World of Skiing:

Extension

If you can learn to do more with the beginning of the turn, the top half of the turn, the end of the turn, the bottom half, gets easier. The key word for the top half of the turn is extension. You start from a flexed position and then you extend; it feels like you reach your feet out to the side. You want to get half the turn done with extension.

From a flexed position I extend, and I steer my feet as I'm lengthening my legs, and I try to leave my legs as elongated as possible for as long as possible. You know what a lot of intermediates do? Instead of stretching their legs and turning their feet at the same time, they'll kind of cheat a bit and twist the upper body in the direction of the turn. Or it could be that they've got a good extension, but there's a lack of coordination with the steering. So the key is: from this flexed position, try now to reach your foot outwards. You reach your foot outwards by stretching your legs, or extending, and steering at the same time.

So once again: extend and steer. From a flexed position, extend your legs and steer your feet. And if you think you commit the classic intermediate blunder, of starting the turn with your upper body instead of with your legs, really focus on the extension. Start from perhaps an exaggerated flexed position, and really feel what it's like to stretch your leg out there, and steer your foot as you do that. Because if you do that, you can substitute that movement for this twisting of the upper body, which is that classic intermediate boo-boo. Try that: extension!