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Do I have to carve?

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slow yeti

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Hi everyone!

Newbie here, both to this forum and also mostly to skiing. After a couple of questionably successful days on skis as a teenager, I (now 37) tried again this year and got a couple of days in in the late season in the Austrian alps. Couple hours with an instructor, then going down blue and red (European rating) groomers with vaguely parallel skis ;)

I'm not the fastest learner when it comes to movements and coordination, but I enjoy skiing. I'm not interested in being super fast. I just want to have fun and feel like I'm in control of my movements.

So I am wondering now:

- Do I *have* to aspire to "carve"? It feels like all instructions, both online and with the (3) instructors I had, were: learn snowplow, then go vaguely parallel, and then edge edge edge and bend your knees in ways that make me worried about my tendons. I'm exaggerating of course, but I'm a little confused by the apparent lack of other techniques? Is there anything else still?

- If I'm staying on groomers, is there ever a reason *not* to use a narrower (up to 80mm) "carving" ski? Are those always easier to turn than wider skis or could a wider ski actually be more fun on groomed runs?

Thanks a ton!
 

Tony S

I have a confusion to make ...
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then edge edge edge and bend your knees in ways that make me worried about my tendons
That made me chuckle. Wait 'til you're actually old like many of us here!

I enjoy skiing
Well that's really all there is to know. Keep doing it if you enjoy it.

No, you don't have to aspire to carving or any other particular skiing skill. Maybe, for example, skiing for you is a great way to access amazing scenery and take lots of nice photos and get some fresh air and exercise.

Posters here and the instructors you met are probably making the assumption that you will want to explore more of the skiing environment - including more challenging terrain and snow conditions - with more confidence and competence. Most skiers enjoy doing that. Not all.

If you start getting bored or frustrated with your limitations, go back to instruction. You may have to "unlearn" some things, but at least your motivation will be coming from within, which is the only motivation worth talking about.
 

locknload

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You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. However, there are certain sensations in skiing that are really fun: carving clean turns, floating on powder and making effortless turns etc...you might find its more fun to optimize using the skis in a way that makes getting down the mountain much more effortless. Anyhow...you'll know you want to learn to carve if you are bored or frustrated with what you are currently doing. Having fun though is the key!
 

markojp

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Hi everyone!

Newbie here, both to this forum and also mostly to skiing. After a couple of questionably successful days on skis as a teenager, I (now 37) tried again this year and got a couple of days in in the late season in the Austrian alps. Couple hours with an instructor, then going down blue and red (European rating) groomers with vaguely parallel skis ;)

I'm not the fastest learner when it comes to movements and coordination, but I enjoy skiing. I'm not interested in being super fast. I just want to have fun and feel like I'm in control of my movements.

So I am wondering now:

- Do I *have* to aspire to "carve"? It feels like all instructions, both online and with the (3) instructors I had, were: learn snowplow, then go vaguely parallel, and then edge edge edge and bend your knees in ways that make me worried about my tendons. I'm exaggerating of course, but I'm a little confused by the apparent lack of other techniques? Is there anything else still?

- If I'm staying on groomers, is there ever a reason *not* to use a narrower (up to 80mm) "carving" ski? Are those always easier to turn than wider skis or could a wider ski actually be more fun on groomed runs?

Thanks a ton!

No.
 

pchewn

Skiing the powder
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Yes, you must be able to "carve". Let me explain.

Any time you are moving on skis you can be moving some sideways (slip/skid), and/or some forwards (carve). If you want to do a straight traverse across the hill, you do need to "carve".

Do you need to "carve" all the time? No. Do your turns need to be primarily carved vs skidded? No.

Do you need to be able to control how much you are going to carve (go straight) vs how much you are going to slip/skid (go sideways)? Yes.
 

Wilhelmson

Making fresh tracks
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If you want to ski with (or at least keep up) with your kids in 10 years, developing some skills will make it more fun. If you are already good enough, get a little better.
 

geepers

Skiing the powder
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Wanaka, New Zealand
Increasing the use of edges in skiing allows for greater control of direction making it safer for you and others. This does not have to be edge locked carving, just more edge use so the skis travel more in a forward direction than sideways.

However edge locked carving on hero snow is fantastic fun. Powder is almost always a blast but when there's been no fresh stuff for a few days then carving the groomers is awesome.

So no harm in getting started on the journey - can stop at whatever point on the road to carving you feel happy with.




There should be no particular stress on the knees when using the correct technique. If there is then something is not right in the approach. One wrong way is when skiers attempt to get more edge engagement by trying to laterally bend the knee, something knees are not designed to do.

Wide skis can place more strain on the knees when engaging the edges on firmer snow. The force of the snow pushing back on the ski is through the inside edge whilst weight is down through the leg so if the ski is wider there's a greater moment arm between those two forces that is trying to flatten the ski - hence more strain on the knee.




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Marker

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One advantage of carving that my instructors have tried to impress on me is that you can ski more efficiently and get less tired throughout the day. I can slarve and pivot as needed in steep and bumpy conditions, but that takes more energy, especially in soft spring snow. I'm sure a part of that is my technique, which still needs improvement, and part my larger than normal size. This year I have noticed less afternoon fatigue with an increased focus on carving, but I'm not talking hip-to-the-snow turns. I don't understand the comment about bent knees. I keep mine athletically flexed so I can absorb and respond to the terrain. Locked knees is a recipe for future knee surgery.
 

James

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Carving is not necessarily less work.
It’s much less work on something steepish to just pivot the skis left and right, swish down and call it a day.

Who actually tries to bend the knee sideways?
 

tch

What do I know; I'm just some guy on the internet.
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Wait...I think I may have something to add....
 
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