# Please criticize my snowboarding technique!



## Appelsien (Jan 4, 2014)

Hey guys

Reading some threads in this forum made me realize my snowboarding technique is probably way off...

I go snowboarding once a year and in total I went 4 weeks so far.
I've never taken classes (which I will do next month!), so some things are definitely wrong.

I made a compilation of some of last year's runs and tried assessing my own technique. 

Here it is:






This is what I figured out; please correct me if I'm wrong!
I've noticed that most of the time I'm not bending through my knees properly. Sometimes I'm just leaning forward, while my back should be straight (?).

When looking at some footage I noticed I'm leaning black slightly. I'd probably be better of leaning forward a bit more.

Something weird is going on with my rotation of my lower/upper body.
I'm a regular rider and I feel like I'm always bringing my right side forward in order to face downhill with more of my chest/right arm instead of my left side (does that make sense?) 

Another thing I noticed is how strangely my right knee seems to bend/rotate inwards in some situations, while my left (front) knee/leg stays straight.

Is it correct if I assume that I should be able to put two metal pins (figuratively) in my board where my feet are located and attach these to my shoulders, so they're always aligned? 


I'd really appreciate all feedback!


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## tradnwaves4snow (Nov 19, 2013)

Appelsien said:


> I go snowboarding once a year and in total I went 4 weeks so far.
> I've never taken classes (which I will do next month!), so some things are definitely wrong.


looks like you're progressing well for a short time mate. great job getting some footage together, im sure there are a few people on here that could give you some great advise. 

good luck with your lesson and keep having fun!


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

Bend your knees more, lean down the hill and initiate turns with your front foot.
Probably best to ride with your shoulders closed for now.
Bend your knees more 
Get your butt lower for heel side.
How to Carve on a Snowboard Regular - How to Snowboard - YouTube
Carving Lesson for Snowboarders - YouTube

Have to be aggressive, the hardest part about progressing is getting used to the fact you're accelerating most of the time and to bleed off speed you throw a speed check or use the terrain to slow you down.


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## CERBERUS.lucid (Oct 17, 2013)

Have not heard that song in awhile... intro to "Appleseed"


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## cozmo (Dec 12, 2012)

With that name u must be dutch 

Sound advice above, one thing that i saw is in the part where u say ur smooth and it feels well. That part looks pretty good, but try to imagine your back hand glued to your back leg. My snowboard teacher told me to even hold my pants between my fingers. If you look at other boarders (especially in the EU as i understand it) most have poor style/technique and do a lot of rudder steering with the back hand. I also do it when i'm in above my skill level. 

The other thing is the shoulders turned forward thing, looks weird. I think the correct stance is shoulders aligned with the board.


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## Appelsien (Jan 4, 2014)

Thanks for the advice so far, all of you! Really appreciate it 



tradnwaves4snow said:


> looks like you're progressing well for a short time mate. great job getting some footage together, im sure there are a few people on here that could give you some great advise.
> 
> good luck with your lesson and keep having fun!


Thanks! I borrowed my mate's GoPro last year and I did most of the filming that trip. Got some footage of me boarding (result is in the OP), but most of it is from the first days. I always need a few days to get used to boarding again after a year 



jml22 said:


> Bend your knees more, lean down the hill and initiate turns with your front foot.
> Probably best to ride with your shoulders closed for now.
> Bend your knees more
> Get your butt lower for heel side.
> ...


Thank you for your advice! With leaning down the hill I guess you mean leaning forwards, as in putitng more pressure on my front foot?

During the fifth or sixth day I guess I did something close to carving (looks like the last thing in my vid (of which I was not sure if it was correct technique) but I was putting my body into it way more (effectively putting my butt behind the board)



cozmo said:


> With that name u must be dutch
> 
> Sound advice above, one thing that i saw is in the part where u say ur smooth and it feels well. That part looks pretty good, but try to imagine your back hand glued to your back leg. My snowboard teacher told me to even hold my pants between my fingers. If you look at other boarders (especially in the EU as i understand it) most have poor style/technique and do a lot of rudder steering with the back hand. I also do it when i'm in above my skill level.
> 
> The other thing is the shoulders turned forward thing, looks weird. I think the correct stance is shoulders aligned with the board.


Thank you for your advice! And yeah, I'm from Belgium 

The thing is, I look around a lot on the slopes, but like you said, I do believe many people don't really have good technique (like me ) so it's hard to know who you should 'copy' and who you should ignore.

I see a lot of people swinging their hands about like they want to lift off. Constantly stomping on their back foot seems like a common thing as well.



CERBERUS.lucid said:


> Have not heard that song in awhile... intro to "Appleseed"


You're welcome


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

-close your shoulders
-glue your elbows to your ribs...you don't need flaying arms/hands...instead 
-use your leading knee...drive it toeside and swing it toward the nose heel side
when you are toeside turn...you are rotated open and looking left/back over your shoulder down hill...don't do that
-you are fairly stiff....loosen up...get more dynamic ...get going up and down in your knees....really drive your leading knee and shoulder into the turns. By getting low...try this drill...crouch down in the knees (not over) keep your back straight (not hunched)...rest your forearms/elbows on your knees (open your knees abit) and do a whole run crouched this way...get the feel of turning from this position...it doesn't take much movement. then start moving up/down in your turns...really drive yourself be getting on the nose...get comfortable with big open turns and start tightening them so that you rail a turn...then make the railed turns quicker.
-find some folks that are better and go mobbing with them....just follow and keep up...you will surprise yourself.

