# trouble buttering, board or board size?



## Foxtrot_12 (Aug 19, 2013)

Hi all 

I need some help when it comes to buttering and pressing, have been boarding for a couple of years 3 or 4 times a year. Been hitting little kickers and popping little 180° with out to much trouble, but can not butter or press to save my life, even stationary. I am guessing it has something to do with my board, I am riding a Burton process v-rocker 159cm and I weigh 85kg/187pound. I am thinking I need a shorter board and I am looking at a Burton process flying v 155cm due to it being compatible with my bindings and ease to swap boards, or should I go for different make??. if some one could let me know what they think??

Cheers


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## hktrdr (Apr 3, 2012)

Foxtrot_12 said:


> Hi all
> 
> I need some help when it comes to buttering and pressing, have been boarding for a couple of years 3 or 4 times a year. Been hitting little kickers and popping little 180° with out to much trouble, but can not butter or press to save my life, even stationary. I am guessing it has something to do with my board, I am riding a Burton process v-rocker 159cm and I weigh 85kg/187pound. I am thinking I need a shorter board and I am looking at a Burton process flying v 155cm due to it being compatible with my bindings and ease to swap boards, or should I go for different make??. if some one could let me know what they think??
> 
> Cheers


I think you need to practice more/improve your technique. Process V is not a difficult board to press and 159 is not significantly too long for you.


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Might I suggest you check out the Snowboardaddiction.com site. They have several very good Buttering Tutorials! They also offer a discount price for SBF members!

If you don't wish to pay for tutorials, do a search on You tube and/or Vimeo. You will find plenty of Buttering vids! Not all are as good or comprehensive as the SA tut's, but they're free so,... :dunno:


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

You definitely need a new board and bindings. Support your local snowboard shop! 

Look for these 3 characteristics:

-elevated contact points (called 3d or diamond tech, etc)

-rocker

-super soft flex

You are now a human spredder.

edit: oh and for your jibby stick I'd suggest something more in the mid 50's, especially if you look at something with blunted tips (you should) then you could get away with as small as 154.


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## judoant (Jan 18, 2010)

butters

How to Butter: #11 Frontside Tail-Rolls - YouTube
How to Butter: #5 Backside Nose-Rolls - YouTube
How to Butter: #1 Frontside Noserolls - YouTube
How to Butter: #2 Frontside Noserolls with Nollies and Ollies - YouTube
How to Butter: #4 Tripods - YouTube
How to Butter: #3 Frontside Noseroll Nollie 360's - YouTube
How to Butter: #7 Nollie Backside 180's - YouTube
How to Butter: #8 Backside Nose-roll 360's - YouTube
How to Butter: #12 Frontside Nose Press Nollies - YouTube
How to Butter: #10 Backside Tail-Rolls - YouTube
How to Butter: #13 Frontside Tail-Roll 360's - YouTube
How to Butter: #9 Nollie Backside 360's - YouTube


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## Alkasquawlik (Jul 13, 2010)

hktrdr said:


> I think you need to practice more/improve your technique. Process V is not a difficult board to press and 159 is not significantly to long for you.


This.

It's not the board, it's you.


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## Lamps (Sep 3, 2011)

Alkasquawlik said:


> This.
> 
> It's not the board, it's you.


Yup, that's th right size and flex, just need more practice. 

Watch the vids posted higher up, maybe spend some in the back yard.


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## Blake1979 (Aug 18, 2013)

It's a lot more about balance than bending the board though that does help. Wide stance also helps plus it's sexy.


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

Blake1979 said:


> It's a lot more about balance than bending the board though that does help. Wide stance also helps plus it's sexy.


I agree. Finding you're center balance and being confident that the board will hold you and will not break tho its doing some serious flexing. I would start strapped in facing a bed post and flex back getting use the feel. Do it till you are confident and can balance without holding on. Then try it on snow going straight (with the same feel). When starting to rotate remember to keep your downhill edge up just a little bit. 

That's what worked for me and my girlfriend. 

Oh and I watched a ton of YouTube videos. 

Good luck bro. You'll get it if you really want it.


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## Blake1979 (Aug 18, 2013)

Also practicing on a skateboard doing manuals really helps get a feel for the balance!


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

You got quite a few responses about how the board probably isn't your problem!
I would tend to agree! I learned to butter & press on a full camber, Arbor Roundhouse, with a 2 in. set back and stiff as hell tail! Granted, it's easier to press that thing riding switch using the longer, softer flexing nose of the board, but I _can_ press it using either end!

The buttering vids linked in previous posts are more for _advanced_ buttering moves! They start out assuming that you at least have the basics of nose & tail presses down. If you haven't mastered those yet, even while stationary, I don't think they'll be of much help to you at this point!

