Orlando's ski wisdom

Most important body parts are eyes, hips, feet.

Eyes are most important: don't look at your feet, look down the mountain (this dovetails with always keeping your upper body facing downhill).

Plant poles in moguls, and structure the turn around the plant.

Turn trepidation into intention.

Absorption: let your uphill ski 'absorb' the hill and stay on the ground as you turn.   - weight 60/40 on the outside ski. don't lift the inside ski

Ski through your tips, not your tails. Your weight should flatten the camber in your feet, and be concentrated forwards in the balls of your feet.

Be playful with moguls, you are surfing waves.

Be present.

Keep your shoulders open, always facing downhill.

Put enough pressure on your shin to crush an unripe grape but not an ripe grape.

If you're feeling apprehensive, think about what's not fun and then change that thing.

If moguls are sketchy you can just schmear.

Carving:

• Initiate the turn with your core.
• Don't schmear. Turn uphill to slow down.
• Finish each turn: reach the point where you're chill, and can deliberately switch edges to the downhill ski.
• Practice railroad turns: on flat ground, turn by shifting edges only.
• Flex ankles in a turn to gain control.
• Keep skis shoulder width apart, for stability. That lets you bend way up towards the slope.

Keep upper body upright and still. Don't bend forward with your back.

When your chest goes forward, your skis slide backwards. Lead with your core instead.

To thine own self be true.

On moguls:

• Absorption is key. Upper body should be straight and tall, lower body is hella compressed.
• Engage your glutes to save your knees.
• Plant your pole early in the turn: before you think you need to.
• Be hungry for the next turn.
• Say ha! to every mogul.
• Just flow. Don't resist the mountain.
• In moguls with blown snow, aim for troughs with soft snow.

Breathe on every turn.

Keep your uphill ankle pulled back.

Avoid letting the uphill ski lead. Keeping your skis even means less work when you turn.

If you find yourself lifting a ski while you turn, sit on that leg. Let your weight go straight to your toe.

Long leg (downhill) / short leg (uphill).

Your little toe knows where to go (downhill pinky toe---becoming uphill pinky toe---leads your turn)

Lean forward with the pole you're about to plant. Let your core drive the turn.

Finish each turn facing downhill.

Go from being chill to aggressive, not vice versa.

Turn uphill and relax on every turn. You don't need breaks because you take a break on every turn.

Yoga: imagine a thread pulling the top of your head towards the sky.

In moguls, default to keeping your skis closer together. It's more nimble, and leaves room to spread them to shoulder width if you need to dig in.

Trick for carrying skis: hook the front of binding over your shoulder and use the leverage to balance. Brakes are directional, so the skis need to be flipped correctly to stay together. Hold poles with your other hand to balance.

Hip thrust to initiate the turn as you plant your pole. It should be almost erotic.

Ski with oxytocin, not cortisol.

From Jean (of Jean's glade): never ski the same run the same way twice.

Be a ninja.