Taichi Whitecrane skiing: turning by turn shape

太極滑雪

In the modern skiing, on the higher end, there are only three effective turning methods: skidded parallel turns, carving turns and very rare, slipping turn (my favor). In the early days (old school), skiers used straight skis, and straight skis resist turning, so the ski schools device a turning method to make skis turn to teach the public. A weighed ski, due to its inertia, refuses to change its inner state, so it is only going straight; to turn we have to change this state. The turning method is in four definite steps: 1) pole-plant, to set up the turn and aiding unweighting and balance, 2) unweight, take some weight/pressure off from the skis, 3) turn, when skis become lighter, pivot/turn skis to the new direction, 4) traverse, continue. On the ski slopes, this method generally generates a skidded parallel turns, and this method works but may generate a “flat spot” where the skier cannot do anything but waits for the skis turning around, to improve, we need to eliminate that “flat spot.” Then, it comes out the “shape skis.” A shape ski has sidecuts/edges resembling the circumference of turning radius of the ski, so when weighed/pressured, the ski will travel a curved path automatically, carved turn is born (new school). A carved turn rides on the edge of a ski, with less friction, it is fast and without a flat spot, a carved turn is very efficient, nevertheless, a carved turn has to continue turning in order to carve, what happens when a rock in the carving path? Without other turning methods (which are going to break the carving form,) it is going to hit that rock. We need something that can turn/changing direction on demand, that’s when “turning by turn shape” comes in.

A rounded turn for “turn shape” is a missed conception, so, what is a “turn shape”? Simply put, a “turn shape” is the shape/curvature of a turn, and every point on that curved path points to a new direction, by tightening (curve more) and straightening (curve less) the turn, which is going to point a new direction, we have our turning/changing direction method, “turning by turn shape” is born. While all other turning method may be used in this technique, the main question is how can we change the “shape” of the turning curve, which facilitates the changing of the new direction?

The answer is by changing the weight ratio between the two legs. Given two parallel skis equally weighed on a slope, they will track a straight line. When one ski is weighed more than the other, it is called dominate ski, it will lead the track turning to the weaker side. Generally speaking, during a turn, the dominate ski is the outside skiing/downhill ski, and the inside ski/uphill ski is the auxiliary ski. Given a balanced turn, put more weight/pressure on the dominate ski will tighten the turn (make the turning more curvier), while as put more weight/pressure on the auxiliary ski will straighten the turn (make the turning less curvier), so by shifting the weight between two legs properly we can change the turn shape and achieve our purpose of turning/changing direction, and that is “turning by turn shape.” Notice that, since our weight is supported by two legs, reduce the weight on one leg will automatically increase the weight on the other leg, so the weight shifting can be made very subtle and without gaps, so, without rapid acceleration and deceleration, “turning by turn shape” makes a very smooth skiing.

太極滑雪

Here’s another example of “turning by turn shape,”


turn on demand, 267