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Every good bumps run in the world breeds its own little clique of initiates. These are expert mogul skiers, who hug the fall line where normal skiers are forced into desperate traverses; absorb bumps that throw others into the air like rag dolls; and, most annoying of all, seem to be enjoying themselves. What is their secret?

Unfortunately, there is no single answer. Fall-line mogul skiing requires a reasonable level of strength and fitness, sound basic technique and good balance. Some specialized techniques will enable you to cope with the violent undulations in the terrain as you perform your turns. But equally importantly, you need the cognitive ability to read the terrain: expert mogul skiing depends on recognizing patterns in the moguls and responding quickly. It is this path-finding skill, rather than any technique, that can be most difficult to master.

In previous chapters, you have learnt how to cope with moguls; the emphasis has been more on survival than enjoyment. This chapter introduces fall line mogul skiing. And the real secret to mastering the bumps? Get out there and ski them!

[Photo: ifyouski.com] As you hit each mogul use your hips, knees and ankles to absorb it and keep your arms in front of you at all times. Your centre of mass should follow a straight line.

Absorption

By allowing your legs to flex under you as you ski over each mogul, you reduce the pressure between your skis and the snow. Once your skis have passed over the crest, extend your legs strongly, maintaining contact with the snow.

Exercise

Practise this next time you find yourself in an easy mogul field with a good safe run-out area. As you reach the last few bumps, let your skis run straight down the fall line. Keep your head and upper body calm while using your legs to smooth out the moguls. Allowing the moguls to flex your legs is fine, but you need to push down actively into the troughs to keep your skis on the snow. Notice how the force on your skis is also smoothed out.

Another good way to practise this is to traverse at a moderate speed or perform giant slalom turns through a mogul field (making sure first, of course, that the path is clear).

Keep your upper body from rising and falling as you pass over the moguls, and push your arms forwards as you absorb the bumps.

Tip

Your upper body must remain calm throughout, letting your legs absorb the mogul under you. Don't let yourself fold forwards from the waist.