 Poster: A snowHead
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AndrewBailey, I am afraid I think you're doing it wrong then!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Just want to say thanks for all the help.
Can't say I'm now a great mogul skier but I definitely improved over the week.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Tips:
traverse across a mogul field a few times practising compression. if your weight is ever thrown back or you become mildly airbourne you need more. earn to move compress with the bumps aiming to keep your body at the same level. Get used to it.
then slip sideways down a straight line of bumps along their tops without turning - get used to balancing and controlling speed along the crest of a bump
then sideslip them slowly without poles, turning on the top and sliding down using the front face and edge of the next for compression and to take off speed. Feel the rythm.
Do this, and when you add poles you will feel assured, rythmic and straight.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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sukuinage, under a new name is one of the best bumps skiers I know (including instructors) - so I'd follow his advice.
My views anyway...
In truth, there isn't a single "way" of skiing bumps. How you ski them depends on their size, shape and the snow on them.
The first thing to understand is that you control speed in bumps through one of four mechanisms:
- scraping - friction either from the base or the edges of the ski. For this to be effective you need to have your skis across the fall line - not down it.
- flexing and extending the skis - if the tips of the skis hit a bump / trough first and cause the ski to flex then that flexion will dissipate energy. For this to be effective you need to have your skis more down the fall line than across it; the tips of the skis need to make contact with a bump / rut first and you need to be able to manage the rebound from the skis.
- flexing and extending the body - if you "absorb" a bump by flexing your body then you'll dissipate energy and it'll slow you down. The book that under a new name mentions above majors on this
- crashing into the bump with the objective of "exploding" it - this works particularly well on slushy bumps. If you destroy the bump then you'll dissipate energy in doing so. This is an awful way to ski icy bumps.
You have four choices of line:
Apex to apex
As described by under a new name. Skis across the fall line; extend and scrape down back of bump; compress to absorb bump and pivot at apex. Speed control is primarily provided by the scraping.
To do this effectively you need to get your skis more than 45 degrees across the fall line, which is a relatively slow manoeuvre - so this tends to work better for medium to large moguls.
Ski the rut
Always aim to keep your skis in the rut - focussing on keeping the tips in the rut. The rut line is actually the fastest snow, but the slowest line as you ski the furthest. Speed control is primarily provided by the bending and flexing of the skis - so when the tip hits the rut it scrubs speed. Works best on medium sized bumps where there is enough rut to stay in.
Ski shoulder to shoulder
Aim to ski over the shoulders of the bumps - keeping the skis within 15-20 degrees of the fall line at all times. More than any approach this uses the terrain to brake and you control speed through flexion/extension of the body or aiming to destroy the bump.
Best for small to medium moguls. Generally the quickest line down the hill.
Jump from face to face
Really useful of huuuuuuuuuuuuuge bumps where you effectively avoid anything other than the faces of the bump and hop from one to another. Not as hard as it sounds.
Which is right depends on the bumps.
The real skill is being able to mix and match approaches in one run.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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there is a fifth way.... concentrate so hard on trying to do what FlyingStantoni, suggests that you get confused, fall over and roll down the bump field... bumps are for chumps avoid em when at all possible 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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skimottaret, said the person who admitted to skiing bumps for five consecutive hours the other week. 
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FlyingStantoni, you are faaaar too kind. And completely wrong if you'd seem me skiing last Saturday.
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To practise absorbing the bumps traverse across a bump field, check uphill for other skiers first. As you traverse just concentrate on absorbing the bumps and extending into the troughs. When you absorb think about pushing your feet forward and you need to break at the waist, arms extended forward, when you get it right your knees will and chest will be moving towards each other as you hit the top of a bump. Help if you dont have phones, cameras etc in you jacket pockets as they can get in the way. Also the correct skis help. Personally I prefer soft skis, my pocket rockets for instance, over my stiffer shorter grippy slalom skis. Slushy bumps are great way to practise or even just a slushy piste with clumps of snow building up, point down the fall line, short turns, absorb the clumps.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Well, even more things to absorb. Unfortunately my next trip will not be till next year.
I got the book that under a new name suggested & I've found the tips & exercises useful; however, as a fat bloke in his mid 40's, executing them was a little trickier.
The best thing I found was to point my toes into the dips - stopped me from doing my previous "oh no, it's a big drop, better panic & sit back" & means that my legs extend to follow & giving room for the compression. That & keeping the skis together has made things easier.
The main thing is that I'm enjoying skiing in the bumps a lot more now even if my "style" lacks a certain "je ne sais crois".
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Do people think the technique for skiing hard icy bumps is different to that for skiing soft slushy or powdery bumps?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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With slushy/powdery bumps you can kinda ignore them and just smash through sometimes, which doesn't really work with hard icy bumps.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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slikedges, umm, just in degree I think, soft slushy bumps are magnificent and delightful, hard, icy ones are probably an excuse for a good lunch.
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I've been playing round with focussing speed control more on the backs of the bumps when icier and just the fronts when softer. Seems to work but I need to experiment with it more.
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You know it makes sense.
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I would recomend to start with short radius turns onpiste and then take them in to "blue" bumps. Just dont look at the bumps in front of you and do your regular short turns looking down the walley. Let your feet find the way throgh easy bumps, dont think too much about how to ski them. When comfortable enogh then red ones. On the steep (black) bumps try to skid the bumps sideways with the upper body facing down the slope and get comfortable with this challenging terrain.
And look for the soft bumps or slushy ones, not icy ones for learning.
That's the way how it worked for me
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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cbr7, I'm pleased it worked for you, but seriously, learn to turn properly on one bump, then you simply extend that into multiple linked bumps.
I think it's one of those things where there is a right way and many not so right ways.
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Poster: A snowHead
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sukinage -- i'd agree with your comment above. I love skiing moguls. One of the things I find most useful is consciously tipping the tips of my skis down into the trough as I pivot on the crest of a bump. When doing this, compression follows automatically (start forcing the tips of your skis down while you are rising to the crest, and keep doing it while you pivot around on the bases of the skis). In some places I have seen this tipping action being likened to pressing your foot down on an accelerator (or brake pedal) in a car. It naturally brings the knees up towards your chest, and, importantly, ensures that your skis stay in contact with the snow. Obvious, but worth remembering that it is only when your skis are touching the snow that you can maintain control. So, foot on the gas -- tip those tips into the crest and the trough). That, and keeping your skis closer together than usual will help (unfortunately, parabolic skis are not designed for this, and, in fact, are not the best skis for mogul fields) --
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