Stance and Body Position

The optimum skiing stance can only be achieved if the opposing joints on each side of the body (ankles, knees and hips) match the plane of the slope. The shoulder and hands should always be squared and balanced more or less matching the horizon. That's the technical perspective, but if you want the simple nuts and bolts of stance, think of the stance as a powerful position that allows maximum balance, but also can be varied as terrain and conditions demand.

In the bumps and powder, the stance should be narrow so the skis can be used as one platform and all movements should be done simultaneous. In the steeps, the stance should be near hip width and the skis should be worked independently by focusing the weight on the outside carving ski during the turn. As with many aspects of skiing, one rule doesn't work in all situations. The best skiers have to be adaptable so they can change with the many varieties of terrain.

Alpine Skiing School section in english version of WWW.SKI.BG is based on
"A Guide To Becoming An Expert: From First Time To A Lifetime"
by John Mukavitz Copyright © 1998