7 Common Skiing Mistakes and How to Fix Them in One Day

Stuck on the intermediate plateau? A ski instructor shares the simple fixes that unlock huge improvements.

I know what you’re thinking. You’re stuck.

You’re a decent skier. You can get down most blue runs without a yard sale. You can keep up with your buddies, mostly. But you’ve hit a wall.

You see other skiers gliding down the mountain, making effortless, beautiful turns, and you wonder, “Why can’t I do that?”

You feel like you’re fighting the mountain, muscling your way down instead of flowing with it. And you’re pretty sure you’re too old or it’s too late to get any better.

I see it a hundred times a day. I call it the “Intermediate Plateau.” It’s the most common place for adult skiers to get stuck.

But I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

You’re not stuck.

And you’re just one or two small adjustments away from a massive breakthrough.

I had a lesson last year with a guy just like you. A 45-year-old lawyer named Mark. He was frustrated. He told me, “Chloe, I think this is as good as I’m going to get.”

He was leaning back. His arms were all over the place. He was looking at his ski tips. By the end of our two-hour lesson, he was linking smooth, parallel turns down a black diamond, laughing.

He had one “aha!” moment that changed everything. And it all came from fixing one of the seven common mistakes I see every single day.

Let’s go through them. I bet at least one of these will sound very, very familiar.

Mistake #1: The Backseat Driver

What it looks like: You’re leaning too far back. Your weight is over your heels, your butt is sticking out, and your hands are behind you. It feels like you’re sitting in a chair.

Why you do it: It’s a natural survival instinct. Your brain is screaming, “This hill is steep! Get away from it!” Leaning back feels like you’re putting on the brakes.

Why it’s wrong: Your skis have a gas pedal and a brake. The front of your skis is the gas pedal. The back is the brake. When you lean back, you’re taking all the pressure off the front of your skis. You can’t steer. You can’t turn. You’re just skidding out of control.

The 1-Day Fix:

This is the most important fix in all of skiing. It’s the “aha!” moment Mark had.

I want you to think about your shins. Right now. Feel them?

On your next run, I want you to gently but firmly press your shins into the front of your ski boots. All the time. From the top of the run to the bottom.

It will feel scary at first. It will feel like you’re leaning too far forward, like you’re going to fall on your face. You won’t.

Your skis are designed to work when you’re pressuring the front. The second you do this, you’ll feel the edges of your skis engage. You’ll be able to steer again.

The Drill: Find a gentle green run. As you ski, try to lift your heels inside your boots. You can’t, obviously, but the act of trying will force your weight forward onto the balls of your feet and your shins into the front of your boots. Ski the entire run like this. Feel the difference.

Mistake #2: The Windmill

What it looks like: Your arms are flailing all over the place. They’re behind you, out to the side, waving in the air like you’re trying to flag down a helicopter.

Why you do it: You’re off balance, and your arms are trying desperately to save you.

Why it’s wrong: Your balance comes from your core and your feet, not your arms. Flailing your arms just throws your upper body around, making you even more unstable.

The 1-Day Fix:

Think of your arms like you’re carrying a tray of drinks. Or holding a steering wheel.

Your hands should always be in front of you, where you can see them. Roughly shoulder-width apart, at about belly-button height.

They should be quiet. Calm. Stable.

Your upper body should be facing downhill, while your legs turn underneath you. Your stable arms are the key to this separation.

The Drill: Get a pair of ski poles. Hold them together in both hands, like you’re holding a lunch tray. Now ski a gentle run, keeping that “tray” level and pointed straight down the hill at all times. Don’t let it swing from side to side. This forces you to keep your hands in front and your upper body quiet. The Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA) has great videos on this.

Mistake #3: The Scissor

What it looks like: Your skis are crossing, or one ski is getting way ahead of the other. You look like you’re trying to do the splits.

Why you do it: You’re not balanced over your outside ski during the turn. You’re caught in the middle, with your weight split between both skis.

Why it’s wrong: A good ski turn is made on one ski at a time. You should be balanced on your outside ski, and the inside ski should just be along for the ride. When your weight is split, neither ski can get a good grip.

The 1-Day Fix:

You need to commit to the outside ski.

As you start a turn to the left, all your weight should be on your right (outside) ski. As you turn to the right, all your weight should be on your left (outside) ski.

The Drill: Find a very gentle, wide-open green run. As you make big, slow turns, I want you to physically lift your inside ski off the snow for a second. Just an inch. Turn to the left, lift your left ski. Turn to the right, lift your right ski. This forces you to balance on that outside ski. It will feel wobbly at first, but it will teach you where your weight needs to be.

Mistake #4: The Stiff Leg

What it looks like: Your legs are straight and stiff. You look like a wooden soldier on skis.

Why you do it: Fear. When we’re scared, we tense up. We lock our joints.

Why it’s wrong: Your legs are your suspension. They’re like the shock absorbers on a car. They’re meant to bend and absorb the bumps and variations in the snow. When you lock your legs, every little bump gets transmitted directly to your body, throwing you off balance.

The 1-Day Fix:

You need to find your “athletic stance.”

Stand up right now. Now bend your knees and ankles so your weight is on the balls of your feet. Your hands are in front of you. You feel ready to move in any direction. That’s it.

