Parallel turn 300141 196939190 2008-03-09T04:59:20Z Sfahey 92164 {{Unreferenced|date=March 2007}} {{Cleanup|date=March 2007}} {{Ski-technique}} The invention of the '''parallel turn''' in [[skiing]] is credited to [[Austria]]n [[Toni Seelos]] in the 1930s. Since the 1930's, the parallel turn has evolved to the modern parallel turn that is easily viewed by watching Olympic caliber skiers. Recent parallel technique involves tilting the outside ski so that it runs along its big-toe edge, and applying pressure to it. As the turn progresses the skis remain parallel, and the second ski also starts to run along the inner (little-toe) edge. There should be no skidding during the turn. The ideal parallel turn involves carving throughout the radius of the turn with weight distributed ~90% on the outside ski. The flatter the terrain the more equally the weight will be distributed. As the turn progresses the skier's weight remains centered. The skier pressures the front of the ski in the beginning of the turn and the weight is gradually shifted to the heel as the turn is completed. Torsional stiffness of the ski determines how much power the skier can extract from the ski. Skis built for Olympic level skiers will be significantly stiffer than those designed for a recreational skier. The stiffer the ski the more acceleration can be extracted from the ski at the end of the turn. During a parallel turn the skis do not come together and ideally remain about shoulder width apart. During the formative years of skiing, skiers brought their skis together. However, with modern equipment this makes turning more difficult and results in sliding or skidding which is not desired. Turning the ski using a parallel turn with skidding is the opposite of a [[carve turn]], where the edge of the ski does not lose its grip during the whole turn. In the 1990s [[ski]] design developed to make this easier to accomplish, as skis were progressively widened at the tips and tails relative to the mid-portion. With this shape, applying the edges to the snow surface describes a curved line as the skier moves forward, resulting in a turn. Most ski schools progress from the snowplough, into the step turn, and finally to a parallel turn. Parallel turning involves three planes of movement: lateral, vertical and rotational. Note forward/backward is not a plane of movement, the skier should always have their weight centered over their boots, with equal downward pressure distributed between the ball of the foot and the heel. The body should be in a sports-like stance, bent at the ankles (the ski boots should force this), knees and hips. The hands and arms should always be up above waist height, slightly further apart than the shoulders. Skis should be about shoulder width apart. Lateral movement refers to shifting the weight from one side to the other, which engages the edges and creates the turn. The majority of the weight should always be on the outside ski (except in competitive and powder skiing), being even over both feet between the turns (when there is no outside ski). The amount of weight applied to the outside ski should gradually increase from the beginning of the turn to the centre of the turn, when the skis are pointing straight down the hill, then gradually decrease until the end of the turn and the beginning of the next. This gradual force creates an even turn. The extra weight on the outside foot is balanced by tilting inwards, over the inside foot (the force from the circular turn is pushing you outwards which is counter-balanced by tilting your body inwards). Both legs should always be bent at the knees. The upper body should not be tilted as much as the legs. By keeping the upper body closer to vertical (than the legs), the direction of force on the skis is more downward then sideward, creating much more edge grip. Having the upper body and the legs tilting on the same angle, leaning the body into the snow, is called inclination, and many people can easily improve their skiing by not doing this. Vertical movement involves bringing the hips slightly forward, but keeping the upper body at the same angle to the ground. This will lift the upper body (some instructors call it 'humping the turn'). The movement should not affect how the weight is centred. The movement should be gradual and smooth, with the skier being at maximum height at the point where one turn is ending and the next is starting, when the skis are flat on the snow. The skier should be lowest at the middle of the turn, when the skis are pointing straight down the hill. The upwards movement lifts some weight off the skis for an easier transition from one edge to the other, but more importantly lifts the body to allow for the downward movement in the centre of the turn. The downward movement creates more downward pressure to get the maximum bend in the ski when it is needed. The gradual movement helps to allow a smooth and even turn. Rotational movement involves rotating the upper body relative to the legs. This movement should be mostly at the hips. The shoulders should always be pointing more down the hill than the skis; the amount of separation (of angle) increases when approaching the start of the turn, and decreases when approaching the centre of the turn, when the skis and shoulders are both pointing down the hill. This causes the mid-area of the body to act like a spring, giving easier turn initiation. At the beginning of the turn the separation is at its maximum and so the body will want to untwist, moving the skis in the direction of the next turn. In the first half of the turn the body is unwinding, in the second half the body is winding up to get ready for the next turn. A ski instructor can help in determining the extent to which these movements apply, and in which order they should be worked on. Often a departure from these correct movements is caused by a different departure, so the order they are worked on is quite important. [[de:Wedeln]]