# Posture on carving



## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

Hi guys, just wondering if anyone is able to have a look at my riding. 

I've been practicing and trying to get deeper carves and changing my edges quickly. I've been watching many videos, browsing the forums etc to try and understand the process and technique behind this, so yes I have done the homework. However, I’m not sure if this translated well into my riding. After watching my own riding on video, I felt like it’s better than last season (I’ve posted a video before here on my riding) but I don’t feel like it’s quite right.

In this video, I tried to bend my knees as much as I possibly could and trying to maintain a good posture. 

This season, I’ll once again sign up for an instructor to check my riding, but in the meantime, any help and opinion would be appreciated. Thanks!

Riding video


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## garikgarik (Dec 15, 2011)

That combo of bent waist and back hand to the snow


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## nimmi (Dec 21, 2021)

That's some good carving! A lot of improvement since your previous video, which was already quite good.

I'd point out couple of things that might help, but given how much you've been researching it, you probably already know most of these:

1. Instead of bending to much at the waist, try to keep your upper body upright, like sitting on a chair and bend equally at the knees: the goal is to get the hips low, especially for heelside carves. Since you said you tried your best to bend at the knee, your leg strength and mobility might need some work. Maybe try doing squats or isometric chair holds. My quads are usually exhausted after a day of carving.

2. You trying to touch the snow seems to be exacerbating the excessive bending at hips. The camera might also be affecting your riding. Both these things are not helping at the very least, so try riding without these. 

3. Set your high back to maximum forward lean if you haven't already. Will make a HUGE difference to your carving. Some park-oriented bindings might not have sufficient forward lean even at maximum, so make sure you don't have one of those. A good sign of sufficient lean is needing a lot of ankle flexion.

4. You seem to be riding a duck stance. A more aggressive forward stance might help.

5. If you want to practice changing egdes quickly then practice short carves where the upper body goes in a straight line and you make quick carves in succession using your lower body.

6. Watch everything by Ryan Knapton.


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## mjayvee (Nov 18, 2015)

Using your back hand to touch the snow is not good technique and looks as if you depend on touching the snow to keep your balance. 

How about having someone else film your riding? Holding a camera while riding affects your carving and overall riding.


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## Etienne (Apr 2, 2021)

I second everybody on your hand touching the snow. Be patient, it will happen, don't force it or you will bend too much. You seem to have good squat capability, so you should be able to handle a much more straight upper body. 

The second thing is you "cut" into your turn too fast, skipping the first part of the arc (that may be because of conditions, which seem tough). Especially on your heel side, try to have a first part where you engage the edge without trying to turn, counter rotating with your shoulders if need be. It will be easier on super mellow runs. 

Overall you are opening your shoulders a bit too much, but that might be because of the filming. 

Apart from that, you really have the basics and seem pretty solid on your legs. Don't force it, let the flow happen and big beautiful carves will come soon.  

Envoyé de mon H8324 en utilisant Tapatalk


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## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

nimmi said:


> That's some good carving! A lot of improvement since your previous video, which was already quite good.
> 
> I'd point out couple of things that might help, but given how much you've been researching it, you probably already know most of these:
> 
> ...


Thanks so much nimmi for the feedback and advice! Looks like I still have a long way to go. I'll try to do all of these and see if it helps next weekend. I just thought being able to touch the snow was sort of an indicator that I was doing something right but I guess it doesn't seem so.


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## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

Etienne said:


> I second everybody on your hand touching the snow. Be patient, it will happen, don't force it or you will bend too much. You seem to have good squat capability, so you should be able to handle a much more straight upper body.
> 
> The second thing is you "cut" into your turn too fast, skipping the first part of the arc (that may be because of conditions, which seem tough). Especially on your heel side, try to have a first part where you engage the edge without trying to turn, counter rotating with your shoulders if need be. It will be easier on super mellow runs.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice! I'll try to stop touching the snow (it does look cool when other people do it though ngl) and will try to be more patient with my carves. I guess in my mind, I felt that I have engaged the edge for a decent enough time and then I turn, but then the video says otherwise. 

