Alpine Skiing Cheat Sheet

The key takeaways for beginners – moving from skidding to real carving, choosing the right ski radius and understanding the four racing disciplines.

Ski radius: the right type

Ski type	Radius	Right for you if…
Slalom ski	10–13 m	Tight and agile – for short, fast turns in racing.
Giant slalom ski	16–18 m	Long and stable – holds speed across several gates.
All-round ski	under 15 m	Best starting point – covers most recreational runs.

Handling lifts with confidence

Chairlift technique: Poles off your wrists, sit all the way back – stand up while the chair is still moving to get off.
Relaxed drag lifts: Grab the bar and let it pull, weight centred – actively pulling or pushing costs beginners their balance.
Pick the right resort: A lift-served resort with wide beginner runs – that's what makes alpine skiing the most accessible of the four ski disciplines.
Fixed heel, free edge: Lift up, groomed piste down, heel locked into the binding – that's what clearly separates alpine skiing from the other three ski disciplines.

The 3 golden technique rules

Factor 1: Stay centred, even at speed

Concept: High speed and strong edging pull you into the backseat more easily than a calm snow plough does – and that's exactly where it costs you the most control. Tip: Press your shins actively against the boot tongue, especially exiting a turn at speed – a centred position beats edge angle.

Factor 2: The outside ski leads

Concept: Keep your weight centred on both skis and you're not steering either one properly – the outside ski has to carry the turn. Tip: Deliberately load the ski on the outside of the turn and let the inside ski ride along relaxed instead of actively steering it.

Factor 3: The edge cuts, it doesn't skid

Concept: Half-hearted edging makes you skid – modern shaped skis only pull their own arc when the edge commits fully. Tip: Set the edge early and decisively in the turn and hold it through to a flowing edge change – don't release it at the end of the turn.

The 4 racing disciplines

Discipline	Focus	Character
Slalom	Technique	Densest gate sequence (up to 75 gates), 140–220 m of vertical – the slowest, most technical discipline.
Giant slalom	Speed+technique	More gates over a longer course – carrying speed across several gates.
Super-G	One run	No training runs, only an inspection – then just the single run counts.
Downhill	Speed	Biggest vertical drop (up to 1,100 m), speeds close to 100 km/h.

The knee is the weak point

The ACL is the focus: The knee is involved in about a third of all ski injuries, the ACL in roughly half of the more serious cases.
Check bindings every year: Have the release value reset each season for your weight, level and wear – the cheapest injury prevention there is.
Build stability pre-season: Add single-leg stability work six to eight weeks before the season starts – your knees reward the preparation.
Tired legs are the risk: The last run of the day is rarely the right one for the steepest slope – fatigue is a major factor in knee injuries.

Pro tip: Film your turns once a month from behind and watch for just one thing: does the edge hold until the next edge change? Carving isn't a feeling that eventually arrives – it's a decision you make fresh in every single turn.