Double-foot Pressure
This time, let’s talk about “double-foot pressure.” Usually, when we mention applying pressure to the board with both feet, we instinctively think of applying the same amount of force with both feet. This kind of pressure is limited to when we’re standing on flat ground—that is, when we’re standing vertically on a horizontal line. When we’re skiing on the slopes, the way our feet apply pressure to the snowboards is very different from standing on flat ground. Generally, when making turns, the pressure on the downhill foot is greater than that on the uphill foot. There are almost no instances where the uphill foot has more pressure than the downhill foot—unless it’s part of a specific practice move. Since we apply different amounts of pressure with our feet when turning, why do we still use terms like “pressure on both feet” or “applying pressure”? The aim is to clarify that the way both feet apply pressure to the snowboard isn’t an isolated action, but rather a cooperative, unified movement. That is, even though the pressure intensity of the downhill and uphill feet differs, the actions of both feet aren’t independent—they work together. This cooperation is meant to facilitate the body’s overall movement. In other words, to achieve overall balance and control the snowboard’s turns, the two feet must work together—with the downhill foot as the main force and the uphill foot as support—adjusting reasonably according to speed and centrifugal force to maintain proper balance.
This time, let’s talk about “double-foot pressure.” Usually, when we mention applying pressure to the board with both feet, we instinctively think of applying the same amount of force with both feet. This kind of pressure is limited to when we’re standing on flat ground—that is, when we’re standing vertically on a horizontal line. When we’re skiing on the slopes, the way our feet apply pressure to the snowboards is very different from standing on flat ground. Generally, when making turns, the pressure on the downhill foot is greater than that on the uphill foot. There are almost no instances where the uphill foot has more pressure than the downhill foot—unless it’s part of a specific practice move. Since we apply different amounts of pressure with our feet when turning, why do we still use terms like “pressure on both feet” or “applying pressure”? The aim is to clarify that the way both feet apply pressure to the snowboard isn’t an isolated action, but rather a cooperative, unified movement. That is, even though the pressure intensity of the downhill and uphill feet differs, the actions of both feet aren’t independent—they work together. This cooperation is meant to facilitate the body’s overall movement. In other words, to achieve overall balance and control the snowboard’s turns, the two feet must work together—with the downhill foot as the main force and the uphill foot as support—adjusting reasonably according to speed and centrifugal force to maintain proper balance.
Below, based on my personal experience with parallel skiing, I’ll explain in detail the roles of the outside foot (downhill foot) and inside foot (uphill foot) while skiing. Simply put, the role of the outside foot is to maintain the turning force and keep the body balanced and upright, while the inside foot guides the direction of the turn. In other words, the downhill foot is like the accelerator of a car, and the uphill foot is like the steering wheel. Of course, when the uphill foot acts as the steering wheel to control direction, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t apply any pressure at all—the uphill foot also needs to apply pressure to the snowboard as needed.
So how can you effectively use the uphill foot? You need to rely on a proper skiing stance to transfer pressure to the snowboard while fully absorbing the resistance from the snow. During a turn, if your stance is unstable and wobbly, the snowboard won’t be able to accurately handle the pressure from the snow. For example, when your center of gravity is shifted backward (i.e., sitting back), your feet lose their fine-tuning ability. In such a case, if you try to adjust your edge angle by leaning your whole body, you’re very likely to lose balance. I’m sure many of you have had this kind of fall—especially in the beginner stage.
To summarize the above, based on a proper skiing stance, apply pressure with the downhill foot to the snowboard and let the uphill foot effectively guide the direction of the turn. In other words, applying pressure with the downhill foot helps create a proper skiing stance, which then allows the uphill foot to control the direction of the turn. Although modern wide snowboards can automatically carve turns after being pressured, that doesn’t mean the boards will completely steer themselves. Advanced skiers, after initiating a turn, use a proper stance to drive and control the edge angle of the snowboard, thereby actively managing the direction of the turn. Whether or not you can achieve this proper skiing stance depends on your skill in applying pressure and controlling the uphill foot (inside foot)!
