Inside leg activity for parallel turns

This channel is a treasure trove of learning, thank you so much for continually posting!

How fortunate we are to be able to enjoy lessons from the finest educators in skiing, of whom Debbie and Alan represent.
This is a privelege that we all very much appreciate.
Thank you both very much and keep 'em comin'!!!

I tell the kids I coach that although we are an outside ski/ foot/leg dominated sport, the inside leg is so important for us to properly use the outside one . We need to do 4 things with the inside in each turn: Pull back , tip up, shorten and relax .
Great video and inside leg is very important

Many years ago I went skiing at Whiteface with a friend, a former ski racer in college, who had just gotten his first set of “shaped” skis. It just so happened there was an instructor in the gondola with us, to whom my friend asked “how do I ski these things? Just asking for one tip.” To which the instructor responded - In a turn just tip the inside knee towards the ground more. From there my friend proceeded to leave 2 - 2” deep railroad track grooves in the face of Skyward on a day when Whiteface lived up to its reputation - Ice Face. I have never forgotten that free lesson and the fact that it works.

OMG! Have you guys been spying on us? This could not have come at a better time. It is exactly what we've been working on and this is sooo helpful.

BINGO! For decades, I have been an ardent disciple of the importance of inside leg "balance/assistance". Marc Girardelli, the Mahres.........., Tamara McKinney and Diann Roffe (amongst others), via their exceptional style demonstrated same with aplomb. YOu, too, Debra, You wanna carve.....? Make sure your boots are NOT too stiff, as well the skis and allow BOTH legs to "share" the "moment". Other than that, I pray 2024 gets back on track, America.

As a ski instructor myself, being a skier my entire life and have been coached by race coaches as a background I can say this is a topic that is one of the least spoken skills.

Most of the instructors and coaches focus on the outside ski so much that they forget about the inside leg. When I discovered this (I think because of a video on this channel and also an Enisschag examinator pointing this out) my skiing changed for ever.

Keep the great work, love to learn from you!

I am glad to hear someone else describe what I have found to work for me, which is to draw back on that inside ski, and to dig the frontal inside edge of that inside ski to help steer me. It helps me to keep my skis parallel and to make tighter turns. I do this in the moguls also. Keep your body facing downhill. Keep your skis as close together as the terrain allows. Keep a bend in your knees. Keep your weight forward. These principles become more difficult to remember as you become timid.

Agree. The Eureka moment for me was when an Instructor friend told me use 4 wheel drive not 2 wheel drive: to go big toe little toe and that
my com must move inside my feet with sufficient angulation and soft ankles to apply pressure to both skis not just the outside foot. Mind blown!

Awesome as always, Deb. Two thoughts I had just in the opening couple of minutes: (1) inside leg activity is the path to dynamic skiing, versus position skiing. "Position" meaning "here's my right turn posture, there's my left turn posture" and not really paying attention to the in-between. (2) Hockey players might have some experience with matching angles, and motocross riders/racers maybe -- but otherwise I don't think we humans do anything else where matching angles, matched foot platform exists.

My old guru Jim Weiss and I talked about this topic a lot. A lot! Again you remind me of him. Thank you.

First thing off the chair during our lesson you got on the ground and held my ski asking me to pull back against your motion and think about the muscles used to do that. Glute-ham tie-in and the muscles in the pelvic area, game changer for me to keep that feeling for the inside leg transition. I keep that feeling during dryland training on Bosu ball, side to side hops etc. to increase my muscle memory. Game changer for me, thank you!

Your inside foot is a computer … your inside pinky toe is the first part of your next turn …. Mind blowing 🎉🎉🎉

The inside leg is just as important as the outside leg! Fantastic video Deb 👏

Can't wait to practice this on Armstrong Express and Debbie's Gold. It means so much to the ski community that you continue to share your knowledge and passion! :) :)

Another terrific video. Thank you. I have been practicing this technique on my local skating rink. You can skate rather fast with your feet in parallel skiing position without ever leaving the ice. Working both inside/outside edges making gs and slalom turns around the rink gives the anterior tibialis and TFL a workout.

I enjoy listening to Alain and the other Taos instructors! The inside leg has been an emphasis for my own skiing and I have added pronation, supination and dorsiflexion to my vocabulary and my drills. The comments steered off the road and into the ditch once the HH (not Helly Hansen) disciples and prophet joined in. I was very impressed with how you engaged in the discussion with them. Thanks Deb, you are World Class!

These tips are excellent. All we need now is snow (in Vermont)!

its been my recent experience, that the proper amount of inside knee driving for good turns is somewhat dependent on the ski. design. use more on a technical ski with less shovel rocker. use less on an all mountain ski that has more shovel rocker. be guided by foot pressure feedback

Great channel, Deb! I love using the inside leg. It gives a skier so many options regarding turn shape and turn duration.

Amazing video and looking forward to the other videos in this 3 part series! I've made it one of my main goals for this season to really focus on my inside leg and I'm one who definitely struggles with having the "one/two" and tip splay at times and it only gets emphasized more when I go off piste in the crud, powder, and moguls. Excited to see how I improve throughout the season.