You steer in skeleton almost entirely with your body , using small, precise movements rather than hands or traditional “steering.”

Quick Scoop: How you actually steer

When you’re lying head‑first on the sled, you steer mainly by changing how and where your weight presses into it.

  • You shift your bodyweight in the direction you want to go.
  • You use shoulders and knees to press into specific corners of the sled.
  • You make tiny head movements to fine‑tune direction.
  • In emergencies, you can use your toes/feet against the ice for a hard steer, though it costs a lot of speed.

At 120+ km/h, even a small movement can swing your line, so steering is more about subtle pressure than big leans.

Core techniques (what riders actually do)

Think of the sled like it’s “listening” to pressure points along your body.

  • Shoulder steer
    • Press your left shoulder down to go left; right shoulder to go right.
* This shifts runner contact and helps guide the sled through the curve.
  • Knee and hip pressure
    • Drive a knee gently into the sled on the inside of the turn to load that corner.
* Subtle hip lean plus knee pressure is common for shaping the line through longer curves.
  • Head steer
    • Tiny head turns or tilts change both weight distribution and airflow over your body.
* A “head steer” is considered the smallest, most delicate adjustment to settle or slightly redirect the sled.
  • Toe / foot steer (emergency)
    • Tapping or dragging a toe on the ice in the direction you want to move acts like a mini anchor.
* Beginners use this more; experienced sliders treat it as a last‑resort safety steer because it scrubs speed.

What makes good steering (timing & feel)

Steering in skeleton is less “turn the wheel now” and more “shape the whole run with tiny choices.”

  • Anticipation: You must start a steer before the curve or hit arrives; late steers lead to wall taps, skids, or crashes.
  • Subtlety: Too much input makes the sled skid and kills speed; too little and the track dictates your line.
  • Low, tight position: Staying low and connected to the sled (tight core, low center of gravity) improves control and feel.
  • “Feel” for the runners: Experienced sliders talk about learning how the sled responds and trusting that feel under pressure.

An example: approaching a left‑hander, a slider will gently start leaning left, load the left shoulder and knee a fraction, maybe add a tiny head steer, then relax mid‑curve to let the sled run without over‑driving.

Safety and learning curve

Because skeleton involves high speeds and solid ice walls, learning steering is done in a controlled, coached environment.

  • New sliders start from lower points on the track to keep speeds down while they practice steering and lines.
  • They’re taught “safety steers” like toe drags to avoid bad hits when they misjudge a corner.
  • Protective gear (helmet, suit, sometimes extra padding) helps manage the risks while they learn.

Over time, athletes aim to replace big, obvious steers with quiet, efficient ones that keep maximum speed while still staying off the walls.

TL;DR: In skeleton you steer by shifting weight and applying pressure with shoulders, knees, head, and occasionally toes, using tiny, early, and controlled movements rather than big dramatic leans.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.