# Carving Turn Advice



## Jerky (Mar 7, 2015)

Need some advice on completing good carving...

LibTech rocker board. I understand its harder to carve with this board.

When I start a downhill carve, I find about halfway through the toeside/heelside carve I am digging deep into the snow and have a hard time putting the board flat to transition to the other edge.
So, I end up slowing way down to get above the snow and then complete the heelside/toeside turn, and repeat the process going the opposite direction.
Thinking Im putting too much weight on the front foot, I lean my weight more centered (instead of over front foot), but find midway though the turn Im in the backseat and cant control the turn effectively. 

Is this difficulty typical for a rocker board or should I be doing something differently?


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

it seems it could be a couple of things

1 not going fast enough
2 not pointing downhill enough...or getting too transverse of the fall line
3 sounds like you don't understand moving you weight fore, middle and aft of the board and how that relates to phases of the turn
4 probably not carving yet...so have a friend take a vid of you carving and post it up.


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## Jerky (Mar 7, 2015)

Good advice.
No, I dont think its actually 'carving' yet either.


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

You are not bending your knees enough.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Jerky said:


> LibTech rocker board. I understand_ its harder to carve_ with this board.
> ...
> Is this difficulty typical for a rocker board


Actually, this is not correct. There's a difference between a board is "easy" to carve and "good" at carving. Every board with a sidecut will carve. 

Your board probably is "easy" to carve, i.e. leave a nice pencil line, it just isn't a very good carver cos it won't offer the attributes which ppl seek who are into carving (acceleration throught the carve, pop out of the turn, stiffer flex to hold through high speed carves). 

A board which is called "good" at carving will have pop out of the carve, will hold a carve at high speed with a lot of pressure affecting on its flex. They are generally stiffer and thus actually "harder" to carve. More precision and effort (muscle or speed) needed to bend them into the radius and tilt here they'll glide nicely through a trench. 

Anyway... you're the one with the max fwd lean highback? I assume that you've some basics not set yet. Full fwd lean is pretty unusual. You either have a fundamental weight distribution issue or ride a board _way_ too wide for you to "need" the leverage of full fwd lean. Too much weight on front leg is rather unusual; most have too much on the back leg. Stiff straight knees and counter rotation are another main reasons for troubles with turns. Easy going carving at moderate cruising speed with a well sized mid flex board sould be doable with minor movements of your toes/ancles.

Take a lesson or post a vid. Also search for the "creepy basement vid" thread to check if your basic body position is ok.


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## modman (Mar 3, 2015)

Hey Jerky,

My quiver currently consists of a fully-cambered board (traditional "carving board"), a CRC board, and a rocker board. I think neni hit the nail on the head in her description of the differences in carving on each. 

You can check out my thread originally posted in 2015 that catalogs my two-season learn-to-carve adventure and the awesome advice I got here to help. It has videos of me on CRC and camber. There's a ton of great tips in there that might help.

But, taking a lesson, studying the basement video, and really paying attention to the advice I got here after posting videos made (what I feel is) some dramatic improvements in my riding. 

Good luck and hopefully you can take a lesson and post a video soon!

Edit: I'm an idiot.


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## Fielding (Feb 15, 2015)

I find that it's extremely difficult to carve well without a having minimum of four beers first. More in hard, icy conditions.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

modman said:


> ... I think neni hit the nail on the head in his description of the differences in carving on each.


Her. 
We're few, but some of us here are actually female ; )

BTW: Nice progression in your thread, keep at it. Next step is playing with the radius.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

Fielding said:


> I find that it's extremely difficult to carve well without a having minimum of four beers first. More in hard, icy conditions.


Very good advice. Cannabis on the chair helps too. :grin:
Neni is right. Turn much sooner than you do and focus on feeling the edges of the board while you turn. Raise your feet fingers on a heel carve and push them down in a toe carve, knees bent. What kind of angle are you using? I ride both positive, puts you in a more natural carving position.


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## modman (Mar 3, 2015)

neni said:


> Her.


I'm very sorry Neni! :embarrased1: I neglected my pre-post research today


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