I really do think you could benefit from the Snowboard Addiction's basic buttering vids. They detail all the basic stance and body mechanics & moves required to get you going and comfortable with pressing your board and then they move onto a few more moderately difficult moves from there!

Barring that, practice at home on the carpet or grass would be your best bet! (_...some form of balance training wouldn't hurt your chances either!_)

Good luck! :thumbsup:


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

chomps1211 said:


> You got quite a few responses about how the board probably isn't your problem!
> I would tend to agree! *I learned to butter & press on a full camber, Arbor Roundhouse, with a 2 in. set back and stiff as hell tail! Granted, it's easier to press that thing riding switch using the longer, softer flexing nose of the board, but I can press it using either end!
> *
> The buttering vids linked in previous posts are more for _advanced_ buttering moves! They start out assuming that you at least have the basics of nose & tail presses down. If you haven't mastered those yet, even while stationary, I don't think they'll be of much help to you at this point!
> ...


I'm curious what you are doing with that thing that you consider buttering


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

snowklinger said:


> I'm curious what you are doing with that thing that you consider buttering


OK, Just to be clear! I'm _NOT_ claiming to be some sort of flatland "Master!" It was my understanding that _anything_, you did on the board while pressing the nose or the tail was considered "Buttering!" I asked around about the different names for various butter moves and was told "_basically they're all just called Buttering!_" :icon_scratch: :dunno:

It wasn't until I started posting for download the Ryan tut's that I saw _any_ specific name given for any of these tricks!

Having said that,.. 

I can nose & tail press _ALL_ 3 of my boards (...the Arbor included,) while riding straight, both switch & reg. I can do a tail press turn, and flat spins, front & backside. (or maybe that's reg. & switch? Dunno!) In fact, I catch an edge more often doing _that_ on my NS Proto, than I do with my Arbor! :dunno: Go figure! (I did learn the move on my Arbor first, before I got the Proto, so?) 

I was working on Front Side Nose rolls near the end of last season! I am _nowhere_ _near_ as smooth or fast as Ryan, But, I _can_ complete the maneuver, again, both reg. and switch!

This was why I agreed with the other posters that the fault was probably less likely the board, and more likely his execution! Of course, I could be wrong!

In which case, OP,... Never mind me!  :laugh:


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

chomps1211 said:


> OK, Just to be clear! I'm _NOT_ claiming to be some sort of flatland "Master!" It was my understanding that _anything_, you did on the board while pressing the nose or the tail was considered "Buttering!" I asked around about the different names for various butter moves and was told "_basically they're all just called Buttering!_" :icon_scratch: :dunno:
> 
> It wasn't until I started posting for download the Ryan tut's that I saw _any_ specific name given for any of these tricks!
> 
> ...


Pretty sure I got you 2x on this one


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

snowklinger said:


> Pretty sure I got you 2x on this one


:icon_scratch::icon_scratch::icon_scratch:
....and at this point, I'm pretty sure I'm staring right at it and _still_ missing the Joke! :blink: :laugh:
Ah well, It's early, coffee hasn't kicked in yet and I'm Old & Slow today! :eusa_clap:


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## Littlebigdreams (Jan 27, 2011)

I agree with everyone else, the board is not your problem. Buttering is more about balance, you should be balancing your weight literally close to the nose or tail of the board for presses, not as much trying to lift one leg and bend the other if you know what i mean. 

Ground Tricks from Japan - YouTube

Try to learn all the tricks in this video. A few years ago when I first started boarding, these all seemed difficult and hard. But over time you will end up realizing that these are the most basic tricks in snowboarding. They are also all relevant to buttering in the long run.

Knowing Ollie, Nollie, FS/BS 180, nose rolls, tail slides, tail press, nose press are all crucial to buttering. Once you learn all these you can combo them up any way you want, in any direction you want. 

But if you want to just start off and learn the most basic butters, then try the tail press and the nose press first. Try to Ollie into a nose press, or Nollie into a tail press, they will make it a lot easier to hold the presses (check the video above you'll see what I mean)


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Littlebigdreams said:


> I agree with everyone else, the board is not your problem. Buttering is more about balance, you should be balancing your weight literally close to the nose or tail of the board for presses, not as much trying to lift one leg and bend the other if you know what i mean.
> 
> Ground Tricks from Japan - YouTube
> 
> ...


ollie to nosepress is fucken scary fwiw


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## Littlebigdreams (Jan 27, 2011)

snowklinger said:


> ollie to nosepress is fucken scary fwiw


really? haha I always found it easier than normal nose presses. but I only do it on snow so if you are talking about doing this on a rail then I wouldn't know. 

I've broken my humerus before on rails and ever since then I have some fear about leaning too forward on down rails :dizzy:


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