# Advices with my link turns



## yunfei (Feb 14, 2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiLwDd-9coo
Sorry for the low quality, please give me some advice on my link turns, I feel my heel to toe transition is not very smooth, any tips? 

Thanks a lot in advance. 

Happy shredding


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

Part of it could be it looks like you have a slight lean uphill, keep your body centered over the board (it may feel like you are leaning downhill, but you will be centered over the board and have increased response and control while turning.) Other than that if you feel you are having trouble more one way than the other, make sure you have equal overhang of your toe and heel over the board, this can give a feeling of tough transition from one edge to the other. Otherwise, it may just come from increased practice.


Edit: Not sure what your stance is set at , but it looks like your shoulders are facing downhill a bit, keep them parallel with the board, if you ride a forward stance, than the shoulder turn may be acceptable.


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## SnowMotion (Oct 8, 2010)

Looking pretty good. I would say you are about to cross a level line in your riding. Your heel to toe turn isn't bad just quick if you watch your toe to heel turn is longer. But at least you have good edge angle ( height of edge off snow). Two things that can help will be size of turn and dynamic carving (pushing your legs out of the turn and pulling them into a turn). These things will make you carve harder and ride faster. When trying this out you should use long and wide trail crossing turns medium to fast speed and drop lower in your stance at the knees. If you need me to explain anything further just ask.


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## LyGuy (Sep 7, 2011)

SnowMotion said:


> Looking pretty good. I would say you are about to cross a level line in your riding. Your heel to toe turn isn't bad just quick if you watch your toe to heel turn is longer. But at least you have good edge angle ( height of edge off snow). Two things that can help will be size of turn and dynamic carving (pushing your legs out of the turn and pulling them into a turn). These things will make you carve harder and ride faster. When trying this out you should use long and wide trail crossing turns medium to fast speed and drop lower in your stance at the knees. If you need me to explain anything further just ask.


This may sound stupid but how does one increase their 'edge angle' when turning? Like what exercises should I do to have this locked down?


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## SnowMotion (Oct 8, 2010)

LyGuy said:


> This may sound stupid but how does one increase their 'edge angle' when turning? Like what exercises should I do to have this locked down?


Not stupid at one point every snowboarder thought the same thing. Start pointing down hill and without body rotation start lifting your edge until your board starts to turn for you. As you turn continue to lift your edge until you start to travel uphill. On your heels sit back like your squatting. On your toes lean over your edge and push your shins into the tounge of your boot. Use a wide trail without many people on it. Pick up at least medium speed before you go into the turn and REMEMBER always lift your edge to much and fall toward the hill compared to letting your edge down and catching it.


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

LyGuy said:


> This may sound stupid but how does one increase their 'edge angle' when turning? Like what exercises should I do to have this locked down?


It tends to come from more dynamic riding, where you are using more lower body movement independent of your upper body, which allows you to dig the edge in harder, therefore allowing the upturned edge to reach a higher angle off the ground.

watch some of these:

Intermediate Snowboard lesson: Linked Turns - YouTube

Dynamic Skidded Turns - YouTube


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## yunfei (Feb 14, 2012)

Thank you all very much for the advice and encouragement, I am so happy that I find this place (awesome!!!) I used to ride 15', 5', I changed to 15', -5'(duck stance) recently. I totally agree with what Snowwolf and Efilnikufesin pointed out. I'll keep working on my stance and trying to be more dynamic.


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## yunfei (Feb 14, 2012)

SnowMotion said:


> Looking pretty good. I would say you are about to cross a level line in your riding. Your heel to toe turn isn't bad just quick if you watch your toe to heel turn is longer. But at least you have good edge angle ( height of edge off snow). Two things that can help will be size of turn and dynamic carving (pushing your legs out of the turn and pulling them into a turn). These things will make you carve harder and ride faster. When trying this out you should use long and wide trail crossing turns medium to fast speed and drop lower in your stance at the knees. If you need me to explain anything further just ask.


Thanks very much, SnowMotion. I can understand pushing is applying pressure on the board, but what about pulling? What is the best way to describe the motion? What does feels like?


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## SnowMotion (Oct 8, 2010)

if you are sitting in a chair you would push your feet away from you (extend them) and pull them back in or under you (flex them). Same on your board when you turn to your heels you push the board out in front of you then pull it back under you as you initiate your toe turn them push the board out behind you and pull it back under and back out in front. It creates that dynamic rhythm your looking for and removes some pressure off the board as you change edges.Sorry for confusion still getting used to typing advise.


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## yunfei (Feb 14, 2012)

SnowMotion said:


> if you are sitting in a chair you would push your feet away from you (extend them) and pull them back in or under you (flex them). Same on your board when you turn to your heels you push the board out in front of you then pull it back under you as you initiate your toe turn them push the board out behind you and pull it back under and back out in front. It creates that dynamic rhythm your looking for and removes some pressure off the board as you change edges.Sorry for confusion still getting used to typing advise.


Yes, I am sitting in a chair :laugh: I think I kinda of getting the idea, is it more used in cross-under turns? I will try it out tonite  Thank you!


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## Efilnikufesin (Oct 8, 2011)

Down unweighting, is a hard thing to describe to ppl, but once you feel it, it feels natural. What works for me is thinking I am sucking the board up to my body. Picture being in a standing position, and you take one knee and raise it up to your chest as much as possible while keeping the other foot on the ground, that is sort of the feeling, but it happens with both feet at the same time. Almost as if you went from a standing position to a catchers position in baseball, but you are not lowering your body, you are pulling your legs up towards your upper body enough to take your body weight of the board. It allows you to take enough weight off the board that it makes edge transition much easier, but lets you retain a great deal of stability at the same time.


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