Technique
Sequential Absorption and Trough Extension
HOW TO DO IT
Sequential Absorption and Trough Extension
Sequential absorption accounts for the leading and trailing ends crossing a bump in sequence; extension into lower terrain helps retain useful contact. It is contact management, not an order to lock legs in troughs.
Preparation and setting
Gentle uneven traverse and mobile stance.
Execution / practice sequence
- Let the front end rise with available flexion.
- Accommodate the later rear-end rise.
- As the board moves into lower terrain, allow controlled extension.
- Keep support adjustable rather than fully rigid.
- Repeat at a pace that permits observation.
How to learn / practise
Study one bump before adding a sequence. Compare front/rear timing with the same feature and line.
Errors and corrections
Extending hard before the trough arrives can launch or destabilise the rider. No extension after the crest may lose usable contact: reduce demand and retime.
Observable checks
The board follows the terrain without unnecessary airborne separation or collapse.
HOW TO DO IT
Sequential Absorption and Trough Extension
Absorbing the top is only half the task. After the crest, the snow moves away from the body; the legs need to reach toward it without kicking the board into the trough. This article connects the leading/trailing sequence of AMTA-04 with the recovery needed for the next bump. Extension here means increasing the distance from pelvis to board as support recedes. It is not a forceful jump. A deep or abrupt trough may exceed the rider's available range, in which case changing line or speed is more appropriate than reaching harder. At the bottom of a concave trough the loading may rise again, so some flexion reserve must remain.
Preparation and setting
Use one low crest followed by a shallow visible dip. The rider must maintain a controlled traverse and have demonstrated AMTA-01. A repeating mogul field is too complex for the first timing check. Set entry pace before the feature and keep the runout unobstructed.
Execution and learning sequence
- Identify the crest, descending face and bottom of the dip as three different locations.
- Accommodate the rise through leg shortening, following the leading and trailing contacts.
- As each end begins descending, allow that leg to lengthen enough to follow support.
- Keep joints adjustable through the dip; do not arrive at the bottom with locked knees.
- Prepare to shorten again if the following rise approaches. Let spacing determine timing.
- Exit to smoother snow and reset the stance. Evaluate contact in the descent and comfort at the dip separately.
Progression and transfer
Build a two-feature sequence only when the rider has range left at the bottom. For a turn application, use a broad route that does not simultaneously demand maximum edging. If a board leaves the surface briefly, record whether the cause was geometry, pace or deliberate extension before changing the cue.
Mastery and links
link crest accommodation and trough recovery at varied spacing. Continue with AMTA-07 or return to AMTA-19 for isolated timing practice.
Diagnostic hypotheses and rechecks
Possible causes are hypotheses to test, not diagnoses inferred from one attempt.
| Observation | Possible cause | Diagnostic exercise | Correction | Recheck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rider pushes upward before leaving crest | Extension begins while the terrain still rises | AD06 timing observation | Delay the reaching action until support descends | Less unintended lift at the top |
| Board drops away while rider stays tucked | Extension absent or late | Compare shallow dip with baseline | Follow the snow with available leg length | Support returns before the next turn demand |
| Hard impact at trough bottom | Knees locked or route too abrupt | Observe remaining range at bottom | Retain flexion reserve; reduce geometry demand | No rigid end-stop impact and stable ride-away |
Existing target
AM25-06
Methodology notes
M01, M04
Environmental boundary
Managed terrain only; preserve the stated exit and fallback.
Editorial status
detailed_text_draft; coaching review pending.
01
Definition-first entry
This entry currently provides a verified identification and connected routes. Detailed instruction has not been fabricated.
CONNECTED KNOWLEDGE