The snow was quite hard as well so I felt a bit scared that my board would slip underneath me


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## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

mjayvee said:


> Using your back hand to touch the snow is not good technique and looks as if you depend on touching the snow to keep your balance.
> 
> How about having someone else film your riding? Holding a camera while riding affects your carving and overall riding.


I see, I'll try and stop touching the snow. Will try and get a friend to film me when they go riding as well.


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## nimmi (Dec 21, 2021)

snowkev said:


> Thanks so much nimmi for the feedback and advice! Looks like I still have a long way to go. I'll try to do all of these and see if it helps next weekend. I just thought being able to touch the snow was sort of an indicator that I was doing something right but I guess it doesn't seem so.


Being able to touch the ground does indicate deep, low carves and high board angles, but only if you're doing it "without trying" ie it should not affect your riding on any way (Unless you are doing eurocarves)

I'll be honest: it feels awesome to touch the ground as you ride. I do it as often as I can, and I have been guilty of forcing it at times. If I feel that bending at hip was only for the sake of touching the ground, then that's not good form. Don't take your hand to the ground; carve deep and let the ground come to your hand...

Edit: btw what's the forward lean on your bindings in the video? Set to max I hope.


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## WigMar (Mar 17, 2019)

nimmi said:


> Edit: btw what's the forward lean on your bindings in the video? Set to max I hope.


I don't currently use much forward lean for carving. I match the highback up to my boot and call it a day. Setting it to max seems like an aggressive place to start.


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## nimmi (Dec 21, 2021)

WigMar said:


> I don't currently use much forward lean for carving. I match the highback up to my boot and call it a day. Setting it to max seems like an aggressive place to start.


It makes a big difference, especially for heelside carves. The downside is that you'll exhaust your quads pretty quickly until you get used to it. Also skating might get a little more awkward.


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

nimmi said:


> It makes a big difference, especially for heelside carves. The downside is that you'll exhaust your quads pretty quickly until you get used to it. Also skating might get a little more awkward.


It's horrible in chairlift queues, I went back to a more mild setting.


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## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

Yeah going full lean on the highback is not a great idea from zero lean. Maybe slowly step it up, I'm back to a pretty mild lean after going full lean for a a few years, I think it's better for hitting jumps and side hits and IMO my carving hasn't really suffered


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## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

nimmi said:


> Being able to touch the ground does indicate deep, low carves and high board angles, but only if you're doing it "without trying" ie it should not affect your riding on any way (Unless you are doing eurocarves)
> 
> I'll be honest: it feels awesome to touch the ground as you ride. I do it as often as I can, and I have been guilty of forcing it at times. If I feel that bending at hip was only for the sake of touching the ground, then that's not good form. Don't take your hand to the ground; carve deep and let the ground come to your hand...
> 
> Edit: btw what's the forward lean on your bindings in the video? Set to max I hope.


I see, I guess I'll have to continue fixing my posture and try to get low as possible. 

I always see the snowboard instructors in the morning doing their carving sessions before they start teaching the groups and the things they do look extremely clean and smooth. I hope one day I can be like them haha

My forward lean on these ones are on F2? I think this is mild since there were F3 and F4 I believe. It's what it says on the screw. These are Burton step ons, so not sure if they use a different terminology.


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## nimmi (Dec 21, 2021)

16gkid said:


> Yeah going full lean on the highback is not a great idea from zero lean. Maybe slowly step it up, I'm back to a pretty mild lean after going full lean for a a few years, I think it's better for hitting jumps and side hits and IMO my carving hasn't really suffered


Yeah it does make the board too responsive. Not for park rats. In fact some freestyle bindings at their maximum forward setting have the same lean as the minimum of some regular bindings.
But since they want to up their carving game, they should go for max lean. It's gonna help with the quick edge changes for sure. Given their level of riding I don't think it'll cause them any problems.

