Mogul Skiing Technique Guide
Short-Radius Turns

     Short-radius turns are crucial to bump skiing for two main reasons. First, because the turns you will make in the bumps are short-radius, since 95% of the bumps you will encounter are relatively close together. They are certainly closer than would allow for a slalom or a typical carved alpine turn--which are cardinal sins in the bumps anyway. Second, because the short-radius turn on the groomers allows for the closest imitation of actually being in the bumps, which gives you the opportunity to practice bump skiing techniques on the flats.

     To make these short-radius turns on the groomers, you need to ski in your stacked mogul skiing stance, and keep your upper body quiet as we discussed in the previous section. As you start down the run, you will make quick turns. Turn your feet/ankles and angulate your knees around to the next turn and extend. Repeat for your next turn. Edging should be as constant as possible from foot-to-foot and turn-to-turn. The edge-to-edge transition should be as smooth as possible, as though a constant flowing motion from one turn to the next. Although we typically avoid the word when talking about mogul skiing, what you're really doing here is a mogul carve. Your tips are following your tails and you are on edge. Thus, you are engaging in a carved turn (albeit a mogul-specific turn).

     As you execute short-radius turns, in OR out of the bumps, an essential concept is "lead change." Chuck Martin and David Babic's Mogul Logic website defines it best: "Lead change: When the body is stacked properly over the downhill foot, the uphill knee naturally advances forward. The leading knee changes as the weight shifts onto the new downhill ski." Essentially, as you transition into each new turn, you must shift your weight to the new downhill ski. This weight shift, or lead change, must happen early. Some would even suggest that weight change occurs while the new downhill ski is still technically uphill! Timing is important, but it is not something that can be explained well in text. Watch some world cup video (in slow motion, if possible), and see how and when the pros shift their weight to the new downhill ski. When this shift happens properly, the opposite (or uphill) knee will push forward, and "lead."

     You can vary your speed by adjusting when and how hard you edge. When making extremely short radius turns, transitioning to the next turn when your skis are barely across the fall line will allow you to take a more direct line and ski more quickly. Waiting longer through your arc for your skis to become more perpendicular to the fall line and edging harder will help you to keep your speed down a little.

     It is important to note that with each turn you make, your movement needs to shift your weight to the downhill ski. In the bumps and groomers alike, you will want to make sure your weight is predominantly on the downhill ski.

Drills:

     The best way to practice is to simply do it. A lot. Vary your speed and your edge setting. Perhaps start with a larger-radius turn, and little-by-little tighten the radius until you are making tons of tiny check-like turns. Then work your way back to a slightly wider radius. Do this until you are more than comfortable with making short-radius turns.

     As you practice, it is key to remember to keep your eyes up and your upper body still. Also remember to focus on getting your lead change down. Get on that downhill ski early!

     The most effective method to rehearse keeping your weight on the downhill ski is to spend some time on the groomers doing wedge turns like you did when you first learned to ski. If you’re not familiar with these turns, place your skis in the snowplow ( / \ ) position. Begin going down the trail. To turn left, keep your left ski straight and turn your right ski left, angulating your right knee and putting your weight on the downhill (right) ski ( | \ ). Do the opposite for your right turn ( / | ). As you turn, you should feel a pinch near your hip. These wedge turns will make weighting your downhill ski second nature.

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