In my career as a ski instructor I have met some confusion about the terms “downhill ski” and “outside ski”. Is it the same? Well, yes and no. Is it important to know the difference? Yes!
In this article, I am going to show you how they are the same, and how they are not the same. Hopefully it will clarify the difference. Misunderstanding this may have unwanted consequences for the movements the skier strives to do. So getting it right is pretty important if you want to improve and develop your skills in the desired direction. Lets get into it!
The downhill ski
The downhill ski is the ski closest to the valley. Conversely, the uphill ski is the ski farthest from the valley. In this illustration the track of the downhill ski is marked with a thicker line.
As you can see, the downhill ski is shifting at the turn apex.
The outside ski
The outside ski is the ski farthest from the center of the turn. Conversely, the inside ski is the ski closest to the center of the turn. In the illustration the track of the outside ski is marked with a thicker line.
As you can see, the outside ski shifts at the transition between turns. When you go from one turn to another, the outside ski shifts. It happens naturally when you turn because one ski has to be on outside of the turn. One ski also has to be closest to the valley when you turn.
If you go straight down without turning, you wont have a downhill ski or an outside ski. It you turn you will always have both.
So are they the same? In the two illustrations you can see, that the downhill ski and the outside ski is the same ski from the apex of the turn to the transition. From the transition to the apex of the turn, they are not the same.
If you think they are the same and strive towards a certain movement pattern based on this understanding – you will be basing your ski technique on a false assumption half of the time. It will most likely cause you to ski with less control most of the time
I believe the most beneficial – in most cases – is to primarily balance on your outside ski.
Check out this video where I give you two simple reasons why you should balance primarily on your outside ski.
Experiment with it and subscribe to our Youtube channel or our newsletter, if you want to to follow and benefit from the new content we create.
Enjoy your skiing (balancing primarily on your outside ski) and see you on the slopes!
Janus Hecht
Profesional Ski Instructor