Dylan Henderson

Aliza Jones is an under-14 athlete with the Whitewater Ski Team. She is demonstrating great balance, solid pole plant and controlled braking on a racer's line.

SKI TIPS: The trick to skiing steep

Whitewater ski coach Dylan Henderson shows readers how to ski the big drops.

Aliza Jones is an under-14 athlete with the Whitewater Ski Team. She is demonstrating great balance, solid pole plant and controlled braking on a racer's line.
Former Olympian Bobby Swan, 74, is a Masters racer with the Whitewater Ski Team. Swan has a great transition and has just pole planted below the tail of his ski showing great body separation. He is centred and balanced, and he is moving to his new outside ski at the top of the turn.

SKI TIPS: Perfecting your transition

Whitewater Ski Team coach Dylan Henderson writes about the best way to switch between turns.

Former Olympian Bobby Swan, 74, is a Masters racer with the Whitewater Ski Team. Swan has a great transition and has just pole planted below the tail of his ski showing great body separation. He is centred and balanced, and he is moving to his new outside ski at the top of the turn.
Coda Punchard is shown pressing on the outside ski from his hip while letting the inside foot come up just like the helium filled yoga ball that is pushing his hand up while he pushes the outside ball down.

SKI TIPS: The magic of level hips

Whitewater ski coach Dylan Henderson shows you how to put pressure on your outside ski when turning.

Coda Punchard is shown pressing on the outside ski from his hip while letting the inside foot come up just like the helium filled yoga ball that is pushing his hand up while he pushes the outside ball down.
Shorten your inside leg and push your outside hip through the turn, allowing your leg to pendulum around the arc. Work to separate shoulders by counter rotating to face the fall line. Then mirror your arc sliding backwards, and repeat.

SKI TIPS: Learning the trick to waist steering

Whitewater Ski Team coach Dylan Henderson teaches the debated technique.

Shorten your inside leg and push your outside hip through the turn, allowing your leg to pendulum around the arc. Work to separate shoulders by counter rotating to face the fall line. Then mirror your arc sliding backwards, and repeat.
The pivot: flat ski, sliding sideways, hips are square to skis, shoulders are turned to face fall line, arms wide to promote separation.

SKI TIPS: Two ways to turn

Whitewater ski team coach Dylan Henderson explains the difference between carving and pivoting.

The pivot: flat ski, sliding sideways, hips are square to skis, shoulders are turned to face fall line, arms wide to promote separation.
This photo shows level shoulders, centre of body mass moving towards center of the merry-go-round, outside hand reaching for outside boot, and weight on outside ski evident by bending ski. The bent ski is storing valuable energy that will be released at the pole plant and used to easily initiate the next turn!

SKI TIPS: Pressure your skis

Whitewater's Dylan Henderson teaches you how to improve ski performance by applying pressure.

This photo shows level shoulders, centre of body mass moving towards center of the merry-go-round, outside hand reaching for outside boot, and weight on outside ski evident by bending ski. The bent ski is storing valuable energy that will be released at the pole plant and used to easily initiate the next turn!
Left: First, pole plant into the powder as you head into the turn. Centre: Press forward letting the tips dive and roll skis on to edge building pressure and flexing the ski. Right: Release!

SKI TIPS: Taking advantage of all that powder

Whitewater Ski Team coach Dylan Henderson shows how to control your skies in powder.

Left: First, pole plant into the powder as you head into the turn. Centre: Press forward letting the tips dive and roll skis on to edge building pressure and flexing the ski. Right: Release!
Dylan Henderson is a coach with the Whitewater Ski Team.

SKI TIPS: Don’t forget your ankles when skiing

Whitewater Ski Team coach Dylan Henderson provides some tips for getting the most out of your time on the slopes.

Dylan Henderson is a coach with the Whitewater Ski Team.
Dylan Henderson is a coach with the Whitewater Ski Team.

COLUMN: Let the skis do the work on turns

Ankles and knees are crucial to effective turning on the ski hill.

Dylan Henderson is a coach with the Whitewater Ski Team.
Whitewater Ski Team coach Dylan Henderson has a new-found appreciation for drills, he writes.

COLUMN: Taking ownership of ski drills is key

In the last column we focused on our rock star airplane turns and this week we will focus on skiing drills.

Whitewater Ski Team coach Dylan Henderson has a new-found appreciation for drills, he writes.
Dylan Henderson demonstrates an airplane turn on skis.

COLUMN: Look like a rock star with airplane turns

In the last column we focused on unlocking your skiing and this week we will focus on airplane turns.

Dylan Henderson demonstrates an airplane turn on skis.
COLUMN: Yoga principles can help your ski technique

COLUMN: Yoga principles can help your ski technique

The last column was focused on hand position and this week we will focus on getting into an athletic stance.

COLUMN: Yoga principles can help your ski technique
The above drill will challenge your pole planting, Dylan Henderson writes.

COLUMN: Spread your arms, embrace the mountain

Hands forward! Get your hands out of your pockets! Sound familiar? My coach used to shout this.

The above drill will challenge your pole planting, Dylan Henderson writes.
Harper Henderson gets the feel for the ski season.

COLUMN: The sights, sounds, and smells of skiing

With this incredible start to the ski season at Whitewater I have been paying attention to the feel of skiing.

Harper Henderson gets the feel for the ski season.
COLUMN: Getting your weight forward key to skiing success

COLUMN: Getting your weight forward key to skiing success

December is a time of gathering with friends and family and the place where I feel the greatest sense of community is at Whitewater.

COLUMN: Getting your weight forward key to skiing success
The quest for a perfect turn: Dylan Henderson is back for another season of ski tips.

COLUMN: Show us what you got, El Nino

As the ski season approaches, skiers are filled with a dizzying combination of preseason stoke mixed with El Nino-induced panic attacks.

The quest for a perfect turn: Dylan Henderson is back for another season of ski tips.
The quest for the perfect turn.

COLUMN: Skiing and the changing climate

"We have many more decades of skiing here but there will be inconsistencies to the quality of the snow that we can prepare ourselves for.”

The quest for the perfect turn.
Spring ski tips with Dylan Henderson

COLUMN: How to get the most out of spring skiing

Ski tips with Dylan Henderson to bring out your inner hotdogger.

Spring ski tips with Dylan Henderson
COLUMN: The importance of being forward

COLUMN: The importance of being forward

Stop leaning back! Don’t sit on the toilet! Hands forward! Sound familiar? It’s true.

COLUMN: The importance of being forward
COLUMN: Listen to your skis

COLUMN: Listen to your skis

Dylan Henderson checks in with ski tips from Whitewater.

COLUMN: Listen to your skis