In flat terrain you can let the skis do the work. Putting the skis on edge you will get away with a little bit of leaning in or "back seat", no problem. But as soon as you get on steeper terrain it's much more difficult to do a clean carving turn. So, let's look into why that is and how we can adapt.
In steep terrain gravity plays a much bigger role. It's harder to control the speed, you need more angles to hold the line, and more pressure on the ski, especially the outside ski.
Before Entering Steep Terrain.
Before you even dive into a pitch get into a more athletic body position; flex your core, strong legs. Then, when you dive into the pitch, move forward to match the terrain.
Pull Skis Back.
Sometimes when we think about moving forward, all we do is fold the upper body down. Instead, try to pull the skis back because then we have the pressure on the shins.
More Angles.
You need more angles than when it's flat becuase the drag will make your radius bigger. For that you need to feel your edges digging into the snow to find their grip. Remember that more angles doesnt necessarily mean leaning in. You push your knees and hips inside while your upper body stays level and pointing down the hill.
Control Speed.
Have you ever lost control of your speed in step terrain? That's probably because you didn't complete the turn enough. The steeper it gets the longer you want to stay on the ski and cross the hill for as long as it takes to get the speed under control. And then you start the new turn.