I went from zero to max as I was first experimenting with binding settings, and was pleasantly surprised. I turn it down halfway when I feel exhausted, but if I wanna carve then max lean is the way to go!


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## nimmi (Dec 21, 2021)

snowkev said:


> I see, I guess I'll have to continue fixing my posture and try to get low as possible.
> 
> I always see the snowboard instructors in the morning doing their carving sessions before they start teaching the groups and the things they do look extremely clean and smooth. I hope one day I can be like them haha


I remember Ryan Knapton saying "imagine trying to hit your highbacks with your butt". Btw getting low isn't the only aspect of carving. From what I've read you're supposed to straighten your legs during the straight parts, and bend during turns. I don't think if I do it correctly myself. Don't have anyone to record my riding 😅.



snowkev said:


> My forward lean on these ones are on F2? I think this is mild since there were F3 and F4 I believe. It's what it says on the screw. These are Burton step ons, so not sure if they use a different terminology.


Yup. The larger the F number the higher the lean. Crank it to max (F4 or F5 i think) to see what it can do for you. IIRC there are two screws on each binding, so make sure to crank both of them equally. With a high lean you might need more effort to get that second click with the Step-ons (shifting the toebed forward might help, Ryan has a video on step-ons)
In general, bindings don't have any terminology for forward lean.


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## MrDavey2Shoes (Mar 5, 2018)

I agree with those who have said forward lean isn’t necessary. I run maybe 1-2 clicks if that. Nose/tail weight transfer is more important than immediate toe/heel response imo.


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## nimmi (Dec 21, 2021)

MrDavey2Shoes said:


> I agree with those who have said forward lean isn’t necessary. I run maybe 1-2 clicks if that. Nose/tail weight transfer is more important than immediate toe/heel response imo.


I agree about the importance of nose-tail weight transfer for cleaner carves. But for quick edge changes and super responsive ride max high-back lean is really helpful.


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## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

nimmi said:


> I agree about the importance of nose-tail weight transfer for cleaner carves. But for quick edge changes and super responsive ride max high-back lean is really helpful.


It's helpful, it's not always needed


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

I don’t ride max forward lean either. Tried it for a while but it felt like a bar was being pushed into my calves. But I agree, it was quite responsive. Now I match highback to boot lean. So much more comfortable. 


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

Scalpelman said:


> I don’t ride max forward lean either. Tried it for a while but it felt like a bar was being pushed into my calves. But I agree, it was quite responsive. Now I match highback to boot lean. So much more comfortable.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I also match boot lean and so I can feel the high backs as soon as I lean back. I feel it’s nice to be able to stand comfortably on cat tracks etc.


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## garikgarik (Dec 15, 2011)

snowkev said:


> Thank you for the advice! I'll try to stop touching the snow (it does look cool when other people do it though ngl) and will try to be more patient with my carves. I guess in my mind, I felt that I have engaged the edge for a decent enough time and then I turn, but then the video says





snowkev said:


> Thank you for the advice! I'll try to stop touching the snow (it does look cool when other people do it though ngl) and will try to be more patient with my carves. I guess in my mind, I felt that I have engaged the edge for a decent enough time and then I turn, but then the video says otherwise.
> 
> The snow was quite hard as well so I felt a bit scared that my board would slip underneath me


Focus on the angle between your board and the snow, the higher the angle the more control you’ll have, also think of the pressure that you generate during the turn and how gradually you can generate, apply and shift it.
Also about the posture, incline more into the turn, move your head deeper inside the turn, before angulating. Look at this guy


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

Love these carving threads. @garikgarik ; That guy has a perfect groomer to play on. Not always possible. But his turns are effortless. I can already see that I need to turn my shoulders more into the turn on heel side. 


