Moguls skiing tips

Four things will help you improve your mogul skiing.

1. You have good balance, and are able to recover from being out of balance quickly.
2. You can make a good short radius turn with speed control on steeper groomed slopes.
3. You have a rhythmical, well timed pole plant.
4. Line, skiing the tops, the troughs, or a mix of both.

To improve your balance:
Try some traverses through easy bumps. Suck your feet up as you go over the bump. Push your feet down into the trough. Aim to keep your hips at a constant height , using your legs as shock absorbers.

As the tips of your skis hit the bump in front of you it will tend to throw your hips forward, putting you slightly off balance. Practice moving your hips slightly back just before you engage the bump. This compensation will put you into a neutral balanced stance. A similar thing happens as you slide down the bump, you feet accelerate down the face leaving your hips behind your feet, so push your hips forward to compensate.

Balance in bumps is a case of rapid recoveries from being out of balance.



Short radius turns:

Moguls are normally closely spaced; to navigate them you need to turn both of your skis quickly. Select an intermediate groomed run where you can practice some short turns. Set a goal of 10 turns in a given distance, then try to increase the number of turns in the same distance. Both skis should be actively guided through the turn, the radius should be tight and consistent. Complete or round out your turns so that your speed stays under control. Once you feel comfortable on the groomed runs try the same turn in some easier bumps.

Pole plants:

A strong rhythmical pole plant is extremely beneficial when skiing bumps. Make sure yours is well timed and functional. Many people like to touch their pole on the top of the bump they wish to turn on. Plant the pole, then turn around it.

Line:

Where do you ski? Most beginner mogul skiers turn on the top of the bump. It's the easiest place to pivot your skis, for here you can move to the troughs. Imagine there is a river flowing down the mogul field, the path you will take will be the route the water takes. You may want to do a mixture of tops and troughs, turning in a rhythmical fashion not allowing the terrain to dictate where you turn.

You don't need to be an expert to ski bumps. Try navigating the moguls using a wedge christie. Using the top of the bump to turn on, push your skis out into a wedge (snow plough). Make the turn in the wedge matching your skis to parallel as you slide down the mogul. You don't have to turn on every bump so don't rush yourself.

Wait until you feel comfortable, touch your pole on the top of the mogul, spread your skis out into a wedge, match your skis after the turn. Get a feel for skiing the bumps. Which is the best route down? How do I keep my speed under control? How do I ski rhythmically? How do I stay in balance?