Learn the Four Distinct Ski Terrains

Know Your Ski Terrain

You already know by now that intermediate and advanced skiing isn’t always about form and technique, but about attitude and preparation. As you learn to ski and gain your “skier’s legs,” you’ll start finding that the challenge isn’t the skiing anymore; it’s finding a new challenge! But with an outdoor sport like skiing, the possibilities of challenge are too endless to ever become truly bored.

Skiing in particular will feature unique terrains that can challenge and test you in new ways, expanding your skillset and enriching your experience. Here are four distinct ski terrains you can learn to master.

-Bumpy terrain.

Bumpy terrain requires a great sense of balance, and will actually help you cultivate these abilities as you tackle the swerves, curves, and knockdowns of a bumpy skiing terrain. Bumpy terrain will also teach you the importance of a strong ski pole, as planting and leveraging your poles will be of even greater importance.

-Powder.

Powdery terrain can look or seem like a breeze, but that’s not always the case. A powder hill is a good place to learn skiing fundamentals, setting your “default balance” point as well as learning a rhythmic way to move your body. You can also introduce your own challenges like making turns with a firm planting of your pole.

-Steep terrain.

Steep terrain often presents a challenge that only intermediate and advanced skiers will want to tackle. It’s vital to have a strong sense of balance and to be mindful of your downhill movement, two fundamental aspects to skiing itself. Some ski hills might have inconsistently steep terrain, and practicing on steep terrain will help prepare you for these unexpected changes.

-Groomed.

Similar to powder, groomed ski hills are typically smoother and will make a great beginning point to start mastering your different terrains. You will have to learn turns, and on a groomed hill, this will be easier than on more jagged terrain like bumpy or steep terrain. Working on your turns, you’ll get an idea of how to handle your poles and your body’s positioning to manipulate the way you move, which will be vital when you consider taking on the more difficult types of terrain.

There are more different terrains to learn and master – this article is just a brief introduction into the types of challenges you might expect to face as a more advanced skier. Remember to be proactive and work on your skillset in a conscious way, isolating your weaknesses and turning them into strengths by “handicapping” yourself with a terrain that’s especially challenging for your style. Remember: practice makes perfect, so hit those slopes!

Photo Credits: markg6

Originally posted 2009-05-19 05:26:29.

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