leaning back or forward?

[Federica]

When I started skiing I learned that novices often make the error of leaning back when they're a bit frightened on steeper slopes. Error because leaning back only would make you go faster.
I consider myself a rather good skier now, and I feel I can better control my speed on steep slopes by leaning forward. Also I can keep some speed on almost flat routes by bending my knees and lean back (I don't sit on my skis)
Now my friend claims her skiing instructor told her exactly the opposite: that leaning back would slow you down. What do you think?

 

[Jilly]

Centred skiing in the ultimate position. If you lean back, you lose that centre and the skis get away from you, you go faster and usually out of control. Too far forward and if you're not carefull you'll be doing face plants. The only way leaning back slows you down, is when you're all the way back and on your a#$!

 

[SkiNurse]

Don't lean back...not even in the powder. By being in the "back"seat you lose control of the turn.

Now, as long as you are able to maintain that neutral body position (upper body facing down hill, hands in front, shins foward in your boots) you can actually adjust your weight slightly in you feet to assist with different condiitons.

Plus, think how un-natural it feels to pull your shins off of your boots to put your weight in the back. Your boots should't really allow you to do that easily. Personally, my legs don't like it at all! Ouch!

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Now my friend claims her skiing instructor told her exactly the opposite: that leaning back would slow you down. What do you think?

Sadly, I think your friend got some very bad advice. I don't know any instructor that would advocate this. Just a recipe for disaster!

 

[Federica]

Sadly, I think your friend got some very bad advice. I don't know any instructor that would advocate this. Just a recipe for disaster!

I don't think it was an advice; I suppose he meant to explain the effect of your position.
My friend made the remark when we had to take a rather long almost horizontal path to the next slope. Only then I lean backward to maintain some speed, so that I don't have to push. (What do you girls do to keep going on a long path?) I hardly fall anymore , but I'm sure I would go down at the first turn on a slope in this position.

Too far forward and if you're not carefull you'll be doing face plants.

True, but normally I use it to control my speed on steeper but smooth slopes of hard snow.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[SnowHot]

I think that "sitting back" causes some tail skidding and THAT slows you down. However, riding the tails also causes uncontrollable speed, too.

Have I confused you?

If so, my job is done here.

 

[SkiNurse]

I don't think it was an advice; I suppose he meant to explain the effect of your position.
My friend made the remark when we had to take a rather long almost horizontal path to the next slope. Only then I lean backward to maintain some speed, so that I don't have to push. (What do you girls do to keep going on a long path?) I hardly fall anymore , but I'm sure I would go down at the first turn on a slope in this position.


True, but normally I use it to control my speed on steeper but smooth slopes of hard snow.

Thanks for the replies!

Forward still on a long path/traverse. If it is a traverse acrosse a steep slope (bowl) than I put more weight on my inner edge downhill leg to keep me into the slope and use my uphill leg to kinda guide the traverse.

If I put my weight back whether it is a traverse as described above, or a long cat walk or anything in between, than I am not able to control my speed. If I need to GAIN speed on a flat traverse, than I put more weight FORWARD. (think of racers).

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Never ever ever back. Forward. Light on the feet/skis for long traverse (i.e., no serious edging), into tuck if possible/necessary.

 

[skigrl27]

Ummm....putting weight forward on a flat catwalk slows me down. I tend to tuck & keep weight back...but that's only on really flat terrain. Leaning forward will cause me to stop.

I also think that in deep powder, one must keep their butts back & hands forward. So technically "no" - you're not leaning back...but more weight needs to be back in the pow. If you lean forward in pow, you'll be head over heels in no time. This doesn't mess with your turning too much, because in powder snow the edging on your skis is somewhat arbitrary. I've actually read somewhere that loosening the tops of your boots in pow makes for a more comfortable day because you'll be spending more time leaning back.

Generally & on all regular terrain, the key is to keep the center of gravity over the center of your skis. As your center changes, so does your body position. Hence...keeping your butt back in the pow, means you need to compensate that "backseat" by keeping your hands forward. So you're still maintaining your center balance, but your butt part is keeping your ski tips up & out to float better and your upper body & hands are helping to make the turns.

In bumps...you're constantly shifting your body over your skis front to back...

 

[sibhusky]

On long catwalks I am not back. I am balanced, trying to keep skis flat on the snow, minimizing drag by putting my arms and poles behind my back. Normally I beat everyone on catwalks and if I don't, I make sure to wax better (although I wax every two ski days, so "better" just means that maybe I should use a different temp wax than I did).

 

[TsuKata]

I've found that at the bottom of the hill, shifting my weight back (NOT leaning, just shifting my weight to my heels more) will dig the skis in more as I'm turning and will slow me down, but that's not the same as full on leaning back. I can't imagine leaning back in my ski boots...I'd just fall over.

 

[altagirl]

On long catwalks I am not back. I am balanced, trying to keep skis flat on the snow, minimizing drag by putting my arms and poles behind my back. Normally I beat everyone on catwalks and if I don't, I make sure to wax better (although I wax every two ski days, so "better" just means that maybe I should use a different temp wax than I did).

Ditto. I stay forward/centered and skate when I need to, and I'm usually pretty fast on flat cat tracks, even when I haven't waxed in weeks.

 

[volklgirl]

Ditto. I stay forward/centered and skate when I need to, and I'm usually pretty fast on flat cat tracks, even when I haven't waxed in weeks.

Ditto here too, and I'm usually flying by everybody on cat tracks.