Keeping a Wider Stance?

[mollmeister]

So the Auras are the widest skis I have owned (so far) and I find my feet getting a little close together occasionally. Especially in the bumps. I hear a little *click* every now and again in the bumps and *oops,* feet are too close again, for such wide skis.

Any quick tips for keeping the stance wide enough (and remembering to), especially in bumps? I have a feeling it's just something I have to get used to (it's getting better the more days I ski on them), but it's taking a little longer than I might have thought.

 

[Jilly]

In bumps I try to remember to keep my knees together, as opposed to feet. But I'm not skiing on anything wider than my Conquer's at 84.

 

[MaryLou]

Similarly - I concentrate on keeping my thighs tight together, but I've never skied such wide skis. In the heavy spring bumps I think it's easier to keep feet as close together as possible, or it's harder to bust through them - I spend energy trying to keep them under control x2 whereas when they are tight together it's like keeping one unit under control.

 

[altagirl]

All my recent skiing coaches have drilled "feet shoulder width apart!" into me so much that it seems pretty natural to keep them wide enough apart.

I don't really change that for bumps, but then again, I'm no bump expert...

 

[pinto]

I clang my Auras together all the time in the bumps. They just aren't bump skis. If the bumps aren't too tight, it isn't a huge deal. Really tight, well, I've gotten better at it, but it isn't the greatest. (Unless there is a ton of snow, then it's fine.)

But I learned to ski bumps many many years ago, and I can't picture skiing them with a stance any wider than necessary. if I know I'll be skiing a lot of bumps (with no new snow, or hard snow), I will ski a different ski that day.

 

[amanda]

I also have this problem on my Auras in the bumps. The longer I ski on them the better it gets. Really I just see it as a reminder that my stance is off since it doesn't happen when my skis are hip width apart and I'm centered over my skis. Unfortunately I don't have any tips for how to fix it. I just try to correct my stance when I hear the skis banging into eachother.

 

[mollmeister]

I am glad to see I am not alone. . . not because I am glad others are having the same problem. . . but because it means I don't totally suck, since good skiers are doing it!

Definitely there has been a stance adjustment for me. It's getting better, but I for sure notice it in the bumps. Hopefully it just keeps improving!

 

[prairiedawn]

I pretty much use the same stance in bumps as I do in powder, whatever that is. Works for me (I'm on Auras). Not sure if my skis are completely together, but my mantra in powder/bumps is "platform."

 

[dloveski]

is just me, and my weird mind, but everytime I read the thread title, I think of Larry Craig.......the former ID Senator.....

sorry, I'll get back to work now.

 

[Pequenita]

is just me, and my weird mind, but everytime I read the thread title, I think of Larry Craig.......the former ID Senator.....

sorry, I'll get back to work now.

lol, me too, but I just chalked it up to living inside the beltway.

 

[mollmeister]

LOL. Maybe I should have added the qualifier, "on the slopes?"

 

[tamlyn]

Shoulder width apart is fine, the problem is the skis. The one thing the new ski technology doesn't do well is bumps. If you want to ski bumps well you really need bump skis, or pick up an old pair of freestyle skis from the 80's (another good reason why one pair of skis really doesn't cut it if you are an avid skier)
Here is a quote from Levelnine sports re: the Head supermogul:
"Competition oriented mogul ski with and for Jonny Mosely. The standard for state of the art skiers.

The only thing shaped skis can't do so well is moguls. If you really want to do the moguls you simply have to get a mogul ski. If you can find a better deal on a quality pair than here at levelninesports.com we salute you sirs and madams."

The sidecut on these skis at 181 is 89-60-80mm. So if Jonny Mosley is skiing on them that should be a pretty strong endorsement for a more traditional ski. Also remember in bumps you don't need to carve all the time because you can pivot turn

Tami (gravity Girl)

 

[Jilly]

I beg to differ with you tamlyn, as most of us are just trying to ski bumps, not compete or even do a zipper line. If I was competing then, yes I would like a bump ski.

I ski at least one bump run every day I can. And during my last instructor's course, bumps and crud were considered to be similar technique for stance. Feet closer together for a narrower platform. Because I learned to ski years ago, getting my stance narrower is not a problem, keeping them apart is for carving.