Master Ski Jump Turning: A Complete Guide to Takeoff, Flight, and Landing

You've seen it in videos. A skier launches off a jump, carves a clean arc in the air, and lands with a satisfying *thump*, continuing their line without missing a beat. That's ski jump turning. It looks effortless, but when you try it, it often feels like you're fighting physics. Your skis cross, you land sideways, or you just can't seem to initiate the rotation at the right moment.

I spent years thinking it was about brute force or luck. It's not. It's a precise sequence of movements, and most instruction misses the subtle, non-negotiable details that separate a sketchy hop from a styled-out maneuver.

Deconstructing the Ski Jump Turn: The Four Phases

Forget thinking of it as one motion. A proper turn on a jump happens in four distinct phases: the approach, the takeoff, the flight, and the landing. Mess up one, and the whole thing unravels.

1. The Approach & Wind-Up

This is where you set the stage. Your speed needs to match the jump. Too slow, you won't clear the knuckle. Too fast, you'll overshoot the sweet spot of the landing. The real secret here is the wind-up.

As you ride up the lip, you need to pre-rotate your upper body in the opposite direction of your intended turn. Want to spin left? Wind your shoulders slightly to the right. This creates tension, like coiling a spring. Most beginners just ride straight up, which means they have to generate all the rotational force mid-air—a nearly impossible task.

2. The Takeoff (The "Pop" & Release)

The lip of the jump is your launchpad. You don't just let it throw you; you pop. Extend your legs powerfully as you feel the transition from the lip to the air. This pop gives you height and, crucially, time.

Simultaneously, you release the wind-up. That coiled tension in your upper body? Let it go. Your shoulders and core snap into the direction of the turn. This is the moment of truth. If you popped straight and released the coil, the rotation starts cleanly from your core. Your skis will follow naturally.

3. The Flight (Control, Not Chaos)

You're airborne. Now what? A common misconception is that you keep spinning violently. Wrong. Once initiated, the turn in the air is about control and shaping.

Bring your skis up under you. Keep your hands in front for balance. Your eyes are your guide. For a simple 90 or 180-degree turn, spot your landing early. Look at where you want your skis to point when they touch down. Your body will naturally align to where your head is looking. For bigger spins, your gaze leads the rotation.

This is also where you manage wind resistance. A tight, compact body (knees bent, skis together) spins faster and cleaner than a spread-out, "starfish" position.

4. The Landing (The Commitment)

You see the snow coming up. The instinct is to brace for impact, which usually means stiffening up and dropping your weight back.

Fight that instinct. Commit to being forward. As you complete the last bit of your rotation, actively drive your feet down towards the landing. Aim to have your skis flat or slightly on edge, ready to engage immediately. Your legs are your suspension; keep them flexed and ready to absorb. A good landing isn't silent—it's a solid, confident sound followed by an immediate continuation of your turn on the snow.

Where It All Goes Wrong: A Breakdown of Common Mistakes

Let's diagnose the problems you're likely facing. I've seen these hundreds of times coaching in the terrain park.

Your Off-Snow and On-Snow Progression Plan

You can't just huck yourself off a medium jump and hope it clicks. You need a progression.

Stage 1: Foundation (Your Living Room & Small Bumps)

Dryland Drill: Stand in socks on a smooth floor. Practice the wind-up and release motion for a 90-degree turn. Feel how your core engages. Do this 50 times a day for a week. Muscle memory is key.
On-Snow: Find a natural side-hit or a tiny, rolled-over park jump. Practice popping straight airs first. Then, add the smallest upper-body wind-up and release for a slight directional change (even just 10 degrees). Get comfortable with the feeling of initiating in the air.

Stage 2: Building the Arc (Small Park Jumps)

Move to a small, well-shaped tabletop jump. Your goal here is a clean 90-degree turn (from straight down the fall line to across it).
Focus: Solid pop, clear shoulder initiation, spotting the side of the landing zone. The landing should be controlled, and you should ride away cleanly across the hill. Master the 90 in both directions before even thinking about a 180.

Stage 3: The Full Rotation (180s and Beyond)

For a 180, the principle scales up. The wind-up is more pronounced. The key difference is your head movement. As you release and spin, your head should lead, looking over your leading shoulder back up towards the jump you just left. You complete the spin by spotting the landing over your other shoulder. Practice on the same small tabletop until it's automatic. Only then consider larger jumps.

Sound familiar? It's the same fundamental sequence, just amplified. Rushing to big jumps with incomplete fundamentals is the fastest way to develop bad habits—or get hurt.

Your Top Jump Turning Questions, Answered

Got More Questions? Here's My Take.

How do I overcome the fear of initiating a turn during ski jump takeoff?

The fear comes from committing your upper body before your skis leave the ground, which feels unnatural. Start small. On a tiny kicker, practice a minimal upper-body rotation (just looking over your shoulder) as you pop. Your brain needs to learn that this pre-rotation sets up a stable flight, not an immediate crash. It's a controlled commitment, not a wild throw. Drilling this on small features builds the muscle memory and confidence to scale it up.

What's the most common mistake skiers make when trying to spin on a large ski jump?

They try to spin with their legs. On a big jump, you're in the air for a long time. If you initiate the spin with a violent leg swing, you'll create opposing forces that kill your axis and make you land sideways or backseat. The spin must start from a solid, coiled upper body and core during the takeoff. Your legs follow. Think of your torso as the spring and your legs as the flags attached to it. A powerful, clean pop combined with that upper-body coil generates the spin, and your legs just streamline the position.

Why do I always land off-balance after a 180 or 360 on a ski jump?

Your eyes are probably in the wrong place. It's incredibly common. You spot the landing too early in the rotation, which stops your spin and leaves you stiff. For a 180, you should be looking back up the hill for most of the flight, only spotting the landing zone at the last moment to align. For a 360, your eyes should complete the full circle and re-find the takeoff lip before you even think about the landing. Your head leads, your body follows. If your head stops, your spin stops, and you land in a compromised position.

Do I need special skis or equipment for park jumping and turning?

You don't *need* them to start, but they make a massive difference. All-mountain skis are often too heavy and stiff in the tails, making pop harder and landings harsher. A true park/freestyle ski is lighter, has twin tips (critical for landing switch), and is more forgiving. It's like using a tennis racket to play badminton—you can do it, but the right tool makes the skill easier to learn and safer to practice. If you're serious about progressing, investing in park skis is one of the best decisions you can make.

The journey to clean ski jump turns is about breaking down a complex motion into manageable, repeatable parts. It's not magic. It's mechanics, timing, and a whole lot of practice on progressively larger features. Focus on the process—nailing the wind-up on a small bump, mastering the pop, controlling your eyes in the air—and the stylish, controlled turns will follow. Now go find a side-hit and start winding up.