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The pole is the most misunderstood and misused piece of ski equipment. Many skiers carry their poles without any real understanding of their use. Others use their poles in such a way that they hinder rather than help effective turning.
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The "Steering Wheel" position:
ready to plant the poles.
[Photo: ifyouski.com]
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The Pole Plant
The pole plant serves three purposes in a turn:
Ensuring correct positioning of your body by moving your weight forwards and down the fall line.
Providing stability by giving you an extra point of support as you transfer pressure from one ski to the other, and from one edge to the other.
Acting as a trigger to time the beginning of your turn.
Carrying Your Poles
Your hands must be in front of you at all times. If you can't see them in your peripheral vision, they are either too low, or behind you. Imagine you are holding the steering wheel of a bus, with your arms in front of you and slightly bent, and your poles will be in the right place. At first you may feel a little unnatural in the 'steering wheel' position. Persevere, and quite soon it will be second nature.
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Classic faults include holding your poles behind your body
where they are totally useless for any manoeuvre.
[Photo: ifyouski.com]
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How To Plant Your Pole
The firmness with which you should plant the pole depends on your speed and the type of turn: for fast turns on flat terrain the poles need hardly touch the snow, whereas for mogul skiing you will require a very positive, even aggressive, pole plant.
More important than the force used is the movement with which you plant the pole. This begins with an anticipation phase, in which the downhill pole is angled forwards to point at the spot where it will be planted. The pole is planted with a movement from the wrist that brings the basket into contact with the snow; it is released similarly by a movement from the wrist as you pass. There should be very little involvement from the elbow and none at all from the shoulder.
When To Plant Your Pole
The pole plant should be timed to provide stability as you begin your turn. This means that the basket must always hit the snow just prior to your switching pressure to the outside ski.
Exercise
Walking your poles. Choose a very shallow slope and ski straight down the fall line. Starting with both arms in the neutral position, walk your poles down the slope, planting them one after the other. Keep your arms forward throughout and get a feel for using only your wrists.
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| Hold your arms in the 'steering wheel' position,
then anticipate the coming pole plant. |
Use a movement from the wrist to bring the
basket into contact with the snow. Tense your arm momentarily to take
the impact, but keep any movement of the arm to a minimum. |
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| Keep your arm forward so the planted pole pivots about its
basket as you ski past it. |
Release the pole by continuing the movement from the wrist.
You are back in the neutral, 'steering wheel' position.
[Photos: ifyouski.com] |
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