Alpine Skiing
I. Characteristics of Alpine Skiing
1. Standard alpine skiing refers to the sport where individuals stand on a pair of skis with one ski under each foot, holding a ski pole in each hand, and descend downhill from a mountain. As a specialized event originating in the European Alps, it is known internationally as "Alpine Skiing."
Alpine skiing is a snow-based sport conducted on natural mountain slopes, characterized by its strong connection to nature. It symbolizes and represents the essence of skiing and is the primary discipline in recreational skiing.
2. Characteristics of Alpine Skiing:
(1) The main force in alpine skiing is gravity. The primary force enabling a person to slide downhill is Earth's gravitational pull, which requires minimal internal physical effort—this is a defining feature of alpine skiing.
(2) The conditions in alpine skiing are complex and ever-changing. The terrain is diverse, snow quality varies, environmental factors shift constantly, and natural conditions have a significant impact. Skiers must continuously adapt to these changes, which is another important characteristic of the sport.
(3) The integration of ski equipment with the human body is another hallmark of alpine skiing. This sport utilizes specialized gear—including skis, ski boots, bindings, and poles—to transmit forces from the snow to the body and vice versa. All of this is facilitated through the equipment; without it, maintaining balance would be impossible. Thus, skis can be considered an extension of the body, while boots and bindings act as intermediaries between the person and the skis. Moreover, the structural features and shape-shifting capabilities of the skis further accentuate this integrated human-ski relationship.
II. Suitable Alpine Skiing Events for the Public
Although events like slalom and giant slalom demand high technical proficiency in turning and involve shorter distances, smaller vertical drops, and relatively slower speeds compared to downhill or super-G, they are safer and well-suited for mass participation. Competitive downhill and super-G events are not recommended for general recreational skiing.
III. Classification of Basic Alpine Skiing Techniques
The basic techniques of alpine skiing include downhill skiing and turning, along with deceleration/stopping techniques and uphill skiing with skis on.
Downhill techniques consist of parallel straight skiing, snowplow straight skiing, as well as diagonal and traverse skiing.
Turning techniques include snowplow turns, half-snowplow turns, parallel turns, jump turns, step turns, and carved turns.
Deceleration and stopping techniques include snowplow braking, hockey-stop, and parallel turn stops.
Uphill skiing with skis on includes traverse climbing, wedge climbing, and zigzag climbing.
IV. Functions and Appeal of Modern Recreational Skiing
Skiing (including snow appreciation, snow walking, and snow play) benefits physical fitness, emotional cultivation, cold resistance, willpower strengthening, disease prevention, and maintaining a fit and slim figure (weight loss). People of all ages and genders can enjoy the thrills and charm of skiing, making it highly appealing and widely participated in—especially alpine skiing.
Due to its fast pace, grandeur, excitement, and variability, alpine skiing is seen as the essence and symbol of the sport. It serves as a core activity for both public fitness and ski tourism. With a wide variety of techniques adaptable to dynamic environments, skiing not only promotes balanced physical development but also enhances the central nervous system, cardiovascular function, reaction skills, and balance.
The cold environment of skiing also builds courage, resilience, and cold endurance. During extended glides over snowy landscapes, accumulated body fat and sugars are quickly converted into energy and burned, effectively refreshing the mind, clearing the lungs, and preventing cardiovascular, respiratory, obesity, depression, and fatigue-related illnesses.
Skiing takes you away from urban noise and pollution, immersing you in majestic mountains, forests, and snowy plains. Surrounded by pristine white landscapes, crisp air, bright sunlight, and expansive views, you can marvel at the ever-changing winter scenery. Amidst the “silver-coated” world, blending with mountains, woods, and snow, skiers dance with the snow, enjoying boundless winter joy. This experience refreshes the spirit, washes away stress and fatigue, purifies the body in nature, and elevates the soul.
V. Interconnections Among Various Alpine Skiing Techniques
1. Skiing offers a rich array of content and diverse techniques, including flatland techniques, downhill techniques, turning techniques, uphill techniques, and jumping techniques, each encompassing numerous specific skills. For instance, alpine skiing involves descending from mountaintops, featuring thrilling downhill runs, captivating turns, and spectacular aerial maneuvers—sometimes dazzling, sometimes jaw-dropping.
2. Among the dozens of technical movements in alpine skiing, there are intrinsic connections. Therefore, when learning these techniques, one should start with foundational skills and improve through key technical elements, thereby progressively enhancing overall skiing ability. Foundational techniques include basic posture, straight skiing, snowplow skiing, diagonal skiing, and traverse skiing.
