How to Pole Plant
Use the right length poles., Keep your arms in front of you., Separate upper and lower body movements., Pole plant at the beginning of a new turn., Flick your wrist forward., Plant the pole., Move your arm forward., Keep a steady rhythm.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Use the right length poles.
There’s no hard and fast rule for pole length; it’s determined by your height, your proportions and how you ski.
Pole plants are essentially ineffective if your ski poles are too short.
It’s best to get poles that are a bit longer than you think you need.
If they end up being too long, you can then cut them down to size., To preserve a good sense of balance, it’s important to keep your arms steady, hands out in front of you.
Imagine that you’re sitting in an armchair, your hands on the armrests.
You should maintain this position as you ski, especially through the pole plant., In order to perform your turns and pole plant effectively, your upper and lower body should move independently.
Your upper body should face downhill the whole time.
Meanwhile, your lower body will be pointed in the direction you want to be moving.
As you pole plant, your lower body will shift and turn, but your upper body should be straight., The pole plant allows you to readjust your bodyweight as you turn, taking it off of your heels and towards your toes.
In slalom, you’ll be alternating rapidly, pole planting at the end of each turn to start the next one.
Practice often to get the timing right.
You should always be using the downhill pole when pole planting., Cock your wrist and the downhill pole should be sent forward.
Try to reach as far as possible without moving your arm.
If you try to plant by flailing your arm or doing any other big movement, you’ll end up losing your balance and making your turn more difficult., You don’t have to stab at the ground or try to bury the pole into the snow.
The pole should just graze the snow.
That’ll be enough to help you shift your weight and make a new turn.
Once the pole touches the snow ahead of you, your wrist should be back in alignment with your forearm.
Don’t keep your wrist cocked., As soon as you plant, your weight will start shifting forward and your skis will start to turn around the pole.
Shifting your arm forward allows the pole tip to leave the snow gradually and return to the starting position., Pole planting regularly will help you ski more smoothly, and you’ll be more prepared to deal with any surprises on the hill.
You can count in your head, pole planting at each 5 second interval for example.
The exact amount of time between pole plants will vary, especially in a race. -
Step 2: Keep your arms in front of you.
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Step 3: Separate upper and lower body movements.
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Step 4: Pole plant at the beginning of a new turn.
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Step 5: Flick your wrist forward.
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Step 6: Plant the pole.
-
Step 7: Move your arm forward.
-
Step 8: Keep a steady rhythm.
Detailed Guide
There’s no hard and fast rule for pole length; it’s determined by your height, your proportions and how you ski.
Pole plants are essentially ineffective if your ski poles are too short.
It’s best to get poles that are a bit longer than you think you need.
If they end up being too long, you can then cut them down to size., To preserve a good sense of balance, it’s important to keep your arms steady, hands out in front of you.
Imagine that you’re sitting in an armchair, your hands on the armrests.
You should maintain this position as you ski, especially through the pole plant., In order to perform your turns and pole plant effectively, your upper and lower body should move independently.
Your upper body should face downhill the whole time.
Meanwhile, your lower body will be pointed in the direction you want to be moving.
As you pole plant, your lower body will shift and turn, but your upper body should be straight., The pole plant allows you to readjust your bodyweight as you turn, taking it off of your heels and towards your toes.
In slalom, you’ll be alternating rapidly, pole planting at the end of each turn to start the next one.
Practice often to get the timing right.
You should always be using the downhill pole when pole planting., Cock your wrist and the downhill pole should be sent forward.
Try to reach as far as possible without moving your arm.
If you try to plant by flailing your arm or doing any other big movement, you’ll end up losing your balance and making your turn more difficult., You don’t have to stab at the ground or try to bury the pole into the snow.
The pole should just graze the snow.
That’ll be enough to help you shift your weight and make a new turn.
Once the pole touches the snow ahead of you, your wrist should be back in alignment with your forearm.
Don’t keep your wrist cocked., As soon as you plant, your weight will start shifting forward and your skis will start to turn around the pole.
Shifting your arm forward allows the pole tip to leave the snow gradually and return to the starting position., Pole planting regularly will help you ski more smoothly, and you’ll be more prepared to deal with any surprises on the hill.
You can count in your head, pole planting at each 5 second interval for example.
The exact amount of time between pole plants will vary, especially in a race.
About the Author
Joshua Vasquez
Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.
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