# Switch riding: slowing me down?



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Not every instructor (...even a friend) is a _good_ instructor!!! 

While your friend may have a point,.. I honestly don't think it's particularly valid. While you may take a little longer to fully set your riding technique into muscle memory.... Maybe...!

You will find yourself a much better rider in the long run. 

I started learning to ride switch my first season also. (...wasn't as naturally inclined to it as you seem to be tho. I required lessons to really manage turning safely while switch. )

But by the end of my second season I could confidently,.. (If somewhat slowly) get down any run switch. I rode with a few guys who were far more experienced and leaps and bounds better riders than I was,.. But they all said I could ride switch better than they could! :grin:

My advice is not to worry about any hypothetical slowing of muscle memory and just concentrate on doing what your doing. Both reg & switch! 

:grin:


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## ekb18c (Mar 11, 2013)

In the long run, i think you will progress much faster riding switch if you started now instead of starting later. If you actually do want to have the ability to ride switch later down the road. 

I wished I started earlier riding switch, when I was learning, so it doesn't feel so alien to me now. It sucks learning how to ride switch after so many years going one direction.


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## Le tItS now (Nov 2, 2015)

DaftDeft said:


> ...and can get off the chair lift equally poorly on either foot...


^ This cracked me up! :laugh2: Love the honesty! 

I didn't even think about riding switch until I was riding for about 4 or 5 years, and really wish I started earlier! I would do 180's, and flip right around quickly because I couldn't ride away. I eventually made myself ride switch for an entire day and started to get it, and so glad I did. I vote for sticking with both, especially because you seem to be equally comfortable with both. You'll develop muscle memory in both directions, and I don't feel you will screw up one by riding the other. If you want to get into jumping and spinning, it will be especially helpful to always be landing in a comfortable direction.


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

Everyone has a preferred stance, even pros. With that being said, if you are equally bad both stance maybe you should figure one out and get an idea how it should feel before you explore the opposite. If you don't even know how to link turns just falling leaf down the hill, it doesn't really matter.


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## jae (Nov 27, 2015)

learning switch will elongate the learning curve, but it pays off the earlier you learn it. learning new tricks as a old dog is a lot harder. if your goal is just to ride down the mountain without falling as fast as possible, then yes, learning switch early on will hinder you. if you want to be more dynamic with your riding, switch opens up a lot more possibilities and will help you learn tricks easier in the future, such as 180's, butters, and overall edge control. 

there's a reason why people say learning switch early on is better, the longer you put it off, the more you resist learning it. right now, when I try to ride switch, my mind says fuck that because I'm too comfortable riding regular. 

p.s. if you're riding down the hill on your heel edge and picking which way to go and riding regular to turn left, and goofy to turn right, you are not riding switch.


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

I think a good time to learn switch is when the rider knows know to effortlessly link turns and carve at decent speed without thinking. You have to know how to control the board one way before riding it the other.


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## DaftDeft (Mar 7, 2016)

Thanks for a advice guys, I see a lot of people wish they learned switch early.

I'm probably going to start consciously planning which way I ride for the day, so I get a whole day of practice going one way. Up to now, it's really not something I think about as I can make turns on toe or heel edge either way and I'm bad/inexperienced enough that the downhill foot choice doesn't make one side feel any more natural. Really it depends on where my family is skiing (yes, they all ski instead) relative to me: I've been orienting so I don't have to twist my body around to keep on eye on them.


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## Martyc (Sep 8, 2013)

If you can ride both stances naturally then keep at it, just put the slope time in and hone your skills in both directions, you'll be awesome!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## robotfood99 (Mar 19, 2016)

I have a friend I am trying to teach, all he does is spin all the way down. He says he's buttering. Can't even link two turns in any one direction. If this isn't you, more power to ya. Being ambidirectional is what freestyle boarding is all about.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Absolutely keep riding both sides. It's awesome that both feel natural to you!