Key techniques include snowplow turns, parallel turns, and new methods for carving with shaped skis.
The deeper your understanding of the interrelationships among various alpine skiing techniques, the greater the benefits you will gain.
Six, the Shape, Position, and Tracks of the Two Skis
1. Different skiing styles require the two skis to have different shapes and positions. Because the shape and position of the two skis vary, they also leave different tracks on the snow.
2. In parallel straight downhill skiing, both skis slide straight down along the fall line in parallel, forming two symmetrical linear tracks on the left and right. In semi-wedge straight downhill skiing, due to the differing shape and position of the two skis, asymmetrical tracks are formed. In parallel diagonal downhill skiing, the tracks form an angle with the fall line and are asymmetrical.
3. During turns, the tracks left by the two skis resemble crescent-shaped arcs (turns such as stem turns or step turns do not produce arced tracks). The smaller the angle between the direction the skis are moving during a turn and the fall line, the less resistance there is, the faster the speed, and the more slender the tracks. Conversely, when turning, the greater the lateral elements in the ski shape and position, the larger the area of the track, and the longer the distance between the inner edge (inner arc) and outer edge (outer arc) of the track—meaning the track widens horizontally.
4. Super wide turns or wide turns have distinctly different shapes, positions, and therefore tracks compared to small turns.
5. A skier’s ability to control the skis mainly lies in timely altering the shape and position of the two skis to achieve the goals of descending or turning, accelerating or decelerating. The advent of shaped skis has reduced the difficulty for skiers in controlling the shape and position of the two skis.
Seven, Common Terminology in Alpine Skiing Techniques
In the study, practice, and discussion of alpine skiing techniques, many terms are involved. The main terms are summarized below and should be carefully understood based on practical skiing experience.
Gravity: A skier’s body weight can be roughly understood as gravity. The shift in the proportion of weight borne between the two skis (referred to as weight shift, or simply gravity shift) can also be understood as a shift in body weight.
Center of Gravity: Refers to the point where the total weight of the body acts. Its direction points toward the center of the Earth. When the body is standing upright at rest, the center of gravity is generally located 7 centimeters in front of the third sacral vertebra, below the navel; the female center of gravity is slightly lower than the male. If the human body is understood as a vertically symmetrical object in all left-right, front-back directions, the center of gravity must lie on the central line of the symmetrical cross-sections in both directions.
The center of gravity sometimes lies inside the body and sometimes outside during skiing.
The movement direction of the center of gravity in skiing is multidimensional—that is, a combination of front-back, left-right, and up-down shifts.
Weight Transfer: Generally refers to the exchange of load-bearing between the left and right sides during skiing.
Center of Gravity Projection Point: Generally refers to the point on the snow where the line connecting the center of gravity and the center of the Earth touches the ground.
Weight Bearing or Load Bearing: Generally refers to the ski (or loaded leg, loaded foot) that bears the majority of the body’s weight.
Applying Force (Pressure): Generally refers to the pressure exerted on the skis (legs, feet) by the combined force of gravity or gravity together with internal muscular force.
Support Area: Generally refers to the hypothetical stable area formed by the position and shape of the skis on the snow, including the ski shape and position (sometimes the support of ski poles is also considered).
Fall Line: The complete straight line a ball would take when rolling down a slope from the mountain top without changing its direction. The fall line is perpendicular to the contour lines (elevation lines) on a map.
Downhill Skiing: Refers to sliding straight down a slope generally along the fall line.
Turning: Refers to the act of switching the direction of the skis back and forth from left to right while descending a slope. In competitive skiing, this is called a turn.
Climbing or Ascent: Refers to moving upward on a slope while wearing skis.
Ski Shape: Refers to the form the two skis take on the snow or in space. The main ski shapes in alpine skiing are parallel, wedge, and V-shape.
Parallel Ski Shape (Parallel Form): Both skis are parallel to each other, sometimes lying flat on the snow surface; other times, one edge of each ski cuts or carves into the snow surface in parallel.
Wedge Ski Shape: Both skis are in a front-narrow, back-wide formation, with both skis usually having their inside edges turned up. The wedge ski shape also includes the semi-wedge shape.
V-Shaped Ski Shape: Both skis are in a front-wide, back-narrow formation, with one ski necessarily lifted off the snow surface and positioned in the air. Both skis cannot be gliding on the snow simultaneously.
Ski Position: Refers to the location of the two skis on the snow or in space.
Ski Tracks: Refers to the sliding marks left on the snow by the skis during movement.
