Advanced zipper line moguls tips

Olympian shares a few tips for skiing zipper line moguls

[@88500990]

That mogul-style short-turn is a thing of beauty.

[@stevedoe1630]

I could watch her do that edge change drill on the flats for hours, so amazing. And the upper body and hands, soooo still & calm. Olivia has inspired me to work on quiet hands this year.

[@johnparchman753]

Olivia's quickness is jaw dropping. Deb - a 5 STAR performance filming in the bumps. I was cringing since it takes me 110% concentration to just ski the bumps.

[@kenjohnson9969]

I think the most impressive thing about this video is how effortlessly Deb follows along with the camera.

[@Gottenhimfella]

Actually, in this video, Deb reveals elswhere in the comments section that it's actually Bobby wielding the camera (for all the action footage).

[@johnpetersen8116]

What I love about this video is the presence of good fundamentals with a twist. The goals of a mogul skier may be very different than that of your "average" skier. The fundamentals are applied here very appropriately. Theme and variation!

[@Gumby1974]

I've been doing this edge change drill(which is very fun) on the flats for a few days now and it's absolutely amazing how much more nimble I feel. My carving short turns have benefitted the most!

[@SortaDopeIGuess]

I've never seen that side to side angulation exercise in the beginning before but it makes so much sense on how she uses that to reinforce and transition to moguls and quick, short turns. Priceless tip for me at least - worth more than a lesson.

[@rudimatt2143]

Terrific camera and audio work. Really a level above. And what a darling subject that is the essence of maybe honesty.

[@SubaruAficionado]

You and Olivia are stellar and inspiring, Deb, Thx! That edge-to-edge action is AMAZING. I'd REALLY enjoy a video (series?) on how recreational skiers can use pro mogul techniques/drills on recreational bumps to bridge the technique/style gap between "negotiating" (rec) and "zippering"(pro). For example, how can one use/develop the pro style and form but have a little more rounded turns to lessen the impact to our ever-aging bodies.

[@maxwaz91]

One of my favorite videos from your channel! I love the focus on the fundamentals and very inspiring from Olivia. Thanks Deb for continuing to curate fantastic skiing content.

[@Eddie07S]

3:37 - “ok, she lost me…. You’re a mogul skier and you lost me” High praise indeed coming from a downhill racer. I see confidence, poise and elegance in this young skier. Charming. Thank you, Deb, for spotlighting Olivia for this video. She is a natural at demonstrating technique and you were masterful at capturing it. While I may never be able to roll my knees the way she does, for fear of dislocating something, I once again learned something new I can use from these video shorts that you are doing. Hope you can keep them coming.

[@ianholmquist8492]

Good mogul skiers can smoke anybody on any terrain. Not high praise or surprising at all

[@sandiegoman]

I’m a very advanced mogul skier and the one item I never considered was the grip of the pole but have fallen victim to keeping my grip open. Very cool. Although I do this naturally there are times when I’ve been thrown off due to the pole getting behind me. Great stuff. Thanks from Utah.

[@sgavin111]

You rock, Deb! You’ve single-handedly accelerated my progression in PSIA like no one else online. Keep up the amazing work! Your videos are such a joy to watch!

[@DebArmstrongSkiStrong]

Thanks!!!!!

[@bconn2003]

I agree. I hope I see you on the mountain someday to say “thanks Deb!”

[@BobE_Nagesh]

I've watched this video at least 4 times now, even pausing to make sure I fully understand what is being communicated. It's truly pure gold what you, Olivia, & Bobby are revealing in this video. It's also great to know that I can improve my mogul skiing on piste & even flat terrain. Thanks so much!

[@PantheonChun]

I always love to see how you clarify different drills in an easy understanding way. Thanks for the instructions and bring us some useful insight.

[@buildersedge888]

Fantastic video! To have Olivia share her tips with you is special indeed! There's a reason why she is one of the top-ranked mogul skiers in the world. Also special thanks to Bobby Alidigeri for sharing his tips on how to make a proper pole plant in the bumps. Love your videos, Deb. Keep up the good work.

[@kevinrowe8193]

No better concise explanations on the internet. When Olivia starts that outside ski pressure at the beginning of her 1st demo, it's so demonstrative. And it's only better when coach Bobby joins you. I cannot thank you enough. You are a ski bum encyclopedia. Keep em coming! And I know you will.

