BOOT FIT: The boot is the connection to skis. Boots need to be snug so that when we move our feet and legs the skis respond but not so tight as to cut off circulation or persistent pain. Right boot on right foot. Buckles latched. Minimal space behind the calf. No sliding fore and aft inside the boot. Toes not crunched on the front of the boot when the ankle in flexed. Two finger fit. Nothing tucked into the boots. Only one pair of socks. In a group of First Time skiers, there is reliably one or more boots that are not properly worn or fitted.

EQUIPMENT: Helmets? Are the skis an appropriate length? Appropriate type? (Slalom race skis are hard for beginners) Do the boots fit in the skis? Are poles the right length? Forearm parallel to the snow when holding the pole under the basket. (Kids usually start without poles.) Eye protection? Warmth?

Instructors are not empowered to adjust equipment.

ATHLETIC STANCE: Ankles flexed, slight flex in all joints; ankles, knees, hips, and spine. Hands and arms slightly forward and higher than hips. Modest level of overall flexion. It is common to flex too deeply or not enough. Feet approximately hip width apart. Head up, and vision forward. Stance needs to be relaxed and allow movement. Common problems: Too stiff, too straight in ankles, too flexed, too much bend in knees, too much bend at waist, head down. Fix: Hops, visual targets, dad jokes, breathing, no poles, external goals. Static boot work drills introduce the 5 FUNDAMENTALS. Steps and taps introduce foot to foot pressure control. Hops introduce fore/aft and magnitude control. Sidesteps introduce edge control. 360, twist, wedge introduce rotary control.

ATHLETIC STANCE and 5 FUNDAMENTALS: One Ski drills on flat land add

challenge and movement to the introduction to stance and fundamentals. They also introduce sliding on the skis in a flat land environment. They develop the fundamentals that are needed to move to sliding downhill. They help skiers build familiarity with balancing on a sliding ski. Some of the drills are best done on a downhill ski so facing opposite directions.

SCHMEAR refers to skidding the edges of the across the snow combining rotation of the ski and lateral movement. You can think of it as doing half of a wedge. It is important to do this with the ski on the ground so that it gently scrapes the snow. This helps build familiarity with the movements we develop further as we build wedges.

Downhill ski SCOOTER TRAVERSES can be done at gradually steeper angles to help build sliding and edging skills and prepare for two ski sliding. Encourage students to balance over their downhill ski

Orient to the hill, toe touch method, push up method, remove a ski method

Teach skiers how to get up unassisted. Often with adults, this step can be left to later in the lesson, namely, when a student falls however it is an important piece of the lesson and needs to be included at some point. Observe all school policies around lifting students. If help is needed, assist rather than lift. Protect your own body.

Athletic stance, shuffle, step, twist, tap front and back, sidestep, schmear, slide forward, slide back, traverse, 360, walk around a circle(flat ground).

Ideally, practice these drills facing each direction. However, this is not always practical in the space available. Two ski drills add more challenge and require more sensitivity to slope and angle and direction. Even small changes in slope require adjustments and build skills. Two ski drills also build familiarity and coordination with the length of the skis. It is common to see these stepping on their own skis. Encourage them to try use proprioception to feel where their skis are and not just look at them. Keep checking athletic stance and offering reminders and corrections

“V” shape (herringbone / duckwalk)

SIDESTEPING askes students to tip the skis into the hill and stand on them. The most common challenge with sidestepping is a tendency to flatten the ski when pressured. Specifically, when a student lifts their uphill ski to step up the hill and puts their weight on their downhill ski, they will often allow their downhill ski to flatten and slip sideways down the hill. Practice sidesteps facing each way across the hill. This is usually more successful for adults.

Herringbone is when skiers make a “v” shape with their ski tails close together and step on the inside edges of their skis. Herringbone is easier for skiers aged ten and under partly because of motor development and partly because their skis are shorter. Sidestep and herringbone drills offer locomotion and develop edge control as well as continuing to build coordination with skis. This practice time often takes place at the same time as the gliding wedge practice.

