Integrated
Wedge Turn
Level 1
ALPINE ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
Integrated Activities: Integrate two or more of the Technical Fundamentals through all turn phases to achieve prescribed ski performance.
Description:
Linked medium radius turns with the skis in a gliding wedge relationship. Turn shape is used to promote gliding while maintaining a slow speed.
Terrain:
Easy Groomed Green Trails
Ski Performance:
- Width of wedge doesn’t change.
- Skis are turned toward each other with tips closer than tails. Distance between tips or tails doesn’t change.
- Skis are on opposing edges. Outside ski has a higher edge angle than inside ski during a turn.
- Skis are steered to control turn shape. Skis leave skidded tracks.
Body Performance:
- Legs are turned inward, and slightly tipped inward to create wedge relationship.
- The path of the Center of Mass travels in between the path of the feet. The Center of Mass doesn’t cross to be on the left or right side of both feet at any time.
- An athletic stance allows for skier to control steering of the skis and adjust turn shape as needed.
Speed:
Slow enough to not allow the skier to easily balance in a parallel turn.
Related Activities
Level 1 – Integrated
Level 2
ALPINE ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
Integrated Activities: Integrate three or more of the Technical Fundamentals through all turn phases to achieve prescribed ski performance.
Description:
Medium radius linked turns with the skis are in a gliding wedge relationship. Turn shape is used to promote gliding while maintaining a slow speed.
Terrain:
Easy Groomed Green Trails
Ski Performance:
- Skis are wider than “hip-width stance.” Width of wedge doesn’t change.
- Skis are turned toward each other with tips closer than tails. Distance between tips or tails doesn’t change.
- Skis are on opposing edges. Outside ski has a higher edge angle than inside ski during a turn.
- The edge angle of the new inside ski is reduced to facilitate edge release.
- Skis are steered to control turn shape. Skis leave skidded tracks.
Body Performance:
- Legs are turned inward, and slightly tipped inwards to create wedge relationship.
- The path of the Center of Mass travels in between the path of the feet. The Center of Mass doesn’t cross to be on the left or right side of both feet at any time.
- An athletic stance allows for the skier to control steering of the skis and adjust turn shape as needed.
Speed:
Slow enough to not allow the skier to easily balance in a parallel turn.
Related Activities
Level 2 – Integrated
Why is this useful?
The wedge continues to be used by many ski schools across the country as a platform for introducing sliding and first turning movements. Familiarity with both the mechanics and sensations of wedge turning help the instructor to understand what the student who uses a wedge turn experiences. An additional benefit to using a wedge is that the outside ski is already at a steering angle that makes it easier for the skier to turn the skis in the intended direction.
Teaching / Learning Cues
- Basic gliding wedge. Practice a straight run in hip width stance. Slowly rotate both legs in the hip sockets, while widening the stance slightly to create a wedge relationship of skis. Keep the skis on as low of edge angle as possible. Glide to stop.
- Wedge change up: develop ability to use leg rotation to adjust the overall size of the wedge. Once in a gliding wedge (see above) slowly rotate the femurs while narrowing stance slightly to bring skis back to parallel relationship. Then slowly rotate femurs while slightly increasing stance width to develop a wedge. Repeat a series of these movements to develop awareness of sensations of both internal and external rotation of femurs.
- On most gentle green terrain, from gliding wedge, slowly begin to rotate both femurs to turn the skis either right or left. When skis begin to turn out of the fall line, slowly begin to turn legs in opposite direction. Focus on legs turning independently of the pelvis.
- Note: depending on speed, terrain, and amount of leg rotation, the inside ski may begin to move into a parallel relationship. This is an appropriate outcome.
- Gradually increase the pitch of the terrain to green and adjust rate, intensity, duration and timing of turning movements to create a variety of turn shapes and sizes.