Bumps vs. POW

[deadheadskier]

it would be interesting to do a general poll of this forum as to how people consider their overall athletic ability and their skiing level, specifically bumps. It would require honesty on the part of the individual, which is not always the case, i think, on the intrawebs. where everyone is a combination of A-Rod, Ladanian Tomilinson and Johnny Mosely. :wink:

no point, it's already a known fact that highwaystar is the best skier and athlete on alpine zone.

 

[bvibert]

Being athletic is not going to guarantee that you're a good skier, but it'll help. There's no way that you can rip bumps all day with being in pretty good shape. I'm in pretty poor shape compared to most of my bumper peers, but I still think I'm in better shape than a lot of the general skiing public.

The other day, when I was lapping bumps at Sundown (not very long runs), my legs were killing me. By the time I got to the bottom of the bumps I had to carve large turns on the groomer to save my legs because they were too tired to make too many turns. It may not have been perfect carving, but I checked out my tracks from the lift and they were pretty even, with little evidence of skidding.

 

[jack97]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I don't think bumpers are more athletic than people who are better skilled in other areas. To be a good bumper, you have to ski bumps A LOT. The same goes for carving/racing and the same goes for powder. It's that simple. I don't think athleticism translates in skiing like it does in other sports.The best bump skier in my high school wouldn't have even rated in the top 50% of athletes in the school. Conversely, there were kids who were incredible basketball or football players who skied there whole lives and weren't very good.

Athleticism is rather broad, imo specific to the sport;

plenty of tall people in the world, the skills they have and have honed sets them apart from being good to great basketball players

plenty guys built like a monster but very few of them have the speed, agility and coordination to play professional football. Matter of fact one of the skills a professional line coach looks for in a linemen is footwork and balance. the difference between doing the agility drills well is 1-5 million dollar in salary, but more importantly it shows on the field.

Take a look at what a competive skier has to do and they required a different set of skill.

Granted all of us are born with different set of skills and to take it up a level it requires practice.

 

[SkiDork]

The other day, when I was lapping bumps at Sundown (not very long runs), my legs were killing me. By the time I got to the bottom of the bumps I had to carve large turns on the groomer to save my legs because they were too tired to make too many turns. It may not have been perfect carving, but I checked out my tracks from the lift and they were pretty even, with little evidence of skidding.

When they used to have all the A comps on OL (before they switched to Conclusion) at K, the competitors all used to just side slip the entire hill down to the course. Leg saving technique. No need to bash bumps and waste yourself before the actual competition

 

[jaywbigred]

We'll have to agree to disagree.

Guess so...

The best bump skier in my high school wouldn't have even rated in the top 50% of athletes in the school. Conversely, there were kids who were incredible basketball or football players who skied there whole lives and weren't very good.

I don't think taking the isolated example from your personal experience and applying it to the general concept is very persuading. Again.

Keeping in mind that we are talking about recreational skiers, not World Cup racers or sponsored big mountain skiers (who of course require an elite level of athleticisim...

I just think that the quickness, agility, and strength demanded of a skier skiing your average black or double black mogul run (and skiing it well) is much greater, and requires a higher degree of athleticism than carving your average groomed steep or pow filled bowl "well"...

 

[jack97]

great thread btw......

my take on bump skiing....pro's and really good bump skiers do not "slip down the backside" of a zipper line. a good bump skier told me once to skip the first 4 moguls, pretty much straight line um, and then that will carry your speed into the rest of the line. this gets you up and you are like floating halfway up on the moguls, not skiing in the trough/trench ever. put a pro on top of a steep staircase bump line and watch......they SMACK the backside of the mogul, you can hear it. heres the Hammer rippin lower S....

i cant get the video embed.........heres the link: http://www.skitheeast.net/uploaded_media/video/995031028/default/0/0

to me, thats shreddin bumps

yep, the guy rips.

But doing it in this other vid is still impressive to me. These guys are on center and flexing the ski to turn. Nice absorbtion and extension. These skills don't happen overnight.

 

[deadheadskier]

Guess so...



I don't think taking the isolated example from your personal experience and applying it to the general concept is very persuading. Again.

Keeping in mind that we are talking about recreational skiers, not World Cup racers or sponsored big mountain skiers (who of course require an elite level of athleticisim...

I just think that the quickness, agility, and strength demanded of a skier skiing your average black or double black mogul run (and skiing it well) is much greater, and requires a higher degree of athleticism than carving your average groomed steep or pow filled bowl "well"...

what can I say, I disagree. In my 25 years of skiing, we're talking probably a thousand days skiing and with hundreds of different people, I've seen time and time again that skiing ability and athleticism do not translate conclusively.

I don't view good recreational bumpers as any more or less athletic than good carvers / pow skiers. I don't think it takes any more athleticism to ski bumps well over the other two disciplines. Now if you asked, do I think it takes more practice to ski bumps well than the other two disciplines? Yes, absolutely. Big difference between the two.

I think achievement in skiing, all disciplines of the sport, has far more to do with commitment and repetition than natural athletic ability.

 

[jack97]

what can I say, I disagree. In my 25 years of skiing, we're talking probably a thousand days skiing and with hundreds of different people, I've seen time and time again that skiing ability and athleticism do not translate conclusively.

I don't view good recreational bumpers as any more or less athletic than good carvers / pow skiers. I don't think it takes any more athleticism to ski bumps well over the other two disciplines. Now if you asked, do I think it takes more practice to ski bumps well than the other two disciplines? Yes, absolutely. Big difference between the two.

I think achievement in skiing, all disciplines of the sport, has far more to do with commitment and repetition than natural athletic ability.

It has been my experience that some people take to the sport better than others. Sometimes it has to do with postive reinforcement, if a kid is better than the rest they will show more commitment than the rest of the kid. Yes, some of it has to do with finacial and time commiitments but I feel the self motivation comes into play when you know that you can do that sport well.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

no point, it's already a known fact that highwaystar is the best skier and athlete on alpine zone.

times two and the friendliest guy..:argue:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

yep, the guy rips.

But doing it in this other vid is still impressive to me. These guys are on center and flexing the ski to turn. Nice absorbtion and extension. These skills don't happen overnight.

Where is that video from? It looks like a fun bump course..

 

[jack97]

Where is that video from? It looks like a fun bump course..

Don't know. I found the vid on you tube last year. Only reason why I kept tabs of it is the techniques these guys use are close if not exact to present wc techniques just done in slower fashion.