Staying forward/downhill in the steeps

[Michael Blythe]

I have a thumb injury that makes holding poles unpleasant so I decided to go without poles until it heals. This has been quite eye-opening so far, and (silver lining) has given me a great opportunity to improve some fundamentals. I stuck to groomers the first few days but have now been getting into some powder, chop, and soft bumps bumps off-piste (skiing at Mt Baker). Things are going fairly well on lower angle terrain, but I'm def. more hesitant in the steeps w/o my poles. I'm looking for advice on drills, "swing thoughts", progressions, etc. to improve. Thanks!

 

[river-z]

I don't know if it's good technique and frankly I don't really care because I'm more about having fun so sometimes when I'm on steeps I really throw my skis sideways to get into a turn. I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's sort of a lift and shove type of motion with my legs. Sometimes I do this because there is some kind of natural obstacle to bank a turn off (fun!), or because there is a patch of fresh snow I want to tear up (fun!), or because I'm recording myself skiing holding on to my phone and my other hand is holding both my poles (not as fun). It helps to start slow and then speed it up once you do the run a few times. It kind of amazes me how unimportant poles can be if you work hard and intentionally with your lower body.

 

[Skisailor]

In steeps, internalize the idea that you go first and bring your skis along with you . . .

 

[Bendu]

actively stabilize your hips against your feet by twisting your hips against which way you feet are tipping and twisting. In the for and aft plane you have to being moving to where you your skis are going to be all the time, and in the lateral plane let the ski/snow interaction from your tipping/steering movements move you, do not try to add to it.

 

[Henry]

It takes a real act of faith to lead with your head & shoulders diving into the abyss. That's what you have to do. Work up to it. Remind yourself...what body parts must be the first down the hill? Head & shoulders.

Some will say to get your hands forward. Yes, but...some skiers will be way in the back seat with their hands thrust forward for no help at all. Hands & arms need to be in the natural balancing position a bit up and a bit forward.

Work up to it. Pick the terrain where new good technique will be a success for you. All good skiing starts with the feet. As the first thing to do when transitioning from one turn to the next pull both feet strongly back. Get your feet behind you. This is the same as getting forward, and it is a way that is quicker and stronger than trying to move the heavy body forward. Just closing the ankle is great for small adjustments and not strong for big adjustments.

Don'ts:
Don't twist your body in the direction of the turn. Don't twist to face the hill. Twist your body to face the outside of the turn. (Counter)
Don't lean back toward the hill for that false sense of security. Lean way out, way down hill, for the true security that comes when your skis engage the snow. (Angulate)
Don't make a big arm swing to bring the body forward. Keep the body calm & controlled. Pull your feet back.

Without poles being gripped what can you do?
Ski with your hands on your hips, thumbs forward to bring the shoulders forward. This is great practice to help one see how their body needs to turn to the outside of the turn. This movement is counter rotation, a.k.a. upper & lower body separation, counter, and a huge help.

Ski with the poles held in your hands crosswise in front of you. Hands palms up, one hand on the shaft next to the baskets, the other hand on the shaft next to the grips. This can calm excess upper body movements and help one see how their body is tilting toward the outside of the turn, called angulation. The poles should be positioned by positioning the upper body, not by just moving the arms. When skiing across the slope your shoulders should be tipped to about the same angle as the slope, and your poles will reflect that angle of your shoulders.

Ski with your poles across your knees, tucked into the hollow just below your kneecaps. Keep them in those notches. Ski slowly across the hill, make turns, keep the poles in the notches under both kneecaps. This will really improve your angulation.

 

[Winks]

I have a thumb injury that makes holding poles unpleasant so I decided to go without poles until it heals. This has been quite eye-opening so far, and (silver lining) has given me a great opportunity to improve some fundamentals. I stuck to groomers the first few days but have now been getting into some powder, chop, and soft bumps bumps off-piste (skiing at Mt Baker). Things are going fairly well on lower angle terrain, but I'm def. more hesitant in the steeps w/o my poles. I'm looking for advice on drills, "swing thoughts", progressions, etc. to improve. Thanks!

