Intermediate -> Advanced Mono-ski

If there are any mono-skiers around, I'm looking for tips/exercises for my intermediate mono-ski students. Most of them have reached advanced intermediate skiing, meaning they can get around the mountain on pretty much all terrain with ease, but it's easy going.

What I want to accomplish is get them to that "next level". It's hard to find good exercises to introduce carving into their skiing. How do I get them to better understand angulation and get them to lean into a turn knowing that the edge will catch you. Is there anything else I should consider besides carving?

If anyone could help I would really appreciate it!

Thanks.

Try sideslipping, hockey stops, hockey slides, J turns, edge releases in a traverse, uphill christis to a stop, etc.; the same sort of maneuvers you would use with a two-tracker to teach them how edges work.

I recommend you check some of the threads in Ski Instruction and Coaching for more ideas.  Then take them and adapt them to the needs of your student.

http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/79887/getting-skis-on-edge

http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/80062/i-need-a-drill-for-initiate-carved-turns-tails-following-tips

http://www.epicski.com/forum/thread/80056/j-turn

I'm a sort of beginning carve mono-sitskier..

The key thing appears to learn to control the progressive weighting of the 'rear' of the ski as one comes through the fall line and avoiding the speed bleeding 'wash out and skidding' of the tail.

The key concept I've been told is to smoothly move the weight back towards the centre as you come through so you have some 'dynamic space' to be able to move forward (and up) to initiate the next turn. 

One thing my instructors have been getting me to do are monkey arm movments.. rather than simply pushing the riggers forward and out by straightening the arms,  to keep the elbows more bent and move them sideways while still moving the body forward and back. Keeping the weight more central seems to be fundamental

I'm surprised that your class "can get around the mountain"   without being able to hang in edge checks and  the braking skids as necessary to handle icy paths. The screech stop braking turn was the first thing I wanted to 'master'.  

Another ten pennyworth.. I had quite a lot of skiing experience.. most every sort of ski, mono and snowboard before I  took up adaptive-mono-sitski.. The real real real difference I've noticed is the lack of feel and the difference between putting a ski on carve with your legs and keeping it there by responding to it through the turn and putting it on with your butt!!  I dont know but some of your pupils might have little feeling in their butt. BUT I have noticed that I am slowly beginning to recognise when the edge is holding and when its beggining to to break by the seat of my pants. Also by listening to the sound !!! 

And .. I think a major development for me was when I started to 'dive down the hill..' committing to the opposite edge early in the turn .. I remember the old days when one was taught to step up the hill and onto the uphill ski, rolling it over on to the edge to initiate the turn.. Well I try to do that in the mono.. I dont know what exercise does it but it helps if the ski is pointing towards the fall line because an outside edge fall can be really messy