Improving Your Parallel Turns: Drills for Precision and Control

23 November 2024

If you're serious about skiing, you’ve probably heard the term "parallel turns" thrown around quite a bit. It’s that elusive skill that separates casual skiers from the pros, allowing you to glide down the slopes with elegance and control, making you feel like you're dancing on the snow. But let's be honest, mastering parallel turns can sometimes feel like wrestling with a wild animal—frustrating and unpredictable.

The good news? With the right drills and techniques, you can tame that beast and carve your way down the mountain with precision and confidence. Whether you're a beginner just transitioning from snowplow turns or an intermediate skier looking to refine your skills, we’ve got you covered. Let's dive into some drills and tips that can help you improve your parallel turns and make you feel like a slope-slaying rockstar.

Why Focus on Parallel Turns?

Before we jump into the drills, let’s talk about why parallel turns are so important in your skiing journey. Parallel turns are a game-changer because they allow for smoother, more efficient skiing. When done correctly, they give you greater control over your speed and direction, making it easier to navigate tricky terrains or avoid obstacles. Plus, they just look and feel cool, right?

More importantly, parallel turns are foundational for more advanced skiing techniques. Whether you're aiming to master moguls, carve down steeper slopes, or simply ski with more speed, solid parallel turning is the key to unlocking all these skills.

Common Mistakes in Parallel Turns

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of drills, let’s tackle some common mistakes that prevent skiers from achieving smooth parallel turns:

- Leaning back: This is perhaps the most common mistake. When you lean back, you lose control of your skis and struggle to initiate turns.

- Over-rotating the upper body: Your shoulders and upper body should stay relatively stable. Over-rotating can throw off your balance.

- Not trusting the edges: Many skiers don’t commit fully to their ski edges, resulting in skidding or sloppy turns.

- Rushing the turn: Patience is key. Many people rush through the turn, missing out on the subtle control that comes from a well-executed edge change.

Now that we’ve identified some common pitfalls, let’s work on fixing them with some focused drills!

Drills to Improve Your Parallel Turns

1. The Edge Control Drill

Let’s start with the basics. Edge control is the foundation of parallel turns. If you can’t control your ski edges, your turns will feel sloppy and unpredictable. This drill will help you get comfortable with using the edges of your skis for better stability and control.

How to Do It:

1. Find a relatively flat or easy slope to practice on.
2. As you descend, focus on shifting your weight from the inside edge of one ski to the inside edge of the other.
3. Make small, controlled turns, focusing on the sensation of your ski edges gripping the snow.
4. Gradually increase the size of your turns as you gain confidence.

The Goal:

Feel the bite of your edges as you turn. This drill will help you understand the role your ski edges play in initiating and controlling your turns. Mastering edge control will give you more confidence to tackle steeper or icier slopes where precision is key.

2. The Pole Plant Drill

The pole plant is often overlooked, but it’s a crucial part of parallel skiing. Properly timed pole plants give you rhythm and help you initiate your turns with more finesse. Think of it as the metronome for your turns, keeping things in sync.

How to Do It:

1. Start on an easy blue run where you can focus on technique.
2. As you start your turn, plant the pole on the downhill side.
3. The pole plant should happen just before you begin the edge change.
4. Practice this rhythmically—turn, plant, turn, plant—letting it guide you through each turn.

The Goal:

The pole plant gives your upper body stability and helps you initiate your turns with a bit more confidence. It’s not just there for decoration—it’s your timing tool! Mastering the pole plant can take your parallel turns from shaky to sharp.

3. The Shuffle Turns Drill

If you find that your skis aren’t quite staying parallel during turns, shuffle turns are a great way to work on keeping them in sync. This drill forces you to focus on your footwork while maintaining balance.

How to Do It:

1. Start on a gentle slope.
2. As you initiate a turn, shuffle your feet back and forth (one ski slightly forward, then the other).
3. Keep your skis parallel as you shuffle and turn.
4. Once you’ve completed the turn, repeat the process in the opposite direction.

