Skiers come here!!

[TCO]

Howdy.

Let's talk skiing. Whatever is on your mind.

To kick it off: I just got back from a trip to NM (Angelfire and Sante Fe). Skiing was a blast even though the snow is off a little this year.

I'm really struggling to break through the intermediate hump. I ski nice pretty turns on any featyureless slope (even if steep). And can ski fast and aggressively. But I can't ski bumps worth a damn. I start break parrallel and leaning back as soon as I enter bumps. I realy want to break through this.

[Carolus Rex]

I skied this Sunday for the first time in 8 (!?) years! Great fun, but man, were my legs finished afterwards (they still are)... And it was only for four hours... How could I go on 8 hours a day, 6 or 7 days a week and party every night until 3 AM 13-14 years ago?

I skied a lot when I was younger, but somehow I got away from it. Mostly went to Austria, but I have also skied in France, Switzerland, Norway and Sweden.

You echo my problem, GP. I'm a good skier, but when the slopes are icy or (especially) when there are bumps, I fail miserably. One or two turns, then I have to stop or I'll lose control.

I'm thinking about taking lessons on how to ski among bumps. I know the basic technique (your head should follow the same line, while the legs do the adjustment), but never mastered it...

Carolus

[Makeo]

Is this in the right forum?

Bumps is my favourite skiing. I'm pretty good at teaching it too.

[Carolus Rex]

So speak up, son!

Some basic advice, please?

Carolus

[Makeo]

Ok. I don't care what anyone says, if they say different than me they are wrong.

You can't ski bumps without a pole plant. Its the most important thing in the bumps. If you plant your pole on the top of each bump your turning on it improves your timing and most importantly stabilizes your upper body.

Two other tips which i think are important are kind of intertwined. You have to absorb the impact of the bump with your legs. Basically your legs act as a piston pumping up and down absorbing the impact while your upper body stays relatively still. If you use this absorption and pivot/turn your ski's on top of the bump and slide down the back side of the bump you can control your speed without having to smash into the next bump down. A lot of people's speed control is smashing into the next bump but that seems the hard way to me.

[TCO]

I've got the pole plant down.

My shock absorbing thing needs work. Probably need to get stronger and more alert/adept at anticipating the shock.

I know that I'm supposed to turn on the bump. And I try to do this. But I end up breaking parrallel...as I try to muscle the turn around.

Regarding the "next bump"

Should I try to turn at each bump lower down? (like a checkers type pattern?) Sometimes I cruise through a few to find one that's friendlier...

[Carolus Rex]

Makeo,

I'm off skiing this week-end and I'll try your advice. If I break a leg or two, you'll hear from my lawyers...

Carolus

[poison_flower]

I'm going skiing for the first time soon, and I would like some advice... I really have no clue what I'm doing... just going to impress a friend.

[The Rusty Gamer]

Has anyone tried the computer game Skiing Tycoon? Just wondered.