After ~500d exclusively riding one direction, I decided 2y ago that it's time to learn to ride switch. Naively thought that I can just turn the board around and ride on. Lol, huge fail! That was the moment when I fully realized how powerful muscle memory is. Stupid legs had no clue at all what to do. Hind leg simply refused to become front leg . Had some good laughs for abt 10 runs making a clown out of me ruddering around stiff legged heavy on back leg :laugh:, got fed up with trying and decided that I'll do without switch. Too much PITA for me to go through that learning phase _yet again_.

So... keep at it and continue to progress _equally_ on both sides. It just sucks to be good on one side and then have to go back to exercise J turns on the other side.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

robotfood99 said:


> I have a friend I am trying to teach, all he does is spin all the way down. *He says he's buttering*. Can't even link two turns in any one direction. If this isn't you, more power to ya. Being ambidirectional is what freestyle boarding is all about.


fucken awesome, your friend rips!


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## DoubleA (Apr 30, 2014)

Funny thing is when I visualize/ daydream/ dream myself riding, I'm usually goofy.
Ask me in the summer and I'll put the wrong foot forward.
On the hill switch feels natural but regular is stronger.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Martyc said:


> If you can ride both stances naturally then keep at it, just put the slope time in and hone your skills in both directions, you'll be awesome!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


you might be ambidextrous which would be a good thing for switch. I'm regular but also somewhat naturally ambidextrous, but if I ride switch for a few days (btw ride switch very poorly)...anyhow after a few days I get confused as to which way to go....but that might/probably be attributed my addled gezzer brain...going wtf.


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## sabatoa (Jan 18, 2011)

I'm jealous and wish I started earlier. I can't seem to commit to the hard process of learning all over again.

Last weekend I tried skating and getting on and off the lift strapped in goofy and holy crap it was stupid hard. You'd think I never touched a board before.


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## Jcb890 (Dec 12, 2014)

I suck riding switch personally. I try to work on it every so often, but find myself not really committing to learning it.


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## SteepNDeep (Sep 21, 2016)

I'm sitting here just thinking about riding switch and it doesn't feel right. I wish I would have rode both ways right from the start.


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## robotfood99 (Mar 19, 2016)

sabatoa said:


> Last weekend I tried skating and getting on and off the lift strapped in goofy and holy crap it was stupid hard. You'd think I never touched a board before.



Skating and any one footed riding switch actually are harder than short spurts of switch riding both feet in. Because you are pushing and balancing with your lead foot which it is not used to. Add that to the goofy foot trying to lead and its a double dose of awkward. I am pretty strong switch but never skate switch. 

Try starting every run going switch for a few turns, adding turns as you get more comfortable. When the speed picks up, go back to regular and enjoy as usual. Should get comfortable fairly quickly if you make a habit of it.


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## Le tItS now (Nov 2, 2015)

Years ago I spent an entire day making myself ride switch. If you have any friends or family who want to learn to snowboard, or who are fairly new at it, go ride with them for a day. It will keep you on the bunny hill or green slopes and you can dedicate a day to switch. It works wonders and opens up a whole new world when riding!


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## sabatoa (Jan 18, 2011)

robotfood99 said:


> Skating and any one footed riding switch actually are harder than short spurts of switch riding both feet in. Because you are pushing and balancing with your lead foot which it is not used to. Add that to the goofy foot trying to lead and its a double dose of awkward. I am pretty strong switch but never skate switch.
> 
> Try starting every run going switch for a few turns, adding turns as you get more comfortable. When the speed picks up, go back to regular and enjoy as usual. Should get comfortable fairly quickly if you make a habit of it.


I can ride greens switch when I force myself, I was going for an immersive goofy experience and I shitcanned that nonsense before I unloaded the chair. lol

I like your idea of every run starting switch, I'll try to remember to incorporate that.


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## snowangel99 (Mar 11, 2016)

I only have a few days snowboarding under my belt. The first few days I was riding both ways as well. I actually had to focus on using one particular side. It only took a few days and now I am married to goofy. But my kids still ask me every single morning which foot goes in front. My point is I think when you are learning most people can ride both sides equally well. You are smart to capitalize on that now while you can.


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