Roll the Inside Leg
Overview: Movement 4: Roll your inside leg way from your outside leg so your shins are parallel to increase edge angle. This action will increase edge angle of the outside ski.
This description is the fourth of seven modules included in the Ski Technique module, describing how elite skiers and racers carve turns.
Roll the Inside Leg
This action will align the shins and skis in parallel, as demonstrated by Paul Lorenz.
Watch Mikaela Shiffrin ski with parallel shins while maintaining level hips and shoulders.
Drill for Parallel Shins
An effective drill to learn how to ski with shins parallel is to remove your poles and place your hands on the outside of your knees.
As you flex your ankle forward to apply pressure to the new outside ski, press the inside knee outwards against your hand. Your shins will be parallel as demonstrated in this video.
Preventing Tip Splay
When you start rolling the inside leg inwards your ski tips may diverge or splay, meaning they move in different directions.
By activating the inside foot you can prevent tip splay as demonstrated by Tom Gellie.
Key Takeaways
- To increase edge angle effectively, focus on two simultaneous movements: roll the outside stacked leg towards the inside of the turn and also roll the inside leg inwards to align the shins and skis in parallel.
- To practice skiing with parallel shins remove your poles and place your hands on the outside of your knees. As you flex your ankle forward to apply pressure to the new outside ski, press the inside knee outwards against your hand to maintain parallel shins. To prevent Tip Splay, activate your inside foot.
Suggested Learning Modules
Go to Ski Technique 5. Stack, Separate and Resist
Return to: Ski Technique or Learn to Race
Important Note: Skiing and ski racing come with inherent risks. As such, it is imperative to ski responsibly and remain within the boundaries of your skill level and personal comfort zone.
