After six years since my first day on skis, I did a mogul run today! Whoo-hoo! (It took this long, because I tend to be cautious after childhood injuries. I cracked my head on a diving board at 12, and I broke my ankle my first day on ice skates at 13. So since I started skiing at 38, I wanted to be careful. I don't exactly have a great track record when I begin new athletics, ahah. And Moguls always looked too crazy.) Well, NOT ANYMORE! I had so much fun today. And I was in control and confident and stable.
So after feeling confident from Black diamond trails with good pole planting, this year, TODAY, I jumped into the mogul world. I was amazed at how successful I was at Belleayre Mountain in the Catskills, NY.
I kept focusing on POLE PLANTING and PULLING the free foot BACK. I was amazed at how well I did.
Of course, I probably looked kinda hunched over, LOL. I kept reaching to stab that pole into the snow and once I passed the pole, I dragged it hard to stabilize, while reaching ahead to stab another pole plant with the other hand. The pulling of the free foot back allowed me to make very sharp and QUICK turns around the moguls.
I believe that by always reaching forward, I was in a body position where my legs were already kinda flexed, so I was able to absorb the bumps without too much conscious focusing on flexing.
So next weekend, I am going to practice how to do the Super Phantom, in order to be even quicker with the turns.
It really is true, KEEP THE POLE PLANTING GOING and PULL THE FREE FOOT BACK.
I never even tried to find a line. I was just focused on pole planting and pulling the foot back. That seemed to be all I needed.
I did have one funny moment. I mentally told myself "PULL THE FREE FOOT BACK," as I was on my 5th bump. My instant response was, And which foot might that be? Things happen so fast I can't keep track of which is which. I just kept pole planting and everything seemed to come together.
EVERYTHING I've read in Harald's books has worked! Whoo-hoo!