# Still Can't Ride With One Foot Loose!



## kenshapiro2002 (Feb 1, 2011)

On my sixth year...riding black diamonds with confidence, and still can't run with my back foot out of the binding. I've tried putting more weight on my front foot (improvement), pressing my back boot right up against the binding...moving the back foot farther forward (close to the front foot), which seems to help, but still can't carry any speed at all without losing the ability to steer. It's my weakest point in riding. HELP !!!:dunno:


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## rwspear (Mar 26, 2012)

go buy a skateboard this spring


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## atr3yu (Feb 15, 2012)

Do you ride a heavily rockered board? I have no issues one foot out on a cambered deck, but rockered I have been known to do some helicopter spins while skating.


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## redlude97 (Jan 9, 2008)

do you use some type of stomp pad?


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## kenshapiro2002 (Feb 1, 2011)

K2 Raygun. I do have a stomp pad. My back foot is secure on the stomp pad.


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## Casual (Feb 9, 2011)

the key is to look where you want to go and relax. dont fight it, dont look down, just go with it.


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

On my new snowboard I decided to opt for no stomp pad so I am not relying on it. My skating has improved for sure but I have not done any longer distance attempts yet.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Casual said:


> the key is to look where you want to go and relax. dont fight it, dont look down, just go with it.


^not that I'm very good at it....ride light...start doing it on the bunny hill. For me, I'm anxious when I got to link some turns with some speed....straight line I can do. I want to get to the point of having a cup of coffee or pizza in my hand when 1 footy doing the bunny hill.


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

Found this thread that touches on the same thing, might help

http://www.snowboardingforum.com/tips-tricks-snowboard-coaching/37586-toe-edge-turns-back-foot-not.html


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## cjcameron11 (Feb 5, 2011)

I have this exact problem, i used to think i was just horrible at it. When i changed from a Lib (C2) to a berzerker (slight camber) i found i instantly got better at skating and doing a green run with one foot out.

I am still not awesome at it, in fact my confidence is shit when i have to be aggressive with one foot in (i.e avoid a newb trying to take me out). BUT i found the board type made a big difference for my lack of skill.

I wish i could get better at it though!


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## aiidoneus (Apr 7, 2011)

Maybe you are standing up too tall? It is pretty common for people when skating around to stop bending their knees and ankles a bit. Harder to balance and control the board that way.

I also second the 'look where you want to go, not at your board' as another good possibility.


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## kenshapiro2002 (Feb 1, 2011)

Did MUCH better today...it was definitely that I was opening my shoulders up...twisting my upper body to "face" forward instead of just turning my head.


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## BoardWalk (Mar 22, 2011)

Out of curiosity, why are you riding with one foot. We all do it at times when strapping in just isn't worth it, but why would you want to do a run like that?


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## kenshapiro2002 (Feb 1, 2011)

BoardWalk said:


> Out of curiosity, why are you riding with one foot. We all do it at times when strapping in just isn't worth it, but why would you want to do a run like that?


Because the lift operators frown when I strap on in the chair?


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

BoardWalk said:


> Out of curiosity, why are you riding with one foot. We all do it at times when strapping in just isn't worth it, but why would you want to do a run like that?


Not sure about a run, but here its pretty common to come across flats and down to the lodge from the two near by chairs at Whistler.
A few people ride one foot out in prep for freestyle tricks with one out too.


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## BoardWalk (Mar 22, 2011)

kenshapiro2002 said:


> Because the lift operators frown when I strap on in the chair?





Soggysnow said:


> Not sure about a run, but here its pretty common to come across flats and down to the lodge from the two near by chairs at Whistler.
> A few people ride one foot out in prep for freestyle tricks with one out too.


Gotcha, didn't click that it was mostly for getting off the lift. I thought people were doing one footed runs. 

I agree with keep relaxed, just let the board run.


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## kenshapiro2002 (Feb 1, 2011)

If the area between the chair and the run favors it, I just strap in while on the chair (K2 Cinches) and ride right off and down (baddass senior citizen).


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## neshawnp (Jan 29, 2013)

Consciously think to keep ur front hand lower then back hand. This Lil tip helped out my riding SO much!


