6 ski tips for intermediate skiers
Congrats – you’ve progressed from beginner to intermediate! And moved from the bunny slopes to the blues! But how can you make the most of the intermediate zones and stop yourself from developing bad habits? We’ve got you. Below, we’ve rounded up our top skiing tips for intermediate skiers to help you level up with confidence.
See ya later, nursery runs and snowploughs! Hello, parallel turns and becoming a stronger, more confident skier! Yep, you’ve now leveled up into the intermediate category *high five*. But how do you make the most of this new level – and what takes you from lower-intermediate to bordering on advanced? Wonder no more, because Dope’s ski school is in session with our six tips for nailing your technique.
Oh, and why not treat yourself to a new setup? See it as a reward for rising in the plank ranks. Check out our fresh collection below – made to show off alongside your new, refined skills.
How to improve your skiing technique
Lean forward
Keep your shoulders down the fall line
Link parallel turns
Focus on your outside ski – and edges
Experiment with terrain
Book a lesson
1. Lean forward
Nailing your body position as an intermediate is super important. Without it, you’ll struggle to maintain balance and power. So, how do you achieve that athletic, centered stance? Keep your weight forward by pressing your shins into the tongue of your boots at all times. This creates enough pressure on the front of your planks, helping you drive them down the hill, achieve more control, and experience smoother handling. Nice!
Leaning forward also avoids the dreaded ‘backseat’ position – when your weight is tipped too far towards the tail. To counteract the ‘backseat’, you might instinctively bend at the waist. However, instead, think of the classic ‘bend za knees’ ski instructor mantra and bend your knees so they're directly over your binding toe piece. Still feel you’re sitting too far back? Move your hips up and forward. Flex your ankles, too. This magic combo keeps your lower body engaged and ready for whatever terrain the mountains throw at ya.
Brace your core to help maintain the coveted centered stance. Throughout each turn, draw your belly button towards your spine to stay stable. Don’t forget to pole plant! This moves your weight forward. You’ll soon find all these elements come together so you can use the tips of your skis to turn and stay in control – things that’ll come in mega handy as you shred the steeper stuff!
2. Keep your shoulders down the fall line
Okay, we know it’s tempting to traverse across the slopes, making sweeping wide turns. However, as you progress in skiing, try to keep your shoulders, chest, hips, and feet pointing down the fall line (the line of travel a snowball would take if you rolled it down the trail). Having everything in alignment massively helps your balance and edge control.
It’s super common to see people twisting their shoulders right and left to make each turn. Again, this isn’t ideal for balance or momentum. So, before a turn, plant your ski pole just ahead of you. This movement keeps everything pointing down the hill and reminds you to turn with your legs rather than your torso. Over time, you’ll develop upper-lower body separation, where you can turn your legs independently of your upper body. Don’t worry – it’s a pretty advanced move – and 100% style goals.
Our top tip? Let your skis run instead of fighting against them too much. This helps relieve any muscle strain and boosts that smooth ride. Of course, there are exceptions to every ski tip. For example, if you’re on a scary steep, it’s totally okay to traverse and have your body parallel to the mountain.
3. Link parallel turns
Progressing from ‘pizza’ to ‘french fries’ is a major win for beginners. And, as an intermediate, you’ve most likely eliminated the snowplough in favor of fully parallel turns. Though, now, it’s important to link them – making soft, even ‘S’ shapes in the snow rather than jerky ‘Z’s. To help link them, look where you want to turn. So, before you reach the apex of the turn, focus your eyes on where your next turn will be. Your body naturally travels where your eyes shift, and soon, you’ll be shredding as smooth as butter!
Seamlessly linking parallel turns establishes a flow and rhythm. Pole planting also helps. Remember – we want the same time and distance between each pole plant. Some riders liken their skiing rhythm to dancing a waltz, using a one-two-three count. For example, plant your pole on the one, move the ski tips through the turn on the two, and slow down and exit the turn on the three count. Over time, you might experiment with the ‘down, up’ position, too. This is where you make your body long before you enter the turn (as if you’re standing up). Then, during the turn, press down and bend your knees before popping back ‘up’ again.
