Top Tips from a Ski Instructor
Moguls are intimidating when you don’t have a strategic approach to skiing them. I often see skiers (and the odd snowboarder) losing control and letting the moguls bash them about like a sailboat in a storm! If you want to conquer the bumps then I would advise booking yourself a lesson with a Ski Instructor but, in the meantime, here are some suggestions to help you on your way:
• Start with a drill to refresh your memory. A good drill is to traverse the mogul fi eld imagining that there is a ceiling just above your head. When you come up to a bump, keep your upper body strong and let the mogul push your knees up. If you’re keeping your torso still and absorbing the bump with your legs then you won’t bang your head on the invisible ceiling! Extend your legs into the trough between bumps.
• Don’t bend forwards at the waist when you take a mogul. Your core must be kept strong. If you bend forward at the waist to compensate for the movement that should be happening in your lower body then you will throw yourself off balance.
• Turns on moguls are made by pivoting. T is demands a narrower stance so bring your skis closer together. T is will help with the pivoting motion, which should be driven mainly by and happen mainly underneath your feet.
• Once you have come over the rise of the bump you will be looking into a trough. So how do you deal with this part of the mogul? T e secret here is skidding. After pivoting, extend your legs with force into the trough of the bump, leaning your skis onto their edges to cause a short sharp skid to happen. T is helps with speed control. Don’t let your upper body turn with your skis – keep it facing downhill.
• Keep your arms out in front of you, as if you are holding a newspaper with your upper body fi rm and facing down the fall line.
• Position your pole plants at a point further down the hill than you – this helps to keep the upper body facing down the fall line. It also means that you will be looking ahead and anticipating the next bump.
• Pick a line of descent and try your best to stick to it. Don’t ‘window shop’ for the nicest looking mogul – you will end up traversing the piste and you won’t get a rhythm going.
• Don’t lean back! A lot of people sit back and, as a result, lose control of their speed. Oh, and if you get tired then ski something else. Moguls punish tired skiers!
Emma McClelland-BASI Qualifi ed Instructor
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