Moving on skis is the focus of this installment of our learn to ski guide.

You must learn three things in order to be able to ski; (1) standing up, (2) turning, and (3) stopping.

To stand on skis, have your feet shoulder width apart with your toes pointing inwards; this creates a triangle / V shape (referred to as a ‘snow plough’).  Slightly bend your knees to create a more stable stance, spread your arms out wide to give yourself more balance and lean slightly forward instead of leaning slightly back (doing so makes it easier to turn and stop).

Even the slightest of slopes is enough for your skis to automatically get you moving down and/or forward.  By moving your heels closer together you will cause your triangle or V-shape to get smaller and this will cause you to go faster.  To slow down or stop, move your heels farther apart, forcing your toes to point more sharply inward.  While this will work on smaller slopes, you will need to know another technique in order to stop on a steep slope – turn gradually until your skis are horizontal with the slope.

To turn on skis, just point them in the direction you want to go – if that’s left, point them left, and if that’s right, well, you know.  Remember, however that mastering the art of turning on skis will take some getting used to and the right combination of timing and balance.

For sharper turns, it will take a little more than just pointing your skis in the right direction; you will also need to shift your weight to the foot opposite of the direction you want to turn (for example, if you want to make a sharp right turn, you would shift your weight to your left foot).  Try to only move your feet when doing so, as moving / swinging your arms / shoulders won’t makes you turn any quicker.