# 4 weeks (2 seasons) in: please help improve my riding



## ConcreteVitamin (Aug 3, 2017)

Here's a little video of me riding a groomer on my 3rd season's day 1 -- in total this is my 28th day riding.

I'm looking to improve my general posture, stance, or anything that's related to better riding. Please help critique the video and leave your criticisms on *what I should work on fixing/improving*! :wink:








(In case the embedded video doesn't show... https://youtu.be/Xn4EOSnSWUg)


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

If you bend your knees more on heelside turns, you can get your weight over the edge and carve instead of skidding. You are blending in with the environment way too much, the tunnelvisioned speedsuits won't be able to see you, plus "make snowboarding cool again".


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## ConcreteVitamin (Aug 3, 2017)

Rip154 said:


> If you bend your knees more on heelside turns, you can get your weight over the edge and carve instead of skidding. You are blending in with the environment way too much, the tunnelvisioned speedsuits won't be able to see you, plus "make snowboarding cool again".


Thanks for the tip. Do my toeside turns count as carving?


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

I couldn't tell a whole lot from that video. Having said that, you didn't look all that bad to me. Not for being 28 days in anyway. 

I would suggest you check out Snowboard Addictions tutorials. You can purchase the complete tuts on their site. (...and they do offer a discount to sbf members, or used to!) :shrug:

Or you can search the YouTubes and get their free partial vids. Here's a sample,...






-edit-
Oh,..! And definitely search the YT's for vids in _"carving!"_. This way you'll know what we're talking about. (...*and* what you're _not_ doing! Yet!)  :laugh:


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Yeah, not bad for 28 days. You're not as stiff legged and backseat heavy as many other beginners.

Tho, there's little edge control yet. Your'e sliding/skidding your turns. Which, together with the speed, will lead into crashes at some point. Next step is to get on edge and do your turns exactly where you intend them to be (rather than passively sliding through them whereverthe terrain leads you). 

Choose the rim of a groomer for this and pick an imaginary line and try to do turns exactly where you intended them to be. It's boring, but will help. Do these turns increasingly short so you stsy in a 10m width of the groomer side, then 5m a.s.o.. Once you get transitions where you want them in short turns (will take days), begin to independently use your arms (like swing them), turn your head etc. so your legs learn to work and keep the line independently.

Btw: do not ever follow close to noob skiers. Don't _stare_ at them, cos you will ride where you stare at as long as your body movement is not independent from your glace. It needs exercise till you get this. Skiers do odd movements and expecially pizza guys can turn on a dime out of the blue. Give them A LOT of space if you come from behind.


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

ConcreteVitamin said:


> Thanks for the tip. Do my toeside turns count as carving?


Well on your way at times at least (at 0:05 it looks like the edge is painting a line). There are a lot of people around you and you seem to be navigating straight down more than actually focusing on the way you turn.


I'd try to get to a spot with less people and try setting your board more on edge and aim to go more across the piste in every turn. And bend your knees 

I second Comps about the looking at carving on youtube. It really helps (in all sports/learning) to know what you are aiming for.

What kind of board are you riding?


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

And now I really want to get myself an action camera to make some epic footage :grin:

The only video I have of myself riding is some Spielbergish filming my wife did of me in the kiddy-slope :dry:


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Snowdaddy said:


> did of me in the kiddy-slope :dry:


Toss it up for the world to see.

OP you got some nice trees with nobody in them...trees kind of force you out of your cruising comfort zone. Take a couple of runs through the trees and then go back to the groomed.

UR generally stacked and aligned and quiet enough upper body...nice about holding your hands behind your back. However get your upper body in the game. It was good that you've learned how to keep your upper body quiet and isolated from your lower body...but your riding looks abit flat or lifeless. Get your upper body to coordinated with you lower body to make your riding more dynamic, confident and powerful...watch the creepy basement vid on some tips for engaging your upper body.


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## LALUNE (Feb 23, 2017)

ConcreteVitamin said:


> Thanks for the tip. Do my toeside turns count as carving?


The one happened on 0:04 counts.


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## ConcreteVitamin (Aug 3, 2017)

Thanks everyone for the great tips. Yep I've watched all tutorial videos online, I believe - so I know what carving is but just trying to get myself there 




Snowdaddy said:


> What kind of board are you riding?