Don’t forget to finish your parallel turns, though. This prevents any skidding and helps speed control. Of course, if you want to go faster, pick up the pace with short, sharp turns. To slow down, create wider-radius turns, which act like brakes. Try deliberately changing up your turn tempo, too. Doing this trains your reflexes and reaction time should you suddenly need to stop or make tighter turns.
4. Focus on your edges and outside ski
The outside ski is key when it comes to good skiing. Some riders refer to the outside ski as the downhill ski – mainly when describing the same ski from the apex of the turn to the transition. Without your outside ski, your balance will be thrown off. So, try applying more pressure on it – especially on a gnarlier trail – and have as little weight as possible on the inside ski. You should feel a lot sturdier and more stable as you shift your weight. Building your outside ski pressure is also a lifesaver if you suddenly hit a patch of ice.
Try out a couple of drills on a mellow slope. For example, as you turn, lift your inside ski a fraction off the snow. You should automatically move all your weight to the outside ski. Remember that feeling and use that as your pressure reference point once both skis are back on the trail.
Don’t forget to concentrate on the edges, too. This is where you shift your weight and roll your ankles to press the inner edges of your skis into the snow. The result? Your skis have extra grip to avoid slipping – a dream come true when tackling steeper pitches and icier conditions. You might have heard skiers refer to edges when chatting about carving. Don’t worry – carving is quite an advanced technique, and some advanced skiers don’t care to carve at all! While using your edges as an intermediate, let the skis run flat between each turn. Doing this for just a millisecond helps boost that glide ride and dreamy feeling.
5. Experiment with terrain
Okay, we know it’s tempting to stick to those freshly groomed, mellow greens or cruisey blues. However, as an intermediate, it’s super important to know how to adapt your technique to different terrain and snow conditions. That means attempting those slightly icier reds, bump runs, and daunting blacks. You might also want to play in the fresh pow off the side of the slopes (we’re not talking hardcore backcountry, though!).
Dipping into different snow and terrain makes you adjust your stance, turn shapes, and more. For example, ice encourages you to keep your edges tilted, while bumps teach you to stay loose in the knees and ankles to absorb uneven terrain. On a scary steep? Use short, across-the-hill traverses to slow down. And don’t feel you have to rush it – just conquer one turn at a time and take a break when needed. Mentally splitting a run into sections often helps. In fact, we always say 85% of skiing is about committing. So, if you’re having a wobble, remember our previous tip of leaning forward! Get your hands, hips, and knees down the fall line and crank two or three turns at a time! You’ll be at the bottom before you know it.
Venture out into flat light and whiteouts, too. We know – we all love a bluebird. However, skiing in variable conditions ultimately makes you a better rider. Plus, once you’ve conquered a red in poor vis, you’ll find cruising a black run under blue skies an absolute walk in the park.
6. Book a lesson
Ski lessons aren’t only for beginners – there’s always more to learn! So, book an intermediate ski lesson, clinic, or camp with an experienced instructor. Each one is guaranteed to be a huge accelerant in how you improve as an intermediate. You’ll receive immediate feedback and invaluable tips. Oh, and ski instructors are ace at stopping any bad habits from forming.
You can also put what you’ve learned into practice by riding outside your lesson. Our top tip? Ski with people better than you! You’ll naturally analyze and emulate the style and technique of skiers you admire. Plus, you’re more likely to ski things you wouldn’t on your own – such as that slightly intimidating black run you’ve been eyeing all week.
Okay, we get it – you want to reach pro status quickly, right? But skiing is a lifelong pursuit. Don’t let that get you down, though. In fact, if you ever feel disheartened or like you’re about to have a mountain meltdown (totally normal, by the way), just take a deep breath and find the fun! It sounds simple, but so many people forget to love it! So, look around, feel the mountain air, and enjoy the ride. Give yourself some cred, too – you’ve done amazing to get this far, and we can’t wait to see where your skills (and skis) take you.
Wrapping up
Don’t stress if you don’t nail these tips first time. Skiing is all about patience, practice, and perseverance. In fact, some of the best riders we know are still learning little tricks to improve.
Are you rolling your eyes because we haven’t mentioned your favorite piece of advice? Or do you want to chat more about ski techniques? Reach out to us at crew@dopesnow.com. Our team is always stoked to talk about anything and everything to do with mountains, snow, and that wonderful ski lifestyle.
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