Why no moguls in SBX ?

[snowghost]

Dynamically riding the bumps in a narrow corridor is the gateway between intermediate and advanced riding because it requires you to ride variable terrain without thinking. You have to be in the zone and trust your ability and instincts. A cat doesn't think.

Most long radius trench diggers, and riders over 21, never develop fast "Happy" feet, and seldom surrender to their instincts, because they always want to be in conscious control as if they were driving a car.

That doesn't work in slalom, bumps, or trees, so most riders never improve beyond a certain level.

The bumps are the common ground where everyone can compete, and have fun, whether they are alpine riders, reactionary skiers, soft boot freestylers, skiboarders, or monoskiers.

Regardless of your sliding weapon, it takes the same versatility, attitude, and blend of skills to ride the bumps well.

Many of our riders learn wearing full hockey gear under their snowboard clothes, so they can bounce like a billiard ball and not get hurt.

It helps them get over the fear, and into the zone. Try it sometime. If you want some drills that can help, send me an email. There is a wonderful world on the bump side of the mountain. Have fun. - ghost

[pebu]

because they always want to be in conscious control as if they were driving a car.

When I am driving, I zone right out... Driving should be second nature to everybody on the road. If you start spinning out cause of ice or something, you can't think about it, you just gotta react.

[snowghost]

Your right. You pick your approximate line at the top, but once you drop into the bumps it is all reaction. - ghost

[Slim]

...If you want some drills that can help, send me an email.

Hey SnowGhost,

If it's no trouble, would you mind posting those drills here? I'm always looking for ideas to improve and suspect that some other posters on this thread who would appreciate it as well.

Thanks! I rode soft powder bumps most of the day today at Vail. It was awesome!!!

S l i m

[Michael_A]

If you want some drills that can help, send me an email. There is a wonderful world on the bump side of the mountain. Have fun. - ghost

This sounds fun, I had a blast in spring bumps last weekend up at Stowe; didnt' realize how fun it could be.

Michael

[bobdea]

This sounds fun, I had a blast in spring bumps last weekend up at Stowe; didnt' realize how fun it could be.

Michael

yeah, hell of a work out I tell you!

[queequeg]

Hey SnowGhost,

If it's no trouble, would you mind posting those drills here? I'm always looking for ideas to improve and suspect that some other posters on this thread who would appreciate it as well.

Thanks! I rode soft powder bumps most of the day today at Vail. It was awesome!!!

S l i m

Yeah - I would really like to see them too. a little while ago I went riding with a friend from NH who rules in the bumps (on softies) and it was just really impressive and cool. I want to make one of my riding goals for next year to hit the whole mountain on an alpine board and concentrate on being more versatile in terms of terrain.

[snowghost]

To S l i m - Just sent you an email so you can have the drills while you are still at Vail. Have fun. - ghost

[BlueB]

Love the bumps. Not that I'm too great, but trying hard...

On the tail end of a pow day, when everything is chopped/bumped and my arboreal friends take of to the trees to find the remaining fresh lines, you'll find me on the steeps in bumps.

Spring slushy ones are great too.

Nasty frozen ones I don't do - not brave or good enough.

[snowghost]

Several members have requested me to post "the bump drills" mentioned previously. I never believed in "one size fits all" tips or drills because you have to watch someone ride, observe what they are doing, and then work with them individually to get them "dialed in".

Using drills is like dealing a deck of cards.

A drill that works great for one rider can be counter-productive for another. Doing a good demo, so the rider can see and feel the move by riding behind you is more effective than words. It is very "hands on" custom work.

By next season, we hope to have "feel and learn videos" of actual one-on-one coaching sessions on snowboardinstructors dot com. Many drills will be demoed and explained by "retired" alpine pros, former Olympic team racers, USASA age group champs, and coaches.

