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Cross-Country Skiing: Downhill Techniques
Many competent and downright excellent
classic and skating skiers still struggle on the downhills, especially
with turns. They are comfortable with speed, have excellent balance,
and know how to move from ski to ski. So what’s missing? Essential
to mastering downhills is learning to adjust your technique for different
terrain. Steve Hindman, author of Cross-Country
Skiing: Building Skills for Fun and Fitness, offers a few pointers
on downhill maneuvers for all snow conditions.
Riding the Rails
Even on downhills with good tracks you will sometimes feel like
your skis are going to stray out of the tracks as you turn.
To stay in control as you “ride the rails,” envision
where you would go if you did blow out. To balance your weight over
the outside ski and ensure that you stay in the tracks, turn at the
waist and face your hips, chest, arms, and head in that direction
as you roll your skis onto their edges, riding against the sides of
the track.
If you do come out, you will be balanced over the outside ski as
it slides forward and sideways on edge. Step off this outside edge
and continue to step turn through the corner to complete the turn.
On Fresh, Firm Snow
When edged, narrow skis that lack sidecut may resist sideslipping
and want to go straight. Avoid this problem by moving into the sideslip
before you get to the turn.
Lighten your skis by making an upward movement (extend at the ankles,
knees, and waist). Then roll your ankles to lift the down hill edges
slightly as you twist your feet to turn the skis sideways.
With your skis slightly edged and sliding sideways as you enter
the turn, you’ll be able to guide your skis by turning your
feet and adjusting the edge as needed. Balance over your outside ski
by bending sideways at the waist. Make sure your outside leg is flexed
to avoid falling backward.
On Ice
Don’t try to edge more to get a grip on ice—instead,
keep your speed low and make small and rapid step turns
Avoid any move that forces you to rely on one ski or one edge.
If you need to bring your skis sideways for additional speed control,
use more of a sideslip than a turn, with your skis turned well across
the trail but delicately tipped on edge.
If you have to edge more, drive both hands downhill and across your
skis on either side of your feet, with your chest facing directly
downhill as much as possible as you bend both sideways and forward
at the waist. If you slide out of this position, stay collected over
your feet with your skis below you. Press the sides of your feet and
skis into the snow to stop.
Practice falling and stopping on icy trails before you face an urgent
need to do so or stay off hills when it is icy.
On Refreezing Snow
Use many small step turns to negotiate the corners and move quickly
from foot to foot as if running in place even when going straight.
This will prevent your skis from getting stuck and force you to keep
moving your core forward to stay over your feet.
On Grabby Snow
To make parallel or wedge turns on lightweight gear in grabby snow,
start your turn before you pick up too much speed.
You come quickly to a stop when you fall in thick snow, so keep
your speed down or know when and where to bail out. Sit down sooner
rather than later.
Practice step turns in advance by making hundreds of tiny, frenetic
step turns back and forth as you go down a steeper groomed trail in
decent snow conditions.
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