[@nickv3085]

Can’t telll you how much I enjoy your videos deb. Many times just for your wonderful personality, but when it’s mogul related I’m fully locked in!!!

[@richarddickens4299]

Those turns are just amazing - something to aim (and never reach) for. Great video as always

[@Artiscrafty]

Great Video Deb. Thank you so much for taking the time to film Olivia ! She has really sweet turns on the flats, I can see Bobbys influence too. Awesome! We are all students of the art🙏

[@paulwhetstone0473]

Great tutorial. Thanks for including the recreational skier POV along with high level competitor POV.

[@greglee1465]

My favorite thing about KZbin is watching talented people making very difficult things looks so easy. Her skiing is absolutely hypnotic.

[@CC-ys8qq]

WOW! Good stuff. I learned a lot specifically she keeps the upper body moving down the hill, very stable, no excess movements while the lower body is doing it's thing. And the pole plants are not exaggerated and so subtle. She's very good at her craft.

[@snaicker7912]

Hey Deb. I am new to skiing and have watched every video of yours . They are super inspirational and instructional . You make it look so easy. Olivia is so amazing . I would luv to learn how to carve like that. Thank u for showing us that amazing talent ! Keep up the great work Deb! Looking forward to the next!!🎉

[@craiglibby1224]

Absolutely love when you bring in fellow olympians and racers. I watch your videos then practice on the hills.

[@matthewthemovie]

Deb and Olivia. This exercise helped so much with moguls. You are right, it happens so fast you can’t see it. Mogul skiing is now a different level and love this exercise. BTW Deb, your channel is fantastic! So much good advice and instruction. Keep it up

[@DebArmstrongSkiStrong]

Fantastic!!!!

[@be5718]

Please do more videos on moguls! I'm learning how to do them and could really use some input on how to start learning them. Thanks!

[@Dfrogman]

This video is awesome, I love the way you structured and filmed it!

[@raybrown8887]

watching someone with her degree of skill and having been a skier instructor for more than 25 years I see what an extraordinary degree of balance in motion. All of the greats have that, having skied with some great skiers and clinicians through the years that is the kind of movements that inspires us to want to ski better. Sadly most of us never reach that level but we keep trying.

[@christophercolby2202]

Another great video, loving the mass quantity of snow. The NE snow is horrible again to start to start, But hoping for a few late dumping, to get out!!! Keep up the awesome work

[@alant779]

These videos are GOLD! There's nothing more valuable to a learner than seeing simple fundamental movements being pushed to the limits.

[@lovetoride9646]

Olivia, your style is fascinating. I'll be coming back to this video for inspiration next season. Thank you, Deb, for highlighting such talent.

[@bryanstevenson9366]

What a beautiful skier your are Olivia. Could watch you all day for days on end. You can tell you just love it

[@4plum]

I love that you had different camera angles and you asked her the great question about skiing irregular "normal" moguls. I'm going to show this to my 13 year old son who loves the moguls. At 6:09 when you said "Heavenly" I started looking for Lake Tahoe :-) Please come and visit us in California!

[@davids1586]

AWESOME! Envy Olivia's opening groomed skiing sequence swiveling with skis close together. Takes a certain kind of body leg structure and skis to do so. Understood long ago my legs cannot even using my narrow Twisters without feeling awkward so do not. However I can and often do play fast edge switching lead change games like that on easy groomed but with more ski separation but same optimal tucked against knee switching with each tip constantly moving ahead. What she does at 2:22 is a favorite show off game. Notice how quiet her upper body is while doing so and how she has a kind of arch in her upper torso. In my POV videos, one can see that in my shadow dance. Something not mentioned when describing a stacked alignment maybe because in comp moguls it detracts from an overly idealized aesthetic. Liked what she said at 4:10 about one-foot despite appearing like she is swiveling on two skis. At 6:30 Bobby talks about hand/arm position as an arm box. That is similar to when I describe holding up and aiming an imaginary car steering wheel as it uses similar brain motor control mechanisms. At 7:05 Oliva describes the difference for her between comp and rec moguls. 7:48 DA >>"Do you enjoy skiing recreational bumps?" OG >>"Yeah, yea, I didn't used to. Yeah yeah I definitely. Especially when they're soft. Thus she obviously was very comp mogul focused when young and after developing superb technique became accomplished also in rec bumps as neural plasticity of her visual system to motor brain became automatic finding much dynamic rebounding visceral enjoyment in the constantly variable shaped visual game. Bobby is a master at holding a camera through moguls videoing others. I'd love to ski bumps for fun with any of them. See this old guy on Heavenly Little Dipper bumps at www.youtube.com/@davids1586

[@4plum]

David, Thanks for sharing your Little Dipper runs. Do you have any that are not POV? My son loves that run. We'll be up there 4 or 5 Sundays this season. Maybe we can meet up one day? Here is his video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qaS8aZKPltCJnsU

[@stevenmoore4078]

Wow, that warm up with the super quick edge changes and the skis inches apart! Incredible.

