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Stronger side

Jen

Certified Ski Diva
Hi! One of my turns is always stronger than the other. Usually it's my left turn that's strong, though on the occasional run it's my right turn, and my left turn feels weak. Could this be a strength/flexibility issue in my hips? I'm a runner, and like most female runners my hips are weak and tight. Any drills/exercises/tips for this? I'm a progressing intermediate skier.
 

Skisailor

Angel Diva
Hi Jen and welcome.

It's pretty universal for skiers to have the turn to one side be stronger than the turn to the other side. The possible causes are many. It's impossible to know what is happening for you without seeing you ski.

That said, make sure that you are putting your weight on the outside leg of the turn with equal commitment to both sides.
 

marymack

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Of the many reasons possible, I would like to toss out the alignment of your boots. Have you had your boots adjusted by a professional boot fitter? I know my left leg over pronates more than my right leg so my boot cuff angles are adjusted to reflect that. If you overpronate it can be very difficult to get on the outside edge of that foot so for me, even with the adjustment, I still have a harder time turning left than right.
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
There are so many reasons. Just like you're right handed or left, we have a dominant side. But since this doesn't happen all the time on the same side it could be boots, leg length etc. How about some lessons to determine it's not technique.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Have you taken lessons? Were there any cues that you can apply?

Sometimes I get a wandering foot. Thinking about "lifting the big toe" of the inside foot, or my preferred cue, "lifting the arch" of the inside foot, helps me get my feet back on track.
 

Mary Tee

Angel Diva
Have you taken lessons? Were there any cues that you can apply?

Sometimes I get a wandering foot. Thinking about "lifting the big toe" of the inside foot, or my preferred cue, "lifting the arch" of the inside foot, helps me get my feet back on track.
In one of my last lessons we did the "lift the big toe" thing...I was amazed at what that subtle movement did for my turn! Anyone skiing near me must have thought I was nuts as I muttered "lift toe...foragonal, lift toe...foragonal" on each turn
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Does anyone totally get over this? I think about all my years doing Pilates, where everyone's weak side is very apparent, and we never seem to close the gap.

Sure, I tore my ACL and couldn't use my leg for a while, and now my left leg is stronger than my right, instead of vice versa ;-)

I ... don't recommend this approach.
 

AltaEgo

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
You also said on some runs it is the opposite side---could it be that Trail? Might it have a double fall line, making it feel easier to make turns on your "bad" side?
 

newboots

Angel Diva
Anyone skiing near me must have thought I was nuts as I muttered "lift toe...foragonal, lift toe...foragonal" on each turn

Hah! That's my method. If I recall correctly, my last mantra was "Flatten, you'll-pick-up-speed-but-it's-okay, turn; . . . Flatten, (etc.)"

A million years ago, when I studied karate, our sensei had us put twice the emphasis (practice) on the weaker side to strengthen it.
 

Jen

Certified Ski Diva
So I don't know enough about skiing yet to know what a double fault line is! I'm sure there's a technique issue. I took two lessons last year, but we didn't talk about any of the things you said. Lift the big toe? I could try that. I should probably sign up for another lesson! I feel like instructors are so hit or miss though.

I bought my boots at a ski shop and they have a moldable liner. I don't think that counts as a boot fitter though. I know there's biomechanical issues with my feet - a podiatrist once described my right foot as a loose bag of bones! Any bootfitters near Philly who could help with that?
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Where will you be skiing? It's likely someone here can give you an instructor recommendation.

You should also check here for a nearby bootfitter. If you don't find anyone, then start a new thread specifically for a boot fitter. A boot fitter means someone who specializes in knowing the best boots for a particular foot, and then also modifying that boot, because everyone's feet are different.

So I don't know enough about skiing yet to know what a double fault line is!

Hah! This made me giggle. Don't worry about it yet - but the term is double FALL line, not fault! It describes a tricky run where it's easy to get railroaded into one direction / making turns only in one direction.
 

bounceswoosh

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Um. I've been trying to find a definition of a double fall line. It's hard. And now I'm trying to express it.

I think the best way to picture it is, picture standing at the top of a run where you can see the bottom of the chair lift way in the distance. (Simplified) the straight line from where you're standing to the chair lift is the fall line. It's where water would go if you dribbled it down the run. That's pretty straight forward.

But what if the right side of the run is higher than the left, so that you're constantly being "sucked" left and need to work to keep going straight down to the chair lift? A run like that is described as having a "double fall line," because there are two directions water might flow.
 

Jen

Certified Ski Diva
Gotcha, thank you! I feel like a lot of trails have that?

I ski mainly in the Poconos, though that might be done for the season with this weather! I'll be in Sugarbush in March and would definitely be up for taking a lesson then.
 

marzNC

Angel Diva
Gotcha, thank you! I feel like a lot of trails have that?

I ski mainly in the Poconos, though that might be done for the season with this weather! I'll be in Sugarbush in March and would definitely be up for taking a lesson then.
For future reference, Elk has a monthly 1-day Women's Clinic. Elk's ski school is very good in general. One of the best trainers in the region has been at Elk for quite a while.

With limited area to work with, may well have more double fall-line trails in the mid-Atlantic than at bigger mountains. I think all the greens and blues at Massanutten are double fall-line. Easy to tell because less experienced skiers and boarders often end up stuck close to one side of the trail while instructors are leading their students along the opposite side.

For me, one hip is noticeably more flexible than another. Always has been. However, once I improved technique the difference in my turns is no longer as noticeable. Have been working very deliberately on that issue for a couple seasons, with the help of very experienced instructors. The fact that I'm very right-dominant and my left leg is lazier is more of a factor.
 

Jen

Certified Ski Diva
I love Elk Mountain! Do you happen to know if their Women's Clinic falls on weekends? I can't find anything on their website, but the ones I've seen at other local mountains are usually weekdays, which I just can't do.
 

Jen

Certified Ski Diva
Out of curiosity (maybe this should be a separate thread), how many lessons do most people take before they feel like they're skiing well? Over the past three years I've taken three 75-90 minute lessons and one full day. I've improved a lot but still have a ways to go! How frequently should I be trying to take lessons?
 

Jilly

Moderator
Staff member
Over 50 years of skiing and still taking lessons.....Just finished a 5 day clinic with the CSIA at Tremblant. You can always learn something.
 

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