How to Ski Bumps

How to Ski Bumps

After the attitude adjustment, you can focus on technique. Keep your skis on the snow. Constant pressure on the tongues of your boots, absorb, then extending into the trough. Keep hands forward and eyes and chin up.

These guys have legs like sewing machine needles. But let’s slow them down to see what they’re really doing. The key to good bump skiing is keeping your skis on the snow. This is where the control’s at. As soon as you start hopping and slapping, you’re on a bronc ride.

Watch as Caleb Martin keeps constant pressure on the tongues of his boots. As he absorbs the bump, he drives his pants forward and presses his hips forward. This propels his tips down as he extends.

Here’s another look. Constant pressure on the tongues of your boots, absorb, then extending into the trough. Keep hands forward and eyes and chin up. Notice how light and snappy Donna Weinbrecht’s pole plants are. Her hands always stay in front of her, and her upper body movements are minimal. Less is more here. Let’s watch Donna ski another line. Hands out in front with pole plants, absorbs the bump and extends into the trough, all the while keeping the pressure on the tongues of her boots. Perfect.

While competitive mogul skiing is fairly new, the techniques Donna is using actually aren’t. Notice the way these guys tackle the bumps of their day. Check it out; snappy pole plants to time their turns, upper body movement is minimal, not bad for ankle high leather boots and bamboo poles with floppy baskets.

Here’s another thing that all the skiers do. They keep their chins up and their eyes focused ahead of them. This keeps them moving through the top spots better.

So, the keys to great mogul skiing are: keep your skis on the snow, constant pressure on the tongues of your boots, absorb then extending into the trough, keep hands forward and eyes and chin up. And this is what it looks like when it all works.

[Demonstration]


Transcription by: Scribe4you Transcription Services