Kick Turn, "A lost art"

[freeskier1961]

good to have kick turns and jump turns in your off-piste toolbox

 

[Doug Briggs]

And basic skiing switch doesn't hurt for those times you need to back up a bit.

 

[4ster]

Actually I’m wrong. It is the downhill leg he initially changes direction with.
Takes a lot of experience and comfort on super steeps to do a kick turn there. Well just to be there too. Yikes.

Yeah, conventional kick turn but I like how he is already on the move before he is even done with it.
I am not a big ski porn/movie fan but Jeremie Heitz (& I’m sure his friends) is the real deal & so great to see someone with his skills at a young age tearing up real mountains!

 

[Tex]

Kick turn lesson.

Step 1. Do this.

View attachment 111331

If you are gonna do that, just put the boots and skis on, which is not a bad idea. Probably about the only thing you can do with your boots and skis on in your living room.

 

[Chris V.]

Or get on snow, and practice it just in boots before practicing with skis on. To get in touch with your range of motion!

 

[Noodler]

I have done kick turns on alpine skis and bindings for as long as I can remember. However, I had never tried them while having my heel loose, like when touring uphill, and doing the kick turn uphill. So I've been practicing them on my inbounds uphill laps and I have to say that they're definitely a bit more challenging going uphill, especially on steeper sections. I've watched multiple videos on how to improve my kick turns, but all of the videos have the skiers doing them in soft snow using techniques I haven't been able to test yet on a hard track.

 

[no edge]

3:20 stivot

 

[Choucas]

There's only one way to do an uphill kick turn correctly when touring, and it's well worth practicing (a lot) to make sure you have it right. It's a struggle until you figure it out. When you're in an exposed spot with a sketchy skin track, hours into a tour and really tired, that is not the time to discover that you don't quite have it.

 

[charlier]

Leaving La Grave for now. Kick turns, A-V turns, and skinning techniques are all important parts of introduction to touring classes. Kick turns on relatively steep sleeps, with deep snow sometime require a snow shovel to open up the slope and make a wider platform for the kick turn. On firm and icy slopes, a missed kick turn is demoralizing and take a lot of energy to recover. Similarly for kick-turns on the downhill.

 

[James]

A-V turns

What are those?

 

[charlier]

What are those?

If you can set a lower angle skin track, rounded or AVA turns allow you to keep your cadence going without having to break stride. Just progressively change the alignment of your skis to form an A, then a V, then an A, until you have changed direction.

 

[Nobody]

Darn insomnia...re-read the whole thread. I was sure I had commented in it but it does not appear so.
I learned kick turn as a child. That was essential then, and is a skill not to lose even now that I am much older and not as flexible as in the days of my youth (was a judoka, back then as well), or daring in my turns while off-piste...
While aging, one thing I found out is that having skis on actually seems to help, I am not sure I can do the moves while at home without boots and skis on. The best I can do, in the wee hours of the night while standing beside the bed is to have the "downhill" foot for an angle of 30some degrees with the "uphill" one (I am sure that if wifey should wake up and see me doing this would declare me insane on the spot)...more gym to do here...
Another variation is doing it downhill while facing uphill; but is very dangerous on the steeps as one is turning the back to the slope and could easily loose balance and tumble uncontrollably downhill. In addition, as the downhill leg and knee rotate "inward", it is very hard on the femur and knee and well, things could break veery easily. I wouldn't advice nor teach this variation to anyone, nor I am doing it anymore, not even for fun/showoff (and as the TV shows say "do not try this at home")

 

[Nobody]

If you can set a lower angle skin track, rounded or AVA turns allow you to keep your cadence going without having to break stride. Just progressively change the alignment of your skis to form an A, then a V, then an A, until you have changed direction.

Been thinking of this since the beginning of this thread and waslooking for a "formal" definition of it you saved me the effort. Thanks!
In any case, as you say, AVA turns while skinning uphill are convenient "only" at low angles and when there is, relatively speaking, lot of room to turn around.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Lol, learning a kick turn on the pitch of Downdraft, which must be mid 30's, is...interesting. At least it could be clear sliding.


Did you make people sidestep a lot too? The number of kids who get to an advanced level now and can't side step properly is amazing.

Sidestepping is how you learn to use edges. Without it you'll never learn to manipulate them for turns.

 

[Lvovsky /Pasha/Pavel]

Not surprised she left after that!

Do you know…how KT-22 got its name?
November 3, 2018
---------
“I was scared to death. It was almost vertical. I thought I’d have to stay until spring,” recalls Sandy Poulsen, early Squaw pioneer.

While she and husband Wayne were skiing the resort in 1948, Sandy was terrified and couldn’t link a turn down the steep north face of one of the resort’s infamous peaks. Instead she would traverse the slope, make a kick turn and do it again and again and again.

Patiently waiting at the bottom, Wayne counted 22 kick turns. In her honor, he named the mountain KT-22 and it’s been a challenge for many til this day, not just Sandy.

Sandy and Wayne Poulsen were truly the first couple of Squaw Valley. They were the first family to build a year-round home there and they raised 8 kids – 4 of them made it on to the U.S. Ski Team.
----------------
https://tahoeculture.com/do-you-knowhow-kt-22-got-its-name/

I’ve been telling this story to anyone who’d listen at Taos gathering without remembering that I learned it here. Most people gave me ‘bless your heart’ look…

 

[ELDoane]

For added difficulty, try one with a damn tree right in front of you. You really discover just how vertical you can get that ski when you kick it over.

 

[cantunamunch]

I have done kick turns on alpine skis and bindings for as long as I can remember. However, I had never tried them while having my heel loose, like when touring uphill, and doing the kick turn uphill. So I've been practicing them on my inbounds uphill laps and I have to say that they're definitely a bit more challenging going uphill, especially on steeper sections. I've watched multiple videos on how to improve my kick turns, but all of the videos have the skiers doing them in soft snow using techniques I haven't been able to test yet on a hard track.

Just wait until you do them on nordic 215s

 

[Racerx]

So I was a Apprentice F.W,S.I.A. at Boreal Ridge Corp. from mid 1974 until 1978 ish, then taught at Soda Springs, Slide Mt. and Donner Ski Ranch. Loved teaching, hate "let's change the Terms of how to teach" but it's ok. I got over It. I think My long time Friend and Ski School Director Larry Wolf did Too. I work year round at Boreal in 75-76, He ran Mountain Ops, lodge, etc... So yeah I'm glad to do a kick turn , when needed, My coach John Hoffman From Boreal/Auburn Ski club, Was Co-Director with Larry, I demonstrated for the Clinics for him to Ski School Instructors. He is very technical. good old days. YAY!

 

[Frenchman]

I've taught it to all my students, and am always a bit surprised when students with years of experience have never seen it. It's so useful.