The Four Words^™

Our Mission

"to introduce skiers safely to the joys of all-mountain skiing"

Welcome to the Clendenin Method Camps existential school of all-mountain skiing:

“We can lead you to the door but you have to walk through.”

Overview

At Clendenin Method Camps, we first introduce the concept of drifting on soft edges.

We learn to control our speed with turn shape avoiding the hard ridges and troughs.

While drifting we find early centering on the uphill foot (little toe edge).

We use the pole touch to cue tipping and committing our center of mass to our new intended drift (momentum). Pole touch is most functional when our torso is facing and connected with our path of momentum.

General debunking of mogul myths, or what we look for in all-mountain skiing:

1. We encourage a stance that is as narrow as functionally possible.
2. We look for hands held comfortably in front of the torso (as if holding a breakfast tray); not way in front or with hands held up (with poles in a vertical position).
3. We encourage a tall stance in the boot; not pressing or resting against the tongue of the boot.
4. Initially we encourage finding early balance on the up-hill ski; not relying and hanging onto the big toe edge of the downhill ski (unless for an Intended weighted release).
5. We teach ski snow contact with avalement, absorbing terrain with the whole body.
6. We encourage soft, that is progressive, edge awareness; not hard (or habitual) edges.
7. We use our Four Words^™ concept to create awareness of accurate syntax. For example; “re-balance” not “weight shift”; edges defined as big-toe edge of downhill ski and the little-toe edge of the uphill ski; NOT left or right or inside/outside.