Ski gliding involves moving smoothly and effortlessly across flat or gently sloping terrain on skis, primarily by keeping your skis parallel and flat on the snow to minimize resistance.
To initiate a glide, you typically start from a good athletic stance, similar to how you would begin other skiing movements. In this stance, your skis are parallel and hip-width apart, knees and ankles are flexed, and your weight is balanced over the middle of your skis.
Mastering the Glide
Gliding is essentially the state of allowing your skis to run freely with minimal friction. Here's how to achieve it:
- Athletic Stance: Begin in a balanced, athletic posture with knees and ankles bent, hands slightly forward for balance.
- Skis Parallel: Keep your skis parallel to each other and pointed straight down the direction you want to move.
- Skis Flat: Ensure the bases of your skis are flat on the snow. Avoid tilting them onto their edges, as this creates friction and turns you.
- Balance: Maintain your weight evenly distributed over both skis and stay centered. Look ahead to help maintain balance.
- Minimal Movement: Once you have momentum, hold your position and allow the skis to glide. Small adjustments are okay, but large movements can disrupt the glide.
Think of gliding as simply standing in your athletic stance while letting the skis slide forward. It's about being relaxed and balanced, not actively pushing or carving.
Understanding Gliding vs. Stopping
It's crucial to understand the difference between gliding and stopping, as they involve opposite ski positions. The snowplow, for instance, is a technique used to stop or slow down.
As seen in beginner ski lessons, the snowplow position involves starting from the athletic stance and then rotating your feet out into a snowplow, i.e., a triangular shape with the skis. This specific shape actually creates immediate resistance against the snow, which is why it's effective for slowing down or stopping, not for gliding.
Gliding, conversely, aims to minimize resistance by keeping skis parallel and flat.
| Feature | Gliding | Snowplow |
|---|---|---|
| Ski Position | Parallel, flat on snow | Tips close, tails apart (triangular) |
| Resistance | Minimal | High |
| Purpose | Smooth movement, speed | Slowing down, stopping |
| Starting Point | Athletic stance | Athletic stance |
By keeping your skis parallel and flat and maintaining a balanced athletic stance, you allow your skis to glide efficiently over the snow. The snowplow position, described in lessons as rotating feet out into a triangular shape, serves the opposite purpose by creating resistance.
