| Certain turns are for certain conditions. The long | | | | Get going straight down a minimal slope jumping the |
| carved turns using up the whole of a wide smooth | | | | skis from side to side across the fall line underneath |
| piste are for fast skiing, where braking is not a | | | | you. This is where all that fitness training is going to |
| necessity. These turns are the basis for giant slalom | | | | come in useful. |
| and downhill technique. | | | | You are travelling quite slowly, no more than five |
| On steep or busy slopes, however, or in the bumps, | | | | miles an hour, your body is facing the front, and your |
| or while learning to ski in the powder, you will need | | | | arms are held out as though gripping the steering |
| to brake your speed more, so here is the basic short | | | | wheel. You will find that the only way to get the skis |
| turn that will keep you going nicely on these surfaces | | | | round each time is to go down slowly, and then jump |
| in perfect control. | | | | them up and across the fall line, ie a down slow and |
| Go to a gentle blue piste to start with in order to | | | | up quick unweighting. As you go down put the pole in |
| concentrate on these exercises. Before you start to | | | | firmly, jump up and around it, and immediately go |
| do anything imagine your upper body position as you | | | | down to put the other pole in for the next turn. |
| drive a car. Your head is facing the front. Your arms | | | | The object of this exercise is to get a rhythm going |
| are holding the steering wheel. They are held out, | | | | with one turn after another, and to give you a |
| slightly bent at the elbow, in front of you. The rest | | | | feeling of the skis going underneath you whilst your |
| of your upper body is held facing the front by the | | | | upper body stays rigidly facing the front. You will |
| shape of the seat. This all pre-supposes that you are | | | | probably be wishing by now that you had never |
| not trying to tune the radio or wind down the | | | | bought this book. |
| passenger window. | | | | Have a rest after a few turns, and then try again. It |
| Stand on a flat bit of your chosen slope and assume | | | | will seem pretty rough to start with, especially trying |
| the driving position. Face straight down the hill. Hold | | | | to keep the skis parallel and bringing them round tidily, |
| your arms out at chest height as though gripping the | | | | but worry not. While you are having a rest, try this |
| steering wheel of your sit-up-and-beg roadster. By | | | | sequence a few times standing still: down, right pole |
| now quite a few passers-by will have stopped to | | | | in, up...down, left pole in, up...and so on. |
| look at you. | | | | The next time you go increase the speed a bit, |
| The poles are held quite firmly, hanging down with | | | | remembering that the faster you go the less effort |
| the points just off the snow. This is the position in | | | | is needed to unweight the skis. Continue to do one |
| which your upper body must remain the whole time | | | | turn after the other with no lapse in between. Hum a |
| that you are moving and turning down the piste (not | | | | catchy little tune to yourself and keep in time with its |
| for ever but just for this exercise!). Your skis will be | | | | beat; you should be doing about one turn every two |
| going from side to side underneath you like | | | | seconds. |
| windscreen wipers. | | | | |