Arlberg technique

The system was developed by Hannes Schneider while working as an instructor in the Arlberg mountains in Austria. His methods were popularized in Europe in a series of films in the 1920s and 30s. It became popular in the United States after Schneider moved there in 1939, having been jailed during the Anschluss.

The Arlberg technique is a progressive system that takes the skier from the snowplough turn to the parallel Christie through measured stages of improvement. The system, or slightly modified versions, remains in widespread use to this day. Modern ski equipment is also capable of a more efficient turning style known as carving that uses entirely different techniques and movements. Some ski schools have started moving students directly from the snowplough to carving as early as possible, avoiding learning stemming habits that may be difficult to un-learn.

Hannes Schneider took a job as a ski instructor at the Hotel Post in Sankt Anton am Arlberg in Austria in 1907. He started developing various modifications to current ski techniques during this time, and the Arlberg technique developed through this process. During World War I he used the technique to train the Austria’s alpine troops, and fought with the Austrian army in Russia and on the Italian front. With the ending of the war, he returned to Hotel Post and continued to develop the Arlberg technique.

In 1921 the German filmmaker Arnold Fanck visited Arlberg and produced the world's first instructional ski film, Das Wunder des Schneeschuhs. This introduced the Arlberg technique to the world, and it was quickly taken up by ski schools. A follow-up film in 1931, Der weiße Rausch – neue Wunder des Schneeschuhs, followed the tribulations of two friends who travel to Arlberg to learn how to ski. This film was produced along with an instructional book, which was featured in the film. Stills from the film were also used to illustrate the book.

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