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Show Ski Tip of the Week Jet Turns: Absorbing S Extending to unneeded work and also breaks the fluidity of the avalenient action. Also, let the size of the bump determine the amount of your absorption; absorp-tion; don't absorb every mogul exactly the same amount. "To attempt a jet turn, ski into a mogul ready for a pole plant. Absorb the bump with avalement and plant your pole down thefall-linemore to the side than in a normal plant. Use a backshaft-ed backshaft-ed plant with your palm facingforward and never plant in back of your boot. "While in the down position begin to project or thrust your upper body or your mass of weight inside the turn and down the fall-line. This is accomplished ac-complished by a wheeling or circular thrust of the outside, uphill arm. "At the same time as you wheel your arm and project down the fall line, extend your feet and lower body out and towards the fall-line to accomplish the turn. This extension motion is the actual jetting action of the jet turn. In the extended position, you're now ready for another turn with the ready pole. 'Remember that in jet turns the turn is initiated on the back portion of the skis rather than on the front as in "traditional" turns. Also, remember that the amount and force of your extension will determine the sharpness or arc of your turn. This week's Ski Tip, Jet Turns, is' old hat to a Park City instructor who needs no introduction. John Jenkins is a "retired" white pin instructor instruc-tor who is currently associate director of the Get Hot program of advanced ski instruction. Before that, he taught full time at Park West for eight years and was the do-director of the Brighton Brigh-ton ski school for five years. A quick wit, and an even faster skier, John advances the basic Get Hot theory that there is no absolute right or wrong way to turn as long as your skis turn with control. Jet turns fall within a relatively new concept con-cept of skiing that emphasizes the most efficient utilization of terrain possible with a reasonable amount of expended effort. In jet turns, which are used on mogully terrain, the main idea is to absorb ab-sorb the bumps with "avelement" while contracting contract-ing your legs, and turn through extension. John explains the maneuver: "Jet turns are primarily for advanced-level skiers or anyone who can ski expert runs and would like to try something new. However, you have to be a strong skier to perform them comfortably com-fortably with special strength in the thighs, calves and legs in general. "Jet turns are best performed at high speeds on heavily mogulled terrain because they become most effective as the moguls tend to thrust your skis from the show. "They differ from "wheelies" in that in performing per-forming wheelies you stay in the down position longer and thrust your legs straight forward rather than out and towards the fall line while trying to hold them on the snow as in jet turns. 'A main idea in jet turns is to keep your skis on the snow to aid in control this is done by leg and body extension. "To get the feel of absorbing moguls and contracting, start out at lower speeds and just traverse a mogul field. The act of absorbing the bumps with your legs in avalement. Don't consciously sit down as you cross a mogul, rather let the mogul naturally bring your legs up. Most people accent a sitting down action which amounts '( fMi li. M l r V V : '' f vir- : -'tvl.- It' ! Al At ,?vx :. -f Here I ra in a ready -pole position preparing to absorb the bump. "Here I'm fully extended after jetting or extending ex-tending my legs out and towards the fall-line and projecting my upper body into the turn and down the fall-line. I'm extended and ready for the next turn." "Going into avalement, I'm relaxing my legs and allowing the terrain to bring my legs up rather than consciously sitting down over the bump. |