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

Cheating hardbooter…


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## Scalpelman (Dec 5, 2017)

Snowdaddy said:


> Cheating hardbooter…


Ha! I didn’t even notice. I take it back. That dude sux [emoji23]


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## Manicmouse (Apr 7, 2014)

Scalpelman said:


> Love these carving threads. @garikgarik ; That guy has a perfect groomer to play on. Not always possible. But his turns are effortless. I can already see that I need to turn my shoulders more into the turn on heel side.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


There's probably not a single run in NZ that's like that one in the video. We just don't have wide enough, well-groomed runs with few enough people.


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## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

nimmi said:


> I remember Ryan Knapton saying "imagine trying to hit your highbacks with your butt". Btw getting low isn't the only aspect of carving. From what I've read you're supposed to straighten your legs during the straight parts, and bend during turns. I don't think if I do it correctly myself. Don't have anyone to record my riding 😅.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Ooh that's a good tip, going to try and consciously think about trying to hit the highbacks with my butt. I see and yeah it's hard for me too to get someone to record since a lot of my friends only go once or twice a season.

And I'll crank the forward lean just a bit more and see how it goes.


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## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

garikgarik said:


> Focus on the angle between your board and the snow, the higher the angle the more control you’ll have, also think of the pressure that you generate during the turn and how gradually you can generate, apply and shift it.
> Also about the posture, incline more into the turn, move your head deeper inside the turn, before angulating. Look at this guy


Thanks a lot! I'll use this as reference.


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## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

Manicmouse said:


> There's probably not a single run in NZ that's like that one in the video. We just don't have wide enough, well-groomed runs with few enough people.


Same with the ski fields around me here. The ski fields in my countryside town in Japan are great but like they're not huge like the ones in the video or big name ones like Nagano etc. I would have to come when the ski field just opens and just have about an hour or hour and a half doing carving practice before it gets flooded with people.


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## nimmi (Dec 21, 2021)

snowkev said:


> Same with the ski fields around me here. The ski fields in my countryside town in Japan are great but like they're not huge like the ones in the video or big name ones like Nagano etc. I would have to come when the ski field just opens and just have about an hour or hour and a half doing carving practice before it gets flooded with people.


If you don't mind me asking, which ski resort do you ride at? I'm in the Inawashiro/Urabandai area.


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## snowkev (Jan 7, 2021)

nimmi said:


> If you don't mind me asking, which ski resort do you ride at? I'm in the Inawashiro/Urabandai area.


I mostly ride in Hachi Kita in Hyogo pref and a few local resorts near my place. It seems like we're quite far from each other haha. 
Just wondering, do you know of any active snowboarding community in Japan? I've been trying to find some but I haven't got any luck


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## garikgarik (Dec 15, 2011)

snowkev said:


> Thanks a lot! I'll use this as reference.






Here is a softboot guy on a not so wide slope.
The point is that they incline into the turn first, and they do not angulate as much as you do (bending in the waist/abdomen to knees), and they use vertical movement to actively move their centre of mass up and down through the turn instead of getting low and sort of roll from one edge to another.
Also this video is quite informative, i don’t know if you seen it.


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## lbs123 (Jan 24, 2017)

Since you ride in Japan, why you don't check out some of the Japanese riders. I think these two has the best style from the Toyfilms riders.






Seiko Hotta has a very fluid style. Notice she doesn't reach for the ground, and only touches it if that's a result of getting close enough to it.

Ryota Nagaya is a bit more agressive rider and getting lower.






Higher snowboard angulation is achieved by flexing ankles more on the toe side turns rather than leaning forward. On the heel side you can open your torso a bit more and push the back hand forward in the direction of turn. Notice that at some point in the heel side turn they have both hands in front of the body.


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## nimmi (Dec 21, 2021)

snowkev said:


> I mostly ride in Hachi Kita in Hyogo pref and a few local resorts near my place. It seems like we're quite far from each other haha.
> Just wondering, do you know of any active snowboarding community in Japan? I've been trying to find some but I haven't got any luck


Not really, I just go with my coworkers.
If you can type/read Japanese then you should look up ski/snowboarding open chat groups on LINE for your area.


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