Glossary
R
ROTARY
The term ROTARY encompasses a broad range of movements. I break it into two categories. The first is doing something that applies a rotary force to the skis that physically twists/turns them in a new direction (some call this active rotary). The second group is rotary movements that are used to simple put the body in functional positions while carving turns (some call this Passive Rotary), but applies no direct turning/twisting force to the ski. Examples would be assuming countered positions.
RADIUS
Radius of a turn refers refers to the size of a turn. If a turn were to be continued through a full circle, the radius of that turn would be equal to the radius of the circle it produced.
ROTATION
While this term refers to the entire basket of skills having to do with rotational movements of particular areas of the body while skiing, it also identifies a specific way of turning the skis. Turning with rotation is achieved with an aggressive twisting of the upper body in the direction of the new turn. Done during the transition between turns, that upper body twisting serves to twist the skis in the same direction. It's a labor intensive means of turning the skis, that's often seen being used by skiers with a limited skill base. While it does have situational use, even for the expert skier, there are more movement and energy efficient ways to turn the skis.
ROTATED
This is a rotational state in which the pelvis and torso face towards the inside of the turn. During a left turn, the pelvis and torso would be facing left of the direction the skis are pointing. It's a body position most commonly seen at the start of the turn, when a skier faces downhill as they enter the new turn, because they chose to not eliminate the prior turn's counter during the transition. It can also be used to exert a bit of extra pressure to the front of the ski, to sharpen the turn without having to increase edge angle.
Start of turn rotation because of keeping counter from previous turn
Using rotation to add tip pressure and sharpen the turn
Retraction
Retraction is a deep flexing of the legs as a skier goes through a transition. it allows the Center of Mass to take a very direct path of travel across the skis as it moves from turn to turn, so it provides a very quick transition. It provides for a fast transition, but it results in a later engagement of the front of the skis, and increases the risk of getting caught aft balanced, with hips behind the feet, and the outside leg never getting adequately extended by the apex of the turn. When retraction is done aggressively, and with good timing, it allows rebound to to unweight the skis so they can be pivoted. Retraction is a very movement and energy efficient way to unweight the skis.
Radius of a ski refers to the measurement of the sidecut of a ski. The curvature of a ski created by the difference between the skis width at it center, and its width at its tips and tails, represents its side cut. If that curvature were extended into a full circle, the radius of that circle would be the radius of the ski. Skis with a smaller radius will carve a sharper turn.
The larger the radius the larger the turn
Redirection
This is an aggressive twisting of the skis in the direction of the new turn, executed during the transition. It's useful when a quick direction change at the start of a turn is needed. Conversely, it's a problem if it's a skier's default way of starting a turn, because it's a labor intensive way to transition which disrupts a smooth flow from turn to turn. Pivots and pushes are forms of redirection. Clean initiations and arc to arc are the antithesis.
