carving gloves, carving underpants, we're going to clear up some of these misconceptions

and make it nice and easy to understand.

A pure carved turn is a turn where the ski is gripping and biting and the shape of the

ski is turning you, and this is the important bit - there is no skidding. The moment you

have skidding in your turn it is no longer a carved turn. Skidding is important in your

everyday skiing but we are going to focus just on the carving.

So while we're on the subject of carving, let's take a closer look at the ski. The ski

is thinner in the middle than it is at the top and the bottom. So you're creating, the

skis creating an hourglass shape. When I put that onto the edge, it's actually going to

start to bend, and that is what is going to take me round. It's not a new idea, skis have

had sidecut, which is what it's called, for over a hundred years.

If I put the ski onto the edge, you're going to notice that there's a gap here through

the middle of the ski. If I then put pressure and push through it, you can see the ski bending

and flexing and it's that that's going to take you round the corner.

I'm on the edge and the shape of the ski is making me turn. In this turn the skis are

skidding, creating resistance and it's not a carved turn.