How to Snow Ski Backwards

Video Transcript

"Ok, so now I'm going to be giving you guys a basic run through on how to ski backwards which is also known as skiing switch or skiing fakie. So what you want to do just like making a forward turn, is make sure your body's in the proper position, knees shoulder width apart, hands out in front still and when you're making the turns you're going to be going backwards, you're going to want to scissor your feet just a little bit if you're making a turn this direction. This is going to help bring your shoulders over just a little bit so you can spot where you're going because its really important not to ski backwards looking straight back up the hill because then you have no idea where you're going and you're just going to be out of control which isn't good for anyone. So, to make a skiers right hand turn, you're going to scissor your fee like this and its going to bring your skis around like that, then when you want to shift and make the other turn, scissor your feet the other way, you see my shoulders come over with my legs naturally. Its going to bring your legs over like that and then you're going to be able to make a turn that direction. You're just going to want to repeat this step. Its going to allow you to make turns going down the hill exactly the same way as if you were making turns going forward on your skis and that's how you ski switch. Ok so I'm going to be teaching you one of the newer basic fundamentals of skiing. Its how to ski backwards. With a lot of new freestyle tricks and skis, the tips on the skis are rounded up in the back allowing you to do tricks when backwards or just ski backwards if you want to. So there is a proper way on how to ski backwards. What you want to do is when you're skiing backwards, make sure you're spotting over your shoulder depending on which direction you are making the turn. So if I'm going to be making a turn this way, my feet are going to be a little bit scissored, I'm going to be facing this direction allowing for my body to make the turn that way. But if I'm going to be making the turn the other way, you scissor your feet this way and look that way. It?s going to allow so your body can swing around and make the turn similar to how you would make a turn going forward. So now I'm going to demonstrate how to actually do these turns and I'll walk you through it as I do it. So first, you want to start going switch and if you'll notice I'm going like that then when I switch I look over this shoulder and scissor my feet and scissor my feet again. That helps your body come forward and then you come to a stop at the bottom. It?s pretty much how you learn how to ski backwards."