# Tips on carving



## Misterious (Oct 5, 2015)

Hey guys, so i got my heel side down and I'm able to go where i like with heel side turns and i try to add in toe side but i always feel a catch on my back foot. What i been trying to do is go down the mountain with my left foot forwards (my normal stance) go heel side at about 45 degrees, slowly try to go toeside but i think i have a hard time initiating it and really digging that edge. I'm trying to turn my shoulders and look where i want to go and lean forward but i sometimes almost get whip lashed. Also i feel very unstable when im already going toeside and then go back into heelside. I think im staying low and trying to keep my balance over the board but it always gets sketchy.


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## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

Just a personal bugaboo, but please do not refer to making turns as carving.
They are not the same thing.

Have you taken lessons?
Or post a video if possible. A video is worth a thousand posts.


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## stillz (Jan 5, 2010)

So instead of turning both shoulders toward where you want to go, try to feel just the front shoulder being drawn toward where you want to go. Let the back shoulder follow the front shoulder, just as the back foot follows the front foot. If you do this, you should be riding in good alignment. Good alignment will help you make good, clean edge changes, whether you choose to skid or carve your turns.

As for this word "leaning," I prefer to say "balanced over the working edge." So if you're on your toe edge, your hips/butt/center of mass is pushed or extended forward slightly to be directly above that edge, and if you're on your heel edge, your center of mass is positioned directly over that heel edge. Start with low, mellow edge angles. As you gain confidence and speed, start to experiment with tilting the board more.

Also, to repeat GreyDragon, video allows us to give feedback specific to you. Without it, it's just generic tips, and a lesson from a good instructor can sort this out very quickly. I do this stuff for a living, and it's way easier in person.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

Misterious said:


> Hey guys, so i got my heel side down and I'm able to go where i like with heel side turns and i try to add in toe side but i always feel a catch on my back foot. What i been trying to do is go down the mountain with my left foot forwards (my normal stance) go heel side at about 45 degrees, slowly try to go toeside but i think i have a hard time initiating it and really digging that edge. I'm trying to turn my shoulders and look where i want to go and lean forward but i sometimes almost get whip lashed. Also i feel very unstable when im already going toeside and then go back into heelside. I think im staying low and trying to keep my balance over the board but it always gets sketchy.





GreyDragon said:


> Just a personal bugaboo, but please do not refer to making turns as carving.
> They are not the same thing.
> 
> Have you taken lessons?
> Or post a video if possible. A video is worth a thousand posts.



Unless u already have footage, IMO this is a waste of time and energy, no offence GDrag.

OP needs lessons, also agreeing with the mighty Grey Dragon, more days riding, time with people of higher skill, watching videos of people doing it right, surfing and skateboarding.

OP don't feel bad, you are right at the mid point of the learning curve, and I've always felt that the learning curve in our sport in short but steep. The scorpion effect of edge catching, tailbone injuries and wrist damage has ended many a snowboarding career on day one. The point I'm making is that you are at the stage where you really need help to avoid hurting yourself, reaching out was a good move.

Good luck!

(how many days have you gone, do you plan to go this year or per year? these kinds of things are important but the #1 way to get better is to go alot, which is tough to do sometimes)

The other thing I would urge you to do is keep your speed down, even as you progress. At least 90 if not 99% of people I see on any mountain any day are riding dangerously faster than their skill level (almost had a bad wipeout today doing this myself, in this situation my body was done after 3 days of hard riding and I just tried to make it do too much, nobody was hurt, but it was foolish of me). This will help to keep the pain down.


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## Misterious (Oct 5, 2015)

Thanks for the replies guys, ill try to get a video up, unfortunately i dont have my gopro at the momment. Ill see if i can get a friend to record for me. I guess it is hard to help when you cant see what im doing wrong lol. 

I'm definitely going to be going to the mountain more. I got a season pass and planning to head up at least once a week and more if I can. I've gotten pretty good at safely falling and not jacking myself up. Few hard falls but came out pretty good. Most the time i can stay in control and not hurt anyone on the mountain since im confident in my heelside. 

