INTERSKI STAR PROGRESSION AND DRILLS (PDF)

INTERSKI STAR PROGRESSION + DRILLS & EXCERCISES

1 STAR
PROGRESSION: Mobility – Gliding – Basic Plough – Early Plough Turns
Skills
Good Posture
Good Balance
Control of speed and line (plough shape and rotation)
Primary Tasks
Familiarity with equipment
Straight running
Plough glide (speed control)
Side stepping
Use of chairlift / draglift (applicable to terrain)
Additional Tasks
Balance of one ski for approximately 5 seconds (stationary)
Speed up and slow down as directed by ski instructor
Jump skis from parallel to plough (stationary)
Vary size of plough between two given points
Demonstrate a good knowledge of Ski Way Code
Outcome: Five linked basic plough turns
DRILLS & EXCERCISES FOR 1 STAR LEVEL SKIERS
‘Scooting’ on one ski to a given point and back again, turning around on one ski, relay races
On the flat pushing along with poles on two skis, turning around, hopping, jumping, relay races (pick
up a hat from the floor, jump over a pole, duck under a bridge made of 3 poles etc.) all to develop
confidence, posture and balance.
Red Light/Green Light – Get skiers to plough stop/glide depending on what colour light you call out.
This can also be done in pairs or teams within the group.
Target Practice – Make a target in the in the snow with a ski pole, get skiers to aim towards it in a
glide and plough stop as close to it as possible without touching it.
Pole slalom – Make small course with ski poles to encourage linking turns, be sure to do this in an
area where you have sufficient space and gradient of terrain is appropriate.

2 STAR
PROGRESSION: DEVELOPING CONTROL (SPEED & LINE) – PLOUGH TURNING
Skills
Development of posture
Development of balance
Control of speed and line on more varied terrain (rotation)
Introduce and develop control of pressure
Primary Tasks
Linked plough turns of varying radius and speed (ten turns minimum)
Linked plough turns showing correct movement at the end of the turn (ten turns minimum)
Additional Tasks
Synchronised skiing, two people (ten turns minimum)
Traversing the slope showing good posture and balance
Jumping skis at least five times while in a traverse
Early stage plough parallel turns matching skis after the fall line
Demonstrate a good knowledge of the Ski Way Code
Outcome: Linked plough turns showing correct movement throughout the turn (ten turns minimum)
DRILLS & EXCERCISES FOR 2 STAR LEVEL SKIERS
Reaching down to touch outside ski boot at end of turn.
Aeroplane turns, arms out to the sides as wings, dipping down to outside ski boot as working
through the turn.
‘Basketball Player’ stretching up at the start of the turn to ‘shoot’ then ‘bouncing’ the ball through
the middle and end of the turn getting lower and lower.
Skiing as tall as you can with straight legs, skiing as low as you can with bent legs, blending the two
together (introducing pressure control).
Ski with arms folded across chest, hands on head, behind back, leaning forwards, leaning back (to
develop posture and balance).
‘Cat and mouse’/Follow my leader games, working in teams/pairs trying to lose each other through
varying turn shape and speed (set strict parameters on this – no straight-lining, minimum number of
turns to be made etc.). Develops control of sped and line.