[@cvoque]

GORGEOUS way of skiing!

[@bradleyrounds9148]

The wife and I will see how many turns we can make on simple familiar runs. Breaks some boredom and add some giggles. Camera work...outstanding BTW

[@Thetentlab]

Wow! Fantastic! Just had a breakthrough in my telemark bump skiing from this. THANK YOU!

[@gimmeagig]

Deb you are one of my favorite KZbin instructors. This was a great lesson.I learned a lot. Hopefully we'll get some snow soon. I want to start working on this.

[@magelan3]

Deb, you are a very dear and special person! Your vids have such an awesome friendly vib. An the content is super, as usual! Best!

[@ronaldp4]

Great video! and a nice tribute to JP with the gloves!

[@KTB3007]

Fantastic video - she is good instructor like you Deb. More more of the current athletes like this please.

[@jerry585]

I can't say how best this is. You guys are so amazing.

[@cbthomas9577]

Deb! Love your videos! Its also good to note that straight skis vs shape skis are much easier to whip around in the mogul’s.

[@JoeL-fs4sm]

Thank you Deb. Great view👍👍

[@Mileliu]

I have to say, your video is amazing!!!! Bring lots of good questions to professionals. Those athletes are awesome, and you are awesome too

[@richardng2768]

I was skiing chopped pow and bumps today, and remembered the stuff about the arm box and it cleaned up my turns right away.

[@gregy1194]

Great vid, awesome skill from an elite athlete. 👍👍 Love watching mogul skiiers. So fast and then there's aerial stuff.

[@scollyutube]

Great stuff thanks. The upper body quietness with the fast feet is amazing. These girls I think were at the Remarks in NZ earlier this year, awe inspiring.

[@deets29mtb53]

Deb you have the best content thank you so much for these video's this one was a gem! oh congrats! on the new family member god bless!

[@randylange]

Really enjoyed this one! Man she makes some sweet turns and some good principles to help all of us improve our general technique in moguls. I'm a sucker for moguls and like them so much better than watching people bash gates. More dynamic.

[@michaelblythe9739]

Great video - it's hard to find info on "flat work" so really cool to see this.

[@showze21]

here again, you produce a great video of a great skier. ive never seen a mogul technique video that offered this perspective of the feet, edging and angulation, its fascinating. she skis beautifully, and is a master of the 5 skiing fundamentals, their integration, and application to mogul skiing. the fundamentals in mogul skiing do work differently, compared to alpine racing disciplines like slalom and gs. the upper body is much more quiet, with no hip angulation, no pole swing, finishing the turn with tail skidding. i might try these techniques on groomers

[@ewallt]

It was fun watching her ski Northern. Seeing her ski some other runs would be fun too.

[@darrensmith9143]

Excellent, excellent, excellent. Thanks Deb.

[@TomFoolery9001]

Her boots look like they are glued together, awesome skiing! Those are goals to shoot for right there. Thanks for the tips, can't wait to try them out next week!

[@gregdaniels3347]

Another amazing lesson video! Thank you!

[@yzScott]

Wow! How many times will I be watching this one? This is the form I will be trying to emulate from now on. Zero wasted motion. Literally zero.

[@robborland290]

I love watching this video. Pinky toe on edge! Simple and memorable.

[@shoes123uk8]

Loved this one - totally inspiring ! 🙏

[@ifcpmeweb]

Another great video Deb!

[@mrradman2986]

Just back from my first visit to the Alps for 3 years thanks to Covid. Spent a few days in Grindelwald then Grand Massif. Wish I'd found this before I went out! Great video!

