How Do I Turn?

[lowangle al]

How do I turn my skis without my heel locked down?

I use a hope a turn, I hope they turn and sometimes they do.

Finally. A genuine, serious and helpful answer, seven weeks after my first post. Thank you, @randoskier !

Not to be confused with the hop turn.

[randoskier]

Nope far less effective than that Al! Even though I am an optimist the power of the hope turn is difficult to harness.

[randoskier]

How do I turn my skis without my heel locked down?

I use a hope a turn, I hope they turn and sometimes they do.

Finally. A genuine, serious and helpful answer, seven weeks after my first post. Thank you, @randoskier !

Just go straight!

[FourthCoast]

I use a hope a turn, I hope they turn and sometimes they do.

Finally. A genuine, serious and helpful answer, seven weeks after my first post. Thank you, @randoskier !

Just go straight!

Another straight answer. Thanks!

Edit: Just to be clear, I appreciate randoskier's comic relief. There has been a lot of good discussion on this thread. I hope I didn't derail it completely.

[TallGrass]

DOUBLE CAMBER SKIS ARE THE MAJOR OBSTACLE IN MOVING FROM XC TO XCD. It can be done with a much larger commitment in time, energy, and risk of injury.

Video says there are three main XC competition downhill techniques:

• snowploughing

• skidded parallel turn

• step turn

The skidded parallel turn seems to use same tricks as a double camber telemark turn: pressuring and edging ski rear ends. In XC downhill with skate skis, I have started to do that. It is nicer to go downhill in a skate lane because there is always more snow than down in the tracks. If there is some crap in your way, you can go around it better without tracks. It just feels good to have more control with your skis, too. Before I started to learn telemark, I always just ran in tracks and hoped the best.

For my statement about learning in one season at the resort, I was thinking it would be best on heavier telemark gear not light xc oriented stuff.

One point about that video. Those xc step turns are nothing like a telemark step turn, they are not even similar.

That video made me feel a little be better about my video.
https://telemarktalk.com/viewtopic.php? ... 733#p58474
(Note idiot repeatedly cutting off people in the beginning.)

After that first full day at a resort, the next time at a (different) resort I was more comfortable and was mixing in blues, but nothing real choppy or moguled. Those leather Merrills are no where near as easy to edge compared to plastic alpine boots. Regardless, stretching one's comfort zone is good for overall ski skills, IMHO.

[lowangle al]

Just don't forget were not xc skiing here. No self respecting XCDer would ever be doing step turns like that at the resort. With XCD gear we can do better than that. When I'm xc skiing single track with single camber skis I like to make my turn by carving on the outside edge of my gliding (lead)ski. I even do it on the frozen lake when I have a good enough glide. I do it just for fun, but it's also good for balance. My tracks look almost like skate ski tracks, but they don't generate any power on that outside edge. It's like a royal christi w/o the exagerated lifting of the outside leg.

To do a step turn to the left on Nordic downhill gear you will be stepping with the right foot first.

[Manney]

No self respecting XCDer would be at a resort. Unless it is to find a narrow set of groomed conditions on which to learn specific technique. Props in that case for development work.

Step turns shown in video is in the context of an xc race. Step turns make sense here. Carving would kill speed. Step turns can be used on the tele trail. Like when on flatter sections between climbs. Climb…. Earning your turns. Shallow slope, of camber? Carve won’t work there. Especially when snow is very firm or icy.

Turns are turns. Important to know, master all.

[TallGrass]

No self respecting XCDer would be at a resort. Unless it is to find a narrow set of groomed conditions on which to learn specific technique. Props in that case for development work.

Step turns shown in video is in the context of an xc race. Step turns make sense here. Carving would kill speed. Step turns can be used on the tele trail. Like when on flatter sections between climbs. Climb…. Earning your turns. Shallow slope, of camber? Carve won’t work there. Especially when snow is very firm or icy.

Turns are turns. Important to know, master all.

I'll bite -- so why would "no self respecting XCDer would be at a resort" ? Please, seriously, expound because I'm a bit baffled by it.

Mulling some thoughts...
Would no self-respecting downhill skier do XC/XCD?
Would no 'self-respecting motorcyclist' be on a bicycle?
What about ski parks, snowboarding, ski jumps, or any other flavor?

Or is this a "no true dog chases anything besides cats and tennis balls -- no racquetballs, no sticks, no frisbees, no tail, no laser pointers, no soccer balls, ..."

Are ski conditions/area the only thing? Skiing can be social too, as in if you want to ski with a friend and they only have alpine gear/skills, do you insist they hit XCD terrain with it with you, leave them at the resort to do their own thing, or doing a mix of stuff at the resort from groomers-to-glades (through the trees) splitting off and rejoining farther down and socializing on the lift back up? Better to ski rocks in patchy snow in the BC versus artificial snow at the resort?


Step Turns are essentially Skate Skiing (a form of 'acceleration' by altering 'vectors'), and either can use 1 or 2 skis to push with to change overall direction and or speed.

I will downhill on XC, and XC on downhill, same as I'll use screwdriver as a prybar, and a prybar as a screwdriver, and for the same reason -- it is what I have at the moment and less-appropriate tool that's on-hand bests the more-appropriate tool that's unavailable.
#1 Use the right tool for the job
#2 If you can't #1, do the best with what ya got

If anything, using tools and or techniques outside their "zone" (safely, I'll add) improves both skill (ability to adapt) and appreciation for when you have the "proper tool."

For example, three alpine skiers run out of speed 100ft short of the lift, one unclips and carries his skis to the lift, one double-poles the distance, and the other just Skates in his skis.


It's all snow to me , and I'll use whatever gear and skills I have to get-it-done, and it's far easier to "pack" more skills and techniques (alpine, XC, skate, classic, tele', backwards, royal, plow, goofy foot, monoski, slalom, ...) in ones 'tool kit' the better, IMHO.

Seems easier for the human to adapt to the gear/terrain/snow, than adapt the gear/terrain/snow to the human.

Them's my mullings...

[Manney]

Read the second sentence. Then the third.

“Unless it is to find a narrow set of groomed conditions on which to learn specific technique. Props in that case for development work.”

The implicit assumption is that we’re talking about telemark skiing and not DH.

[TallGrass]

Read the second sentence. Then the third.

“Unless it is to find a narrow set of groomed conditions on which to learn specific technique. Props in that case for development work.”

The implicit assumption is that we’re talking about telemark skiing and not DH.

I already read that. I've seen plenty of telemark skis/skiers at resorts.

"No self respecting XCDer would be at a resort" comes off as elitist and or narrow-minded, especially in light of the thread topic ("How Do I Turn?").

So, again, expound on why that's the only conditions you find acceptable, unless that 'is' your attitude.