control their speed and direction. These more steered turns can also be performed at a very high level of skiing. A skilful and versatile expert skier is able to blend the amount of carving (turning with no skidding) and steering (including some skidding to slow down the speed) to achieve their goals in the current situation, in my opinion.

[@davidn.2555]

@@InspirationalSkiing Thanks so much Janus. I wanted to know all these because I'm hitting the slopes next 2 weeks and I'm at the brink of perfecting wedging. So I now see the essence to make a sequential upgrade rather than jumping into carving, but you got to admit that carving is beautiful. I've watched many of your videos and tons of others in the hopes of putting the lessons to practice. I'll also get a private tutor because I need to learn how to parallel ski and carve so I can continue on my own to master it. Thanks so much I can't wait for school to be over.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

@@davidn.2555 You are very welcome, David N. Carving is truly beautiful and amazing to do - and you will get there with practice and patience. Don' t rush things, but enjoy the journey and explore the different moves you find in our videos and other videos as well, and see how they work for you. It is always a good idea to hire a local ski instructor to help you. Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we will have our how to ski guide "How to Ski with Parallel Skis" ready, that might be something for you. We will notify people through our newsletter over on inspirationalskiing.com. Have fun when you get on snow, and feel free to let us know how it goes or if you have any other questions. P.S. I can' t wait either to get on snow again, hopefully soon.

[@davidn.2555]

I'm at the mountain right now, I am right footed and I noticed that today when I try the wedge cristie with my right leg as the outside ski, it goes smoothly and my left leg automatically joins the right in a parallel form. But when my left leg becomes my outside ski I find it hard for my right leg to do the same. Any trial I made to move the leg made me lose balance and fall. Also when my left leg is making the turn, my right leg still remained in a wedge and almost crossed the left ski. So frustrating

[@InspirationalSkiing]

From your description it seems like it is difficult for you to change the weight and trust balancing almost all of you weight on the leg foot. This will "lock" your right foot in the position it knows - a wedge position. Practicing a slow traverse with your left foot as the downhill foot and the skis in a parallel position might help you gain confidence on your left foot, which will help you "liberate" the right foot from the wedge position. When you are ready the up and forward move to help the weight shift from right foot to left and vice versa might help. I hope this helps! /Janus

[@trinhhai5868]

I’m a beginner, i just try to ski yesterday and i fell down, I tried to make parallel turn but I can’t do it, my husband helped me but I still can’t do it😢 Thanks for sharing tips how to parallel turn, i will try next time.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, Trinh Hai! It is awesome that you are trying skiing. Skiing is so much fun once you start to feel a bit of control. I recommend you get comfortable skiing in the Snow Plough first. Check out my videos "Your first time on a ski slope" and "Your first day on skis". Once you feel confident in the snow plough and can do controlled turns and keep your speed down on green runs then you can start experimenting with skiing more parallel skiing in the way I suggest in this video. I hope this helps! /Janus

[@trinhhai5868]

Thanks for your advice😍

[@MisterTMH]

In Telemark downhill skiing if you weight the outside ski too much it is not ideal. You should weight the backfoot and anticipate the lead change in order to initiate the next turn and assist you to make linked turns. If a beginner learns Alpine parallel technique ahead of Telemark technique then I am not sure if that is the best scenario.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, MisterTMH. Maybe not, I am no telemark expert. I tried it a couple of times. It was fun, but I prefer alpine technique and equipment. I do believe that there is great carry over in the experience of sliding on snow, getting edge grip, and shifting your weight from ski to ski. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@hollyoverholt7544]

Whenever I try to parallel turn, my skis always end up snowplowing. It seems to happen no matter what I do, I’ve even tried the tapping and the second I put my ski back down it goes to snowplow. Any idea what I might be doing wrong, or tips?! Your videos are so helpful, I really appreciate them!

