# Switch Tips? (Not offering any asking for some)



## PS6236 (Oct 29, 2013)

So I am a pretty strong boarder, the only real thing limiting me is switch. I can manage 180s/360s, the only problem (Mainly with 180s) is that I have to land or enter the trick switch. I know my problem mainly is that I ride too far backseat when I ride switch but I have a hard time committing my weight to my front foot. If anyone has any tips that can help me get my weight on my front foot, I'm all ears. 

This is really my last step before I start getting into more advanced tricks. Im looking to nail switch down early in the season so I can get my other tricks I am working on, like a tame dog, 180's on and off a rail/box, and 360's and hopefully even try a 540 before end of season. So please, any tip about switch at all, no matter how small, will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Peter


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## ARSENALFAN (Apr 16, 2012)

Reading posts by other advanced snowboarders on the forum, I have learned you need to start all over on the bunny hill and pretend your a new rider. The problem with switch for me, is that it takes dedication and the chance of getting injured is high (for me). I get going fast, get cocky and then slam. Its usually the only time I get hurt during the season. The reason I get hurt is that I have not gone back to the basics and don't want to dedicate valuable snowboarding time to perfecting the art. Have fun out there this winter.


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## Noreaster (Oct 7, 2012)

Grab your front leg's pant on the side above your knee. That'll make you bend your knees and shift your weight to front foot. And practice.


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## Pro Ride (Oct 28, 2013)

Hi Peter 

Make a plan to ride at least 1 run every day you ride switch and before you know it, it will feel almost as natural as your regular riding. 

Here are a few pointers to get you started: 

1. Definitely start on an easy green run and slow your riding speed down to about 80% of the speed you would normally ride. 

2. Make sure to look where you would like the nose of your snowboard to turn. ie, start looking across the hill then gradually down and across to the other side of the hill. (simple but very effective) Your shoulders, hips and knees on the leading side should also be following through the turn. 

3. I also recommend not to finish your turn looking straight uphill or downhill as it will stop your flow. instead in the beginning try to finish with a small traverse until you are comfortable and controlled enough to link one turn after the other. 

4. If you ride on the back foot you can try to initiate more weight to the leading leg but slightly bending that knee rather than just leading your upper body.

Once you have this down on a green run then you should be able to link switch turns on any groomed run adding more edge, snowboard dynamics and speed. If your turns are a little out of control at any time you may find that you are not be finishing the turn across the hill enough.

Good luck 

Karen Crute
Whistler Snowboard Camps, Courses & Instructor Training | Pro Ride Snowboarding Camps, BC Canada


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

You already know how to ride. Just start out the season only riding switch, even getting on/off the chair...commit to keep doing it til it feels natural...maybe a week or two...10 days. Its just a matter of looking over the other shoulder, shifting your hips toward the nose, weighting front foot, driving the leading knee and dropping your leading shoulder toeside and raising it heelside.


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## PS6236 (Oct 29, 2013)

wrathfuldeity said:


> You already know how to ride. Just start out the season only riding switch, even getting on/off the chair...commit to keep doing it til it feels natural...maybe a week or two...10 days. Its just a matter of looking over the other shoulder, shifting your hips toward the nose, weighting front foot, driving the leading knee and dropping your leading shoulder toeside and raising it heelside.


Im going to take this as a challenge. Just 100% switch. Haha.


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

The key to switch is making routines to force yourself to do it. That's more important than anything else, because the majority of the challenge of switch is just that it sucks to do and people can't handle doing it when they have way more fun riding regular.

Here are a couple things you can try that I've done in the past:

*1) Force yourself to do a few switch runs at the end of each day*

I like to get into the habit of always finishing my day switch. That way even if I was lazy the whole day and didn't practice any switch, I'll get a little bit of practice before I finish my day.

If you're not doing at least some switch every day, you're not going to see much improvement at switch riding or it'll take an insanely long time to progress your switch.

