Shorten the Inside Leg
Overview: Movement 6: Shorten the inside leg. To achieve greater Edge Angle, skilled racers sometimes shorten or bend the inside leg by lifting the inside heel and thigh muscle and rolling the inside knee towards the snow away from the outer ski. This action is especially effective on steep terrain.
This description is the sixth of seven modules included in the Ski Technique module, describing how elite skiers and racers carve turns.
Shorten the Inside Leg
· To tighten the radius of your turn, raise your heel and thigh to shorten your inside leg, and roll your inside knee towards the snow. This action increases pressure against the outside ski and creates a greater edge angle.
· The tighter you want the turn, the higher you should raise your heel and thigh, and the more you should roll your knee.
· The movements to shorten the inside leg start simultaneously with the actions to initiate a new turn, which include flexing the outside ankle and moving your core forward.
Observe Henrik Kristoffersen from Norway as he shortens his inside leg in the video below. Pay close attention, and you’ll notice how the tail of his inside ski rises slightly. This deliberate movement increases edge angle and pressure against the outside ski, causing the ski to bend, carve, and accelerate.
Caution — Important Movements
It is very important there is “no pressure” on your inside ski.
Your shoulders need to be level by Separating just below the shoulders. This action will prevent your body leaning away from the outside ski and falling sideways.
The inside ski tip must only be slightly ahead of the outside ski tip. If the inside ski tip is too far forward, it can cause the body to twist and apply pressure to the tail of the outside ski.
Shortening the inside leg is effective when skiing on steep terrain as demonstrated by Mikaela Shiffrin.
Keep Your Ski Tips Level
Deb Armstrong’s video explains and demonstrates how to keep your ski tips level during the transition between turns by ensuring your feet are directly below your body.
Javelin Drill
The Javelin Drill will help you focus on these key actions:
a) Shortening the inside leg
b) Rolling the inside ankle and knee towards the inside of the turn, and
c) Maintaining level ski tips.
Watch Deb Armstrong demonstrate the Javelin Drill.
Key Takeaways
- Skilled racers can enhance their Edge Angle by shortening or bending the inside leg by lifting the heel or thigh slightly, and rolling the inside knee toward the snow, especially on steep terrain.
- This technique should be initiated in coordination with flexing the outside ankle to start a new turn, ensuring there is no pressure on the inside ski, maintaining level shoulders through separation below the shoulders, and keeping the inside ski tip only slightly ahead of the outside ski tip to avoid twisting and the applying pressure to the tail of outside ski.
Suggested Learning Modules
Go to Ski Technique 7. Release, Level the Hips and Pole Plant
Return to Ski Technique or How to Ski Steep Terrain
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.