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your question and your nice comment, Holly Overholt! It is perfectly normal that it takes time to acquire a new skill, like keeping your skis parallel, so don't worry. Even once you start to get it, progress is a process, where you will probably resort to a small snow plough once in a while. That is totally fine. Enjoy every little step, you are taking to improve your skiing. Being able to lift your inside ski to tap, is already an achievement worth celebrating. These exercises will help you achieve your goal of skiing parallel, but sometimes you need to work towards the goal from a different angle. I do have a bunch of tips that might help you. There might be many reasons to your issue, which would require a visual assessment for me to detect, but here are a few suggestions you can try: 1. It seems your body resort to the last known "safe zone" i.e. the snow plough, when you put your feet down. You must teach your your body a new "safe zone" with parallel skis. Do this by practicing sliding forward with parallel skis in a safe environment. Start on the flat. Then stand still with your skis parallel pointing across the hill on a very gentle slope. Then traverse the slope slowly by pushing yourself forward with your poles, while maintaining a parallel position. If the skis go into a snow plough stop, get them back to parallel, and push yourself forward again. Balancing mostly on your outside/downhill ski will help. Turn in the snow plough. Do this until you are comfortable keeping your skis parallel while traversing the slope slowly. 2. When you do the inside ski tail lift exercise you can focus on placing the lifted heel next to the heel you are standing on. This intentional foot placement might help, and it is ok, if it ain't perfect right away. Embrace and love the proces. Do it while skiing at a speed where you feel confident. I hope these suggestions help. If you want to go into more detail and follow a step-by-step progression, our how to ski guide Learn to Turn With Parallel Skis might be something for you. It is packed with more tips and exercises to help you learn parallel skiing. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@hollyoverholt7544]

@@InspirationalSkiing thank you so much, I’m glad I have something to practice now. Your videos have helped me tremendously through the whole process of learning how to ski.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

@@hollyoverholt7544 This is so good to hear. We will definitely keep posting videos in the future for you guys. /Janus

[@JB91710]

Your problem is one that is shared by the vast majority of skiers. You think about Turning instead of what the skis need from you. If you think about turning, you will rotate and lean your shoulders into the turn and push your uphill ski away from you to make it turn. If t is away from you, you can't balance on it. People think They have to Make the skis turn. They don't realize that the skis are responsible for making the turn when You do what They need. Read my comments for your answers.

[@ghostgutarist5234]

BEST

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thank you, @ghostgutarist5234! I really appreciate your comment. /Janus

[@TheBrookep888]

Note: for inside ski, lift only back of ski when tapping to transfer weight, not front

[@InspirationalSkiing]

This is a good point, hat! Doing the exercise this way will prevent you from going into the back seat and help you stay more centred - which will help you move more effectively and with less effort. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@TheBrookep888]

Note: identify center of turn before making. Outside ski is furthest from centre

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Yes, you got it, hat! I hope you enjoy skiing with this focus and have success with it. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@ziaeshan2477]

I like sooooo much I not joking

[@InspirationalSkiing]

I am glad you like it, zia eshan! Have a nice day! /Janus

[@thefirefenix7194]

$

[@spencersandbergsr.2870]

N.÷

[@MrDogonjon]

Two things that unlock parallel skiing are the same thing. Establish a local frame of reference with a pole plant make early weight transferer to enter inertial frame of reference. Use rectilinear motion to pressure ski from tip to tail. These big words are real physics no one comprehends...yet. It's all about falling... without falling. Einsteins happiest idea Special relativity.

[@JB91710]

0:50 You forgot the most important part of balancing on one arch. When you want to balance on your downhill arch, you move your hip into the hill and your shoulders down the hill so you have weight on both sides of your arch or inside edge of your right foot. If the ski still slides down the hill, move your hip into the hill more. That increases the leg angle and the amount you are on that inside edge. You don't teach by focusing on the end results. 1:43 It is better to practice these traverses until you are completely comfortable balancing and then do a steep traverse and then just switch your weight and balance from the downhill to uphill arch and that ski will make the turn. Practicing pushing your feet apart will defeat the balancing and give you a false sense of security. 1:50 This jumping won't help with your balance at all. In fact it will destroy it because you are supposed to be on your downhill ski only. The hopping will be on both feet. 2:06 This is a very good thing to practice. Notice how his skis turned automatically when he switched his weight from one foot to the other. All it takes is balancing on one arch and the ski design. Keep facing and leaning down the hill so your weight is over the tips of your skis. The turning part. The front steering tires of your car. 2:36 The move is you stepping from your downhill to your uphill foot as you face a lean your upper body down the hill. Going straight up will not allow the ski to turn by rolling that uphill foot over onto the inside edge that you need to be balanced on. When you want to start a turn, look down the hill, rotate your hands and chest down the hill followed by your pelvis and then your kneecaps as you change your weight. Think of screwing your body into the snow from your head down. 2:48 This should be an up onto your uphill foot as you rotate your upper body to face and lean down the hill. If you do what he shows, your uphill foot won't roll over fast enough for your ski to make a quick turn and control your speed. By leaning down the hill, your upper body will be over the tips of your skis as they turn under you giving you a quicker turn because the tip of your ski bends more when it is weighted more that the tails which will slide around behind you. 3:55 Forget the Turn part because you will think YOU have to make the skis turn. This is the thought process. "I want to go straight down the hill, plant my pole down the hill, face my chest and pelvis down the hill as I get off my downhill foot and balance on my uphill arch." It is the ski making that turn not him. He is just balancing on it. In your car, you just rotate the steering wheel, you don't make the tires turn. The steering system in your car and skis make the turn. 4:15 Notice how his upper body is hanging over the tips of the skis and down the hill as he switches from one arch to the other. That is what the skis need from you to allow them to make turns. 4:22 The tips of his skis are making these turns just like the front tires would.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for your comment, JB91710. Have a nice day! /Janus

