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May, 2025

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How the fuck to ski switch

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gnarRat
Posts: 106 - Karma: 993
it is the most awkward feeling for me, I can Never stagger a ski, have looked up vids and still can't get down the starting technique help!
8 years ago
5 0
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.FRY.
Posts: 5741 - Karma: 22,422
I find it helps when I clip into my bindings backwards. To experience the full effect of the switch put your boots on backwards too.
8 years ago
45 6
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cozzey
Posts: 1353 - Karma: 1,814
Youve just got to find an empty run and commit to it. Dont attempt to stagger a ski on your first try, just slide backwards slowly and you will improve after that, its just like relearning to ski but backwards...
8 years ago
7 0
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.CJ.
Posts: 1509 - Karma: 3,671
its like regular skiing... but backwards
8 years ago
12 0
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mr-mcsteeze
Posts: 487 - Karma: 1,103
A lot of it is practice.You are almost learning how to ski again.

Find your bunny hill and start there. Start with simple wedge turns. While making turns, start with looking over your downhill shoulder and as you go through the turn, turn your head to your other shoulder to give yourself a better visual of whats down the hill. Dont try to go straight to parallel turns right of the bat because the biggest part of skiing switch isnt how you're turning, its how you are looking down the hill.

Dont let yourself get to discouraged. keep practicing and you will feel that switch parallel will come faster than you thought.
8 years ago
6 0
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bquick222
Posts: 124 - Karma: 365
Just ski switch more. Start on a green, try to make a turn or two before you turn around. Just like when you learned to ski if you go to fast, turn up the hill, and boom now you are going forwards. Just keep trying to make more turns and you will get used to it eventually. Once you get better you will naturally stagger your skis so you can see over your shoulder easier. Let me tell ya theres nothing better than bombing down a run switch passing a jerry who's struggling to pizza down it.
8 years ago
7 0
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JmckR
Posts: 1339 - Karma: 6,144
Can you do on-snow 360s? (ie spinning around in circles going downhill)

I found learning to ski switch much easier when I could do on-snow 360s both ways.
8 years ago
7 6
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Psullivan
Posts: 43 - Karma: 176
just spend an entire day skiing switch and try to feel it out
8 years ago
6 0
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BagOTricks
Posts: 819 - Karma: 3,377
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/883571/How-To-Ski-Switch--Backwards-
8 years ago
4 1
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ponchodaddy
Posts: 43 - Karma: 245
I learned off a tip my bro gave me, pick a good intermediate run, and just force yourself to ski switch down the whole thing. It can be kind of frustrating, and the first few times you just kinda slide and fall down the whole thing, but you'll see after a few times it gets a lot easier. And don't try to switch lead leg until you feel comfortable skiing with your dominant leg staggered. I think that switching your lead foot is the hardest part.
8 years ago
4 0
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SKIINGISEASY
Posts: 1552 - Karma: 2,200
I can ski pretty well switch but when it comes to features, I have lot of trouble checking speed and turning against my staggered foot. I'm wondering the trick to turning without turning your head to the other side? I'm sure practice has a lot to do with it.
8 years ago
1 0
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Deepskier
Posts: 3270 - Karma: 4,865
I couldn't ski switch for shit until I slide my foot back farther and moved my hips to make turns more surfy and pivoty. It all clicked within like 5 minutes and after that its just practice practice practice.
8 years ago
7 0
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TheDoughAbides
Posts: 1319 - Karma: 4,036
i feel like staggering is the easy part. i hate being momentarily blind when linking turns. ill never get used to it.
8 years ago
3 0
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iced
Posts: 3070 - Karma: 17,985
I learned from ski instructing. at the flat areas of runs, I practiced shifting my weight and looking over my shoulders/staggering my skis. I think Jake muller had a decent vid on it
8 years ago
1 0
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jjams
Posts: 81 - Karma: 352
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoMXu-vHmY0
Video quality isn't great, but it explains the basics, and then... practice.
8 years ago
0 0
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oxiclean
Posts: 615 - Karma: 693
ponchodaddyI learned off a tip my bro gave me, pick a good intermediate run, and just force yourself to ski switch down the whole thing. It can be kind of frustrating, and the first few times you just kinda slide and fall down the whole thing, but you'll see after a few times it gets a lot easier. And don't try to switch lead leg until you feel comfortable skiing with your dominant leg staggered. I think that switching your lead foot is the hardest part.


