Should i use ski poles

It might surprise you to learn that not all skiing is downhill. Quite often you'll encounter sections that are flat and even slightly inclined, especially towards to bottom of a run as you head back into the resort or when you're trying to get onto lifts.

This is where poles can be really handy for pushing you along - without them, you have to try to 'skate' on your skis, which can be very tricky and hard work for beginners.

You'll also spot snowboarders jumping along or walking with their board in hand because they don't use ski poles :. As your skiing improves, you'll find poles are great for aiding your balance and rhythm as you execute parallel turns, especially when tackling more challenging terrain such as moguls. A pole plant with the 'downhill' pole gives you something to turn around, which is really helpful for executing shorter turns.

Poles can also be used as tools for a variety of jobs. By starting without poles, you will be forced to learn to use the lower half of your bod for control. Some instructors teach children to place their hands on their bent knees as they learn without poles. By placing your hands on your knees , it ensures that your body is in the ideal position to control turns and stay balanced.

Others recommend holding one ski pole horizontally in front of you with both hands so that your arms are the correct height and width apart. If you are already a skilled skier and are thinking of leaving the poles behind for better freedom in the terrain park, you should have no problem controlling your turns and stops without them. Not having poles will also help you see how you can improve in your form. Using poles is necessary for keeping timing and rhythm, especially when skiing steep terrain or moguls.

However, if you are just learning to ski, your child is skiing for the first time, or you wish to improve your abilities in the terrain park, leaving the skis at home could help you grow. Use the time without poles to enhance your form and to break bad habits. Then when you reintroduce poles, you will see significant progress in the quality and ease of skiing.

This guide explains exactly what ski poles are for, how to use them effectively and what you should look out for when you buy your Ski poles help us to create rhythm Getting up after a fall is something that every new skier needs to learn. Most new skiers have difficulty getting up safely and there are We may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.

Table of Contents. Poles or No Poles When Skiing? Poles also lead to air drag, and your body is not as aerodynamic as it could be without poles in hand.

In most terrain that skiers will tackle, poles are a big help. The main exception is the park. Many freestyle skiers go pole-less, to free up their whole body for tricks. Jumps are a lot cleaner when the skier can focus on landing a big, complex air without poles flying around. The same goes for rails and other tricks in the park. Poles are unnecessary. Some other types of skiers can do well by not using poles.

If someone is getting too reliant on their poles, they can take a break from them. By refocusing on their legs through turns — and not the poles — their technique will come back. Some instructors take away poles from students if they are using the poles to stop.

Stopping with poles is dangerous, and you can injure your wrist or knees if you plant too hard, or if you plant them in front of yourself. Sometimes people lower their hands because of the poles, which can change the center of balance. Instructors might reset this habit by taking away the poles until it is fixed. There are many reasons that poles have been around so long in skiing.

However, most ski instructors would never recommend skiing without them. This is because they refine turning to a much more precise and fluid motion. They help immensely with timing and balance, as well. Planting them signals the start of the turn and your muscle memory gets in tune with the poles. As soon as you are old enough about 6 or 7 , you should start to regularly ski with poles. Skiers dragging their hands down by the sides is the number one bad habit.

That will help with balance, and then a simple flick of the wrist forwards or backwards can initiate the pole plant, ensuring that everything works together. The second is exaggeration.

You see a lot of people with too much movement and flamboyancy in their arms, flailing their poles around. This is not only a danger to others, but the excess movement releases too much pressure and control and actually makes it harder to ski. The third and final bad habit has got to be not putting ski pole straps on properly.

Next start to increase your speed with more open carved turns, or head over to a steeper or mogul run. Mogul skiers are some of the best skiers in the world for pole planting. Try to transition towards a bumpy run where you can practise this timing, but now with the slope dictating the rhythm rather than your own timing.