# Carving and unlearning bad habits *video*



## Ygrene (Nov 20, 2014)

I'm no expert but from what I can see, you need to distribute your weight more onto your front leg and when you are leaning into a turn try and balance on the edge of the board to let the sidecut of the board take you where you want to go rather than pressuring the edge too much and making yourself skid out. I would try to get lower and lean more into both your heel and toe carves. Its really just a case of learning where the sweetspot is for you where you're leaning enough to let the edge do its work. 

I'm not an instructor so maybe somebody who is will know better than I do.


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

Okay first of all, your stance is way too much pressure on the tail. Bend that front kneed and stand center on the board.
In the video you are basically doing sliding turns with no engagement in the edges. The reason of that is no front foot turn initiation. Carving needs front let to initiate the edge to start the turn with the back edge following it.


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## PCM (Feb 27, 2015)

Thank you all for the feedback. Totally makes sense, I can see that now. What would your recommended next steps be? At this stage, would intermediate lessons be helpful?


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

PCM said:


> Thank you all for the feedback. Totally makes sense, I can see that now. What would your recommended next steps be? At this stage, would intermediate lessons be helpful?


Having someone point out your bad habits is always a good idea.
However, it all comes down to yourself.


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## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

Your heel edge turn is pretty good and you are on edge more or less for your heel edge turns. The problem is your toe edge. You are counter-rotating a little and skidding on your toe edge turns. Try to stick your crotch out with knees bent and relaxed on toe edge.

Imagine someone watching/filming you from the side of the run. Try to show them the bottom of your board. Snowboard pro camp has a good video on this. I try to think of this video when I'm carving fast terrain. 

I recommend you watch all 5 of his challenge videos and try the challenges. They will improve your riding.


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## PCM (Feb 27, 2015)

These are great, thanks! ^


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## PCM (Feb 27, 2015)

WasabiCanuck said:


> Your heel edge turn is pretty good and you are on edge more or less for your heel edge turns. The problem is your toe edge. You are counter-rotating a little and skidding on your toe edge turns. Try to stick your crotch out with knees bent and relaxed on toe edge.


Spent the weekend in Tahoe and did my best to focus on sticking my crotch out and arching my back a little bit to get on my toe edge, and "sitting deeper in the chair" to get on my heel edge. 

How's this looking?
























My quick take is that I seem to still be putting too much weight on my back foot, and maybe a bit too open on top when transitioning turns (is this counter rotation?), but definitely better? FWIW, was mostly leaving clean lines in the snow, which is an improvement.


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## SGboarder (Jun 24, 2012)

PCM said:


> FWIW, was mostly leaving clean lines in the snow, which is an improvement.


Once you are on either edge you make a nice arc. Centered and (at some point) slight back foot weighting helps with that.
Main issue is when you are transitioning from one edge to the other. You are skidding during that part (look at your track above/to the right of the arrow) which is fine - but your skidding is initiated by swiveling the board/ruddering the back foot around. Even skidded turns should be led by the front foot.

Smaller problem is that you are still too static in the legs and not stacked over the board: You are bending at the waist on heelside and doing a Michael Jackson on the toeside.

Everything else (upper body rotation etc.) is just minor stuff.


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

Add forward lean to your front binding, at least two notches from neutral. By doing this the binding will naturally push your leg out forcing your knee to bend slightly and keep you in a more neutral stance and properly weighted.


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

Someone posted the video below not long back, and I think it's a great addition to your riding for where you are at now. Use your front knee to initiate your turn and angle the board more, squat more into each turn and you'll have an 'AHA!' moment. From there the fun starts when you can really load the board during a carve and actually pop from edge to edge, no skidding needed.


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## foobaz (Jan 28, 2015)

PCM said:


> Spent the weekend in Tahoe and did my best to focus on sticking my crotch out


Haha, that could get you in trouble eventually. Avoid groups of women and children...


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## JTCarver (Dec 27, 2015)

Try bending your knees more as you enter and exit your turns. It will help you transition rail to rail smoother. When your knees are bent, you can control the arc of your carves by extending and retracting your legs. This will help you keep you weight over the board where you need it at all times. It will also help in springing you out of each turn when you can moderate edge pressure. Think of it this way, straight legs are along for the ride, where bent legs are riding. 

Hope this helps.


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## PCM (Feb 27, 2015)

Great advice from you all, especially the feedback about knees and balance. The video is super helpful. I will try all of this on my next trip. Love this forum already! 

One reason that I think I'm leaning so heavy on the back foot to turn is that I also surf: weight over front foot accelerates down the line, weight on back foot to brake and turn. Same goes for my stance in the first vid. I'll have to learn how to switch off that part of the brain when snowboarding.

(not me in this image, just showing the stance)









Will post up more vids when I have them. Excited to get this right!


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

PCM said:


> Great advice from you all, especially the feedback about knees and balance. The video is super helpful. I will try all of this on my next trip. Love this forum already!
> 
> One reason that I think I'm leaning so heavy on the back foot to turn is that I also surf: weight over front foot accelerates down the line, weight on back foot to brake and turn. Same goes for my stance in the first vid. I'll have to learn how to switch off that part of the brain when snowboarding.
> 
> ...


Surfing is very similar to riding powder. Yes, when you ride powder you do want to put more weight on the back to float the board but when you are on groomer, doing that will make board not wanting to carve but skid instead.


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