On anything steeper than flat it's just unnatural to not switch your feet when making turns. Try skiing forwards with the same foot forwards the whole time. It doesn't work.
8 years ago
1 1
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JAHpow
Posts: 7282 - Karma: 17,194
Psullivanjust spend an entire day skiing switch and try to feel it out

This is what I did. After a few hours it will be almost second nature.
8 years ago
1 0
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ponchodaddy
Posts: 43 - Karma: 245
oxicleanOn anything steeper than flat it's just unnatural to not switch your feet when making turns. Try skiing forwards with the same foot forwards the whole time. It doesn't work.


and? it worked for me, plus its just a suggestion. OP should do what works for them.
8 years ago
1 0
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losh
Posts: 1126 - Karma: 4,708
I got ok at skiing switch, and then i taught my friend how to ski one day and spent the whole entire day skiing switch. I was mainly doing at first to kinda check on him to see how he was doing and then I realized it was really starting to click and by the end of the day I was easily carving blacks switch.
8 years ago
2 0
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.butterz.
Posts: 75 - Karma: 153
You just gotta go for it bro
8 years ago
0 0
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270on420out
Posts: 7524 - Karma: 51,325
Spend like a full day and a half just skiing switch.
8 years ago
2 0
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csdavidson18
Posts: 97 - Karma: 411
backwards*
8 years ago
1 3
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stokedelic
Posts: 1575 - Karma: 4,786
DeepskierI couldn't ski switch for shit until I slide my foot back farther and moved my hips to make turns more surfy and pivoty. It all clicked within like 5 minutes and after that its just practice practice practice.


^this, surf the earth!
8 years ago
0 0
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Casey
Posts: 8020 - Karma: 26,930
Center mount. The tip drag of a traditional mount can be kind if an obstacle even when you are comfortable riding switch. having a lot of tail helps initiate switch carves and you can learn to speed check switch on the fly to control speed.
8 years ago
2 0
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whiteboi
Posts: 477 - Karma: 1,228
I can rip groomers switch at 30mph+ but I still can't hit jumps switch to save my life, it's wack
8 years ago
2 0
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lilgapaboi
Posts: 260 - Karma: 580
It's easier to go faster but scarier when starting out
8 years ago
0 0
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TripleXLHoodies
Posts: 348 - Karma: 1,280
https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/883791/H-O-W-T-O-S-K-I-S-W-I-T-C-H
This video explains it so well, its like having your eyes opened for the first time
8 years ago
2 0
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DirtYStylE
Posts: 3652 - Karma: 8,897
Practice. Practice.

It will always be awkward and a bit dangerous until you just get used to it. You can only see ~40% of what is down there depending on which way you are carving. You need to develop your spacial awareness
8 years ago
1 0
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saskyskier71
Posts: 123 - Karma: 435
just dedicate to riding switch down a couple of groomers. just get comfortable with the feeling whatever it takes.
8 years ago
0 0
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nroc13
Posts: 53 - Karma: 67
Psullivanjust spend an entire day skiing switch and try to feel it out


Yup, find an empty run and go for it. If you feel yourself start to get shaky, wedge backwards to stop, and just start again
8 years ago
0 0
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JmckR
Posts: 1339 - Karma: 6,144
jmckay7Can you do on-snow 360s? (ie spinning around in circles going downhill)

I found learning to ski switch much easier when I could do on-snow 360s both ways.


literally no idea why my comment got 5 dislikes... haterz gonna hate
8 years ago
0 6
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