Riding the Capita DOA in the video. Does that matter? (1st day on this new board. Last 2 seasons I was riding K2 87.)




wrathfuldeity said:


> Get your upper body to coordinated with you lower body to make your riding more dynamic, confident and powerful...watch the creepy basement vid on some tips for engaging your upper body.


I'd love to engage my upper body more. Can you link the specific tutorials you recommend?


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Toss it up for the world to see.


I wouldn't want to hijack the thread and I haven't got the faintest where else to post something as disturbing as my epic skills.



ConcreteVitamin said:


> Thanks everyone for the great tips. Yep I've watched all tutorial videos online, I believe - so I know what carving is but just trying to get myself there
> 
> 
> 
> Riding the Capita DOA in the video. Does that matter? (1st day on this new board. Last 2 seasons I was riding K2 87.)


I was just curious. Keep up the good work


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

Toeside turns seemed better, but generally easier to keep control on your toe edge that early. They make asym boards for a reason. Carving will come when you can ride the edges through turns, so just use your knees to find the right balance. Not that you won't use skidded turns for shedding speed or playing around too now and then.


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

ConcreteVitamin said:


> I'd love to engage my upper body more. Can you link the specific tutorials you recommend?


Watch some movies of Craig Kelly riding, and generally older movies when slalom was a bigger part of snowboarding. Those guys had to take it to the limit, but you don't see it that much nowadays. It's not completely vital, and be modest with it around people Dragging hands on the snow is usually fine now and then.


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## drblast (Feb 28, 2017)

Pro tip: Find a cameraman who isn't potassium deficient and can hold a steady frame.


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Toss it up for the world to see.


https://youtu.be/pYr-YuvPmqE

There you go. I edited it a bit to make it more professional...


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Snowdaddy said:


> https://youtu.be/pYr-YuvPmqE
> 
> There you go. I edited it a bit to make it more professional...


Hahaha, that smile was gold. Keep at it, keep enjoying. The attitude is there, the rest will come by time


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

neni said:


> Hahaha, that smile was gold. Keep at it, keep enjoying. The attitude is there, the rest will come by time


Hooked from day one... hahaha


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## Aracan (Nov 24, 2017)

ConcreteVitamin, your toesides look better because you are not counterrotating as much. Your heelsides are all counterrotation and nothing else. No worthwile carving is going to happen that way.
Drills: Look where you want to go. Exaggerate rotating into the turn with your whole torso, from hips to shoulders, and give the board time to follow your input. Do this first while skidding, later on edge.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

ConcreteVitamin said:


> Thanks everyone for the great tips. Yep I've watched all tutorial videos online, I believe - so I know what carving is but just trying to get myself there
> 
> I'd love to engage my upper body more. Can you link the specific tutorials you recommend?


Only the very best one evar....lol


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Only the very best one evar....lol


If I had know this video existed I could have shaved days and days of me mowing down innocent children in the kiddy-slope


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Snowdaddy said:


> If I had know this video existed I could have shaved days and days of me mowing down innocent children in the kiddy-slope


For future reference,.. this is known as the infamous, "Creepy Basement Vid!" :laugh: . ...and _Yes!!!_. It's good for what's ailing you, technique wise!!! :grin:



:hairy:


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## Snowdaddy (Feb 2, 2018)

chomps1211 said:


> For future reference,.. this is known as the infamous, "Creepy Basement Vid!" :laugh: . ...and _Yes!!!_. It's good for what's ailing you, technique wise!!! :grin:
> 
> 
> 
> :hairy:


Not sure I could pull off the outfit though. Or the squatting...


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

Snowdaddy said:


> wrathfuldeity said:
> 
> 
> > Only the very best one evar....lol
> ...


But those kids were just physically hurt, not scarred for life


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## smellysell (Oct 29, 2018)

chomps1211 said:


> For future reference,.. this is known as the infamous, "Creepy Basement Vid!"  . ...and _Yes!!!_. It's good for what's ailing you, technique wise!!! :grin:
> 
> 
> 
> :hairy:


Other than the creepiness, are the techniques he talks about on point or are there better vids? 

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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

smellysell said:


> Other than the creepiness, are the techniques he talks about on point or are there better vids?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk


You should be ask'n yer GF...>


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## smellysell (Oct 29, 2018)

wrathfuldeity said:


> You should be ask'n yer GF...>


Oh man, I just watched the whole thing. Haha

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