I just want to improve each time i go and lookin for small tips to help. Yesterday i told myself im going to toeside all day and only heelside to avoid injuring anyone. I was able to get a few nice carves and turns but still dont feel confident linking turns. Idk what it is, sometimes i feel good linking turns other times its sketchy and i fall.


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## stillz (Jan 5, 2010)

My best tips are (1) to keep good alignment (if you feel off balance or feel like you have to try too hard to make things happen, you're probably out of alignment) and (2) to use the feet independently to torsionally flex (twist) the board and steer it around. A flat board always goes down the hill. If you make the board flatter under one foot than the other, then that end of the board will start to go down the hill. Wait for your board to get quiet/stop skidding before trying to change edges. You will be gaining speed while this happens, but don't jump the gun, and don't lean up the hill/get out of alignment. Get to flat board first, and then gently engage the new edge. It's not heels, toes, heels, toes. It's heels, flat, toes, flat, etc. If you're catching edges, I'm guessing you're trying to change edges too soon (while you're still skidding out of the previous turn).

Also, a carve is a very specific type of turn where you do not skid at any point, and carving is the act of linking a bunch of these turns together. Your board travels precisely nose to tail. You leave a narrow, well defined, and possibly deep line in the snow. Your turns will be quiet. You can sneak up on someone while carving. If you're still having to think at all to successfully link turns together, you are not likely carving, you're just turning, and that's fine. Keep doing that. You'll want to skid most turns anyway, even after you learn to carve. Happy Shredding and Merry Christmas!


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## Misterious (Oct 5, 2015)

Aaah okay, i should always remember to go flat and not skip it. Give my self some time to flatten out first. What about my weight distribution. I think i always put more of my weight in back and it messes with my balance. Think thats gonna just come with time though? Ive heard to keep it half/half, more weight on the foot so you can use the back foot as a rutter?


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

take some lessons...but to give you an idea of how to stack, align and move yo self


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## tanscrazydaisy (Mar 11, 2013)

The biggest mistake noobs do is *lean forward *too much with your torso, throwing you off-balance when you try to go toeside. This is why heel-side is so much easier.

While you're on the lift, look at the other noobs, you'll see their body position and them constantly falling face first. Then you see a more seasoned rider go down effortlessly... note their body position the whole time.

It takes practice until it "clicks" in your mind. Some people pick it up faster than others (I was on the slower camp)



Misterious said:


> Hey guys, so i got my heel side down and I'm able to go where i like with heel side turns and i try to add in toe side but i always feel a catch on my back foot. What i been trying to do is go down the mountain with my left foot forwards (my normal stance) go heel side at about 45 degrees, slowly try to go toeside but i think i have a hard time initiating it and really digging that edge.* I'm trying to turn my shoulders and look where i want to go and lean forward but i sometimes almost get whip lashed*. Also i feel very unstable when im already going toeside and then go back into heelside. I think im staying low and trying to keep my balance over the board but it always gets sketchy.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

The good old s&m lair.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Argo said:


> The good old s&m lair.


 Made me think of this!!!!! It's a well loved by teens and morons, Aussie Soap Opera that's been dubbed over!!!!! 

* Best not to watch if easily offended, or have the sound cranked up at the work office!!!!!


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Argo said:


> The good old s&m lair.


ohhhh...you noticed the hooks up in the floor joist...most folks just think they are for hanging snowbrawds

and me thinks I need a bigger freezer

we are talking about carving...right


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

stillz said:


> It's not heels, toes, heels, toes. It's heels, flat, toes, flat, etc. If you're catching edges, I'm guessing you're trying to change edges too soon (while you're still skidding out of the previous turn).


Great advice ^

I may add that your rear foot trails your front by one step. The only time they are both on the same edge is exactly DURING the turn and for a brief moment while both are flat right before you iniiate the new turn.


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## tanscrazydaisy (Mar 11, 2013)

Probably remedial for most of us, but the way the guy explains it is very similar to how I was taught, when I took lesson number 1.

I think the proper phrase is "Linking Turns" or something to that regard


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