[@jamesdunn2214]

Janus does an excellent presentation here. I use this progression often. Your commentary is unnecessary and incorrect for the most part. Leave the comments to the pros like Janus and cease piggybacking on others ski videos. Trolling is not a good habit.

[@JB91710]

@@jamesdunn2214 You forgot to go through my comment, step by step and tell me where and how I am wrong. An 8 year old could have left a response like yours.

[@jackh577]

Sorry but an up and forward move to release the turn is not good skiing.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Hi Jack H. Thanks for your comment. Here is my thoughts on why I think the up and forward move is a good choice for this video. I actually get why especially good skiers coming from a different learning system would think that. Moving excessively up might become a barrier for further skiing improvement at some point on a skiers journey. In the process of updating the technique in the Danish system a few years back, I was therefore supporting the idea of a more compact transition for advanced and expert skiers where the movement of the upper body goes more down the hill/into the new turn instead of up, like you would see in a SL turn on the highest level. For expert skiers, the up and forward move might not always be good skiing (even though you can find some world cup skiers do it in GS), but I believe it is part of a good and versatile skiers tool box. I believe that which moves count for "good skiing" is situational and relate to specific goals in that situation. And for beginners working towards becoming intermediate skiers able to keep their skis parallel, I still think the up and forward move has some merit. For this level it makes it easy to release the turn and start the next, it gives the legs a series of mini breaks prolonging stamina, it helps the weight transfer that they have just practiced with the first key in this video and it promotes leg movement in general, which is often a missing component on this level and it will remove the need for upper body rotation which is also very common on this level. For advanced and expert skiers it also gives an option on slower speeds that works well in some situations, just like I would argue a snow plough is a great tool in some situations, even for expert skiers. I did expect someone to bring this topic up, so I listed further reasons for my choosing of the up and forward move for this video in the description. It is an interesting topic, and I encourage you to go through them, if you are intersted in more of my thinking about this topic. I also really like other ways of initiating the turn like tipping, flexing to release, toppling, stepping on to the new outside ski and so on. For me it is all being able to move in different effective ways on skis to give you the most options. And at this point of a skiers journey, I believe the up and forward move is one of several good ways to help a skiers ski with more parallel skis and develop important skiing skills. Other ways can be helpful as well. I want to promote versatility and some ways might work better for some people, so I would love to do videos about other types of releasing as well. I hope my answer clarifies my position in this matter and why I think the up and forward move was a good choice for this video. /Janus

[@Skedawg88]

@@InspirationalSkiing I agree with all you list here, forward and across or sometimes referred to as “ fore-aganol” is higher level. Thanks for your response. Someone was bound to respond as this poster did.

[@amundekroll7490]

This is so outdated.Wake up and get a grip.

[@InspirationalSkiing]

Thanks for sharing your opinion, Amund Ekroll. I get where you are coming from. I do agree, that the up-unweighting/up and forward move has been around for a while, but not that it is irrelevant today. It was developed to get long and straight old school ski off the old edges, so you could twist and get on to the new edges. With contemporary ski design you can use the sidecut to your turning advantage. The ski will help you turn and it gives you more options for getting off the old edges and on to the new edges. In my opinion, it is better to have more options in your arsenal, than to rule out options. Up-unweighting has some disadvantages for sure, but it is an option that is very helpful for releasing the turn with parallel skis at the level of skier this video is aiming at, in my experience. It also teaches skiers at this level to move their legs more in general, which will be helpful for intermediate skiers in a variety of skiing situations. In the Danish ski instructor association I have for a long time been one of the strong proponents of integrating technical descriptions in the curriculum of transition options with less up-movement and more flexing and tipping to release in the arsenal. This is part of the curriculum now. And I was part of writing it. And I still think the up and forward move is relevant. There are many great ways to ski. I want to inspire skiers to experiment, explore and grow as skiers with a wide range of options. As you grow as a skier you will find the ways that work for you. And this might even change as you develop your skills. I hope this clarifies my position and reasons for making this exact video. I have put your comment on the request list for a video about transition options taking more advantage of the side cut of the skis. Have a nice day! /Janus