Darren Turner
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Online Ski Coaching · Personal Ski Assessment

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Online ski lessons

Online ski coaching, wherever you ski.

You don’t need to book a lesson in resort to get proper coaching. Film a few turns on your phone, send them to me, and I review your skiing personally — the way I would if I were standing next to you on the slope.

You get my voice-over on your video, stills marked up to show what I see, reference clips to watch, and a written plan of solutions. Once you’ve practised, send me a new clip for your Progress Check-In and we go again.

Whether you ski one week a year or you’re preparing for an instructor exam, these online ski lessons fit around your trips — before you go, while you’re away, or once you’re home.

A real Personal Ski Assessment

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Your personal assessment

For Rhys Robertson

Your goal

Better edge control

My overall assessment

Rhys, your aim for this video is better edge control, and I would focus your work on the left-hand turns. I saw good speed management, but the pole-plant movement is the main thing holding you back: as one hand reaches forward, the inside hand drops behind and the movement affects your torso. Your hips sitting behind your feet and the timing of your edge change also deserve attention on that side. You mentioned that your skiing felt inconsistent and that steep, narrow pistes are where you struggle to control your turns. I would use easier groomed terrain to work through these three points before taking that focus onto the pistes you find more challenging. One of the reasons why you don't like narrow slopes is because of this hand position creating rotation and slowing your ability to make quicker turns.

What you're doing well

I liked your speed management. That is a useful strength to build on as we work towards your edge-control goal; I want the focus now to be on how you organise your movements, particularly through the left-hand turns. Some of the things I'm gonna point out I've been making it a lot harder for you so if we can clean these things up I'm sure you'll be flying.

Your biggest opportunity

I would start with your hands rather than immediately trying to do more with the edges. In your left-hand turns, the pole plant is linked to the inside hand dropping behind, with enough movement to affect your torso. Taking the pole plant out temporarily gives you a chance to settle that pattern, then bring it back without disturbing your body position. That is my first priority for supporting better edge control.

Priority 1

Keep the pole plant from pulling your hands out of position

Still 1 — from your video at 0:28

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Watch this — Inside hand — 00:00

Watch this

What I saw

In your left-hand turns, I saw the planting hand reach forward while the inside hand dipped behind. This is a significant movement pattern because the hand swing is affecting your torso, not just the position of the poles.

Why it matters for you

For your edge-control goal, I want your pole movement to support the turn rather than move your body around. This is the main issue I would tackle first, before asking you to refine the edge change itself.

What to work on

I would leave out pole planting for a while and concentrate on maintaining your hand position through the left-hand turns. Once that feels familiar, reintroduce a smaller pole-plant movement while keeping the same overall hand position. You do not need rigid arms; a little movement is fine as long as it does not pull your torso around.

What it should feel like

I want you to feel that your hands remain in position as you turn, rather than one reaching out and the other disappearing behind you. When the pole plant returns, it should feel like a small addition, not a movement that takes your torso with it.

Priority 2

Stand a little taller over your feet

Still 1 — from your video at 0:25

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Listen for explanation

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Still 2 — from your video at 0:34

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Watch this — Getting squashed — 00:00

Watch this

What I saw

I saw your hips sitting behind your feet in the left-hand turns. This is a moderate issue that deserves real attention, rather than the main priority ahead of your hand movement.

Why it matters for you

With your hips behind your feet, more of your weight is carried towards the ski tails and your legs have to work harder. For better edge control, I want you to work from a position that is less dependent on hanging on the back of the skis.

What to work on

I would have you stand slightly taller and share the bending between your ankles, knees and hips. Avoid achieving a lower stance mainly by bending your knees, which can leave your hips behind your feet. Give this particular attention in the left-hand turns.

What it should feel like

I want you to feel a little taller and more supported over your feet, with all three joints contributing. It should feel less like sitting behind the skis and asking your legs to hold you there.

Priority 3

Change both edges together

Clip — from your video 0:00–0:02

I talk you through this clip

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What I saw

At the start of your left-hand turns, I saw the skis change edges at different times rather than together. This is another moderate point worth focused practice.

Why it matters for you

This connects directly to your edge-control goal. When the skis change edges separately, the start of the turn can feel as though they are competing rather than working together. I want a more coordinated change as you enter the left-hand turn.

What to work on

As you move into a left-hand turn, I want you to feel your weight transfer to the uphill ski while you release the edge of the downhill ski. Let the ski taking over carry the new turn, rather than pushing away from the downhill ski's inside edge. Aim for both skis to change edges together wherever possible.

What it should feel like

I want the skis to feel as though they move into the new turn as a pair. Look for a transfer and release, with the new supporting ski taking over, rather than a push from one ski followed by the other catching up.

Your next day on snow

First, leave out pole planting and work on keeping your hands in position without swinging your torso. Then bring back a small pole plant and check that the inside hand no longer drops behind. Next, shift your attention to standing a little taller in the left-hand turns, sharing the bending between your ankles, knees and hips rather than sitting behind your feet. Finally, focus on the start of those turns: transfer weight to the uphill ski, release the downhill edge and aim to change both edges together without pushing off the downhill ski. Watch this a few times.... https://youtu.be/H7m3D3-NUfA?si=AeXsNIbfvd0uuNDf I would give each focus its own time rather than trying to fix everything in one turn. Before moving onto the steeper, narrower pistes you mentioned, return to the hand movement and check that adding the pole plant has not brought the original pattern back.

My final thoughts

Rhys, I would keep your route towards better edge control simple: hands first, body position second, edge-change timing third. Your speed management is a useful starting point, and all three changes I have highlighted concern your left-hand turns. Give yourself time to feel each adjustment on easier terrain rather than testing everything immediately on the pistes you find hardest.

Also for this section

My video note 1 1:14

This feedback is personal to Rhys, not individual coaching advice for other skiers. Ski coaching safety

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Why it’s personal

My experience, pointed at your skiing.

Anyone can slow a video down and spot what looks wrong — that isn’t coaching. I use nearly four decades of racing and coaching to work out what actually matters for you, and what to do about it.

01

Your goals

You tell me what you want first — cleaner carving, steeper pistes, confidence in powder, instructor development. Everything I say is aimed at that.

02

Your video

Every note comes from your footage, not a checklist. What I see in your skiing is what I coach, in the order that will help you most.

03

Your level, your slopes

Feedback for a confident Alpine skier isn’t the same as feedback for someone rebuilding confidence on blues. I pitch it to you, and to the mountain you actually have.

How it works

A simple process, personal at every step.

01

Send me your skiing

Send 2–3 short clips showing your whole body, skis and several turns — filmed from the side or following you, both work.

02

I review it personally

I watch your video the way I would coach you on the mountain — your goals, your level and where you ski in front of me.

03

Feedback made for you

A narrated breakdown of exactly what’s holding you back, why it’s happening and what to change. Nothing generic.

04

A plan you can use

Solutions and a written plan chosen for you, so your next session on snow has a clear purpose.

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