In a parallel turn, the skis travel on the edges facing the inside of the turn. To move into the next turn, you need to release these edges and move onto the other edges. According to the definition quoted from the technical manual of PSIA, the American association of professional ski instructors, this transition begins in the finishing phase of the turn and lasts until the start of the new turn. During it, your centre of mass and your skis swap places: your body, which was on the inside of the turn, moves to the inside of the new turn, and the skis move to the other side of your body.
CSIA, the Canadian ski instructors' alliance, explains why with physics: while there is centripetal force in a turn, the centre of mass must move towards the inside of the turn; the greater the force, the further inside the body is. When the turn changes direction, the body has to change sides too.
The five fundamentals that PSIA adopted into its national standards in 2014 are the framework for edge and pressure management:
- Direct pressure along the length of the ski by controlling the position of the centre of mass relative to the base of support.
- Direct pressure from ski to ski and towards the outside ski.
- Control the edge angle through a combination of inclination and angulation.
- Control the turning of the skis with leg rotation, separate from the upper body.
- Regulate the magnitude of the pressure created between ski and snow.
We also look at these fundamentals in terms of turn quality in our guide Carving technique.
The transition starts with releasing the old edge. According to CSIA, edge release means reducing the edge angle of the skis in a predictable and controlled way, and it is often overlooked in teaching. If the edge is not released in time, the skis stay in the old turn and you can only enter the new turn by twisting and skidding. The foundation of edge release is sideslipping.
There are two ways to release the edge, and both are used depending on the situation:
| Way | What happens? | Where is it useful? |
|---|
| The body crosses over the skis | The new outside leg extends, the body moves towards the inside of the new turn | Medium and long turns, smooth pistes |
| The skis pass under the body | The old outside leg flexes and shortens; the skis change sides underneath while the body stays in place | Short turns, bumps, dynamic transitions at high speed |
In English-language sources, these two ways are called "crossover" and "crossunder"; however, the associations do not define these terms in their publicly available texts. Ski coach Ron LeMaster's summary at a Norwegian Ski Federation seminar follows the same logic: to tip into the new turn, you either remove the support of the lower foot or move the upper body along a straighter line.
According to PSIA's assessment guide, in a good transition:
- Both skis are in contact with the snow.
- Both skis are steered into the turn together.
- The edge angle starts from the lower leg, independently of the upper body.
- A slight counter relationship is visible throughout the transition: the body faces a little further downhill than the direction the skis are travelling.
- The legs move freely underneath while the body stays stable.
As the edge angle increases, the ski's contact area with the snow decreases and pressure increases; PSIA explains this as the reason why edge and pressure are linked.
According to CSIA, the outside ski provides the most grip in a turn: the greater edge angle and more pressure build up on the outside ski, and the outside leg is more extended and therefore stronger. Weight is transferred from one ski to the other by flexing and extending the ankle, knee and hip.
This does not mean the inside ski is useless. PSIA wants both skis to stay on the snow and be steered into the turn together. Fixed ratios such as "all your weight on the outside ski" do not appear in the associations' texts.
As CSIA explains, moving pressure forward increases the ski's tendency to turn by itself, and moving it back reduces it. Which joint your body moves with determines this:
| Movement | Where does the centre of mass go? |
|---|
| Flexing the ankle | Forward |
| Flexing the hip | Forward |
| Flexing the knee | Back |
So the instruction "bend your knees" on its own can put you in the back seat; bending the knees without flexing the ankles shifts your weight onto the tails. This is also the indicator in PSIA's assessment guide: both lower legs should be at a similar forward angle. For stance, see our guide The correct basic ski stance.
CSIA compares flexion and extension to a car's suspension: they control contact with the snow and the magnitude of the pressure.
- Up-unweighting: In the transition you extend to take the load off the skis; this is common on smooth pistes and among beginners.
- Down-unweighting: In the transition you take the load off by flexing quickly; CSIA gives this movement in the bumps as an example.
According to PSIA, carving is a high-pressure turn; flexion and extension are critical parts of managing pressure, but not the only factor. In soft snow, too much pressure can make the ski sink. We explain how to adjust to snow conditions in our guide Skiing in changing snow conditions.
CSIA defines timing as when, for how long and how intensely a movement is made. Typical timing mistakes in the edge change:
| Mistake | Result | Correction |
|---|
| Releasing the edge late | The skis stay in the old turn; you enter the new turn by twisting | Start releasing the edge in the finishing phase |
| Opening the upper ski first (stem) | The skis open into a snowplough | Release both edges together, focus on the lower ski |
| Turning the body with the shoulders | The skis skid, the edge does not hold | Start the turn with the legs, body calm |
| Flexing only the knees | Weight shifts onto the tails | Flex the ankles too, lower legs angled forward |
| Leaving all the load on the inside ski | The ski skids, loss of balance | Direct pressure to the outside ski |
The pole plant also helps with timing: according to LeMaster, it provides lateral support in the transition. We explain pole rhythm in our guide Using ski poles.
Once your edge change is solid, your turns link together seamlessly and the same run becomes far more enjoyable; on an activity holiday, this is the moment you feel your progress most clearly. All Doğadayız winter packages include accommodation, ski pass and equipment; lessons with an instructor belong to the basic course packages. Watching each other's videos at the end of the day and talking about "how much smoother your transition has become" is also one of the pleasures of a social adventure holiday. For programmes, see our winter activity holidays page.