[@Eddie07S]

Deb you could do a whole segment on the totality of skiing technique based on this video alone, and not just for mogul skiing but skiing in general. How Olivia exaggerates her technique lends itself to being very instructional., and not only for mogul skiing but for carving as well, which she showed that it could be effortlessly transitioned to. Yesterday, with the lack of snow here in the NE, I got to apply some of what I saw here to recreational skiing on a moderate pitch rain softened snow groomer. The first thing I found was how important upper body posture is to skiing in general. Then there is the balance needed to ski with the boots and skis locked together and the inner core strength needed to do that. A great practice technique. How rolling the knees into the turn improves edging. And what you don’t see in this video, is how much of all of this is reliant on being on the front of the ski, shin on the tongue and heal in the pocket, the whole time. This all worked for the 4-5 inches of mashed potatoes I was skiing off the groomed part. I also noticed how reminiscent this style of skiing is to how skiing in general was done in the ‘50s, ‘60s and into the ‘70s. I know all of this has been presented a piece at a time in previous videos, but this video seems to tie it all together and, for some reason, it all “clicked” for me. I know this must seem obvious to a seasoned skier, but for someone looking to break out of bad habits, this video is a winner. Again, thanks for posting, and I hope I didn’t mis-state some of what I saw.

[@pbuhler1]

Fun to watch. Good skiers are versatile. Bob skied as a young man at Killington. Interesting to listen to the commentary by those fine skiers.

[@AlbaAdventures]

Love this edit. Daughter is in race program - a good bump skier - and going to show her this later. We don't want her to lose her bump skills ...

[@ItsCioffi]

Hey Deb, you started getting into at the end, but would really appreciate seeing a video about pathfinding in natural moguls.

[@markbaum9615]

Good tutorial on the bumpage.. My warm up is what i call the hourglass ....similar to the funnel y'all demonstrated with an inverse funnel immediately thereafter...hence an hourglass shape....work great on long runs then you're ready for the trenches

[@warrenoberholser]

This is the 5th time I have watched this video this week…thanks Deb!😊

[@billpoulakis1741]

Love it. great stuff Debra. Olivia rips.

[@EventPerformanceInc]

Thank you Deb. Way to mine the gems. I love this.

[@justindbond]

This is the best mogul video on KZbin and I say that as someone who watches the Japanese mogul content (the Japanese are obsessed with moguls. I don't speak the language but can at least watch the drills). Deb can you please bring Olivia back on a regular basis? I saw this video after the season ended and have been waiting six months to try it out. It is magic. I had no idea that you could use carved-turn style edge changes to make skidded turns, and I learned to carve back when I was a snowboarder in the mid 90s. Amazing!

[@DebArmstrongSkiStrong]

Thank you

[@Dr.Twisty]

Really interesting video. Great job!

[@KaneDoesOutdoors]

That's fascinating! Super useful for a bad skier like me.

[@tfhanna]

Good demos, good questions and good answers! I wish I could put more than one like on this!

[@DebArmstrongSkiStrong]

Thank you!!!!

[@markeaton2003]

Way to go Deb. I miss skiing.

[@cliang001]

Some really nice skiing going on here!

[@jamesreilly7684]

By far the best video you have created. Clear, focused, detailed, entertaining, and astonishingly illuminating. As much as I revere Franz Klammer and Bodie Miller, Olivia is a much better presenter/example and much easier on the eyes.

[@DR_1S]

Thx Deb 👍🏼

[@traildoggy]

I love this. As a tele skier I struggled with bumps for years. The problem was just that I felt like I couldn't control my line and just got shoved around by the shaope of the troughs, and I always fell after 2 or 3 turns. The thing that fixed it was just a bunch of drills on groomers. Falling leaf and side slipping and tele basics like keeping the hands out front. I also do a drill where I pack as many short distance turns into as short of a hill as possible, just quick kick turns to pop 180 degrees and keep the torso downhill, really exaggerated. The funny thing is that none of this was exercises I did in bumps, and I only spent about 15 minutes a session really drilling it. Then one day it just clicked, I and I just had enough fast control to stay in charge of my line and see a couple of turns ahead to know how to react. I'm in my 60s and can now tele through blue and many black runs nicely, though it wears out the muscles FAST. 😁 Also agree about playing n the top of the bumps. Good snow there long after the troughs are iced up. Also, I loved that tip about wrist direction, It's little stuff like that that you have a hard time learning alone.

[@johnsagnella7445]

Deb rocks .. always educational .

