BRsnow

I am starting to work on moguls...I can do a few and then I seem to miss one and get a bit too much speed and washout...Any hints on shortening the learning curve...thanks....

Snowolf

I ride a lot of moguls and do reasonably well. To get really good takes "time behind the wheel". Number one thing to work on when riding moguls is independent flexion and extension. In other words developing the ability to flex and extend each leg independently as you ride over and around the bumps. Stay loose and responsive shifting weight foot to foot as needed. Keep your weight nice and centered over the top of your board as you ride these things.

Now for some actual strategy for riding them, What I do is I traverse them; I am not riding over the top nor am I totally down in the trough the whole time. As I traverse the hill, I am heelside on one mogul, then dip into the trough to then traverse the next one toeside. When I get to the point that it is time to change directions, I will look for a good spot to make that turn about 2 or 3 bumps ahead. When I am toeside, facing up the mountain, I will travers the bump above me on the toe edge and as I am about to drop off of it, I will pop off my toes and spin about 90 degrees to point the nose down the hill. What this does, is I land on the slop of the next bump in a heelside turn that I complete in the trough between the two bumpb and then use the same technique riding heelside, facing down the mountain.

Now when I get the point I am ready to turn back and ride toeside across the mountain, I will pick a good trough between two bumps and make a quick heel to toe turn while in that trough and if needed will down unweight to get the heel edge disengaged faster so I can get to toe quickly and turn around the mogul directly in front of and below me.

Riding moguls is a work out for your core muscles and legs and will tire you out quickly. If I am having trouble staying war, I will take a run down through the bumps and I am no longer cold. You will be in constant motion and employing both up unweighting and down unweighting as you make turns, by banking off the bump or hopping up and spinning.

Keep at it and you will develope a feel for it and get a rythem going. It takes time and lots of falling in the moguls to get the technique dialed in.

__________________

BRsnow

Thanks, I am going to stay at it. I am fairly new and think this will help me in the trees with turning. I have just ridden enough now, to be a bit not bored but ready to try new terrain and lessen the time on the lift vs. riding...thanks for the insight....

sedition

That is THE key to not only riding moguls, but snowboarding in general. Whether you do it intentionally or not, picking a line is how it all gets done. It's all about turning where the terrain tells you it wants you to turn...where you and the conditions become one, and riding becomes a Zen state...there is no mountain, there is no snow, there is no ice, there is no rider, there is only one, fluid, connected state of Being.

__________________
"Up front there ought to be a man in black." -Johnny Cash
Drink sin. Ride with the devil.

GEAR
Rome | Graft | 151
Johnnie Walker | Low-ball | Lodge

Snowolf

Have you been getting into MPD`s secret stash again? That sounded so "hippy".....

Seriously though that is very, very true and good words of wisdom. When you work with the terrain it makes riding so much easier and fluid.

__________________

sedition

Well, I *am* a socailist/anarchist!

__________________
"Up front there ought to be a man in black." -Johnny Cash
Drink sin. Ride with the devil.

GEAR
Rome | Graft | 151
Johnnie Walker | Low-ball | Lodge

PaoloSmythe

bend your knees, plan ahead and piss off the skiers with your speed, skill and style!

__________________
Just coz you don't understand it
Doesn't mean it makes no sense!