When I broke my thumb two seasons in a row (darn pole straps) I learned to ski without poles on steeps by imagining I was still able to pole plant. I'm sure it seemed strange to the observer but I was still out skiing and enjoying myself

 

[Decreed_It]

A simple drill that really helped me improve lately was the 'Open the door' drill. I think you could possibly do this without poles as well.

The movement is - downhill side - you make a movement with the arm like you're opening a door, where doorknob is toward your ski tips, then you stick you head and uphill shoulder into the doorway. Really helps get the upper body in the right position.

So, I'm turning right, ready to transition, I reach to the 'knob' with the left hand and open the door (sweep left arm away from body downhill, the end of this movement is when you'd pole plant), then stick head and right shoulder into the 'doorway'. Flip it to the other side when turning left. Works like a charm, for me at least.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Don't do ANYTHING different from how you're managing without poles on easier terrain. But while on easier terrain really pay attention to how you're moving your center of mass (pelvis) and what you're doing with your feet. Try to take the same movements to gradually steeper terrain.

 

[Bendu]

@Henry what do you mean with head and shoulders? Would leg tipping move your head and shoulders down the hills? If you moved you head and shoulders before leg tipping wouldn't that mean that you would be off balance by not moving from the ground up?

 

[François Pugh]

It's all in your head. You are not getting forward because you are afraid to go down the hill because you think it's too steep.
A Jedi mind trick that worked for me decades ago when I first discovered steep terrain (steeper than exists in Ontario, Quebec, and Vermont unless you go off the marked runs), was to think of a steep slope as a horizontal run, but with gravity pulling forward instead of down. It only works if you want to ski faster though.

 

[oldschoolskier]

When I broke my thumb two seasons in a row (darn pole straps) I learned to ski without poles on steeps by imagining I was still able to pole plant. I'm sure it seemed strange to the observer but I was still out skiing and enjoying myself

You brought up a good point.

Pole straps used wrong are thumb breakers, used right they’ll give you a yank and slip off.

Remember hand in from the bottom, reach around and grab pole and strap. This is the right way! Any other way is asking for a thumb break.

 

[oldschoolskier]

I have a thumb injury that makes holding poles unpleasant so I decided to go without poles until it heals. This has been quite eye-opening so far, and (silver lining) has given me a great opportunity to improve some fundamentals. I stuck to groomers the first few days but have now been getting into some powder, chop, and soft bumps bumps off-piste (skiing at Mt Baker). Things are going fairly well on lower angle terrain, but I'm def. more hesitant in the steeps w/o my poles. I'm looking for advice on drills, "swing thoughts", progressions, etc. to improve. Thanks!

Lean away from the hill.

If you lean in you slide out.

 

[François Pugh]

I hurt my thumb while wearing the straps properly. Mind you it took 45 years of skiing and thousands of attempts before I was successful at injuring it. Now I just don't wear the straps. (that's a period )

 

[Winks]

You brought up a good point.

Pole straps used wrong are thumb breakers, used right they’ll give you a yank and slip off.

Remember hand in from the bottom, reach around and grab pole and strap. This is the right way! Any other way is asking for a thumb break.

Since then I have removed the straps from any poles I use. I rather drop and lose a pole than to ever have to deal with another thumb injury.

 

[tch]

Thank you guys! Some really good "think about" suggestions here for someone working on the same kind of issue as OP, with or without poles.

 

[Seldomski]

I took a private lesson a few years ago where I stated the goal of becoming more comfortable on steep terrain. One thing that helped me tremendously in that lesson was terrain selection. The instructor picked a part of the hill that was very steep, but the section that was steep was short. It was basically the side of the cat track. The end of the run was basically flat.

We skied this pitch probably 8 times or so. Each time we dropped off the cat track a little earlier so the steep section became a bit longer. There was turning involved -- this was not straightlining down a steep section.

Eventually, I graduated and we moved to a much larger open face that was steep. It was no longer intimidating to ski.

So I would suggest looking for steep terrain that is also very short to practice on. Once you have mastered that, go to a longer sustained pitch.

 

[Michael Blythe]

Thanks for the input everyone. I picked out some short steep (and sometimes narrow) pitches to work on today. This combo worked pretty well: thinking about keeping head and shoulders down the hill while softening the old outside ski + early pressure on the old inside ski .