# Keeping one edge to maintain speed in slow / flat areas



## alecdude88 (Dec 13, 2009)

easiest answer is try recreating that motion but on your toes. you should keep a similar speed.

or you can try doing it switch


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## AdamBQ (Sep 15, 2009)

I find it easiest to just maintain the SLIGHTEST toe edge when on cat tracks, or flat areas. As soon you start going edge to edge, unless you really know how to carve, you are going to lose speed.
For me, maintaining that very slight edge keeps me in full control without losing any speed.


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## FLuiD (Jul 6, 2009)

I just flat base it and go. Only coming on to an edge for control or a speed check. Rocker/Camber FTMFW!!


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## rasmasyean (Jan 26, 2008)

AdamBQ said:


> I find it easiest to just maintain the SLIGHTEST toe edge when on cat tracks, or flat areas. As soon you start going edge to edge, unless you really know how to carve, you are going to lose speed.
> For me, maintaining that very slight edge keeps me in full control without losing any speed.


He's confusing the term carving with skidding. He doesn't "really know how to carve". He's just skidding as apparent from his description.

In order to turn without loosing speed, you have to use the sidecut of your board to create an "ice skate trail" to turn by leaning and balancing on the edge with NO scraping. This is called a "carve" and takes a bit of balance and practice. You can "flat base" it if you have the balance and a solid stance and then lean on either edge ever so slightly to turn a little with zero skidding. But this really just takes a lot of riding practice in order to overcome the "sidewards motion" arkwardness inherrent to snowboarding.

Snowprofessor has some carving drill videos you can watch and maybe that will help you obtain the proper balance.


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## Guest (Mar 7, 2010)

FLuiD said:


> I just flat base it and go. Only coming on to an edge for control or a speed check. Rocker/Camber FTMFW!!


Same here homie


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## Guest (Mar 7, 2010)

rasmasyean said:


> He's confusing the term carving with skidding. He doesn't "really know how to carve". He's just skidding as apparent from his description.
> 
> In order to turn without loosing speed, you have to use the sidecut of your board to create an "ice skate trail" to turn by leaning and balancing on the edge with NO scraping. This is called a "carve" and takes a bit of balance and practice. You can "flat base" it if you have the balance and a solid stance and then lean on either edge ever so slightly to turn a little with zero skidding. But this really just takes a lot of riding practice in order to overcome the "sidewards motion" arkwardness inherrent to snowboarding.
> 
> Snowprofessor has some carving drill videos you can watch and maybe that will help you obtain the proper balance.


Yes I can carve, at least in some situations, if this is carving (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44KenqMrqI8) then I can do this, but as I said it becomes more difficult for me when I get into a situation where I'm going slow / on a slight / no slope.

I think basically I have a tendency when I get to a slow speed to do the skidded turns rather than carving, basically its because the place I was riding at has some narrow areas, that are basically flat, with a drop-off to one side (like a cliff), so I'm probably skidding because I don't trust myself carving yet with the drop-off to the side, so I guess I need to just find a better flat area to practice. Also, I think when its crowded and theres a lot of people (like today, on a weekend) it probably makes me skid more, without realizing it, since I don't trust myself yet carving around obstacles (people who are sitting in the flat areas)


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

getting thru the flats is all about learning to ride flat based. switch if you can do it. it is just simply faster. any edge contact at all slows you down.

switch will help you carry more momentum down the hill if your regular stance is back from centered - for the same reason that pumping your downhill foot helps to speed you up

wax. ftw


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

Snowolf said:


> Not always true....wet, sticky spring snow being a classic example. You ride that shit on the flats with a flat based board and you are coming to a stop. Low edge angle is the best overall way to handle this.


touche - you are correct sir... i was just talking about the other 80-90% of the time


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## rasmasyean (Jan 26, 2008)

ShredLife said:


> getting thru the flats is all about learning to ride flat based. switch if you can do it. it is just simply faster. any edge contact at all slows you down.
> 
> switch will help you carry more momentum down the hill if your regular stance is back from centered - for the same reason that pumping your downhill foot helps to speed you up
> 
> wax. ftw


What't the difference between this and leaning forward?


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## ShredLife (Feb 6, 2010)

the difference between leaning forward and riding switch? well there are alot of differences. try it

i guess the main thing is staying light on the board on the flat stuff. if you dig edges in it slows you down. if i'm leaning hard on the nose to get speed some of the edges will start to dig. if i ride switch i can just stay flat based and because my stance is almost always set back at least a little - more of my weight is automatically on the downhill half of my board, without having to lean and stomp on it, thus keeping my edges out of the snow.

try it.

see what works best for you. this is what works best for me in the flattest of the flat.


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## bryantp (Dec 1, 2008)

*Flats*

When I ride in places with lots of flat areas, I just carry poles. Really. It's not hard and it works. Very useful in back and side country.


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