From: gunn@cucbs.chem.columbia.edu (John Gunn)
Newsgroups: rec.skiing
Subject: Re: Sunday River
Keywords: anyone know about it
Date: 28 Aug 92 22:54:25 GMT
Organization: Center for Biomolecular Simulation

In article <1992Aug28.132713@is.morgan.com> sergei@is.morgan.com (Sergei Poliakoff) writes:

[lots of stuff about moguls deleted]

>Of course, someone will definitely suggest to skim  tops instead 
>of following the gulley : this is sometimes the only way indeed,
>but since this posting deals with transition from flat skiing to mogul
>skiing, it is unacceptable : try to ask a "no-bumps" expert to 
>start learning to ski bumps by hopping from top to top !
>
>In the related argument, most  mogul instruction  is flawed because
>of this attempt to transplant "flat" carved turn technique to the bumps : 
>their leitmotiv is " skiing moguls is not different from skiing
>flats, same technique applies". This is the most irritating proposition
>to me : it is  very obvious that bumps ARE NOT skied the same way 
>as flats, instructors demonstrating bump technique    (including
>Nelson Carmichael in his idiotic and, IMHO, fraudelent video) 
>immediately switch technique as soon as  they hit the first mogul :
>but continue to insist they we shouldn't. Not that I'm saying
>that you don't need to ski flats well to do bumps :  what I'm saying
>is that skiing moguls introduces many new elements into technique
>that are not present in flat skiing : absorption (completely ignored
>by each and every mogul clinic that I once tried ), narrow stance
>(this is another  thing : when teaching to ski flats, all instructors 
>emphasize independent leg action and relatively wide stance. Left to their 
>own devices, they of course ski very narrow.), two-ski platform
>(recently they have begun to teach to ski on two skis, although
>themselves they stay squarely on one ski through the turn, but hide
>this  by skiing in narrow stance), pivoting and "swivel" turns 
>(nobody teaches how to pivot skis, the only acknowledged turn is a 
>full-fledged official  carving turn ; try to carve your way down Outer 
>Limits !).  In the Eastern condition, even these radical technique
>changes are not adequate : one has to  jump from on soft spot to 
>another !

I don't think this is entirely true.  I used to be somewhat of a "no-bump
expert" and I found that my bump skiing improved greatly when I tried to
make carved turns around every mogul.  I believe that the best way to ski
bumps is with the same fundamental technique as in a slalom course.  Of course
it can't be done, and there are lots of adjustments that must be made to go
fast, but those I think are details of balance and experience rather than
fundamental differences in approach.  When I teach people to ski bumps I
emphasize independent feet and solid edges and complete turns.  That will
allow you to ski in control on almost any hill and the other tricks of the
trade (like hopping over suicidal ruts) come with practice and confidence.

Also, skiing in control is what allows you to adjust your line according to
the hill, your speed, and your desired speed.  (By line I mean where you turn
relative to the tops of the bumps, analogous to line in a course)  That is 
how I learned to "hop from top to top", rather than by aiming myself at the 
bumps in mid-air. 

I am not an Instructor(tm) and I've never taken a Lesson(tm) so I can't comment
on how people in general are advised to ski bumps.  I think it is very 
difficult to see what someone is really doing when they're skiing.  I see a
lot of people skiing bumps as if they were rollerskating down a flight of 
stairs (for 10 yards or so) because that's what they think they see experts
doing.

-John

--standard disclaimers apply.  Don't try this at home.
Newsgroups: rec.skiing