You’ve gotten comfortable by yourself on the slopes now after a few initial beginner’s lessons. Now you want to turn like the pros, i.e. you want to carve.

It’s called carving because you leave a noticeable mark in the side of the hill from the edges of your skis (as if you carved a line into the mountain). Carving is quite simple once your body familiarizes the motion and will soon become an indispensable aspect of skiing as you advance your skill.

Much can be said about the technique, but a visual is always better. In the following video, ski instructor Darren Turner gives examples of the carving technique, shows an example of a failed carve (skidding) and demonstrates how to carve through examples.

Photo: Felix Abraham