What you are going to learn here is how to maximise the skis' potential by getting them on to their edges. The turns and the exercises in this section, therefore, will provide the basis for every type of controlled turn that I describe in future articles.

To learn new techniques I often suggest quite strange positions - a lowering of the upper body combined with a wide stance - being obvious examples that I mention in the article on Style and Balance. There are others like the exaggerated pole plants and angulation over the skis. These should not be adopted permanently, and with time and mileage will hopefully disappear to be replaced by a naturally acquired elegance that you can only fantasise about just now.

Just a few points before we start on the edging exercises. I have made them as simple as possible as there are no diagrams. Reading them through a few times should give you a pretty good idea of what to do. If like me you can't remember anything, print the pages off your computer and take them with you in an inside pocket, or even take your lap top up top.

Throughout these articles I spend a lot of time repeating certain things. This is intentional as some instructions are so important that with only one or two mentions you may forget them.

If you have read and understood the article on Edging and Carving the Skis, you will recall that a ski has to be put on its edge to turn effectively in a controlled manner. Re read it now if you haven't already.

Let