“Tips close but not touching, tails farther apart.” Manage space. Step into a wedge. Wedge sizes: Gliding wedge verses breaking wedge. Check athletic stance in a wedge. Eyes up. Hop into a Wedge. Schmear into a Wedge.

A WEDGE refers to a skier orienting their skis with tips close together and tails apart making a ‘v’ shape. Good wedges maintain a neutral leg position, meaning not knock kneed and not bowlegged. The skier should end up on the inside edges of their skis as the skis are outside their hips. Check athletic stance generally and specifically for fore/aft issues including bending the knees too much, the ankles too little or the waist too much. Gliding wedges are small and breaking wedges are bigger in the back. The tips of the skis should remain about the same distance apart regardless of the size of the wedge. Emphasize awareness of slope direction as new skiers sometimes make uphill facing wedges and find themselves trapped, sliding backwards as their wedge gets bigger. New skiers tend to look at their skis when making their first wedges. This is fine for the first attempt or two but then practice moving into a wedge without looking and only checking after the move has been made. Build the skill by feeling where the body is and then confirming visually if needed. Practice stepping into a wedge, hoping into a wedge, and schmearing into a wedge five times each or until the students can make the move without looking. This is an ideal chance to train the movement before it is needed to control speed

Traverses build edge control and sliding familiarity. A series of traverses can begin perpendicular to the slope and then gradually point more downhill. Traverses develop sensitivity to the fall line and lateral pressure control. Practice in both directions. Introduce checking uphill for traffic. Take advantage of sidestepping to help build this skill.

Where terrain is appropriate, straight runs build sliding familiarity and fore/aft pressure control. Ideally, straight runs utilize a counter hill so that sliding stops naturally. Much of the beginner areas do not lend themselves to this development pattern until after building a wedge.

Athletic Stance Glide to wedge stop, Wedge Change-ups, Gliding Wedge Traverse

WEDGE CHANGE-UPS are sometimes called, “go and slows.” They involve skiing down the hill in a gliding wedge then enlarging the wedge to a braking wedge and then back to a gliding wedge and repeat. The ski tips should be close together and remain the same distance apart as the ski tails move apart and back together. As skills develop, the skis will need to go all the way to parallel but that is usually later in the lesson or in the next. Check for symmetry as most people have a strong side and will tend to balance more on one foot, angulate more with one leg or rotate more with one leg or rotate their hips. Check fore/aft balance as many skiers will tend to lean back when enlarging their wedge. This drill is actually a great way to gain significant practice with centering as the wedge gets bigger and smaller. Promote and build smooth and gentle movements. Watch out for jerky movements that reveal isometric tension. Watch for asymmetries in edge angles, hip extension, foot to foot pressure. Use feedback and drills to reduce tension and build symmetry. Wedge change-ups develop edge control and lower body rotation as well as building skidding sensitivity. They also build speed control.

Poles are useful for locomotion but skiers without poles will often develop balance on their skis and sensitivity to the snow more quickly. Poles can be like a crutch and can be a distraction to skiers learning to rely on their skis. Most skiers will develop centering more quickly without poles. Also, poles can accentuate upper body rotation.

Move to CONVEYOR LIFTS as soon as reliable. More Wedge Change-ups.

RIDING CONVEYORS: Prepare, load, ride, unload. Consider removing your skis to be able to assist. Discuss what to expect at all phases of the cycle before entering the line. Encourage functional core and ankle tension.

When skiers can consistently slow down and stop, the conveyors offer mileage. They also offer the chance to build out comfort, familiarity, and skills. Promote and build smooth and gentle movements. Watch out for jerky movements that reveal isometric tension. Encourage good visual targeting (look ahead not at the snow). Gentle is strong.

Practice, develop, master skills on the conveyors. Use this time to establish good fundamentals. Games and challenges can help raise the level for your stronger students. Wedge Change-ups with taps, Wedge Change-ups with hops. Wedges that travel across the hill. Wedge wiggles. Establish reliable speed control and stopping. Establish reliable direction control. Develop mastery.

