Tele Basics: Lead Change

Telemark tip by Greg Dixon

Telemark skiers are set apart on our slopes for two reasons: being amazingly fit with glutes of steel and the freeheel that allows for a full range of long flowing movements from one telemark turn to the next. In PSIA speak we refer to the fore/aft movement of the feet from one stance to the next as lead change. The lead change, in telemark skiing, is an important part of creating stability. As one foot moves ahead of the hips and the second behind, a stable platform is created that reduces the amount of faceplants or rear wheelies. To increase your success sliding and time you spend upright, here are a couple of key thoughts:

  1. Lead change is a continuous movement. Pace the movement of the feet so that it takes an entire turn to move into and out of your telemark stance. There should be no dead spots where the feet are static and you are holding onto a position.
  2. Lead change occurs simultaneously with the edge change. Instead of thrusting your feet straight back and forth, as if you were on a Nordic track machine, work to flatten your skis as the lead change starts, and reengage them as you move through the lead change and the turn.
[connections_list id=59 template_name=”div_staff_bio”]

Leave a Reply