Have you ever been skiing and suddenly found yourself in the air?
Maybe it was because you lost balance and fell, or maybe you caught an edge.
Regardless, if you find yourself flying through the air on your skis, one thing is certain: You’re about to hit some bumps. And that means there’s a good chance that your next move could be hitting some moguls.
What are moguls?
Moguls can be hard to see, especially when they’re covered in snow.
They are formed by skiers or snowmobiles who have been on the trail before you. The weight of their bodies compresses the snow, which makes it harder for you to ski over them without falling down.
Why do we care about moguls?
Moguls are a great way to improve your skiing, balance and timing. They also add another layer of difficulty that can be beneficial for advanced skiers. If you’re looking to challenge yourself or just get better at skiing moguls, there are a few things you should know first:
- Moguls are small bumps in the snow that form when snow is compressed by skiers’ weight as they ski down a slope.
- They are most often found on mogul runs a type of steeply pitched run with numerous turns and bumps and have been described as “mountains” made out of snow rather than rock or dirt like real mountains would be made out of.*
How to ski moguls?
Moguls are the bumps you find on a ski slope. They’re caused by snow that’s been compressed and pushed into a mound, then covered with fresh powder. Moguls can be small or large, and they range from gentle to steeply pitched depending on their depth and angle of incline.
The best way to learn how to ski moguls is by practicing in the terrain park at your local resort or even better, out in nature if there are no parks nearby! You’ll want to start off with small bumps first so that you can get used to how they feel beneath your skis before moving onto bigger ones later on.
When approaching mogul fields, focus on picking up speed as fast as possible while keeping good balance over both feet.
Once inside the field itself where there are no more flat areas between bumps but rather just one continuous line of them stretching out before you like some sort of huge roller coaster track made entirely out of snow and ice cubes which would actually be pretty cool if someone ever builds such an attraction someday.
Here are some tips:
1 Start small on a bumpy blue run
1 Start small on a bumpy blue run
2 Avoid moguls, bumps and trees
3 Ski early in the morning
2 Focus on timing your turns
Moguls are different from flat terrain, so you need to learn how to handle them. The most important thing is timing your turns and keeping your body balanced.
- Don’t lean too far forward or back. If you’re going too fast, try slowing down a bit before entering moguls so that you don’t have to turn so sharply into them and can keep more of an upright position as you move through them.
- Don’t turn too soon or too late you want to stay balanced on your skis while still making sure not to let them slide out from under you at any time in the process!
3 Build awareness of your balance
Moguls are tricky to navigate because they’re constantly changing and you don’t have much time to react. You can’t just hop over them like you would with a regular ski run, so it’s important that you stay focused on keeping yourself balanced throughout the entire ride.
Here are some tips:
- Focus on keeping your weight centered over your skis – this will help prevent tipping over at an awkward angle.
- Make sure your knees are bent and upper body is upright this will help ensure that when one ski slips, there’s still another one underneath you for support.
- Keep eyes up and focused on slope ahead if possible try not looking down into moguls as they may make it harder for your brain to process what’s happening underfoot! Also keep those hips level with terrain rather than tipped forward or backward; otherwise risk losing control of either direction!
4 The skidded line
- Focus on your skis. You’re probably in a good position if you can see the tips of your skis, but if not, try to look down at them so that they are visible.
- Don’t worry about what other people are doing. Everyone has their own way of skiing moguls and it’s important to find what works best for you!
- Don’t try too hard or get frustrated if it doesn’t work right away (or even if it does). If you’re struggling with this technique, don’t let it ruin your day–you’ll get better with practice!
5 Perfect your hockey stops on moguls
When it comes to skiing mogul runs, there’s no such thing as too many hockey stops.
Hockey stops are an aggressive technique used by skiers when they encounter a mogul or bump in their path; the skier uses their edges to turn and slow down rather than simply plowing through them.
If you’re already comfortable with turning on your skis and slowing down, try practicing making more dramatic hockey turns when approaching moguls.
6 Ski faster and more smoothly
When you’re skiing, it’s important to remember that speed is not your friend. You’ll want to start with a slow speed and build up gradually as you become more comfortable with the terrain.
If you’ve never skied moguls before, it can be helpful to practice on flat ground first this will help familiarize yourself with how your skis respond when they meet bumps in their path.
Then move on to small bumps in the snow: these are called “chop” or “crud.” Once again, take things slowly so that you don’t lose control of your balance while navigating these obstacles!
Now try tackling some larger bumps these are called “moguls”.
These require more speed than chop does; however if run too fast into them without paying attention where each foot lands on its respective ski, then there’s a good chance both feet will fly off the backside of one ski simultaneously causing an unstable landing position which may lead straight into another mogul further down hill.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to skiing moguls. As with any new skill, it takes time and practice to get good at it.
The best way to improve is by practicing on small bumps in blue runs until they feel comfortable before moving onto bigger ones. Once you’ve mastered the basics of timing your turns and balancing yourself correctly, then try out some of our tips for skiing faster or smoother they really work!