[@StankFernatra]

Thanks for making allowance for the former coach to contribute his perspective, as well.

[@daveydeluxe5788]

Her technique is flawless

[@oakland439]

I would love a video expanding on the first exercise. I really struggle keeping my skis together in moguls and bumps.

[@weirdbeard1980]

Lots of elements I use in my day to day coaching. I use the funnel exercise all the time for various reasons, typically as a warm up for a rotary exercise but there's certainly other ways it can be used. When i took my level 3 my examiner had us ski funnel line in very steep moguls after several inches of fresh snow had fallen on crusty moguls. That was humbling. The ski lead thing is interesting becuase I think of it as more of a byproduct of separation between the upper and lower body but I do mention it when teaching but don't make it my main focus. But when I teach switch skiing I focus heavily on ski lead so the hips stay open and allow our shoulders and head to be able to look down hill.

[@ianholmquist8492]

Sounds like a lot of crap to distract people from what's really important. This is why most ski coaching is completely bunk

[@DR_1S]

Another great video ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@iggymon1019]

beautiful skiing! You have to have a bit of style when you ski. Started racing a few years ago, due to lack of bumps in winter. All the racers and coaches fill your head with engineering schematics on how to turn when it should be so much more basic and naturally explained. In the first 2 years I struggled badly, then I said screw this and just went with came naturally and immediately started to have dramatic leaps in success on the course. It wasn't what other racers called good technique but it works for me and besides that it is fun. Doing an entire movement without thinking about the 20 individual parts of it. Mogul skiers rock!

[@Ecoroof1986]

Wow she ski's so good. Great video

[@brianuccello1554]

A lot of this hasn't changed in 45 years. In the 1970's the front half of a good mogul ski like the "Black SKI, 180CM that I skied on was similar to a slalom ski and the tails were softer making you constantly initiate turns as the tails would washout with speed. Big bumps of three feet or greater required you to do jump turns and always stay in front of your skis, always a good practice

[@dosaussiethai2127]

I love your videos very much. I learned many things from them and try them on the slope when I have a chance. They have helped me a lot. I’m still a lower intermediate skier but I will keep learning and hopefully improving. Thank you. By the way, are you sure she is skiing? It looks like windscreen wiper 😂😂

[@erikooi4651]

Another great video Deb. I hope to run into you at Steamboat when I'm out there in a few days!

[@bgmwuhan]

Kept on watching this video again and again. Deb, can u please make a video on how to do the quick edge to edge turn. Are there any prerequisite, e.g. type of skis needed? If not if you could break it down and recommend drills to get there, that be great! Thank you!

[@MisterHughes]

Nice to see some skis with quite a gentle sidecut and how helpful that is for rapid direction changes without a wide stance, which I assume would lead to a lot of unhelpful scrubbing in moguls (my mogul technique is kind of comedic). I'm not a fan of the broad tips and tails that seem to get pushed on skiers. They have their place and are fun to use for the slingshot effect of a hard-carve, but for getting around a mountain and enjoying different terrain I think they can be quite limiting. Maybe that's just because I spent half my ski-life on the old straight planks.

[@MisterHughes]

Also going to recommend this vid to people I'm introducing to scissoring to initiate a turn, as Olivia's fore-aft foot-switching is a delight to watch.

[@geofyre]

So good... What a great showcase

[@n-da-bunka2650]

Nice detail. Thanks!

[@titusmoto]

Deb I started to ski at 43. I watch your videos like religion. Thank you so much for what you do

[@DebArmstrongSkiStrong]

I love it!!!!! Thanks

[@navicoby]

Great Video! 😊 Thanks!!

[@yukonheart]

Excellent clip ! Thank you ! In the initial clip where she is swinging back and forth it appears that she is not turning on the tips but rather swinging the backs ? You can see the rooster tail of snow coming off the back of the ski ?

[@rogerprefontaine]

One of my favorite videos ever! Deb specifically mentions at 1:20 that lead change isn't something they focus on in racing. But in Deb's "Edging, Training the Elite Skier" about a minute into the video, John Leffler is shown training drills of what appears to be retraction of the strong, downhill leg in a very deliberate manner affecting lead change. As my only qualifications are "I like skiing", I may be confusing John's drills with practicing lead change. The other video is here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oIStg2epprdrprc

[@DebArmstrongSkiStrong]

Yep, that’s a fair point.

[@TG-pd3ft]

Great video thanks