*2) Ride switch on every green run*

This depends on how advanced you are, but I have a rule where I try to ride switch on any run that isn't challenging when riding regular.

So at the very least, for most people in the park that would mean they're riding a lot of green runs switch. That way your switch is constantly improving and you're getting a good mix of switch and regular riding.

If you can stick to this rule you'll see A LOT of improvement in your general switch riding.

As far as actually riding switch and tips on that, a big part is just remembering alignment and how turns work.

So when you turn, you have to remind yourself, this is where I look left, now I need to turn my shoulders, now my hips, now my knees and ankles. Think through each turn because you have to force yourself to basically re-learn basic turning technique while riding switch.

also - Hi Karen. Surprised to see Pro Ride on the forum.


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## snowfiend (Jan 20, 2011)

If you have down time and a skateboard just push around switch when ever you can. It helps to build that natural feeling and it translates well onto the snow.


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## Krato (Apr 29, 2013)

Good for you man you're progressing the right way by wanting to get good at switch.

If you are familiar with what a tic-tac is on a skateboard, do that on a snowboard switch. It really helps train your brain to feel out mechanically how to initiate and finish those turns. If you don't know what tic-tacs are, just ride switch, albeit slowly, and make as many carves as quickly as you can. Basically just like a snake.

Also once they start popping up, moguls are a fantastic way to train your brain how to disperse your weight when switch.

Otherwise just like everyone else says, just take the time to ride switch and it will come.

GL!


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## Pro Ride (Oct 28, 2013)

Way more time on my hands now someone is at Kinder, time to bring on the snow 



Jed said:


> The key to switch is making routines to force yourself to do it. That's more important than anything else, because the majority of the challenge of switch is just that it sucks to do and people can't handle doing it when they have way more fun riding regular.
> 
> Here are a couple things you can try that I've done in the past:
> 
> ...


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## ItchEtrigR (Jan 1, 2012)

Jed said:


> The key to switch is making routines to force yourself to do it. That's more important than anything else, because the majority of the challenge of switch is just that it sucks to do and people can't handle doing it when they have way more fun riding regular.


This right here pretty much sums it up. Best you can do is read this right here and hope it sinks in.


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## shelbybeck (Feb 27, 2011)

*i agree...*

learnin' switch is a bit of a pita, but if you make it interesting and 
challenge yourself it can be fun. Incorporate your solid riding in with your switch riding. Ride your normal stance, then change it up for a few hundred yards, then go back,....rotate your board around constantly challenging yourself to go from your regular stance to switch and back again. You might even find yourself doing the beginnings of some butters and flatland rotations.
I find that anything that is a grind or monotonous can always be turned into something fun and challenging if you stay creative and curious.
beware though.....you don't wanna go into "ballerina" mode....lol....I see a lot of people who start doing this once they realize they can rotate on the snow and overdo it,.....they end up lookin kinda
weird.:blink:


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## HughJayness (Nov 1, 2013)

Picking up switch is one of the hardest things. The toeside turns never felt natural to me, until it just started clicking.

I'm going into my second full season, and the best advice I can offer for riding switch is to consider it your new normal stance. For example, if you are goofy, convince yourself that you are regular and must learn to snowboard in regular.

I dunno about you, but I mainly do park/trees. Whenever I was going from the lift to the park, or the park back to the bottom of the lift, I'd ride switch. Within about 5 nights of riding like this, I started to get confused whether I was riding normal or switch.

I can ride regular/goofy equally well. I'm not a pro, or a coach, though. But, this really helped me, especially if you can trick yourself into believing it. I don't know if it works for everyone, but maybe just something to try.


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## Littlebigdreams (Jan 27, 2011)

What helped me was playing around with buttering tricks on green runs. Doing a bunch of combinations of 180/270/360 hops with presses forced me to get comfortable with weight distribution and balance on both regular and switch. It's pretty fun too!


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