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## kenshapiro2002 (Feb 1, 2011)

neshawnp said:


> Consciously think to keep ur front hand lower then back hand. This Lil tip helped out my riding SO much!


Will try...thanks.


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## Nordica-k2 (Jun 9, 2012)

neshawnp said:


> Consciously think to keep ur front hand lower then back hand. This Lil tip helped out my riding SO much!


hah that's heaps good, it'll ensure you're leaning more forward than back.. clever :thumbsup::thumbsup:


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## vknyvz (Jan 23, 2013)

aiidoneus said:


> Maybe you are standing up too tall? It is pretty common for people when skating around to stop bending their knees and ankles a bit. Harder to balance and control the board that way.
> 
> I also second the 'look where you want to go, not at your board' as another good possibility.


i agree with you

there are also many other good advices here, wish I saw these last season  

I first tried to do easy green one footed runs, then J turns. I was fine with all of those however I fell almost 6 out of 10 times getting out of lift then naturally I started to use my right hand (i am goofy), keep it down a bit, bending my knees and ankles and loosen up my legs this helped me a lot, 
I used to be really stiff like knowing that I am gonna fall. I noticed that balance is easy to keep when you're loose, and god yea looking at your board is def. wrong.

Learning to keep your balance also helps on express rope tow, which was extremely hard at first for me



kenshapiro2002 said:


> Because the lift operators frown when I strap on in the chair?


yea you're right they go crazy when they see that, i was trying to get away with it too when I was having troubles getting off from chair lift. one easy way is to get a rear entry bindings  this way you can easily put your foot in when you're on the lift but surely this is prolly not advisible as we need to learn the proper way!


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## kenshapiro2002 (Feb 1, 2011)

edlo said:


> Strap in on the chair on infront of the chair:icon_scratch:
> 
> When you talk about riding are you talking about the last 10 feet when you follow the chair and wait for the next?
> Regular Stance-
> ...


Sorry...I have no idea what you were writing!:dizzy:
I have no trouble getting on or off the chair, even when I don't "cinch" in on the chair. My difficulty is on those occasions when after exiting the chair, there might be a 40-50' gentle incline to the lip of the run (for example)...traveling a decent distance with my lead foot in and my trailing foot loose.


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## kenshapiro2002 (Feb 1, 2011)

vknyvz said:


> i agree with you
> 
> there are also many other good advices here, wish I saw these last season
> 
> ...


Yeah...I used to have Flow bindings (rear entry), and now have K2 Cinch rear entry bindings. I slap in on the chair if the run is one where I can get off and head down right away. On those where I can't, I leave with the rear foot out. I have no trouble getting off the chair or going short distances. I see other riders able to skate 40-50' with only their lead foot in the binding. I can't seem to keep from fishtailing (sliding the ass end of the board out) on longer distances.


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## vknyvz (Jan 23, 2013)

kenshapiro2002 said:


> Yeah...I used to have Flow bindings (rear entry), and now have K2 Cinch rear entry bindings. I slap in on the chair if the run is one where I can get off and head down right away. On those where I can't, I leave with the rear foot out. I have no trouble getting off the chair or going short distances. I see other riders able to skate 40-50' with only their lead foot in the binding. I can't seem to keep from fishtailing (sliding the ass end of the board out) on longer distances.


now I got ya I am with you on that when there's a long way down after getting off from the chair lift I used to lose my balance too. From my personal experience I tried being loose, bending knees and ankles and stopped with heel side when I feel like I am about to lose control (or going fast), this helped me a lot, after full stop or slow down start skating again.


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## Donutz (May 12, 2010)

I think one of the issues that might be causing skating problems is a tendency to just keep your back foot flat. If you have weight on it, this will prevent the back half of the board from going up on edge. Instead, when trying to put the board on edge with your front foot, make sure you put all your back foot weight on either the toe or the heel. This will allow the whole board to come up on edge, which should prevent or at least reduce the tendency to spin out.


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## edlo (Jan 24, 2011)

So when you go down the black diamands one you leaning on your downhill foot and carving or skid turning with the up hill foot?


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## zackmorris (Feb 13, 2013)

I strap in while I'm on the lift.


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