Video with explanation of the most basic movements in proper parallel skiing technique
Published: 2026-09-25
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Last updated 2026-09-25 — Competitive skiers make very large edge angles due to their profession. The skiing style shown in the video is much softer, freer, and more comfortable — like a fish in water. I advocate this kind of technique, and that’s how I ski now. Competitive skiing is as if you have a grudge against the snow, as if you must grip it hard... because you need to make very sharp turns...
For turning in the Carving style: the weight is on the outside, the thigh and foot are basically kept in a constant inward position. But many enthusiasts have misconceptions — when skiing parallel, they think it means bending the knees inward. Many people bend their knees inward like this, putting all the force on the knee joint, creating a pivot point. This means the knees aren't fully pressing down onto the board, the ski isn’t bearing full pressure, and such incorrect movements can also easily injure the knees.
Correct movement: the upper body stays centered with a slight forward lean and slightly bent knees — also called the neutral stance (half squat). Hands are extended forward, feet shoulder-width apart (slightly narrower is also okay). The weight is firmly placed on the outer ski, pressed slightly diagonally forward to initiate movement. Keep the hips and above from twisting left or right or leaning. Gently engage the edge, let the tail of the ski lightly brush the snow — this helps control speed and makes turning easier.
Around the 19-minute mark, there's a special focus on movements below the hips. The upper body remains stable and must not turn or lean. The current technique is to switch edges directly from the inside edge of the inside leg just before the edge exchange, then perform the movement. The movement reaches its limit at the end of the turn before switching again.
Competitive skiers make very large edge angles due to their profession. The skiing style shown in the video is much softer, freer, and more comfortable — like a fish in water. I advocate this kind of technique, and that’s how I ski now. Competitive skiing is as if you have a grudge against the snow, as if you must grip it hard... because you need to make very sharp turns, using a lot of force, consuming energy, going fast — it's unsafe and not suitable for the general public.
Later, there’s skiing on cat bumps. Any ski resort will have moguls. When enthusiasts ski moguls, the knees need to be very springy, not stiffly locked on both skis. The upper body still remains steady — no turning left or right, no tilting. Absorb the bump by bending the knees going up, extend the knees going down following the slope of the mogul, and keep from getting airborne.
Note: when skiing moguls, the upper body must absolutely not rotate, and your center of gravity must stay slightly forward of center — it must never fall behind. A rearward center of gravity will cause you to get bounced, and you also shouldn’t lean too far forward. On the downslope, you may catch air. This is especially true on courses with back-to-back moguls.
Later, it covers off-piste skiing techniques. When skiing in powder, the basic posture is the same as normal, but the difference is that the center of gravity should be slightly farther back. When skiing off-piste, your feet must never be too wide apart — shoulder-width is the maximum width. Skiing with legs together is also fine, as long as the distance between the feet does not exceed shoulder-width.
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