How to Plant Your Poles While Telemark Skiing

Pole plants are a crucial aspect of telemark skiing. Poles are useful for timing, balance and body positioning.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Ski Clothing
• Telemark Ski Equipment

1. Start skiing downhill.
2. Compress your hips, knees and ankles toward the ground and start a turn.
3. Reach downhill and plant a pole while your body is fully compressed. Plant your left pole when turning left, and your right pole when turning right.
4. Turn around your pole plant, extending your hips, knees and ankles upward at the end of the turn.
5. Swing the hand that has just planted the pole quickly back in front of your body. The pole plant is a quick jab-and-redraw motion that keeps your hands in front of your body most of the time.
6. Get ready to start a turn in the opposite direction, planting your other pole.

Tips & Warnings

• To quickly reset your hand and pole after a pole plant, punch your hand across your body, toward the downhill side. This will set up your pole and body position for the next turn.
• Telemark skiing is a physically demanding sport that could result in serious injury. We recommend that you seek proper training and equipment before attempting this activity.