Bumps vs. POW

[JD]

that being said, bumps are hands down far more difficult to learn and employ skills easily transferred to any and all other aspects of skiing. QUOTE]

Many gallons, but as someone is is not skilled enough to kill it in the bumps, explain the techniques involved in bump skiing that transfer to carving GS turns at 60 mph. I ask because I honestly don't get it. Every lesson I've ever had in the bumps has been to stay forward and drive you shovel down the back of the bump into the next trough and basically equates to skidding down the back of each bump to control speed. I don't understand how using an edge like that teaches you anything about carving or skiing tight trees in deep pow. (which I can do both and see that they are very similar) One certainly does not carve down the bumps, they smear their edges down the back of the bump. Yea?

 

[SkiDork]

:lol:

[/thread]

[/+100]

 

[SkiDork]

that being said, bumps are hands down far more difficult to learn and employ skills easily transferred to any and all other aspects of skiing. QUOTE]

Many gallons, but as someone is is not skilled enough to kill it in the bumps, explain the techniques involved in bump skiing that transfer to carving GS turns at 60 mph. I ask because I honestly don't get it. Every lesson I've ever had in the bumps has been to stay forward and drive you shovel down the back of the bump into the next trough and basically equates to skidding down the back of each bump to control speed. I don't understand how using an edge like that teaches you anything about carving or skiing tight trees in deep pow. (which I can do both and see that they are very similar) One certainly does not carve down the bumps, they smear their edges down the back of the bump. Yea?

bump hackers, yes. WC bump competitors, no. They are carving. Your friend is a hacker.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Snow over the head=not being about to see..faceshots are over-rated....lol...we need more groomers and more seeded bump runs..how about grooming some heli-ski runs..fresh cord..JEA!!!!

 

[BushMogulMaster]

Many gallons, but as someone is is not skilled enough to kill it in the bumps, explain the techniques involved in bump skiing that transfer to carving GS turns at 60 mph. I ask because I honestly don't get it. Every lesson I've ever had in the bumps has been to stay forward and drive you shovel down the back of the bump into the next trough and basically equates to skidding down the back of each bump to control speed. I don't understand how using an edge like that teaches you anything about carving or skiing tight trees in deep pow. (which I can do both and see that they are very similar) One certainly does not carve down the bumps, they smear their edges down the back of the bump. Yea?

No.

Here are a few things to get you started (if you're interested) on your journey to understanding mogul turns:

http://www.mogulskiing.net/misconceptions.html

http://www.mogulskiing.net/technique_guide_4.html

http://www.mogulskiing.net/technique_guide_6.html

http://www.mogulskiing.net/technique_guide_7.html

http://www.mogulskiing.net/technique_guide_8.html

http://www.mogulskiing.net/technique_guide_11.html

http://www.mogulskiing.net/tips_from_the_pros.html

Some other on-topic threads:

http://forums.mogulskiing.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=644

http://forums.mogulskiing.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=546

http://forums.mogulskiing.net/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=353

http://forums.mogulskiing.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=543

 

[abc]

Wow! Let's make it over 100 posts in a single day!!!

bump hackers, yes. WC bump competitors, no. They are carving. Your friend is a hacker

A truly good skier can ski all 3, POW, groom, bumps all in style and speed.

For hackers on skis though, powder is still considerably easier to "hack" than bumps.

The best quote I hear: "It's not that you can't ski bumps. It's that you can't ski, and bumps let you know"

 

[Greg]

I got your point. But disagree somewhat. I think bumps have a bigger learning curve. But I think you are confusing having the right tool for the job with skiing a certain condition being easier. You can really wreck your knees in powder if you take a bad fall. The curve for bumps is certainly harder than powder. I just didn't see what fat skis and powder had much to do with anything. You put someone that has never skied powder on fat skis they are still going to suck and a pro can ski powder on fat skis though it might be harder. Reverse the width and same is true for bump skiing. It is just the learning curve that is different. Both different techniques that people really suck at when they first start learning regardless of ski width.

I was following the vein of the discussion at the time, that being fat skis make powder skiing easier/more fun. Of course I understand having the right tool for the job. I wouldn't own bump skis otherwise and a midfat for "other" days. Fat skis will likely be the next addition to the quiver. Problem is for me is that they probably wouldn't see much use.

We're not talking about the powder never ever or the mogul never ever. I said the "average" skier which presumably would have some exposure to both terrain types. My point was that the right tool for the job in the case of skiing powder (fatties) makes it far easier than a bump ski does for skiing moguls for said average skier. The reason being is like you said the steeper learning curve of skiing bumps which one could then argue as the more difficult skiing discipline to do well.

Now that we got that out of the way , the original question was "which technique will make you a better skier?" I guess there really is no right answer there. Nevertheless, I still stand by my observations that I've never seen a skier that rips bumps struggle that much on other terrain types. I can't say the reverse is true.

