What is the correct way to fall when using poles?

hey_dude_its_me

hey_dude_its_me

Active member
I started skiing using poles but they broke on like my second time of actually being in the park. So I skied for a long time with out poles. Then I got some that I think were too long... When I went off a jump the tip stuck in the snow or something and ripped my thumb back then I fell with my hand between my chest and the snow and almost cried haha.

So are you supposed to "drop" your poles, like get them out of your hands and just let the wrist strap hold them? Or just keep gripping them?

How long should they be for park skiing?

 
Um, you should just kinda fall and roll, keeping them behind you. I tend to roll up onto my shoulder. You need to try and be conscious about your body position in a fall, I know that a lot of the time this is not going to happen, but if you get used to it you will do it automatically. If you want to improve you pole-knowledge I would suggest doing worm turns and stuff, so you can learn where they are when you are laying on the ground. Just keeping them from under you is pretty much the trick.

The correct length depends on your height. I don't even know what the length is of poles that I use, but I have 2 pairs, one for park and one for all mountain powdery goodness. The park ones are shorter, but they arent the little stubs that a lot of people are using. I was always taught to grip the pole upside down, having your hand under the basket, and your elbow should make a 90 degree angle. From this I would suggest going a little shorter if you are going to be in park.
 
uh yea I just taught myself after I quit my job on Wall Street at the age of 23 so I'm just laughing at you haters who have been skiing since you were 4.
 
I have definately never thought about this ...

I had never any troubles with my poles. Somehow I manage it allways to not land on them, but I think that is not really a conscious act. After now nearly 18 Years of Skiing it is a thing, that just happens. I dont think, that there are rules, that you can think about, when you are in the air like "uhm now I have to put the pole in this direction, because if not, it will stick itself in the snow, when landing" 
 
Are you holding your poles the right way?

They should fall out of your hands when you let go of them (with the strap meaning they don't fall on the ground).

I don't really know how to describe it properly, but if your holding your poles right, when you let go of them they shouldn't pose any threat to you when you fall.
 
just put the straps around your wrists and make sure there a nice short length.. ive never skied without poles and i still hate skiing with long poles, i cant do it. cut them so there like 110cm, i find thats a pretty good length... as for the falling part, it's just something you'll learn
 
Pull your hands into your chest. That way you dont chin check yourself with your pole, stab yourself, or hurt your shoulders. You'd rather have a broken pole then a fucked up shoulder or face.
 
actually falling is good in some cases, if you over shoot a jump really far its better to fall and absorb the impact by rolling instead of taking the direct blow to your legs.. last season in our park during a comp i took a 75 ft jump to near 90 but i did everything i could not to fall and i fractured my tibia and received a double contusions on both my shins. if i had just landed and rolled the impact wouldn't have be as sever.
 
I never land on my poles. Hold your straps inside your hand in the park because if it gets caught on a rail then your hand wont rip off.
 
word. i overshot a 40 footer to like 55 or 60, landed in almost flat. but i rolled, basically instinctively and all i suffered was a ripped belt. i didn't do shit for the rest of the day hahaha.
 
when u put on ur poles, put your hands through the botom of the straps so when you let go of them your thumbs arent being pulled....in my only lesson i ever took in all my skiing days , that's the one thing i learned and have kept w/ me
 
you're close, but the best way to go is to pole plant, then fall onto your side into the planted pole which makes it easy to drive your face into it. if you're lucky you'll get it strait through your lip this starts a good bleed, then you can skip it off to your eye, break your goggle lense and get a good black eye to accent your eminent stitches.
 
some guy at crystal stabbed himself in the jugular with his pole on a fall off a kicker, ask him~
 
Ive decided to add fluff balls to the end of my ski poles, if anyone asks I will calmly respond, "In case I stab myself in my jugular." It really sucked for him though, didnt know him personally, but I mean jesus, thats such a fucking random injury, life fucking bitchslapped his ass and really owes him some good karma~
 
The natural way to fall is hard wired in to the human psyche... poles or no poles.

HOWEVER!!!

Some people, and I am not saying you are one of these people, are just retarded. It sucks but it is true.

The natural way to fall, which is how most people will fall 99% of the time, is to land on your feet and eat shit from there. If youre going upside down, generally its a different story, but still, the brain is hard wired to have your feet hit the ground first.

Now adding poles into your hands... doesnt make a difference, if you fall on your side, dont lead with your poles, try to land using the top portion of your arm (elbow to shoulder) to spread the impact to the largest portion of your body, then use your shoulder to accept the major portion of the impact. Your poles wont even be a factor.

gnarly!

 
It wasn't even that bad though, people were freaking out over it. He would have pulled out fine. But whatever...

cork 7s off of a 15 foot sketchy backcountry booter = not able to finish the spin = pwnage

BUT in any case to the thread creator...don't loop the straps on your poles around your thumbs. When you fall while trying something, you really won't have the chance to decide how you will fall. Just try to land in as un-awkward a position as possible.
 
i dont use straps and it took a major crash to make me let go of the poles. usually they get off after my skis.

the whole actions after the moment (oh damn, i will crash) are pretty much depending on how used youre to crashing (i think its pretty important to know how to fall), or how your feeling in the air is in general as well as body control.

maybe i was just lucky, but i never had real problems, maybe the only thing i can say is, dont reach for the index finger with your thumb. get it on the top of the pole, so you cant break your thumb as easily.
 
It comes naturaly to me. But if you can't do it maybe take your self of to some secluded area with your poles and practice falling and think about where you put your poles when you roll or crash.

Just make sure its away from everybody otherwise you couold get beaten up...
 
yeah..drop your poles when you're goin to fall..or throw them..and dont wear the straps at all..i throw my poles whenever i fall..i still broke one this year..but its still the most sure way to not land on them.
 
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