Prepare, load, ride, unload.

KOL policies. Describe and discuss what to expect at all phases of the cycle before entering the line. Give clear directions about where to meet at the top.

At this stage, the student is developing new skills. Guided practice can help the student master and begin to coordinate the movements. Wedge Traverse, Wedge Change up, Direction control, Stops.

ALWAYS STAY IN CONTROL. You must be able to stop or avoid people or objects.

LOOK UPHILL and avoid others before starting downhill or entering a trail.

People ahead or downhill of you have the right-of-way. You must avoid them.

Review, evaluate, and build skills as needed.

This functions as a warmup and review. It also offers a chance to evaluate skills.

This is also a warmup/review/evaluate step. Common challenges include stiffness, fore/aft, athletic stance, problems that grow with movement or in the attempt to stop. Address issues with reminders and review or drills.

Face across the hill and tip edges one at a time to increase grip. Then step sideways up the hill. The most common challenge with sidestepping is the tendency to flatten the ski when pressured. Specifically, when a student lifts their uphill ski to step up the hill and puts their weight on their downhill ski, they will allow their downhill ski to flatten and slip down the hill. Teach students to use their uphill edges. Remember to practice both directions. This skill applies directly to traversing. Demonstrate this skill facing in the same direction as your students. Children often have difficulty mirroring this skill.

Sidestepping builds edge control and ski to ski pressure management.

In a TRAVERSE, a skier travels across the hill. The challenge is to maintain consistent speed and to minimize slipping sideways down the hill. Emphasize balance on the inside edge of the downhill ski, the “big toe” side of the downhill ski, to build a stable traverse. Traverse practice helps build edge control, direction control, and speed control. Challenge a student to travel across a hill maintaining a consistent speed and stop at a target. As skills improve challenge with steeper angles, thumpers, wedge change-ups, dribbling, hops, etc.

Age 6 or less respond well when asked to direct their attention towards a target to one side or the other as their upper and lower body separation tends to develop later. Adults may need to focus on pointing the skis where they want to go. WEDGE WIGGLES are small direction changes- less than 20 degrees left and right of the fall line. Small, low speed, gentle changes help build control and focus on small leg turning movements. Mastering wiggles offers high frequency practice of the initial movements of a turn. The most common issue is that students will try to make dramatic changes of direction and add big uncoordinated body movements to try to swing the skis around.

In a wedge relationship increase or decrease edge angle on one side of the wedge and then the other

CRABWALKS are an edge control drill that isolates ankle rolling/tipping in a wedge. It offers some direction control through tipping the ski without actually changing the orientation of the wedge. It helps build ski design utilization even at a beginner level. Focus on small, gentle, sustained movements, increasing and decreasing slightly the ski angle using lower leg tipping. This helps control traverses. Skiers with an ice skating or rollerblading background tend to respond very well. Choose very shallow terrain to introduce and practice this drill.

Once a student has a reliable traverse, they can usually flatten their skis and allow them to go downhill. This is often a very natural transition if a student is in a good athletic stance. The next step is to start with traveling downhill adding a bit of edge and pressure to the outside ski in a wedge and steering the leg/wedge around into a traverse. Practice and build ownership of each of these parts of a turn.

Gradually ask for more direction change. C-TURNS

Build gradually. Start with minor direction changes and gradually build turn shape. Start with relatively large turns depending on the space available, traffic, and the length of the student’s skis. Shoot for a smooth turn with smooth gentle movements “Follow me” drills, cones, obstacles, targets. Gradually build toward more complete and smaller turns. C-shaped turns. C-TURNS have a round shape that helps manage speed and keeps movements smooth. Not sharp or abrupt.

Continue developing the 5 FUNDAMENTALS. These skills need to be developed to manage more speed and more slope angle. Mileage helps. Build a little speed first. Then slow down and build toward more slope angle. Always only one new challenge at a time. Give new exercises on familiar easy terrain.

