Home Position and Magic Turns

When I visit different ski areas, one of the things I like to do is
to corner an instructor, or maybe just any skier, expert or
novice, who's attention I can hold just long enough to get an
answer to the following question:

What is *the* most essential thing a skier of any level must
have, must do, be able to do, or some such as this? What is
number one for anyone who skis?

By far the majority answer balance, or body position. Without
this, a skier can't do anything. Of course, balance comes from
body position when a person is skiing. If a skier is in position,
he or she is automatically in balance.

It might be called the athletic position, ready position, or other
names, but in the Magic Turns system, it's called Home Position.
The biggest reason it's called that is the Home Position Rule.

The Home Position Rule:

When you get in trouble, go home. Above all else, hands
forward, for a beginner, almost to the tips of the skis. Slightly
rounded shoulders, slight bend at the waist, knees *always*
bent a little or a lot, ankles flexed forward, and head up,
looking ahead, where you're going, not at the skis or at the
ground right in front of you. You should be able to pick
up the tail of either ski, and leave the tip of that ski on
the snow.

People don't fall because of mysterious reasons, they
fall because they get out of position. So, when you find
yourself out of control, perhaps about to fall, you must simply
recover home position, and you'll be all good. Use your abs to
pull yourself forward again, and stretch your arms back out in
front of you. Once you have home position back, you'll have
control back, and you can do as you wish to deal with the
situation you're in.

If you are in home position, *you will not fall*. If you lose it,
get it back.

When you get in trouble, go home.