Ski Pole Marks: Refers to the circular marks left on the snow after the ski poles are planted.
Turn Arc Track: Refers to the tracks left on the snow by the skis during a turn, typically in a crescent or arc shape. Turn arc tracks are one type of ski track.
Turning arc: Refers to the central curve of the turning trajectory. The convex side is called the outside, and the concave side is called the inside.
Turning radius: Refers to the line connecting a point on the turning arc to the imaginary center of the inside circle. The turning radius for typical turns generally ranges between 11–16 meters.
Turning curvature (turning arc): Determined by the turning radius. The larger the turning radius, the larger the turning curvature; the smaller the turning radius, the smaller the turning curvature.
Turning elements: The main factors in turning, primarily including gravity (body weight), edge use, and ski shape.
Outside ski (leg, foot): Refers to the ski (leg, foot) on the outside of the turning arc.
Inside ski (leg, foot): Refers to the ski (leg, foot) on the inside of the turning arc.
Downhill ski (leg): The ski (leg) positioned on the lower side of the slope. Usually the outside ski (leg).
Uphill ski (leg): The ski (leg) positioned on the upper side of the slope. Usually the inside ski (leg).
Active ski: The ski that plays the leading role during a turn, i.e., the one bearing more weight, usually the outside ski or downhill ski.
Passive ski: The ski that does not play the leading role during a turn, i.e., the one bearing less or no weight, usually the inside ski or uphill ski.
Ski edge: Refers to the metal sides on both edges of the ski base.
Inner and outer ski edges: In the basic skiing stance, the inner edges of the left and right skis. There are also two outer edges.
Edging: Refers to the angle formed between the ski base and the snow surface while skiing. Edging is mainly reflected in the inner edge of the active ski.
Edge transition: Refers to the switch between the inner and outer edges of one ski and the weight transfer between the two inner edges of both skis during a turn.
Carving into the snow: Often refers to the ski edge digging firmly into the snow surface while skiing. This is mainly reflected in the inner edge of the active ski.
Holding an edge: Generally refers to keeping the ski edge steadily planted in the snow surface when stationary.
Edge angle (edge angle on snow): The angle formed between the ski and the snow surface when edging.
Ski attack angle: The angle formed between the ski and the original direction of skiing. The attack angle is proportional to resistance.
Skidding (side skid): During a turn in alpine skiing, when the downhill ski is weighted and edged, it tends to slide outward and backward.
Snow surface: Specifically refers to the layer of snow suitable for skiing.
Snow resistance (snow drag): Refers to the resistance force exerted by snow against the sliding of the skis.
Leaning over: During a turning maneuver, due to factors such as edging, body posture, and centrifugal force, the relevant parts of the body must tilt toward the inside of the turn and go beyond the two skis to maintain balance. This state is called leaning over.
Reverse arch: During a skiing turn, due to the edging of the skis and for balance maintenance, the knees and hip joints tilt inward, while the upper body tilts and twists in the opposite direction, forming a human posture called the reverse arch. In typical small turns, the reverse arch mainly occurs in the knee and hip area. In fast, large turns, the reverse arch may appear in the hips or connect from the hips through the knees.
Extension: At the moment of transitioning between two consecutive turns, stepping down (on one or both feet) on the skis—mainly by straightening the knees (rather than the upper body)—lifts the body’s center of gravity upward and forward, momentarily “unweighting” the skis to facilitate changing the ski direction and exchanging forces. This movement process is called extension.
Forward lean: In the basic skiing stance, the actions of “pushing the knees forward,” “slightly leaning the upper body forward,” and applying pressure with the ball of the foot are called forward lean. This action ensures the center of gravity does not lag behind.
Sitting back: Refers to lowering the hips while skiing, causing the center of gravity to fall behind. "Sitting back" is the opposite of forward lean and is an incorrect movement.
Snow temperature: The temperature measured beneath the snow surface, which differs from air temperature. Air temperature is greatly affected by weather conditions, while snow temperature is relatively stable. Measuring snow temperature is a key basis for judging snow quality changes and waxing skis.
Ski flex (tension, stress): Refers to the deformation of the ski where the front and rear parts rise upward and the middle bends downward under load (force). This deformation creates a rebound force.
Ski shadow: The approximate projection of the ski shape on the snow surface.
Gate: Refers to the markers set up on the ski slope to define the specific skiing route. Slalom gates consist of two poles; giant slalom, super-G, and downhill gates consist of four poles—two on each side—with a large flag between them. Both the poles and flags feature alternating red and blue colors.