The challenge with connecting turns is to build good transitions where a skier moves balance smoothly from an outside foot to both feet and then to the new outside foot. Changing edges smoothly and in a synchronized rather than sequential manner helps smooth the transition too. And, not least, guiding skis around a curve helps make the connection smooth. The next step, Linked turns, adds the element of carrying momentum from one turn into the next. Good turns manage speed in a fluid and consistent manner and are always turning without ‘flat’ spots. No zig zags. At this stage, particularly on flatter terrain, teach toward more parallel matching, more of the time, through more of the turn.

orient to the fall line- toe touch method, push up method, remove a ski method.

Review and if needed, teach skiers how to get up unassisted. Observe all school policies around lifting students. If the student needs help, assist rather than lift. Protect your own body.

You must know how and be able to load, ride and unload lifts safely.

People ahead or downhill have the right of way.

I can link “C” turns together and stop consistently on easiest green terrain!

This serves as a warmup and review. It also offers an opportunity to evaluate skills.

Pay particular attention to athletic stance. Many challenges resolve or dissipate when this is successful or improved.

Check for speed, speed control, shape control. Decide what to develop first.

Which of the 5 FUNDAMENTALS should you develop? Is this skier matching? How much? Which parts of the turn? Are they comfortable, relaxed, and confident or stiff and afraid? How steep or narrow or busy can the hill be and the skier still be comfortable? Can they speed up and slow down? Do they have enough direction control to follow a trail?

Build travel across the hill in a traverse. The skier will need to have some edge engagement with the downhill ski and some weight on that ski. Build speed management in a traverse. In a Wedge Change-up Traverse, the skier travels across a hill maintaining consistent speed and making their skis wedge bigger and smaller or to parallel. Teach skiers to move both skis when making a wedge and not just one.

Turn up hill to stop. Finish turns

Build more reliance on turn shape and gravity rather than a wedge for speed control. As a skier can rely on these, the need for the wedge dissipates. A FAN PROGRESSION gradually adds difficulty and speed by increasing slope angle. Start by having a skier traverse across the hill and then stop by turning uphill. Then have the skier traverse with a slight downhill angle and then turn uphill to stop. Add more downhill angle with each successful attempt until the starting direction is directly downhill. Select slope pitch for safe speeds to match skill of your group.

THUMPERS are a drill in which skiers tap the back of the uphill or inside ski. They build edge control and balance over the outside ski. Start with a stationary practice then practice in a traverse, then in the second half of a turn, then around the entire turn. Ideally the skier will keep the tip of their ski on the snow as they tap it. This helps with fore/aft balance in the drill. Organizing the upper body properly helps stability and allows balance over the outside ski. Some drills that help build upper body discipline for balance over the outside ski include teapots, pet the dog, dribbling and opposite airplanes.

Stationary Ski Bowties, Traverse bowties.

Bowties are rotary control drills where, in the case of stationary bootwork, the ski boot makes a bowtie shape in the snow. Have your skiers remove their skis, face downhill and rotate their boots on the snow. If they have poles they may use them to steady their upper body and to allow their bodies to lean on them relative to the slope. Start rotating with one leg at a time. The goal is to isolate this movement, so the hips remain steady and the axis of rotation goes through the arch of a foot. When the toes and heels rotate back and forth the boot makes a mini snow angel or “bowtie” shape on the snow. It is common for students to move their hips around trying to activate their legs. Help them learn to keep their hips still and rotate their legs in the hip sockets. If necessary, the handle of a pole can be placed in the center and under the student’s boots to provide a teeter point on which to rotate. Practice so that the skier can rotate both legs at the same time without rotating their hips or upper body. The rotation ideally happens in the hip sockets. Emphasis on the knees rotating outward can also be helpful. Slow controlled rotation is ideal.

Another stationary drill that addresses this skill is the Ski against Pole rotation activation. With skis on, plant a pole outside the tips of the student’s skis and ask them to lift a ski and rotate the tip of their ski against the pole, keeping the ski level. This activates the muscles needed to rotate the skis outward. You can also have them practice internal rotation, but the external rotation is the bigger and more important challenge.

