Alpine skiing technique | Stöten® i Sälen

Person skiing down wide snow-covered slope with ski poles, snow swirls up against blue sky

The ski season is finally upon us and our slopes will soon be filled with excited skiers. So we thought we'd share some helpful tips on how you can improve your carving turn and dominate the piste this winter!

Stylish carving turns in five steps

Who doesn't want to whizz down a freshly groomed slope and make the perfect slalom turn? You know, one of those long, cutting turns at high speed that you've seen the pros do on the telly. A real carving turn with top speed and control!

Here are five steps to guide you to the masterful carving turn:

Step 1: Choose the right slope

Choosing a slope where you feel comfortable is of the utmost importance when learning to make a proper carving turn. One tip is to choose a descent where you can control your speed both up and down.

Person in orange ski jacket skiing down freshly groomed snow-covered slope with ski poles under blue sky

Person in black ski jacket skiing down snow-covered slope with ski poles, snow spraying up against clear blue sky

Step 2: Find the feeling

The basis of an effective carving turn is a firm edge grip. Something that can initially feel uncomfortable for the untrained. A good tip is therefore to try to find the feeling by rolling from edge to edge on the rack. Get used to how it feels and how to perform the movement at high speed.

Step 3: Try it with speed

Once you've found the feel and got used to how it feels to put the edge on the hill, it's time to try it all out with speed. Start with a little less speed, a little straighter turns and a little less edge.
Tilt the skis from the bottom and try to brace your feet sideways. Lean your upper body towards the slope. Face away from the skis.

Person in dark ski jacket skiing down snow-covered slope with ski poles, snow swirls up against light blue sky

Step 4: Speed up

The more turns you make, the more comfortable you will become with the movement. You will slowly but surely find that you gain more control over both the turn and the speed. As you become more comfortable, you can also increase your speed.

Step 5: Fine-tune the technique

Once you have enough speed and control, it's time to hone your technique. Utilise your body weight and 'throw' yourself into the turn to generate maximum power and edge grip. Also remember to bend your knees to increase lateral mobility.

Person in blue ski jacket skiing down snow-covered slope with ski poles, snow swirls up against clear blue sky

There you have it - five steps to the perfect carving turn. Want help perfecting your carving during your stay with us at Stöten in Sälen? No problem - book onto our popular ski school. See you on the slopes!

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