Neon one-piece suits, spiked mohawks, and perfectly timed pole plants—professional mogul skiing has a style all its own. Icons like Glen Plake, Johnny Moseley, Donna Weinbretch, and Jillian Vogtli made bump skiing look effortless as they zippered their lines with fluidity and flair. But behind that smooth style was a solid foundation of tactics, balance, and technique.
I got to rip around Deer Valley Resort with two-time Olympian and former U.S. Ski Team athlete Jillian Vogtli to learn from a pro about the best drills to improve mogul skiing. Jilian, now a coach with Deer Valley - Ski With A Champion program, combines her competitive skiing background with a passion for helping others reach their full potential. Whether you’re a seasoned mogul skier or an intermediate skier looking to crush bumps with more fluidity, these drills will refine your skills and improve your technique.
Key Fundamentals of Mogul Skiing
Before diving into drills, let’s review some core principles of bump skiing:
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Stay Balanced and Centered: Your weight should remain over the middle of the ski, shifting your hips forward to stay forward in the boots.
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Absorb, Don’t Fight: Let your legs do the work by absorbing the terrain instead of leaning back or breaking at the waist.
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Initiate the Turn Early: Start the turn aiming towards the top of the mogul and carve along the back side gently gliding into the trough to accomplish the smoothest line possible.
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Consistent Pole Plants: A well-timed pole plant on the back side of the mogul helps maintain rhythm and control.
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Upper-Lower Body Separation: Your lower body should be dynamic, but your upper body should remain quiet and face down the fall line.
Drills to Pump Up Your Mogul Technique
1. Wedge Turns
Why: Slows down the movement to emphasize technique and balance.
How to: Start in a wedge position and focus on staying centered over the tongues of your boots. Engage your hamstrings to maintain a forward stance rather than hinging at the waist. This drill helps develop control, edge engagement over the outside ski, and balance before introducing speed.
2. Hop Wedge Drill
Why: Enhances timing and coordination, particularly with pole plants.
How to: From a wedge stance, initiate small hops onto the outside ski while keeping tips going directly down the fall line. This drill forces you to stay stacked over your feet while reinforcing proper pole plant timing without breaking at the waist. This drill introduces dynamic movement without compromising technique by reducing your speed.
3. Javelin Turns
Why: Improves outside ski pressure and enhances upper/lower body separation/counter rotation.
How to: Begin a turn and lift the inside ski, crossing it over the outside ski. This forces you to drive pressure into the front of your boot while maintaining a strong stance over the outside ski while the pelvis rotates down the fall line. The drill builds confidence in edge control and body positioning through the turn.
Note: This drill requires expert skill level prior to attempting it.
4. Traversing Across Moguls
Why: Develops proper absorption and terrain management strategies to maintain control.
How to: Ski across a mogul field, using your hamstrings to pull up over the front side of each mogul and pressing down on the backside. This movement pattern trains your legs to absorb terrain while keeping your upper body stable. Once comfortable, transition from traversing into linked turns down the fall line. Progress this from going all the way across the hill, to smaller and smaller turns until you can maintain control while performing a zipper line.
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Take It To The Podium
Perfecting mogul technique requires practice. By integrating these drills into your routine, you’ll gain better control, efficiency, and confidence in the bumps. Whether you're carving lines through Deer Valley Resort famous mogul fields or tackling the bumps at your home mountain, these techniques will help you become a more dynamic and fluid mogul skier.
Want to take your skills to the next level? Consider a session with Jillian Vogtli through Deer Valley’s Ski With A Champion program or signing up for one of the many clinics she runs! You can also learn more about her approach to skiing and holistic wellness at JillianRachelleVogtli.com.
