Just like mount biking through the woods with a quickly changing terrain, the need to read the trail remains the same in skiing. This means skills developed on the slopes or trail can often be interchanged. Some of the same techniques apply. Stay relaxed, loose and don't panic. Getting tense can cause you some major pains. If you stay loose you can often avoid crashing and even if you do crash you may reduce your injuries.
In skiing its a good idea to pick your path by looking ahead and finding the cleanest line. This can also be applied to mount and road cycling. On the road you look for the fastest line through the turns and try to map the best break away point. In mount biking you look for the ruts, banks, trees, stumps, rocks and what every else mother nature comes up with. A technique that is useful in on and off road riding is to avoid becoming fixated on the objects and obstacles that are to close, either step around it, jump it, or absorb it but don't stare at it.
Posture has a big part to play in your ability to respond to changing road conditions. If you ride like your a card board cut out, glued to the bike, your just using to much energy staying stiff. Your also increasing your chances of getting hurt from an accident or even from shocks of absorbing the terrain. Riding through the ruts with your mount bike, let the bicycle glide from side to side. On the steep dirt down hills, keep your hands light on the bars and hang your butt off the back of the seat.
Joe Pucci
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