The Goal:

This drill will help you maintain proper ski alignment and balance while turning. The shuffling motion forces you to engage your core and legs, promoting better control over your skis.

4. The Javelin Turn Drill

Another favorite for improving balance and coordination is the javelin turn drill. It’s a bit more advanced, but it’s incredibly effective for refining your parallel turns. Plus, it looks cool!

How to Do It:

1. As you turn to the left, lift your inside ski (right ski) and point it across your outside ski (left ski), like you're throwing a javelin.
2. Hold this position as you complete the turn, then switch sides.
3. Focus on keeping your body centered and balanced as you lift the inside ski.
4. Keep your upper body stable and avoid twisting.

The Goal:

This drill hones your balance and forces you to engage your lower body while keeping your skis parallel. It’s an excellent way to fine-tune your turning mechanics and develop greater control over your skis.

5. The Hockey Stop Drill

If you’ve ever watched a hockey player come to a screeching stop on the ice, you've probably seen the skiing equivalent of a hockey stop. This drill helps you practice quick edge engagement, which is crucial for precise parallel turns.

How to Do It:

1. Start on a relatively flat slope.
2. As you descend, pick up a little speed and then initiate a sharp turn by digging the edges of both skis into the snow, coming to a quick stop.
3. Your skis should be parallel and you should feel the edges grip the snow.
4. Repeat this in both directions.

The Goal:

Practice this drill to gain confidence in your edge engagement. It will help you trust your skis and improve your ability to make sharp, controlled turns, even at higher speeds.

6. The Traverse and Edge Set Drill

This one is all about building confidence in your ability to change edges mid-turn. It’s especially helpful for skiers who struggle with the transition from one edge to the other.

How to Do It:

1. Start by traversing across the slope (skiing horizontally).
2. As you traverse, focus on lifting the uphill edge of your skis (so you're balancing on the downhill edge).
3. After a few seconds, initiate a sharp turn into the fall line by setting the opposite edge.
4. Repeat as you traverse in the other direction.

The Goal:

This drill forces you to focus on edge changes and teaches you to trust your skis to hold the turn. It’s a fantastic way to build precision and control as you transition from one edge to the other.

7. The One-Ski Drill

Want to really challenge your balance? The one-ski drill will do just that. By skiing on one ski, you’ll develop a heightened awareness of your balance and edge control.

How to Do It:

1. On a beginner or intermediate slope, lift one ski off the ground as you descend.
2. Focus on maintaining balance and making small turns on the remaining ski.
3. Switch to the other ski in the next run.

The Goal:

This drill is all about balance and edge control. It’s tough, but it will make you more aware of your body positioning and how much pressure you're applying to the ski edges.

Tips to Keep in Mind

1. Relax and Stay Loose

Tension is your enemy when skiing. Keep your upper body relaxed and let your legs do the work. A tense body will make it harder to initiate smooth turns and respond to the terrain.

2. Look Ahead

Don’t fixate on your skis—look where you want to go. Your body will naturally follow your line of sight, making your movements more fluid.

3. Commit to Your Turns

Hesitation can lead to sloppy turns. Trust your edges and commit to each turn fully. Remember, skiing is like dancing with the mountain—don’t be afraid to lead!

4. Practice Patience

No one becomes a parallel-turning master overnight. Keep practicing these drills, and over time, your control and precision will improve. Skiing is a journey, not a destination—enjoy the ride!

Conclusion

Improving your parallel turns takes time, patience, and a lot of practice, but the payoff is absolutely worth it. With these drills, you’ll develop the precision and control needed to tackle more challenging slopes, ski with greater efficiency, and have way more fun out there on the mountain. So, next time you hit the slopes, keep these drills in mind and watch your skiing transform.

Now go out there, carve those turns, and show those mountains who's boss. Happy skiing!