The Stork Turn
by Chris Fellows

The Stork turn is a drill anyone can do providing they are willing to take a tip from our fine feathered friends. Storks can stand hours on one leg and have been known to even sleep that way. All good skiers have acquired the ability to balance on an extended outside leg while arcing through the belly of the turn. Like the stork, the skiers practicing this drill will tuck the inside leg underneath the hip and hold it there in a flexed position. The inside ski will hover about two to three feet above the snow as the long leg supports the weight of the skier. Storks do it to conserve body heat and skiers do it to conserve muscle energy and to align themselves over the outside ski. As the skier transitions from turn to turn the extended leg slowly becomes the flexed leg and the flexed leg becomes the extended one. As soon as a comfort level is reached while balancing against the ski with a long and outstretched leg then the flexed inside leg can begin to lower until the inside ski makes contact with the snow. The stork has learned that balance on one leg is very efficient and as skiers we are most effective when we are using our body as efficiently as possible. Modeling the animal world for athletic movement can give a different perspective as we grow as skiers.
Caption photo 1- The Stork drill helps the skier align ankle, knee and hip over the outside ski for athletic movements.
Caption photo 2 - The outside edge of the inside ski is firmly embedded in the snow and precise balance over the outside ski is achieved.

Chris Fellows