Need Switch Skiing tips!!

skigullsendsSo Its my second year in the park, and skiing switch is super sketch for me, just wondering if NS has any small tips for me.

Open up your shoulders, stand up straight, move your one foot back so your feet are staggered and your torso is open towards your backside. Get used to that feeling, it's weird at first.

Find a super easy run to try it out on. The bunny hill is not recommended as you can run over little kids and stuff. Get to where you are backward and keep your weight planted over your feet. Look over whatever shoulder is most comfortable and swing your hips back and forth like a pendulum to turn. Its sounds weird but you want to lead with your ass. The trick really is to practice a bunch on random easy runs and practice reverting into and out of switch at different speeds. This helps with confidence a lot as one of the scariest things about skiing switch is not knowing if you can pop back around if you get going to fast.

Definitely practice looking both ways. I naturally spin to my left, but only practiced looking right while switch so I can’t do any cool switch spins yet just basics.

Someone once told me to ski switch for an entire day and you'll never forget how to do it. That gave me a ton of confidence and I only improved from there.

I have a common problem of leaning way too far forward (into hill) so don't stagger feet too much. I think it's a habit from carving really aggressively on groomers.

I would recommend learning to switch carve with the ability to look over both shoulders for tricks etc. As others have said, stagger your feet so when you are switch carving towards the skiers left, your left foot is back and you are leaning on your inner ski to get momentum. Before you get toward the side of the slope, you need to transfer to your opposite shoulder, transferring your weight between feet while you do so. (Those who use one shoulder would just transfer the weight between edges without switching shoulders to carve in opp direction) Picture yourself standing up straight while you are switching shoulders, and then leaning on the inside foot when you are back to staggered. A trick I am working on with my brother who is learning is to pick up the inside foot slightly when shifting to the opposite side, because that inside feels like it’s gonna catch when you are carving switch and not used to the reverse weight balance. Once you get used to it you won’t have to lift at all. Again as others mentioned it’s best to just practice getting up to higher speeds and you’ll begin to feel more comfortable as you go. Definitely open your hips as much as possible as if you are trying to see someone at your 6 and your skis will naturally stagger. Another tip is to always be on your edges. Only time you are flat is when you are switching shoulders or catching an edge and eating shit. And lastly it can be easier to get it down at higher speeds as you can’t get on your edges when you’re going too slow. Practice makes perfect

DeadBI have a common problem of leaning way too far forward (into hill) so don't stagger feet too much. I think it's a habit from carving really aggressively on groomers.

I had the same problem at first. Eventually I started focusing on staggering my feet more and standing stiff af and I kinda got over it. Jumps still get me tho

Start by getter really comfortable doing little 180s. Flat ground, side hits, small park jumps and so on. Then ski greens and easy slopes switch every time you get to one. Practice spinning on the ground. Sliding full 360s at faster and faster speeds without catching edges. Then ski easy blues switch. Practice switch 180s over little knuckles. Now carve a bit. The 180s, surface spins, and switch just make popping to and out of switch easy. Kind of like a back up plan if you need to go too forward. Makes you much more comfortable skiing switch fast because you know you won't catch and edge going back to forward.

skigullsendsSo Its my second year in the park, and skiing switch is super sketch for me, just wondering if NS has any small tips for me.

People say practice makes perfect!

For me turning while switch isn't a problem, it's facing square downhill but in switch that I have poor balance with so as a result I end up on slight angles a lot instead which makes it more comfortable for me.

I need to try some of these tips, and get some kids to help me out a bit, because my switch game sucks!

Listen to this guy. His tips are helpful.

Spent a couple days focusing on your nose butter tips and was finally able to bring a niiiice 3 all the way around thanks to your tip about engaging uphill edges. Thanks dude.

SchoessOpen up your shoulders, stand up straight, move your one foot back so your feet are staggered and your torso is open towards your backside. Get used to that feeling, it's weird at first.

Ski switch everywhere

WastedeepSki switch everywhere

Yea, but what about the yellow coats in a green slow zone?

DesertStixListen to this guy. His tips are helpful.

Spent a couple days focusing on your nose butter tips and was finally able to bring a niiiice 3 all the way around thanks to your tip about engaging uphill edges. Thanks dude.

Hyped it worked for you g!

In addition to all the helpful tips given, just practicing skiing switch will be the best way to get good at it. I was horrible at it for a while and thought I’d never ski switch well, while looking good. Just now finally getting nice with it.

As the style god himself, Lupe Haggerty once told me, learn to ski switch looking over both shoulders.