WEDGE CHRISTIES are when a skier makes a wedge at the beginning of a turn and then steers their skis to a parallel as they go around a turn. The Christie part refers to a skier being on both of the same edges (i.e. uphill edges) of parallel skis rather than on opposing edges as they are in a wedge.

Take advantage of Wedge Change-up skills and initially time the match for after the downhill part of a turn. Choose shallow terrain for initial attempts. Focus more on the movement more than the timing. Build balance over the outside ski and grow familiarity with rotating the inside leg and ski. The idea of a wedge christy to offer a path to grow towards a parallel turn rather than perfecting a wedge christy. As skills improve, gradually build the match earlier in the turn. Emphasize that the wedge is a tool. Wedges are not wrong but they become less stable with speed and can be clumsy on steeper slopes. Parallel is more efficient, more comfortable and more powerful most of the time. Build more parallel skiing in more of the turn and for more of the time. Use a wedge when needed but grow skills so that it becomes less needed.

Begin with hops between turns. Then hop and start the turn. Jumpshot- dribble drills. Then progress to smooth and continuous rise and sink movements. This movement builds centering and encourages relaxation.

Round turn shapes offer consistent speed control. S-turns are turns where momentum and speed are consistent and flow from one turn into the next. Target drills, cones, timing drills are helpful.

Build speed on shallow terrain. Build finish on steeper terrain. Encourage controlling the body movements with muscle tension, but not bracing or stiffness.

Stop in a visible and safe place.

Look uphill and yield to others before sliding.

My skis match to parallel most times between turns on Green Terrain!

Reviewing athletic stance serves as a warmup and review. It also offers an opportunity to evaluate skills. Many challenges resolve or dissipate when this is successful or improved. Check for head up and good hand discipline.

Look for opportunities. What does the student need to succeed? How much is the skier in a wedge? When are they parallel? What factors affect this, i.e. slope angle, space, speed, surface? Do they look relaxed? What shape of turn do they tend to make? Where are they in developing their skills? How much are they able to balance over their outside ski? What development path offers the best promise for long term success? Build the 5 FUNDAMENTALS.

GARLANDS are a special type of traverse where a skier travels across a slope going downhill, turning uphill then down again and repeat. Garlands help to establish speed control and build turn shape management. By not turning all the way downhill and around a full turn, they encourage natural matching. SWOOPS are turns where a skier goes downhill and turns attempting to carry speed back up hill and specifically help with speed control. Successful swoops are smooth curves and rely mostly on edge and pressure to generate the turn. Watch out for skiers who run out of momentum on the uphill and start to slide backwards. Instruct them to turn back across the hill when they feel their momentum fade.

In SIDESLIPPING, a skier faces across the hill and flattens their skis to release the edge grip allowing them to travel sideways downhill. Focus on flattening the downhill ski and keeping the uphill ski tipped a little up on their little toe edge. Most skiers new to this skill will roll the uphill ski too much downhill and catch the downhill edge of the uphill ski. Build this skill with both skis on the ground and with travel sideways but directly downhill and not forward or back. Practice facing each direction. FALLING LEAF starts with sideslipping and adds movement forward and back and across the hill. Activate steering movements to start the movement forward or back. Slight forward balance adjustments and then backward movement with slight backward balance adjustments are key to success.

Sidewalls can offer a great opportunity for practice but require additional safety attention.

Sideslipping and Falling Leaf drills develop skidding skills that will help manage speed in turns and develop toward more parallel turns. They also offer an emergency move if a student ends up somewhere that makes them uncomfortable. It is easier to learn on smooth, firm surfaces(not ice) that are a little steeper. Sidewalls on the edges of runs can be useful if managed appropriately. Practice can be tedious so it usually best to keep this in short sessions spread over multiple runs. Sideslipping is an initial step toward skidding in turns.