You should feel a constant, gentle flex in your ankles, knees, and hips.

The Drill: Ski down a gentle run and pretend you’re a yo-yo. I want you to constantly move up and down. Extend your legs to feel tall, then sink down low by flexing your ankles and knees. Get into a rhythm. Up, down, up, down. This will get you used to the feeling of actively using your joints as suspension. It feels silly, but it works.

Mistake #5: The Downhill Looker

What it looks like: You’re staring at your ski tips. Your head is down, your chin is on your chest.

Why you do it: You’re worried about what your skis are doing. You want to make sure they don’t cross.

Why it’s wrong: It’s the golden rule of every sport: you go where you look. If you’re looking at your tips, you’re going to have a very short, unpleasant trip. Looking down also throws your balance off and makes it impossible to see what’s coming.

The 1-Day Fix:

Look up! Look ahead!

Your skis know where they are. They’re attached to your feet. Trust them.

You should be looking at least 10-20 feet down the trail, to the spot you want to go. Pick a target—a tree, a sign, another skier—and look at it. Your body will naturally organize itself to get you there.

The Drill: Ski with a friend. Have them ski in front of you, and your only job is to follow them. But here’s the trick: you have to stare at their helmet the entire time. Don’t look at their skis. Don’t look at your skis. Just look at their helmet. This forces you to look up and anticipate the turn.

Mistake #6: The Silent Turner

What it looks like: You’re trying to turn by twisting your feet or pushing your heels. Your turns are jerky and abrupt.

Why you do it: It feels like the most direct way to make the skis move.

Why it’s wrong: A good turn starts from the center of your body. It’s a whole-body movement, not just a foot movement. Twisting your feet just leads to skidding, not carving.

The 1-Day Fix:

Think about steering with your knees and hips.

Imagine you have headlights on your knees. To turn left, you need to shine your knee-lights to the left. To turn right, you shine them to the right. It’s a gentle rolling motion of your knees and ankles that puts the ski on its edge.

The Drill: Find a nice, groomed blue run. As you ski, I want you to say the word “turn” out loud, but draw it out. “Tuuuuuuuurn.” Start the word at the beginning of the turn and finish it at the end. This encourages a smooth, gradual turning motion instead of a sudden, jerky one. It sounds crazy, but it helps your brain and body connect in a new way.

Mistake #7: The Pole Dragger

What it looks like: Your poles are dragging behind you, or you’re using them like a rudder to try and steer.

Why you do it: You’re not sure what they’re for, so you just let them hang out.

Why it’s wrong: Poles are for timing and rhythm, not for balance or steering. A proper pole plant is the metronome for your turns. It signals the start of the next turn.

The 1-Day Fix:

A pole plant is a simple tap, not a stab.

As you finish a turn to the left, you’re going to swing your right hand forward and tap the snow with your right pole. That tap is the signal to start your turn to the right. Tap, turn. Tap, turn.

It’s a light, flick-of-the-wrist motion. You’re not trying to plant the pole like a flag on the moon.

The Drill: Ski without your poles. Seriously. Go down a gentle run with your hands in front of you (like you’re carrying the tray). This will force you to find your balance from your core and legs. Then, on the next run, take your poles back. Now, just focus on that simple “tap, turn” rhythm. You’ll find the poles suddenly make sense.

Your Breakthrough is Waiting

You don’t need weeks of lessons to see a huge improvement. You just need to focus on one or two of these things.

Pick the mistake that sounds most like you. Spend one day—just one day—working on that specific fix. Do the drill. Be patient with yourself.

I promise you, by your last run, you’ll feel a difference. You’ll feel more confident. You’ll feel more in control. You’ll feel like you’re finally flowing with the mountain, not fighting it.

You’re not stuck. You’re just on the verge of your next “aha!” moment.

Your 1-Day Action Plan

Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t be. Here’s how to put this all together for your next ski day.

Morning (First 2 Runs):

Forget everything else and focus only on Mistake #1: The Backseat Driver. Go to the easiest green run on the mountain. For two full runs, your only thought should be “press my shins into the front of my boots.” That’s it. Feel how the ski engages. This is the foundation for everything else.

Mid-Morning (Next 3-4 Runs):

Now, let’s add Mistake #2: The Windmill. Keep the shin pressure, but now bring your hands forward. Carry the “lunch tray.” Your goal for these runs is to keep your upper body completely quiet and facing down the hill, while your legs do the turning underneath you. You’ll feel a sense of calm and stability you haven’t felt before.

Lunch Break:

While you’re eating, think about what you felt. Did you notice how much easier it was to turn when you were forward? Did you feel more stable with your hands in front?

Afternoon (The Rest of the Day):

Now it’s time to put it all together and add the final piece: looking ahead. Go out onto your favorite blue run. Start each run by reminding yourself: “Shins forward, hands forward, eyes up.” Pick your spot down the mountain and ski to it. Don’t worry about perfect turns. Just focus on those three things.

By the end of the day, you will have fundamentally changed the way you ski. You will have replaced bad habits with good ones. It won’t be perfect, but it will be a breakthrough.

You’re not stuck. You just needed a new road map.

Now go find it.