<p>Basic Parallel Leaper Turns Intermediate Zone/Level 2 Blended Skills</p><p>Activity Description Basic parallel turns demonstrating an edge change that begins in the air. </p><p>Why This Activity Will Be Useful: Developing and refining pressure control skill provides options for skiing difficult terrain and or diverse snow conditions.</p><p>How The Body Moves (CAUSE):  From the shaping phase through the finish of the turn, the legs turn more than the upper body to create upper/ lower body separation  Use powerful extension movements of the ankles, knees and hips to promote unweighting off the old edges and produce a takeoff directed forward and diagonally into the new turn.  The timing of unweighting should occur so both feet leave the snow at the same time  Edge change begins in the air using edging movements of the feet and lower legs  Flexion movements from the ankles, knees and hips facilitate a soft landing through pressure management.  Upper body remains stable through takeoff and landing.  Flexion and extension of the other joints maintains balance of the COM both fore/aft and laterally. </p><p>What The Skis Do (EFFECT):  Unweighting is timed such that both skis leave the snow simultaneously.  Skis maintain parallel relationship while edge change begins in the air.  Rotation of the skis while in the air is minimal.  Edge change is completed upon simultaneous landing of both skis.  Skidded ski performance is maintained upon landing and entering the new turn.</p><p>Where Groomed blue terrain – choose a safe, low traffic area for this activity</p><p>Teaching/Learning Cues See Straight Run Leapers for preliminary movement and pressure control skill development  First, master ability to utilize extension movements from the legs to unweight the skis for take off. Use Straight Run Leapers to practice  As a cue, think of leaping up and forward, so the COM continues to move to where the skis will be moving.  Practice using flexion of the ankles, knees, and hips to land “softly” without slapping the skis back onto the snow. The goal is to be able to have both skis take off and land on the snow at the same time. They should remain parallel to the snow as well as each other.  Practice these movements by leaping without changing edges while traversing across the hill.  Next, from the traverse, leap and tip the feet and lower legs downhill slightly while in the air  Keep upper body quiet. Remember to move forward while leaping.  Upon landing continue tipping movements with legs into the new turn.  Finish the turn.  Stop and repeat  As you gain confidence try linking a series of turns with leaping during edge change.</p>