Bump Skiing or Mogul skiing can be intimidating for some skiers, but it is a thrilling and exhilarating experience once you master the technique.
Mogul fields are often the least busy runs on the mountain and can make for a great workout and a fun way to escape the crowds. However, it takes practice and a few falls to get the hang of the bumps, but it's well worth it in the end. In this blog post, we will provide some tips and exercises to help you improve your mogul skiing skills.
The first step to conquering mogul skiing is to love the bumps. The bumps are your friends, not your enemies. They can help you control your speed and make steeper slopes easier to tackle.
The key is to approach the bumps with confidence and not let them intimidate you. When you look at the bumps, smile and remind yourself that they are here to help you.
Weight distribution is crucial when skiing the bumps. If you lean back, you will fall. It's that simple. Mogul fields are not very forgiving, and if you start to lean back, you will pick up more speed and end up on your back with your skis halfway down the hill.
To avoid this, stay on top of your skis and push your weight forward at the start of every turn. A useful tip is to reach down the hill to plant your pole in the mogul you are about to turn around.
Another important technique for mogul skiing is to absorb the bumps. Use your legs to absorb each mogul in turn, and you will feel more stable on your skis.
As you ski over the back of each bump, flex your legs up by bending in your ankles, knees, and waist.
Then extend your legs to push your skis into the troughs between each mogul.
Your head shouldn't bob up and down as you ski through the bumps but stay at the same height. If you feel yourself getting thrown up and down each time you go over/round a bump, then work your legs harder - more flexion and extension!
A useful exercise to practice this technique is to ski across a mogul field in a straight line, practising the flexion and extension to absorb each bump, before stopping.
Turn around and do the same going in the opposite direction until you feel comfortable with the absorption technique and its sensations.
Turning is another important aspect of mogul skiing. The exaggerated flexion and extension that you need to use in the bumps can help you turn. Just as you should extend your legs to stand up tall at the start of a turn on the piste and then flex down as you finish the turn, so you extend your legs into the trough between bumps at the start of the turn and then flex them to absorb the next bump at the end of the turn.
You then extend your legs to push your ski around the bump and flex down to absorb the following one.
This up and down motion works the legs but there is no shame in stopping for regular breathers on the way down! A useful exercise to practice turning is to take the bumps on one at a time.
Set yourself up on the back of a mogul, with your skis pointing across the hill. Slowly extend your legs and lean down the hill, planting your pole in the bump you are on. As your skis start to slide off the bump, steer them around the bump and slide them into the back of the next bump, flexing your legs slightly to absorb the impact.
Keep doing this down the hill until you feel comfortable linking more and more turns.
Finally, remember that the bumps don't dictate where you turn.
Turn when and where you want to, not where the bumps tell you to. Each bump is a different size and shape, so turn where you want to and keep in mind that it's your ski and your run. Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things.
In conclusion, mogul skiing can be intimidating at first, but with practice and the right techniques, it can be a lot of fun.
Remember to love the bumps, stay on top of your skis, absorb the bumps with your legs, and turn where you want to.
Keep these tips and exercises in mind, and you'll be bouncing down the mountain in no time.
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Happy skiing!
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