Mogul
A mogul is a firm bump on a ski slope, formed where skiers repeatedly turn in the same places.
Definition
Moguls are the rounded bumps that build up on a piste over time. They are not built deliberately in most cases: as skiers turn in roughly the same spots, snow is pushed aside and piles into mounds, with troughs worn between them. Left ungroomed, a run develops a whole field of them.
Skiing moguls asks for a different rhythm from a smooth piste, because the terrain dictates where turns can happen rather than the skier choosing freely. Some competitions are held specifically on prepared mogul courses, but for most riders moguls are simply what an ungroomed, popular run turns into by the afternoon.
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Disciplines
- DownhillDownhill is alpine skiing's fastest discipline, run on long courses with widely spaced gates where skiers glide at high speed in an aerodynamic tuck.
- CombinedAlpine combined blends a speed run with a slalom run, adding the times together so the result rewards all-around skiers across both ends of the spectrum.
- Skate (Freestyle)Skate skiing pushes off angled skis in a V pattern, like ice skating, on firm groomed snow — the faster of the two main techniques.
- Giant SlalomGiant slalom pairs technical turning with more speed, using gates set farther apart than slalom so skiers make longer, rounder, carved turns.
Skills
- TraversingThe skill of moving across a snow slope rather than straight down it, holding speed steady.
- EdgingThe skill of tilting a ski or board so its edge grips the snow and controls the turn.
- Speed control on snowThe skill of managing how fast you travel down a slope, mainly by shaping turns rather than braking.
Techniques
- Snowplough TurnThe wedge-shaped turn beginners learn first on skis, where the ski tips are brought together to control speed and steer.
- Parallel TurnA turn in which both skis stay parallel throughout, steered together rather than wedged apart.
- Carving TurnA turn where the edged skis cut a clean arc in the snow and follow their own shape with little or no skidding.
Equipment
Training methods
- Cross-TrainingCross-training mixes different activities into your routine so you build all-round fitness and give repeatedly-used muscles a change of stimulus.
- Tempo TrainingTempo training holds a firm, controlled 'comfortably hard' pace for a sustained stretch, teaching the body to sustain effort without tipping into a sprint.
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- 2026-08-30
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