3 STAR
PROGRESSION: EARLY PLOUGH PARALLEL – PLOUGH PARALLEL
Skills
Ability to show good pressure control (active stretch and absorption)
Ability to show appropriate rate and range of movement
Awareness and practice of edge control
Continue to develop posture and balance on the outside ski earlier in the turn
Primary Tasks
Development of plough parallel turns showing correct movements throughout the turn (ten turns
minimum)
Side slipping
Tackle easy bump run, five small bumps/rollers
Additional Tasks
Turn initiation with a small hop (land on or before the fall line)
Hockey stops
Ski a series of rollers without taking air
Synchronised skiing 2 people (15 turns minimum)
Demonstrate a good knowledge of the Ski Way Code
Outcome: Linked plough turns matching skis at the fall line (both sides)
DRILLS & EXCERCISES FOR 3 STAR LEVEL SKIERS
Lifting inside ski whilst turning, to begin with just on the traverse and work o balance and standing
on the outside ski, then develop being able to turn only on the outside ski, incorporate this into
parallel turning with two skis on the snow.
Superman turns, no poles, inside arm reaching forwards over outside ski and switching at the
crossover to ensure weight over outside ski.
Straight-line two/three small bumps (ensure terrain is appropriate) working on keeping skis on the
snow and good posture, absorbing with the legs, this develops movement and can be taken back
onto the piste or used as a drill before skiing bumps/variable.
Develop rating scales for stretch and absorption in the turn, ask when they should be
highest/lowest, get group to practice or make their own rating scales in teams/pairs, can they teach
it back to the group?
Begin to tilt skis at end of turn, (combine with absorption movement) get skiers to ‘try and show
base of the skis to someone standing down the slope’. Discuss the outcomes with the group.

4 STAR
PROGRESSION: BASIC PARALLEL – SKI DEVELOPMENT (FUNDAMENTALS) – PARALLEL TURNING
Skills
Good control of speed and line on red runs
Varying radius of turns on red runs
Crossover development
Good use of rotation, edge and pressure control
Primary Tasks
Develop parallel turns using corridor activities (varying rhythm and radius)
Chinese snowploughs showing emphasis on movements and crossover
Carve out of a turn from the fall line
Additional Tasks
Practice and awareness of using poles to assist timing, rhythm and co-ordination
Make a 360 skidded parallel spin on the snow
Demonstrate a good knowledge of the Ski Way Code
Outcome: Consistent parallel turns showing correct movements throughout the turn
DRILLS & EXCERCISES FOR 4 STAR LEVEL SKIERS
Ski 10-20 turns in an hourglass shape, going from long to short to long again keeping consistent
speed
Work in teams/pairs to create different shaped turns in the snow (C, J, comma shapes). Ask what
they are doing to create these shapes? Encourage discussion on pressure control and where it is
being applied during the turn. Same drill can be used to develop rotation and edge control.
On easy terrain get group to make short turns with edged ski/flat ski (which is easier?). Develop this
with stance, wide feet/closed stance, incorporate pressure, standing tall/low and find perfect blend.
Look at outcomes of turns such as tracks to see skidding/edging or each other’s skis to see tilting,
bending, are they parallel or breaking away from each other, are they juddering? What inputs can
they use to improve? Get group to learn from each other.

5 STAR
PROGRESSION: BEYOND PARALLEL – PISTE PERFORMANCE, BUMPS, STEEPS, VARIABLE TERRAIN,
FREESTYLE
Skills
Good posture and balance
Good range of movements which can be applied to a variety of turns
Appropriate use/blend of the fundamental elements
Control of speed and line at higher speeds, steeper slopes and variable terrain
Additional Tasks
Synchronised ski (three people minimum)
Bracage
Ski a variety of terrain in all conditions
Demonstrate a good knowledge of the Ski Way Code
Outcome: A selection of Perform short radius turns showing good timing and rhythm
Perform long radius carved turns showing good crossover and range of movements
Ski black runs showing ability to utilise terrain and apply a full range of skills
Ski bump run or variable terrain showing good control of speed and line
Take air from small kicker/table-top and land showing good posture and balance
DRILLS & EXCERCISES FOR 5 STAR LEVEL SKIERS
Use of rating scales during carved turns for pressure and edge control working on rate and range
required to influence turn shape.
‘Follow my leader’ carved turns influencing turn shape as much as possible to lose partner.
‘Follow my leader’ cleanly in bumps, encouraging leader to think about line, follower to think about
movements as line is already set for them.
Develop upper and lower body separation on short turns with various drills: making poles into a cage
around the waist, pointing poles downhill, holding poles straight in front to make a ‘tv screen’
keeping a landmark downhill in the centre.
Ski variable terrain/bumps focusing on keeping strong care, either with no poles, poles balanced on
back of hands, arms folded etc. also encourages stretch and absorption movements improves
posture and balance.