In the meantime, send me an email for the drills, but please remember that they may not be the right drill for you. - ghost

[snowghost]

Update for 2009

Fun Bump Drills for Snowboarders

Warning:

We were rained out today, and I got more emails asking to post the bump drills. Here they are. Try them if you want to play, but please remember the reservations from yesterday's post. Written drills do not work for everyone. One size does not fit all. Each rider should have individual attention to get "dialed in".

Bump progression

Intro:

The following progressive bump drills break the traditional rules. Use them in your AASI exam, but explain that they require techniques from the Level 8-9 (Cert. III) riding section in the AASI/Vail Snowboard Handbook. The traditional method of “traverse the bumps first” simply doesn’t work if you want to ride the bumps dynamically.

These drills begin with short little "squiggles" in the fall line, then increase the radius of the turn in order to make you feel and learn the "cross under" movement that is required for dynamic short radius turns in the bumps. Fluid bump riding is all about dynamic balance, feeling the snow in the bottoms of your feet, and staying middle-forward on your board. Spring is the best time to learn because everything is soft.

“It is not what bump run your did, but how you did the bump run that matters.”

***

Slope Clock and target training:

Picture a "Slope clock", 12:00 is the top of the run, and 6:00 is your target at the bottom. You can break a long run into several 20 foot wide corridor sections. During these exercises, the nose of your snowboard will move from 4:30 on one side, to 7:30 on the other side, and never come further across the fall line, unless you need to recover from a loss of balance, or to check your speed.

Stage 1: Short radius turn exercises:

Regardless of your riding skill level, these drills should begin on a very gentle "Green" run. You should not move up to a gentle blue run until you are entirely comfortable with each drill. Most riders, practicing on their own, move up to blue terrain too quickly. This delays their progress. Stay on the "Green" runs until everything is instinctive, and second nature. That's what these drills are all about. There is no conscious turning in the bumps. It is all reactive. The terrain dictates where you turn. It is not like carving long trenches or riding powder.

Drill number 1: From a gentle traverse, point the nose of your board straight down the fall line. With no flex or extension, ride a flat board straight down the fall line for a count of 4-6 (depending on your "chicken" factor). Lift your heels for a count of 2. Go to a flat board for a count of 2, then lift your toes for a count of 2. Repeat the 2-count sequence until you are making dynamic linked and symmetrical little "squiggles" for at least a hundred yards.

Drill number 2: Repeat exercise number 1, but add flex when you lift your heels, extension when you go to a flat board, and flex when you lift your toes.

Drill number 3: This time, when you move from the traverse into the fall line, flex your knees and ankles for a low-functional stance. Shift your weight forward between the middle and nose of your board toward your front foot, but keep your back straight - no breaking at the waist or bending over. Try to keep your belt buckle level with almost no visible extension, as you lift your heels, go to a flat board, then lift your toes . Use your abs and core muscles to absorb and redirect the slight rebound, instead of popping up and down like a "Jack in the box". (If you need a visual image, watch any Tomba slalom video on the net, and compare it to how Stenmark skied before him). Once you are comfortable with using your abs and core to minimize popping up and down, you can extend the count to 3 or 4 and expand the your radius to GS size turns. ---- next

***

Stage 2: Balance, Recovery, and Rear foot retraction.

Drill number 4: Repeat Drill 3 until you are comfortable using your core muscles to enhance flex, extension, and redirecting rebound energy. This time, as you begin to lift your heels from the straight run, pull up (retract) your rear foot toward your butt, and "hop" your rear foot to your new "edge set". Do the same thing as you start to lift your toes for the next turn. This is a balance and recovery move that you will need to get your weight forward, and check your speed, when you are starting to "lose it" by getting in the "back seat". It is also a fun way to ride steeps. Rear foot "Hop" through a series of dynamic linked turns as long as your endurance lasts. Then, do it again. It improves your balance and foot speed. If you don't "biff" and laugh at how clumsy you are a few times, then you are not trying. Almost every passive "trench digger" needs a good kick in the a** to get more dynamic and versatile.