Ur doing nicely...low intermediate level...start bring it up to a solid intermediate.


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## Appelsien (Jan 4, 2014)

wrathfuldeity said:


> -close your shoulders
> -glue your elbows to your ribs...you don't need flaying arms/hands...instead
> -use your leading knee...drive it toeside and swing it toward the nose heel side
> when you are toeside turn...you are rotated open and looking left/back over your shoulder down hill...don't do that
> ...


Thank you! Sound advice.

It's weird (but interesting) to look at myself snowboarding. Looks completely different from how I think I look 

Keeping my back straight is a big one. I think I always hunch over when going toeside, to 'lean' closer to the mountain. Will have to keep that one in mind!

Will loosen up and try out that drill 

I agree with going with people who are better than yourself. Every year I go with people who've been skiing for more than 15 years. They really bust my balls  Too bad none of them can snowboard really well, so I had to learn by looking around and trying stuff out.

Thanks again!


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

Do this exercise: bring your left arm across your body and just rest it there, drop your right arm down and grab pant leg. That will force you to close your shoulder and quiet down your right arm. Get lower in your left knee and turn it out more, that will help you control the board with your leading leg.


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## Appelsien (Jan 4, 2014)

Noreaster said:


> Do this exercise: bring your left arm across your body and just rest it there, drop your right arm down and grab pant leg. That will force you to close your shoulder and quiet down your right arm. Get lower in your left knee and turn it out more, that will help you control the board with your leading leg.


Sounds like an effective exercise. Would I be holding my right shoulder with my left arm then? Or just leaving it somewhere on my ribs.


Thanks!


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## knoxious (Feb 16, 2012)

"Above my level" is my only criticism! You made it down, you had a go - no need to style everything all the time, sometimes it's about "survival"  

Keep it up man!


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## Appelsien (Jan 4, 2014)

knoxious said:


> "Above my level" is my only criticism! You made it down, you had a go - no need to style everything all the time, sometimes it's about "survival"
> 
> Keep it up man!


It does really feel like survival sometimes, lol. Icy black slopes :yahoo:

Anyway, I'm leaving in less than a month, so stoked!
Will definitely be trying to improve on my 180's and riding switch. I can manage switch quite well now, but it still feels way more natural to ride regular. Popping 180's is still a rare thing, but I want to be able to pop em everywhere


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## Appelsien (Jan 4, 2014)

So I let everything sink in and I really appreciate the feedback guys, I learned a lot!

So I definitely have to bend down more - be more relaxed and dynamic. 
Another important thing is to keep my shoulder locked and my arms/elbows to my side.

Gotta learn to use my knees properly by using them actively while turning. 

And most importantly: keeping the weight on my front foot 

Cheers guys!


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## jml22 (Apr 10, 2012)

You only initiate the turn with your front foot, you pressure the back foot at the end of the turn otherwise if you stay on your front edge, your back edge never engages and you slip out of the carve


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

Appelsien said:


> Sounds like an effective exercise. Would I be holding my right shoulder with my left arm then? Or just leaving it somewhere on my ribs.
> 
> 
> Thanks!


Just bring your arm across your waist, as if you're trying to reach your right hip but don't go so far you throw yourself out of balance, just let it rest comfortably. The idea is to bring your left shoulder forward so your upper body would line up with board. And remember that once you close your shoulder you will have to turn your head more to see where you're going.


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## Appelsien (Jan 4, 2014)

jml22 said:


> You only initiate the turn with your front foot, you pressure the back foot at the end of the turn otherwise if you stay on your front edge, your back edge never engages and you slip out of the carve


Right. Sounds logical, it'll definitely work out on the track then  Thanks!



Noreaster said:


> Just bring your arm across your waist, as if you're trying to reach your right hip but don't go so far you throw yourself out of balance, just let it rest comfortably. The idea is to bring your left shoulder forward so your upper body would line up with board. And remember that once you close your shoulder you will have to turn your head more to see where you're going.


Thanks for that explanation, clears things up! About turning my head. Until now I was just rotating my head to the left slightly, that'll have to change


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## scott_murray (May 5, 2013)

wrathfuldeity said:


> -use your leading knee...drive it toeside and swing it toward the nose heel side


"swing it toward the nose heel side" - Do you mean pushing the knee sideways towards the nose, so it's no longer above the foot??

What I do is try to never move my knees uphill or downhill past my feet, only moving them infront of or behind my feet depending on the turn and how far i've bent my knee(s) to adjust for the turn. Is this correct? I'd imagine pushing the front knee sideways towards the nose would be damaging to the knee...


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