 

[Creakyknees]

so the short answer is that you have never skiied a ski wider then 80mm.

Yes, behind a boat......


This is why we use snow skis to ski powder not waterskis; keep it under 90mm to have fun....

 

[deadheadskier]

Nevertheless, I still stand by my observations that I've never seen a skier that rips bumps struggle that much on other terrain types. I can't say the reverse is true.

Outside of park rats, I absolutely agree with this statement. Specifically I'm thinking of one kid I saw at Shawnee this spring that absolutely KILLED IT in the half pipe, major spins, inverts, so smooth....but on groomed snow just cruising, he was downright gaperish.

 

[deadheadskier]

Oh and Randy 'The Hammer' Grasso says bumps are the most difficult thing to learn. I'll side with the mullet :lol:

 

[Greg]

:lol: i was trolling on that one. I already gave my answer on the first page of this epic thread.

No you weren't. You meant every word of it. Own it punk.

 

[Greg]

Echo?

 

[2knees]

[Many gallons, but as someone is is not skilled enough to kill it in the bumps, explain the techniques involved in bump skiing that transfer to carving GS turns at 60 mph. I ask because I honestly don't get it. Every lesson I've ever had in the bumps has been to stay forward and drive you shovel down the back of the bump into the next trough and basically equates to skidding down the back of each bump to control speed. I don't understand how using an edge like that teaches you anything about carving or skiing tight trees in deep pow. (which I can do both and see that they are very similar) One certainly does not carve down the bumps, they smear their edges down the back of the bump. Yea?

:lol: i was trolling with that one. I already gave my answer on the first page of this epic thread.

 

[Greg]

One more time for the truly vision impaired.

 

[mondeo]

People learn to ski on groomers not bumps. Show them how to control there speed( easier in the bumps than on groomers) and they do fine in the bumps. People who dont look good in the bumps are not that far off from skiing them properly. They just give up to quickly.

Completely disagree. Listen to a non-bumper who can survive in bumps try to teach someone who can't survive in the bumps. Generally speaking, they have no clue how bumps need to be skied in order to look good. Maybe we have different definitions of what looking good in the bumps means. To me, looking ok means skiing the fall line smoothly. To look fine you need to start having some decent A&E and keep your upper body pointed downhill, to look good requires a quiet upper body. I see very, very few people that aren't bump skiers even start to ski the fall line, let alone start to refine their bump technique.

But back to the original question: to me it's like asking who the better racer is, someone in MotoGP, NASCAR, or F1. You'd probably get just as heated a discussion amongst gear heads, but you're still comparing things that aren't quite comparable. There are some fundamentals that are common to all types of skiing, but once you go into specifics, I don't think mastering one discipline over another gives you any real benefit elsewhere on the mountain. If your concern is being a good all mountain skier, the only real answer is to ski the entire mountain. Beyond that, a masterful pow or bump skier will probably do just fine anywhere else on the hill, partially because no one that's that dedicated to skiing will only spend enough time on one aspect to be that specialized. I mean, watch a Warren Miller movie where they take Bodie Miller or Toby Dawson to Alaska. They still rip even though they're way outside their element.

 

[2knees]

Many gallons, but as someone is is not skilled enough to kill it in the bumps, explain the techniques involved in bump skiing that transfer to carving GS turns at 60 mph. I ask because I honestly don't get it. Every lesson I've ever had in the bumps has been to stay forward and drive you shovel down the back of the bump into the next trough and basically equates to skidding down the back of each bump to control speed. I don't understand how using an edge like that teaches you anything about carving or skiing tight trees in deep pow. (which I can do both and see that they are very similar) One certainly does not carve down the bumps, they smear their edges down the back of the bump. Yea?

btw, i think you and your crew kill it.

 

[2knees]

One more time for the truly vision impaired.

:lol:

i was trying to fix JD's ridiculous quote job and the next thing i knew, i had 3 posts up saying the same thing.

 

[Greg]

btw, i think you and your crew kill it.

Be sure to send him a Valentine too you poser.

 

[Greg]

:lol:

i was trying to fix JD's ridiculous quote job and the next thing i knew, i had 3 posts up saying the same thing.

Ack! Why'd you go and delete all those masterful posts...? I was having fun at your expense. :lol:

 

[mondeo]

Outside of park rats, I absolutely agree with this statement. Specifically I'm thinking of one kid I saw at Shawnee this spring that absolutely KILLED IT in the half pipe, major spins, inverts, so smooth....but on groomed snow just cruising, he was downright gaperish.

I have newfound disrespect for park rats after last weekend, riding the lift at Sundown over the park. There was basically no one that could actually ski, all completely back seat, skidding down their way to jump/rail. That being said, my guess is that the really good park rat types can still rip anywhere, there just aren't that many of them.