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- From: hhelanto@vipunen.hut.fi (Henri R Helanto)
- Newsgroups: rec.skiing
- Subject: Re: Question to more advanced skiers (bumps)
- Message-ID: <hhelanto.726108946@vipunen.hut.fi>
- Date: 4 Jan 93 00:55:46 GMT
- References: <9212291554.AA15363@ejvdev4>
- Sender: usenet@nntp.hut.fi (Usenet pseudouser id)
- Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
- Lines: 69
- Nntp-Posting-Host: vipunen.hut.fi
-
- In <9212291554.AA15363@ejvdev4> pwagner@ejv.com (Peter Wagner) writes:
-
- >I ski the bumps okay, but never get enough ski days in to really
- >master them (I ski only about 7 days/season, but I've been skiing for
- >over 25 years, since I was 3). I often feel like I'm really fighting
- >when I'm skiing serious bumps. I *definitely* should take a lesson,
- >as I'm never quite sure what the proper technique is. Could some bump
- >master explain where and how you want to make your turns in the bumps?
- >Thanks!
-
- Skiing 'bumps' or whatever they are called, is a matter of
- skill. It took me 3 winters (about 50-60 days each) of
- practise to learn the proper technique but now I feel I
- can ski on bumps, at least somehow. I've skied full 16
- seasons now and it's a rewarding experience to be able not
- to worry about where you're going or how bad it's going
- to get... ;-)
-
- The technique I've been taught and what I tend to teach
- is something like this:
-
- When you hit the bump, let your knees bend as much as
- required, no matter how big the bump is and simultaneously
- begin the actual turn. After you've started it, complete
- it *KEEPING*YOUR*SKIS*ON*SNOW*NO*MATTER*WHAT* and stretch
- your legs, keeping the balance front. If you let your
- balance go back, it'll look ridiculous and you'll crash
- after a couple of bumps. When you've completed the turn
- there should be another bump in front of you at the exactly
- same distance as the previous one. If not, you're doing
- something wrong. Always look for a good line to ski, because
- there's always tough lines and easy lines and when you
- practise you probably want to choose the easiest possible.
-
- This is the easiest way to start; when you really know
- what you're doing, you can make turns where ever you
- want on any kind of surface. Or jump from a bump from
- time to time, it's great to ski a bit faster, mastering
- the bumps and throw a daffy, helicopter, mule kick or
- a combination jump (twister+twister+daffy is one of my
- favourites, requires plenty of air though.. :-)
-
- And one thing: choose a suitable pair of skis. It's a
- lot harder to ski bumps with super-g skis than shorter
- ones. I use Olin RTC's (200cm) and I'm 6'2" / 155lbs.
- I used to have Olin Trident RS's (203cm) 5-6 years ago
- but they were outrageously heavy (compared to RTCs).
- I didn't realize that before I bought the RTCs and I
- actually learned to ski bumps with them (!). Another
- thing to avoid is too _short_ skis: skis should be
- at least 4" longer than you are tall or they'll be
- too unstable. In the 70's I used to have Rossignols and
- they were mostly just a bit longer than me. That might
- explain why I dislike Rossignols... ;-)
-
- And, if you're serious about learning, you should take
- lessons. I don't know how qualified teachers are out
- there but there must be something they can teach you.
- And it won't hurt to take a lesson or two afterwards -
- here we keep an eye on each other all the time and if
- a teacher starts to make mistakes he/she'll hear about
- it if anyone notices. (Everyone _makes_ mistakes
- sometimes).
-
- -Henri
- --
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