During the second half of a C-turn, as the snowboard slides diagonally downhill, imagine: the area from the outer side of the downhill foot’s big toe to the inner side of the heel forms a straight line, with all the pressure concentrated along this line—and the direction of this line should align with the edge angle of the board. On the other hand, the area from the outer side of the uphill foot’s little toe to the outer side of the heel forms another line, with the pressure focused along this line, and the direction of this line should be slightly inward relative to the board’s edge angle (meaning the uphill board’s tip should rotate slightly toward the mountain). If the inside board doesn’t make this kind of movement and only passively follows the pressure of the outside board, what happens? (Intermediate skiers, please pay attention to the following.) The tip of the inside board will slice directly into the snow, causing the tips of both boards to separate and form a V-shape. Alternatively, if the inside board’s tip doesn’t rotate toward the mountain, the two tips may collide while the tails separate, forming an inverted V. The former is more common among intermediate skiers, as you’ve already learned how to edge and apply pressure, while the latter often happens with beginners who haven’t yet learned to actively drive the snowboard—especially the inside board. Either scenario can cause the boards to chatter during the turn.
When watching truly skilled skiers execute parallel turns—especially medium and large turns (if you can’t see them on the slopes, check out the translated videos I’ve posted on Tudou)—you’ll notice that during the turn initiation, the inside board retracts slightly. This helps align the direction of both boards, and successfully executing this movement requires coordination with the pressure applied by the inside foot.
Especially when carving turns, it’s important to keep your body’s orientation aligned with the board’s tip. If the two board tips are misaligned, it can also cause the outside shoulder to lag behind—and vice versa. If your stance is off and your outside shoulder lags, the outside board tip will definitely lag behind the inside one. When carving, it’s essential to minimize this gap between the two board tips, so being able to skillfully use the inside foot is a crucial step toward carving smooth, elegant turns. To develop the skill of using the inside foot flexibly, you need to start with your skiing stance.
To summarize the above, based on a proper skiing stance, apply pressure with the downhill foot to the snowboard and let the uphill foot effectively guide the direction of the turn. In other words, applying pressure with the downhill foot helps create a proper skiing stance, which then allows the uphill foot to control the direction of the turn. Although modern wide snowboards can automatically carve turns after being pressured, that doesn’t mean the boards will completely steer themselves. Advanced skiers, after initiating a turn, use a proper stance to drive and control the edge angle of the snowboard, thereby actively managing the direction of the turn. Whether or not you can achieve this proper skiing stance depends on your skill in applying pressure and controlling the uphill foot (inside foot)!
During the second half of a C-turn, as the snowboard slides diagonally downhill, imagine: the area from the outer side of the downhill foot’s big toe to the inner side of the heel forms a straight line, with all the pressure concentrated along this line—and the direction of this line should align with the edge angle of the board. On the other hand, the area from the outer side of the uphill foot’s little toe to the outer side of the heel forms another line, with the pressure focused along this line, and the direction of this line should be slightly inward relative to the board’s edge angle (meaning the uphill board’s tip should rotate slightly toward the mountain). If the inside board doesn’t make this kind of movement and only passively follows the pressure of the outside board, what happens? (Intermediate skiers, please pay attention to the following.) The tip of the inside board will slice directly into the snow, causing the tips of both boards to separate and form a V-shape. Alternatively, if the inside board’s tip doesn’t rotate toward the mountain, the two tips may collide while the tails separate, forming an inverted V. The former is more common among intermediate skiers, as you’ve already learned how to edge and apply pressure, while the latter often happens with beginners who haven’t yet learned to actively drive the snowboard—especially the inside board. Either scenario can cause the boards to chatter during the turn.
When watching truly skilled skiers execute parallel turns—especially medium and large turns (if you can’t see them on the slopes, check out the translated videos I’ve posted on Tudou)—you’ll notice that during the turn initiation, the inside board retracts slightly. This helps align the direction of both boards, and successfully executing this movement requires coordination with the pressure applied by the inside foot.
Especially when carving turns, it’s important to keep your body’s orientation aligned with the board’s tip. If the two board tips are misaligned, it can also cause the outside shoulder to lag behind—and vice versa. If your stance is off and your outside shoulder lags, the outside board tip will definitely lag behind the inside one. When carving, it’s essential to minimize this gap between the two board tips, so being able to skillfully use the inside foot is a crucial step toward carving smooth, elegant turns. To develop the skill of using the inside foot flexibly, you need to start with your skiing stance.
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