Ski With A Narrow Stance In Moguls For Better Balance

A narrow stance will facilitate better balance in mogul and powder terrain.

Why?

Skiing on three-dimensional mogul and powder terrain with variable snow conditions presents a different challenge than skiing on a groomed run. In off-piste terrain the closer your feet are together the greater the likelihood that both your right and left ski will be on, or in, the same consistency of snow. If the snow consistency underneath both skis is the same then the potential for becoming out of balance is minimized.

For example, with a wide stance, if one foot is in a mogul trough and the other foot is on the side of a mogul, you would likely find yourself in an unbalanced position. Or, if your skis are far apart and one foot hits a heavy clump of powder and the other doesn’t then the one foot in heavy snow would likely slow down and potentially spin you out of balance. Likewise, if one foot sinks in soft powder and the other foot stays high then you also have a likely out-of-balance situation.

Another important benefit of a narrow stance is that it makes it easier to step to, and balance on, the uphill ski prior to initiating a turn.

If you have a wide stance, it is much harder to step to, and balance on, the uphill ski because it requires greater movement of the upper body. The wider your stance the more your upper body mass needs to move to re-establish balance and with this extra movement there is a greater chance you may become out-of-balance.

If you have a narrow stance, and both feet are directly underneath you, it is easier to re-balance on, and shift your weight to, the uphill ski with less upper body movement.

The bottom line: the quieter your upper body is, the better skier you will be.

The bottom line: the narrower your stance, and the quieter your upper body is, the better your chance of remaining centered and balanced when skiing moguls and powder.