How to ski switch
Unlock the power of skiing backwards! This is a big-time skill that will have you dominating the mountain, opening you up to a whole new set of ski skills.
Skiing switch is not only a fun technique to down the slope but will enable you to do multiple new tricks. If that was not enough to convince you to learn switch skiing, well it looks pretty damn cool as well!
Convinced yet? Good, let’s go!
The essential gear for the slopes
Ready to take your switch skiing journey to the next level? Ensuring you've got the right gear is a vital step. Our comprehensive collection of outdoor attire ensures that you're well-suited for the adventure, no matter how ambitious your skiing dreams are. We recommend you to cast your eyes on our selection of ski pants for men, diligently designed to offer comfort, style, and safety. Not to be outdone, our collection of women's salopettes meets the same standards, marrying style to functionality by providing durable and chic cold-weather solutions. Gear up properly, and the mountain is yours to conquer!
Skiing switch
Before we even start talking about skiing switch, you need to master skiing forward with turning and carving.
If you are looking to learn to switch skiing you probably already know all about skiing forwards, so let’s just turn it around! You should first find a gentle slope with almost no elevation. When you first start skiing switch you might be fearful of slowing down at first; So you don’t want to start learning on a slope where you gain speed fast.
You should also have a pair of twin-tip skis, you can ski switch with any ski, but a pair of twin-tip skis will make your life much easier when skiing switch.
The basic position is the same when you are skiing switch as when you are skiing forwards. Do not ski with your legs straight; you need to bend your knees and ankles.
When you start sliding backwards, it is important that you start your carving straight away. You do not want to slide backwards with you skis straight down the slope.
Carving switch
To get into the turn, slowly push your left foot backwards. This will position your left ski a bit further down the slope than your right ski.
Then slowly turn your hips to your left and let your shoulders follow. Then look over your left shoulder. Just like when you are skiing forwards, your weight should be on the ski that is outside of the turn. Your outer ski.
Have a look at this short and to-the-point video about switch skiing. Many of the pointers mentioned above are in this video.
To initiate another turn, you do it the same way as skiing forwards, a slight roll on the knees to the edge of your ski.
It is important that you practice this both ways from the beginning, so you do not end up only being able to ski switch on your left or right side.
So now repeat the process but the other way around.
Start slowly turning your hips towards the right, push back your right foot, let your shoulders follow, and look over your right shoulder. Be sure to move your weight to the right ski, which is now the outer ski.
Good to think about when skiing switch
Forget all about the fries and pizza principle when skiing switch. It will do more damage than good. If you are unfamiliar with this, the pizza is when you shape your skis like a V to slow down, and the fries are when you have your skis straight to go faster.
Instead of slowing down or speed check, scoot a bit to your side the same way you would do to spray your friend with snow while skiing forwards. But do it more subtly and backwards.
How to transition to forward skiing
When you want to turn from switch skiing to forward skiing, the most simple way is to turn around with both skis at the same time.
To do this, start turning your hips and shoulders towards the way you wish to turn. Then move your weight all the way to the tails of the skis. You will feel how your skis almost spin back on their own.
Once you have this technique locked down, you should start practising to do pop and Ollie 180s as a transition from switch skiing to forwards skiing.
Once you are comfortable with skiing switch, start having fun and play around with it to progress more! Try pop or Ollie 180s as a transition from forward to switch skiing.
Once you have this unlocked, try the landing switch after hitting jumps and feel how a new world of skiing opens up for you!
FAQ
Which skiing techniques are not applicable when skiing switch?
The fries and pizza principle, a standard beginner's technique to control speed and direction, is not applicable when skiing switch. Instead, skiers are encouraged to perform side scoots to control speed while skiing switch.
What's the next step after mastering skiing switch?
After becoming comfortable with skiing switch, skiers can add fun and complexity by trying pop or Ollie 180s as transitions from forward to switch skiing. Mastering these moves opens up a new world of skiing tricks and techniques.