lead change question

[freethemind]

I have been learning to tele for a while and I noticed that my skis were parallel for too long during the lead change (so at the point where both of my skis are facing downhill). In theory I'm aware that I should be pushing the downhill ski forward while pushing the uphill ski back (though I understand pushing the ski forward is the key bit) and that I should have the up and down motion (so during the point where both of my skis are facing downhill I'm at my most "up" point). In practice, however, I can't do it. It's worse when I'm turning left and I think I can just do it when I'm turning right.

I can definitely not do short turns with telemark yet either.

Are there any techniques or tips on this? By the way is what I'm doing what people call "fake-a-mark"?

[Baaahb]

IMO referring to "inside ski" and "outside ski" is much clearer and easy to understand, cause the inside ski stays inside throughout the entire turn, moving from uphill to downhill or vice versa. In a telemark turn, the outside ski leads, in a parallel alpine turn, the inside ski leads. Fake-a-mark means different things to different people.

If you're a former fixed heel skier and are still making p-turns on tele, you just need to stop. Fake-a-mark sometimes refers to a person starting a tele turn but, in order to gain control as they skid uncontrollably, finish with a p-turn. Yes, classic beginner's mistake. You are probably delaying your edge change...folks often say the edge change, not the lead change, makes the turn. Get on your edges early in the turn as you slide the outside ski forward.

[Andy M]

Most folks have a strong and weak side in turning, especially in telemark. I've been telemarking for 40 years, and I still have a weak side -- basically it relates to having a dominant leg, and a less dominant leg, just like you are right- or left-handed. One way to work on your weak side on a groomed slope is to do monomark drills, where you do multiple turns w/o lead changes, with your weaker leg in back. This forces you to keep weight on your back ski, and train that rear leg to keep weight on the ski. You may not be ready for this at this point, but keep it mind for when you are.

Fake-a-marking is basically where the rear leg is not doing enough, with no significant force exerted by it on the rear ski. It's pretty easy to recognize: since the rear leg isn't putting much weight on the ski, you will see or feel the leg and ski waver a bit while it is back -- and the skier doesn't usually finish the turn in a telemark position, as they tend to bail on the turn. While you can get away with this on groomed or other smooth slopes, you probably won't get away with it off the groomed, as the rear ski will usually dive or catch and send you flying.

[Andinista]

Probably the reason why monomark turns help is that they eliminate the focus on lead change and allow you to ski more based on managing the energy from turn to turn. When you focus too much on the lead change you tend to visualize the turn as a sequence of positions or movements that produce the turn but without the energy flow from side to side it doesn’t work. The fact that you have more troubles with longer turns suggests the same I think. Whether to advance your outer ski or move both at the same time is more related to fore-aft balance than turn initiation, even if people don’t think of it this way, because it may be the movement with which you initiate the turn, but it’s the edges what make you turn (or the bases in soft snow, but in similar way). And the edges are constantly transferring energy from one side to the other, that’s where the focus should be. Think of the skis as springs that absorb the energy of one turn and give it back to the next (I’m sure you know that, just saying to focus more on it). On longer turns the forces on that spring are less but have to be gradual. The edges allow you to do that irrespective if you changed lead or not. If you find a lead change that allows you to keep that focus in the first place, then you can start tuning the lead change, keeping a proper rhythm and energy flow. If it’s easier to start parallel and delay the lead change, go for it. Advancing the back ski is a better focus than retarding the other, but keep it subtle or you may end up extending the lead change too much. I use that more on longer turns, for shorter turns on soft snow my focus is on the solid stance that I can achieve at the point of maximum edging, it brings all the stability I need in my mind, lead change is pretty irrelevant In that case.

[Pherick]

When you get stuck or frustrated, back up a step or two. In this case I think that means making smooth, rhytmic lead changes in a straight line at a comfortable speed. Probably traversing a wide, easy cruiser (assuming you're on piste). Feel bouncy even. Get curious about just how much weight your back leg can hold. Especially at the beginning, "equally weighted feet, fore/aft" (an important principle) is going to feel like a lot more weight on your back leg. Your new strength will come around.

Next you can make that last down-bounce a turn into your next traverse, but continue making more lead changes than turns until the muscle memory kicks in. With this, the monomark is an indispensable swap-in (make that traverse-ending turn a monomark). It's a great way separate tipping and the lead change. Tipping that lead leg down the fall line is key, but it's a lot to put together with the lead change at first.

Check out Urmas Franosch.

What order to do all of the individual pieces can a bit of a red herring. You'll eventually end up doing it all of the ways in order to recover your position as reality knocks you around. You'll call something "wrong" until it keeps you off your face.

Finally, when it comes to the oceans of advice on how to do all of this, Bruce Lee:

"Absorb what is useful. Discard what is not. Add what is uniquely your own."

[bauerb]

I agree with "reality often dictates what you need to do", unless of course you are at Deer Valley skiing on magic snow carpets that appear every night. otherwise, its more like: make a plan, drop in, react and change plan. especially in super flat light.