What to focus on next: carving or off-piste?

[t-m]

Hello! I'm an intermediate skier with a ton of passion for learning proper technique. I'd love to hear your thoughts about what skills I should focus on improving next.

A bit about me: I learned skiing as an adult and have been skiing for 7 years now. I took group lessons for my first 3 years and then some private lessons on and off every year since then. I can ski most groomed terrain (blue / black) comfortably but would love to improve my technique on groomers. I can also ski off-piste runs but I struggle on the steeper blacks with bumps, and I am definitely not doing it gracefully.

My question is: what should I work on next?
(a) become a better skier on the groomers. The thought here is that becoming a better skier on groomers will teach me the right technique that will become useful when I advance to bumps / un-groomed terrain. OR
(b) start learning to ski steeps / bumps more gracefully. This would open up more of the mountain for me. I can already do almost any groomer so this would allow me to enjoy more types of runs.

My personal preference is to start with learning steeps / bumps. But I don't know if that's premature if I'm not awesome on groomers yet.

Would love to hear your advice. Thank you!

 

[crosscountry]

Bumps

 

[Rostapher]

Hello! I'm an intermediate skier with a ton of passion for learning proper technique. I'd love to hear your thoughts about what skills I should focus on improving next.

A bit about me: I learned skiing as an adult and have been skiing for 7 years now. I took group lessons for my first 3 years and then some private lessons on and off every year since then. I can ski most groomed terrain (blue / black) comfortably but would love to improve my technique on groomers. I can also ski off-piste runs but I struggle on the steeper blacks with bumps, and I am definitely not doing it gracefully.

My question is: what should I work on next?
(a) become a better skier on the groomers. The thought here is that becoming a better skier on groomers will teach me the right technique that will become useful when I advance to bumps / un-groomed terrain. OR
(b) start learning to ski steeps / bumps more gracefully. This would open up more of the mountain for me. I can already do almost any groomer so this would allow me to enjoy more types of runs.

My personal preference is to start with learning steeps / bumps. But I don't know if that's premature if I'm not awesome on groomers yet.

Would love to hear your advice. Thank you!

Someone smarter than me is going to ask you to post a video of your skiing, so they can do some MA to tell you what to work on next. Might as well save them the trouble and post it now!

Someone else will ask about your boot/fit & other equipment you’re using, so again go ahead & post that too!

 

[Tom K.]

My personal preference is to start with learning steeps / bumps. But I don't know if that's premature if I'm not awesome on groomers yet.

Go with your heart. This is supposed to be FUN!

 

[skix]

I also learned to ski as an adult. Since I'd been a backpacker and climber I went for off piste and steeps before focusing on carving. However, that left me with fewer speed control skills and meant even though I could get down it wasn't pretty and not as controlled as I wanted. After learning how to link carved turns though off piste is much safer and more fun. Learning to ski with your feet and how to control your body is fundamental. If you hadn't said you want to be a better skier maybe I'd say focus on steeps but with technique as a main goal I'd say bumps and groomers to increase your skills.

 

[Tony S]

Both. It's a spiral.

 

[4ster]

My personal preference is to start with learning steeps / bumps. But I don't know if that's premature if I'm not awesome on groomers yet.

A solid short turn with a well timed pole plant & good upper/lower body separation are prerequisites to skiing steeps & bumps effectively. Work on that on groomers graduating the pitch as you go & then integrate into easy moguls.

 

[cantunamunch]

Both. It's a spiral.

^He's right but it also means you have to learn the same things over and over again, paying more each time

 

[KingGrump]

My question is: what should I work on next?
(a) become a better skier on the groomers. The thought here is that becoming a better skier on groomers will teach me the right technique that will become useful when I advance to bumps / un-groomed terrain. OR
(b) start learning to ski steeps / bumps more gracefully. This would open up more of the mountain for me. I can already do almost any groomer so this would allow me to enjoy more types of runs.

Yes.
Like @Tony S said, they go had in hand.

For rec skiers, off piste skiing is is a extension of your groomer skiing. You will find your balance on the groomers greatly improved after getting off piste.
The key is to get your fundamentals correct on the groomer to start with so you can take the show on the road. Lesson will usually help.

 

[1Turn2Many]

If you’re stocked up on anti inflammatories and painkillers, go for the bumps.

 

[KingGrump]

If you’re stocked up on anti inflammatories and painkillers, go for the bumps.

Only if you planned to ski the bumps the wrong way.

Bumps don't have to hurt. They are your friends. Especially in the steeps.

 

[1Turn2Many]

^ Ha, tell that to my old knees and hips. They don’t believe you. Agree that bumps are your friend. Bump skiing is my fav.

 

[Prosper]

Learn how to do pivot slips. Your groomer and bump/off-piste skiing will improve.

 

[t-m]

Y'all have great advice! I'm glad I asked here.

Good point on both going hand-in-hand. I do need to work on my short turns on groomers to get them well-timed and controlled. Perhaps I take a few lessons to nail that first then go to bumps next.

 

[KingGrump]

^ Ha, tell that to my old knees and hips. They don’t believe you. Agree that bumps are your friend. Bump skiing is my fav.

Got t go easy on those old knees and hips if you want to die with all OEM parts.
I am 68 and still ski the bumps at Taos everyday with all OEM parts.

 

[1Turn2Many]

^ Good advice but a little too late. I’ve already had one hip replaced twice and have dr appointment scheduled in March regarding my remaining original one. There is nothing better than slushy spring bumps under a big blue sky. Artificial parts work pretty well nowadays. I’d love to ski Taos sometime. OP your plan is sound.

 

[dj61]

Bumps are fun and carving is fun. So you are good anyway. But I would wholeheartedly support the suggestion to concentrate on perfecting short turns. Those are fundamental for all off piste skiing and bumps.

 

[markojp]

What to focus on next: carving or off-piste?​

Yes.

 

[KevinF]

As others have stated, it’s “both”. Your coach should be identifying the movement pattern that is limiting you the most. Improve that, and your skiing everywhere will improve.

For example, many skiers rush the start of their turns which can manifest itself as many different problems- lack of edge grip, being overly tired, lack of control in moguls, etc.

If you fix that - ie, you find patience at the start of the turn- everything improves. Off piste skiing forces you to do many things that you should/can be doing anyway on groomers. The extension/retraction you see bump skiers doing as their knees absorb the moguls? You can learn all that on groomers. Moguls force you to absorb; groomers give you the option.

 

[François Pugh]

Assuming that by off-piste you mean on the trail that's on a trail map, but one with moguls, and you do not mean deep untouched snow:
Do which ever one you like, but realize that while the skills may be the same the ultimate way (in my not-so humble opinion) to have fun on a groomer is using a pure-carved arc-2-arc turn, and the best way to ski bumps is the traditional short-radius turn.

That being said, to get better at bumps you should practice your traditional short radius turn on groomers, and practice absorbing bumps. Some terrain parks have a series of rollers like closely spaced little jumps in a row. Practise going over them without getting air. You can even do that for a few runs pretending they are bumps, but only a few times - don't ruin them. Also pick all kinds of different lines through the bumps, even ignoring them when you choose your line. Key is absorption and speed control, neither too fast nor too slow. The speed control comes from ski snow contact with a traditional short radius turn.

I have to admit that even though we are talking about two different techniques, absorbing the virtual bump with a low transition in a pure-carved turn does help with absorbing skills.

P.S. If you only work on bumps, and drifting turns in the deep, groomers will forever be just a boring highway to the lift. If you learn the pure carved turn they will become more like a motorsports racetrack, and a roller coaster you design on the fly.