S
ince 1991, I’ve hosted women’s ski clinics throughout the United States. I’ve watched over 6,000 women negotiate all types of slopes in all types of conditions.
Te participants in my “Your Turn” clinics run the gamut age-wise, from 20-somethings to septuagenarians. Many have skied for years, yet few have advanced past the intermediate level.
Some of those intermediates have taken myriad lessons. Some ski weekly in women’s programs, and some are self-taught or have been occasionally coached by friends and family. Tey might have boots that fit properly and modern, tuned skis – or they might not. Whatever the case, they feel anxious and lose their rhythm on the steeps, in the bumps, on ice, and in powder or crud. Often they can’t keep up with their kids or their sweethearts. Tey come to my events hoping for a special tip that will help them ski with more grace and confidence. Tese women have a case of the skiing blues, both literally and figuratively. Tey’re stuck on blue-square trails and can’t figure out how to break through to more expert terrain. And being stuck in a rut can be emotionally discouraging. Perhaps you have a female client or two with the skiing blues? Te things that hold women back on the slopes are not significantly different from what holds back men. Skiing is skiing. Tat said, I believe women improve more quickly when they focus on certain elements of ski technique. Over the years, I have found that working on the following five skills has consistently helped my clients ski better quickly. Yes, they are simple, even a little old-fashioned, but these skills work with a broad range of skiers because they impart the basics, which are often missing from the skill set of a woman who’s got the blue-square blues.
FIVE ELEMENTS OF SKI TECHNIQUE WOMEN NEED MOST 1. Ankle Flexion 2. Centering 3. Hand Position 4. Pole Plant 5. Steering
Tere are many other aspects of ski technique that women need to master, but these are the key ones. What follows are suggestions for teaching each element specifically to women. (You may find these useful for your male clients, too.) I’ve had a 95 percent or higher success rate helping women have a breakthrough in their skiing – which gives them the confidence to tackle a variety of more challenging terrain – by first concentrating on these five skills. In class, I usually cover these elements in this order, but you can always change up the order or cherry-pick the topics that best fit your clients’ needs.
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