How to Weight and Unweight Telemark Skis

Contributor

By eHow Contributing Writer

Article Rating:

(2 Ratings)

Weighting and unweighting your skis is the key to turning, and turning is the key to telemark skiing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Find a slope you have skied before and are comfortable with on telemark skis.
Step 2

Stand tall and start skiing straight down the slope.
Step 3

Start a turn to the right by dropping the right knee and sliding the right foot back.
Step 4

Sink down into the turn by bending at the ankles, hips and especially the knees. This motion weights your skis into the snow and lets your skis turn almost by themselves.
Step 5

Finish your turn and rise out of it by extending your ankles, knees and hips upwards.
Step 6

Turn to the left while your body is extended to its full height. This is when your skis are unweighted and it is easy to turn them.
Step 7

Begin your next turn.
Step 8

Continue down the slope in this fashion, sinking and extending at every turn.

Tips & Warnings

Sink down into the turn with an equal amount of weight on your lead and rear ski.
Extend out of the turn with an equal amount of weight on your lead and rear ski.
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.

Who Can Help Sponsored