***

Expanded Options:

A good snowboard bump rider can ride the bumps in tennis shoes and an ankle strap. No hard boot cuff or soft boot high back is required. To improve your dynamic balance and the feel in your feet, keep the instep buckle on your hard boots snug, but loosen up everything else. Go to walking mode to eliminate mandatory forward lean and loosen up the ankle flex. Do the four drills, and practice in gentle soft bumps and crud without consciously pressuring the cuff of your hard boots unless you need to recover.

Take it to the mountain:

Once you can do all four drills without thinking too much, do the drills on a split green or blue run that is half gentle bumps and half groomed, if your mountain has one available. If not, then do the drills on gentle afternoon rollers or crud. Remember to read the terrain before you start, and pick a line where the terrain helps you initiate your turn. A lot of good riders forget the simple things.

If you must do a bump run ASAP, ride the edges where there is generally a quick bail out. I am not a big fan of the traditional bump progression that has the rider traversing the bumps one to three at a time between rest stops. That is great for teaching kids to absorb terrain, but adults almost never improve to dynamic bump riding when they learn that way. Good riding is about rhythm and flow.

Picking your line and final reminders:

Take time at the top of the run to pick your downhill target, determine the width of your "corridor", and look for the soft snow on the tops and shoulders of the bumps. That is where you want to turn.

* Remember to flex and absorb at the tops and shoulders. Extend in the troughs, and always look ahead.

* The instant you look down at your feet, or at the next bump in front of you, you go into the back seat.

* Never let you rear arm trail behind you - same back seat result.

* You only hold back your riding development by riding "survivor" bumps", that are beyond your level, just to say you did it.

* It is not what bump run your did, but how you did the bump run that matters.

Have fun - ghost

__________________

If you remember the turns, you're not in the zone. Last edited by snowghost : 01-23-09

[spil]

Does any one know of any good videos with snowboarders riding moguls? Are there any videos of hardbooters doing moguls? Here's the best one I could find on youtube:

<object height="355" width="425">

<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBsMjel7-fE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></object>

p.s. thanks for those drills snowghost. I have been trying to become a more versatile rider, and will definately try some of these drills next season.

p.p.s. 100th post!

[gdboytyler]

Here's the best mogul run I've seen on a snowboard:

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[photodad2001]

Sounds interesting but I think moguls in SBX would be a disaster. With rollers and jumps, when a rider falls, the direction of the fall is usually predictable. With a mogul, you can get thrown anywhere. Unless the mogul field were really wide, chaos would ensue. It'd be fun to watch though.

I took a HUGE hipper doing back to back 180's in a mogul field. Had a bruise in the shape of Africa only bigger going from about 3 inches above my belt line down to just about my knee. Had a grapefruit too. Still have nerve damage and at times I pinch it and the top outside section of my thigh goes numb for weeks.

[Fat Old Bastard]

I maybe have the old VHS somewhere in the garage. But even if I can find it I have no clue how to post it. So it's a lame post by me but I have seen video (but never in real-life) of boarders absolutely ripping through moguls.

It can be done.

As for myself the only thing I ever kinda figured out was agressively lifting the rear foot and pivoting but it was all an out of control skid. And these days no way are my knees or hips able to cope with even trying.

But it can be done. This I believe

Does any one know of any good videos with snowboarders riding moguls? Are there any videos of hardbooters doing moguls? Here's the best one I could find on youtube:

p.s. thanks for those drills snowghost. I have been trying to become a more versatile rider, and will definately try some of these drills next season.

p.p.s. 100th post!

[snowghost]

Tried to send you an email in response to your post, but you have your email turned off. Took a big biff "finesse riding" blue ice bumps on a PJ about 10 years ago. Even though I had hockey shorts on under my snowboard clothes, I could not feel my right leg for about six weeks, but the pain was not too bad. The leg funtioned fine. It was sort of fun riding with a "dead" rear leg until everything got back to normal - walking down stairs on dry land was the problem. The bumps are soft now, why not pad youself up and get back on the horse? - ghost