There is no official definition of short, medium and long turns in metres. PSIA-NW, the Northwest division of the Professional Ski Instructors of America, describes turn size in terms of the width a piste basher grooms in a single pass:
| Turn | PSIA-NW description | Where? |
|---|
| Short | About one piste basher width or narrower | Steep slopes, narrow passages, crowds, bumps |
| Medium | One and a half to three piste basher widths | Most blue and red runs |
| Long | Wider | Wide, empty, well-groomed slopes; higher speeds |
Because piste basher width varies from machine to machine, this is a rule of thumb rather than a measurement. Even PSIA-NW's own documents give different lower limits for the short turn; what matters is that your turns are consistent in size.
According to the Canadian Ski Instructors' Alliance (CSIA), if the turning effort is not sustained, the turn gets longer, meaning its radius grows. The more you complete a turn back up towards the hill, the more you slow down; leave it open and you speed up. A short turn is not automatically slow, and a long turn is not automatically fast; what counts is how far the turn is completed. We explain how this principle works on steep terrain in our guide Skiing Steep Slopes: Controlled Descents and Line Choice.
Skidded, steered and carved turns
CSIA divides turns into three types according to the track they leave in the snow:
- Skidded: a Z-shaped, angular track.
- Steered: a round arc with no distinct lines.
- Carved: two clean, thin lines in the snow.
An expert skier can skid, steer and carve in different parts of the same turn. There is no rule that “short turns are skidded and long turns are carved”: the short turns in PSIA's top-level exam are carved turns too. We cover the basics of carving in our guide Carving Technique in Skiing: Clean Edge Tracks and Controlled Turns.
| Element | In a short turn |
|---|
| Leg rotation | According to CSIA, strong leg movements steer the skis; the knees are used more and the hips less |
| Separation | The upper body faces the fall line while the legs turn beneath it; after the fall line, the legs turn the most, the pelvis less and the spine even less |
| Pole plant | Briefly “locks” the upper body and gives the legs something to turn against; CSIA describes the pole as a second point of support |
| Pressure | Pressure that builds up quickly is absorbed between turns by flexing the legs |
| Edging | In PSIA's top-level description, the skis start tipping onto their new edges before they turn into the fall line; the greatest edge angle comes in the phase where the turn is shaped |
PSIA's top-level criteria are very little rotation, an edge angle that increases and decreases gradually, and a turn shape determined mainly by the ski's sidecut. We explain pole rhythm in our guide Using Ski Poles: The Right Grip, Length and Turn Rhythm, and short turns in bumps in Mogul (Bump) Skiing Technique: Absorption and Rhythm.
The medium turn is the default turn on most slopes: the initiation, shaping and finish phases of the turn are spread out over time, and edge angle and pressure build up gradually. We cover the details of the edge change in our guide Edge Change and Pressure Management in Skiing.
According to CSIA, in a long turn a stable pelvis and efficient use of the edge produce a carved turn. Instead of twisting your legs, you tip the ski onto its edge and let the sidecut draw the turn. Long turns mean higher speeds; choose wide, empty slopes with good visibility and keep The FIS 10 Rules for Conduct on the Slopes in mind.
Every ski has a radius printed on it, calculated from its sidecut. Skis with a small radius make short turns easier; skis with a large radius make long turns easier. Racing offers the clearest example: under the 2026/27 equipment rules of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), in major races giant slalom skis must have a radius of at least 30 metres and downhill skis at least 50 metres; for slalom skis there is no minimum radius rule.
In a 2015 field experiment by Spörri and colleagues, European Cup athletes tested giant slalom skis with radii of 30, 35 and 40 metres: on the 40-metre ski the ground reaction force was lower and the turn radius larger. In other words, ski design affects turn size even when the skier's technique stays the same. We explain the race disciplines in our guide Alpine Ski Racing Disciplines, and choosing skis in How to Choose Your First Skis.
PSIA's level exams ask you to vary turn size step by step: first short and long parallel turns, then short-medium-short and funnel exercises, and finally dynamic short and long turns. According to PSIA's description, in short-medium-short you get different radii by adjusting the speed of your turning movements. You can try these yourself:
- Short-medium-short: On the same run, make a few short turns, a few medium turns, then a few short turns again; change size without breaking your rhythm.
- Funnel: Start out using the full width of the slope and make each turn a little shorter than the last, as if you were entering a narrow corridor.
| Mistake | Result | Fix |
|---|
| Turning your shoulders in short turns | The skis skid and you lose your rhythm | Let your upper body face the fall line and your legs do the turning |
| Not planting your pole in short turns | Your upper body swings round with the turn | A short, light pole plant at the start of every turn |
| Forcing your legs round in long turns | The turn becomes skidded and angular | Tip onto the edge and trust the sidecut |
| Leaving the turn unfinished | Speed builds up | Complete the turn back up towards the hill |
| Changing turn size at random | An unpredictable line for skiers behind you | Turns of consistent size |
Someone who knows short, medium and long turns finds a suitable line both on a crowded afternoon and on an empty morning slope; that flexibility lets you make the most of every day on an activity holiday. All Doğadayız winter packages include accommodation, ski pass and equipment; lessons with an instructor belong to the basic course packages. Coming down the same slope, one of you in short turns and the other in long ones, and meeting at the bottom is simply what a social adventure holiday looks like when different levels ski together. For programmes, see our winter activity holidays page.
