How to make the transition from sliding to carving.
Shaped skis have allowed us mere mortals (meaning those of us that aren’t world cup ski racers!) to feel the wonderful forces created in a ski turn when we maintain the ski riding more on edge throughout the arc.
What is needed; preferably having some miles of sliding on skis under your belt, good ability to promote your body to stay balanced over the moving platform of skis, a forgiving ski, smart terrain choices and willingness to learn different movements and experiment with them - accelerated by an instructor who can manage your learning experience based on what you bring and how you learn. The art of carving, usually becomes a realistic goal for skiers once they have skills that make them confident to explore steeper groomed terrain and can balance on top of their skis on this terrain without feeling like they are doing hundreds of squats at the gym! If your legs are already exhausted why add more forces to your already tired muscles?
Sliding gives us a smooth and gentle ride. The ski is generally less tipped on edge and this is what allows us to guide and glide the ski throughout a turn. As soon as we tip a ski up onto a higher edge angle, we can expect speed to increase. We will need to manage greater forces pushing back into our body from the ski that slides sideways less as it is moving forwards over the snow. This is something skiers find exhilarating and exciting. It creates feelings of energy and speed that are addictive and adds to our skills as skiers. These skills help us in many different parts of the mountain. Did I mention how much fun carving is?
Ski design can help or hinder us in learning how to apply different movement blends to get different results from our tools in the snow. A carefully selected ski will compliment learning to carve. I prefer starting such learning on a ski that comfortably performs with both more or less edge. A ski that is stiffer and designed for aggressive edge engagement, expects more precise movements to have it successfully slide through a turn. As sliding is the fallback skill blend learners are able to resort to what they know already as needed, and confidence and carving ability can be built more swiftly.
Terrain choice should be selected and managed as we learn to ski on more edged skis. As we feel the effects of edge engagement and commit to maintaining positive body movement into and throughout the turn, learning to carve is easiest on; quieter, wider, flatter and groomed terrain - less likelihood to lose our efforts to promote continually balancing over the moving platform of the skis (remember the reference to tired leg muscles!)
This photo is an example of skis carving at a high edge angle. The shot is on flatter terrain where speed and understanding of how to manage higher forces in pressure allows me to create higher edge angles.
On steeper terrain although the slope can contribute to a higher edge angle it takes more commitment, trust, familiarity with speed and managing the resulting forces in pressure, to maintain higher edge angles throughout the turn.
Learning to carve opens up a whole new facet in our sport. Feeling a skis design is wonderful and addictive. Appreciating what it takes for a ski racer to balance over their edges on steep, icy courses can make us feel awe inspired and motivate us to get a little bit better at carving on the slopes we get to enjoy outside of the race course or potentially have us start to dabble in racing. It is a practiced skill that will deliver many, many runs of euphoria - did I mention how much fun carving is?
