Learning how to stop on skis is maybe the most important thing you can do before taking on any slope for the first time. It’s not only crucial in helping you avoid injuring yourself but learning how to stop on skis confidently will also help you to avoid injuring others. If you’re new to skiing, you’ll want to make sure you pay special attention to this article!
Remember to make sure you have all the gear you need before you head out and start practicing how to stop on skis. Be sure your skis are in good condition along with your bindings and boots. And don’t forget your helmet or poles!
How to Stop on Skis: The Basics
There are actually several different ways to stop on skis, which we will cover shortly. First, though here are a few basic things to remember when learning how to stop on skis:
- Never use your ski poles to stop. Not only will it result in damaged gear, but you can easily injure yourself by trying to stop this way. Your skis are what should be stopping you, not your poles!
- Start on the bunny hill. This cannot be stressed enough! If you don’t know the first thing about stopping and have never been skiing before, be sure you practice these stopping techniques on the bunny hill before you progress to any green runs. Remember, the bunny hill isn’t just for kids! It’s a great place to learn the basics in a space where you won’t injure yourself or other skiers.
Ways to Stop on Skis
Snowplow / Wedge
This is the first stopping technique that almost every skier learns when starting out. This involves standing with your feet wide apart and pointing the tips of your skis in towards each other, making a triangle or “pizza slice” shape. Instead of focusing on trying to push the tips inwards, push your heels out and away from each other.
Practice doing this while facing forward down the bunny slope a few times until you feel confident. A few common mistakes with this technique are skiers not having their feet wide enough apart or are leaning back too far, so keep those things in mind as you attempt this while learning how to stop on skis. The bigger the triangle you make with your skis, that faster you will come to a stop.
Snowplow Turn
Next, practice this same snowplow/pizza technique while turning to the side by pushing either into your left or right ski. Remember, pushing into your right ski will make you turn to the left, and pushing into your left ski will make you turn to the right. These are some of the first turns that skiers learn, but it can also be a good way to learn how to stop as turning inevitably will slow you down. However, this method will only work well to stop on shallow terrain or beginner hills, so it’s not a good way to attempt to stop yourself if you’re on steep slopes!
Parallel Stop / Hockey Stop
Another popular stopping technique is the parallel or hockey stop. This one may take a bit more practice if you’re new to skiing or snow sports in general. If you’re wanting to learn this technique, it’s helpful to already know how to snowplow turn.
This stop involves digging into your edge as you bring your skis parallel to each other to point across the slope. It provides more of an abrupt stop than the methods listed above and works best if you’re skiing faster rather than trying to attempt it while skiing at a slower speed.
Riding it Out
This is not necessarily a way to stop, but rather, it’s a way you can avoid any obstacles that you may be running into while you’re headed down the slopes. If you’re about to run into someone or something and know you need to stop, simply initiate a turn and continue to ride through it rather than switch out of it. You will eventually slow to a stop.
However, you will not want to turn so far that you face uphill and start sliding backwards! So, dig your edges into the snow while you do this to keep you from slipping.
Other things to note:
Often, you will find that one side is stronger than the other, meaning that one side might be easier for you to confidently stop on. This is a good thing to keep in mind for times when you may need to stop quickly.
Also, stay patient with yourself as you’re learning these techniques! Expect to fall (more than once!). When you’re first learning how to stop on skis, falling might be the way you’ll be stopping yourself the most often – but don’t get discouraged. Keep at it, and soon enough, you will be stopping effortlessly and skiing with confidence!