Bow Tie Traverses are closely related to a wedge change up traverse. Only the uphill ski performs the action and the axis of rotation should go through the skier’s arches. Practice flattening and rotating back and forth the uphill ski in a gentle traverse. Keep speeds slow and practice each direction. Ideally the skis should stay on the ground. As the skill grows, the next step is to make the move at the start of a turn with the downhill ski and steer the skis downhill into and around a turn. So deliberately flattening, turning, and then tipping the ski back up on edge.

Edge control, specifically the movements around tipping the ski from edge to edge including the part when the ski is flat to the snow is very important to this skill.

Build HOCKEY STOPS with both skis on the snow. Focus on the rotary skill and build upper and lower body separation so that the skier finishes with their skis pointed across the hill and their up body facing downhill. Lifting a ski is a short cut but is not as good for development of edge control and foot to foot pressure management. Incorporating a flex/extend movement can make the hockey stop easier to achieve. Hockey Stops offer a convenient type of speed control but also build edge control including skidding and the flat of the ski.

THOUSAND STEPS is a drill where the skier steps from ski to ski continuously as they make turns. Check athletic stance elements- head up, hands quiet and in a good place, ankles bent. Start on shallow terrain in gentle turns asking for steps primarily in the lower half of a turn and then build to all the way around the turn. The drill builds centering and foot to foot pressure control. Also edge control. Thousand steps is athletic and will be tiring so keep sessions short.

Matching is sliding with the skis parallel. Once a skier can rely on turn shape for most of their speed control, the most common challenge to matching is the initiation or beginning part of the turn. Build steering with each leg. Use flat terrain to encourage initial success and movement pattern building. Use skidding to help with managing speed. Confidence in skidding also can help extend matching through more of the turn. Build speed on lower angle terrain before moving to steeper terrain. Progression to steeper terrain askes for more balance and commitment in the transition including movement across the skis and more directing pressure over the outside ski. Uphill Ski bowties in traverse. Wedge Change ups, Wedge Christies, schmear turns.

WHIRLYBIRDS, sometimes called an on-the-snow three-sixty are when a skier makes a full rotation on the snow. Whirlybirds ask for excellent edge control, as well as fore/aft balance and rotary skills. The Whirlybird is best explored on very flat terrain with plenty of space where you are out of traffic and away from other skiers. Also, the drill is generally more appropriate to kids or younger, more athletic skiers. If in a group, manage the spacing within the group as well. Consider who, where and when. Skiers can use their Falling Leaf skills to schmear around a turn until they are facing uphill. The key challenge comes with the skier briefly slides backwards as they try to revert to facing forward. Most skiers will catch the inside edge of the uphill ski just as they did when learning to sideslip. Challenge skiers to flatten that ski and to check their fore/aft balance so that it is oriented relative to slope, specifically leaning downhill even though they are facing uphill. Skiers commonly lean uphill when they first face uphill. For the best skills development, ask skiers to keep both skis on the snow and to maintain a hip width stance through the entire rotation.

POLE TOUCHES are when a skier touches a pole to the snow downhill from them to time their movements through the transition and starting the next turn. Pole touches offer timing and coordination as well as great proprioception benefits. Challenge skiers to swing their poles mostly with a wrist movement rather than their entire arm. Touch the pole to the snow lightly and crisply rather than driving it into the snow(pole plant). Look for the pole touch to be with the pole on the downhill side of the skier and timed to coordinate with movement across the skis. Usually, the pole touch marks the moment the skier is on the flat of their ski as they move from edge to edge.

Review athletic stance. Build skiers with appropriately flexed joints who move through a range of motion as they move around their turns. Look out for sharp, dramatic moves and for isometric tension that can make a skier look jittery rather than graceful. Good skiers often maintain functional tension in their core and ankles but most of their bodies will be relaxed to allow movement to absorb bumps and allow active body movement over the skis.

Exchange contact info if in a collision or incident.

I am confident linking mostly parallel turns on all Green terrain & beginning Blue terrain!