When you say “Jump Turn!” out loud, doesn’t the word “jump” sound a bit too macho? That’s the impression I get, at least. So I tried switching it to “hop” instead?and it really softens the image, don’t you think? Or is it just me? Jump turn → Hop turn. When I googled it in English, I found “Edge change with a hop.” Yes! That’s exactly it!
So anyway, I recently went out to Mt. Amakazari and shot a video on this topic. I had actually done a little lesson on this on the final morning in Tateyama. The lesson menu was:
Now, you might be wondering why I suddenly decided to do a lesson on jump
turns. There’s a reason: On this particular trip to Tateyama, the snow
was soft, but there were quite a few longitudinal ruts. Also, lots of telemark
skiers and people using NNN BC or XPLORE gear were out riding. As a result,
I got to observe a lot of their skiing.
Most of them were trying to do a telemark turn with their legs split forward and back?but those ruts made it tough. I found myself thinking, “Wait, you’re trying to split your legs like that in these ruts? And you’re still trying to turn? And your edge change is a one-two step… One step forward…”
On the other hand, if you use a jump?or rather, a hop?you can switch edges in a single movement. That makes it really effective in conditions like this, not just with ruts but also with spooned-out or bumpy snow surfaces.
And that’s why I decided to hold this workshop. For those who attended, I hope this video helps as a review. And for those considering attending in the future, hopefully this serves as a good preview.
If the weather looks good, I’ll be hosting another Tateyama Ski School
session soon. This time, it’ll be held on the fixed ski area in front
of the mountain lodge, so it’s perfect for light gear like NNN BC, XPLORE
setups, or soft boots. June 9,2025
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