Post
by martin2007 » Fri Jan 17, 2020 11:41 am
There are lots of good ideas here. Of course when breaking down the turn into its component parts we will find divergent views and advice in our responses. I came late to tele, and it quickly became a big part of how I experience winter. I started from a lifetime XC background with occasional alpine resort skiing, and now no longer own an alpine set-up. True, cambered skis will not make learning to turn particularly easy. My second son and I started on old, flat, 90's-era alpine skis with no camber or rocker. Here's the approach that worked for me and both my sons:
Our AIM: that WE will ski the skis, and NOT that the skis will ski us! (This is a modest aim but one that gives us a little context and makes for good father-son rivalry)
1) Maximize time spent on skis especially on gentle slopes: experiment
2) Understand that it's NOT rocket science (except for those that do happen to learn best by deconstructing movement up into its (hard to isolate) component parts, i.e. with references to "uphill edges", "front" and "rear weighting", "the fall line"__still not sure WTF that is exactly! etc. etc.) With practice, confidence will increase and your body will sooner or later do what you want it to do. Yes, we started "VAGUE" (mostly more-or-less-upright on our boards), experimented, copied, and refined...) We also learned from this forum and from Youtube videos.
3) Some speed and momentum on the descent will facilitate the initiation, the flow, and the linking of turns whether parallel or tele
4) Watch experienced tele skiiers if there are any around.
5) We tended to keep one simple principle in the forefront, i.e. try to be bold when driving your ski forward to initiate the turn (NOT passively ruddering into your turns with rear ski initiation)
Skiing with or around other tele-skiers is a huge advantage. Failing that, stumbling about solo can still lead to good outcomes. Wade through all this and more opiniated BS but above all: enjoy the discovery.
One more thing: for me the most exciting time of learning tele was my first season just prior to, and for the next two months following the precise moment where it began to "click". Technique constantly improves, but it's never again quite as fun as during those early "eureka" moments.
. He taught a lot of good stuff, but the main take away for me was, "step back into the turn". In other words, don't stride forward but put the weight on the back ski as you change direction. That way both skis are getting "somewhat" similar weighting. 
