# How to get over myself and learn switch riding?



## sedition (Feb 8, 2007)

The supreme good is like water,
which nourishes all things without trying to.
it is content with the low places that people disdain.

When you are content to be simply yourself, 
and don't compare or compete,
everybody will respect you.

Because the Master is content with himself,
he dosn't need others' approval.
Because he accepts himself,
the whole world accepts him.

All streams flow to sea
because it is lower than they are.
Humility gives it is power. 
Because the master competes with no one,
no one can compete with her.

True words arn't eloquent;
eloquent words arn't true.
Wise mean do not need to prove their point;
men who need to prove a point are not wise.

The Tao nourishes by not forcing.
By not dominating, the Master leads.

-selected verses from the Tao Te Ching (Stephen Mitchell translation)


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2008)

ask yourself do you care more about having fun and becoming a better rider. or do you care more about how good of a rider others see you as.
i've been in similiar state of mind in my younger days. As i got older i started to appreciate more and more the opportunity i got to be out there spending time with my friends rather than just fueling my pride by proving i'm better than others.

also loved sedition's post of a old wise saying


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2008)

BCsnowboardchik said:


> This probably sounds really stupid but...


ity does sound a little stupid but it's easy to say that from the anonymity of a browser and an internet persona.

you learned to ride goofy once from scratch. i assume you went through the normal learning curve that everybody goes through when learning snowboarding. how did you deal with these feelings then?

i think you need to ask yourself why it bothers you so much that others might think you look like a noob. seriously, you don't even know these people - why do you give any weight at all to what they _might_ be thinking?

alasdair


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## Guest (Dec 14, 2008)

I dunno it's just a problem I have, looking like a retard.. I think it is more low self esteem then ego. I learned when I was 14 and had friends who boarded and were just as bad as me so it was fun. I think teaching a friend is a great idea then I can ride switch all day and have a reason to without being embarrassed. I gotta get the bf off skis and onto a board


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## Flick Montana (Jul 9, 2007)

You need to learn to laugh at yourself. Whenever you do something stupid you just have to remember that EVERY single person on the hill has been there. I never tease new people for falling on the chairlift exit because I've been there before. If you fall down, even if you're a snowboarding GOD, you just laugh at yourself and do it again.

I think looking like a fool is part of the reason I like snowboarding. So long as you don't get hurt, snowboarding is pretty dang funny.


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## bakesale (Nov 28, 2008)

Yeah I understand, i'm kind of in the same boat right now but my situation is a bit different. I'm comfortable riding switch but big spins scare the shit out of me and i'm not very comfortable on rails. This stems from only freeriding since i learned when I was 10, parks didn't really exist at the time so I had to do with what I had. The first park i ever saw was 8 years later when I moved to Whistler. The kids were sooo good at hitting rails and doing big park jumps that i figured i'd spare myself the embarrassment and just go do what I do best and rip up the glacier. 

I spent the whole summer this year skating and getting decent progression there, where i'm actually worse. i'd go during the day when the kids are in school and work on it slowly but surely. Skating taught me how I should look at a snowboard park. I got my ollies high enough to get onto boxes, then down steps, then down rails. Now I feel comfortable enough to hit that shit and learn some crazy stuff. It's okay, i'll start off slow in the beginner park on Grouse. I'll have to swallow my pride and look like a noob, but I'll always know that I can slay double blacks, ride off cliffs and steep mountainside that would make those kids piss their baggy ass pants. 

If you are in the lower mainland and want to work at that shit with someone else who feels like you do just let me know. It can make a world of a difference being with someone else, you tend to stop looking at yourself all the time.


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2008)

I took your guy's advice and rode for about 3 hours switch the other day. It's amazing how quickly you can pick it up. I've been riding for about 2 years now and can handle pretty much anything on the mountain, I just lacked when I tried to ride goofy. It literally took about 2 runs before I felt I could handle any run switch.


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## Guest (Dec 17, 2008)

I'll be starting to learn switch too. I don't like when things get stagnant/boring/easy. If I'm not eating it once in a while then I feel I'm not trying harder/different things and not becoming a better rider.

Think of what you said, but in the reverse. All these other people see you kick butt with your current comfy skills that you like. When they see you display the courage to try new things, no matter what people think, you help those that also have your same fears overcome them. The people laughing are those that lack courage to take some bumps and bruises to their pride and egos in the interest of becoming better.

If none of the pro riders didn't push to learn, we wouldn't have any. Soon you will show those laughing that you can now kick butt riding either way.


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2008)

Cool, appreciate the comments. I have improved a good amount since the op.. but I did feel like a tard. 

I set my board up regular (tho its a twin tip and I was riding duck, I just did it for psychological reasons) and I just rode on the bunny hill for a day, however I could not make myself get on the lift regular! So, after cursing myself for a bit,I hummed and hawed then announced to everyone that I was riding switch (my one slip up cuz I didn't want the lfities to think I was a total noob).
I managed to get on and off the lift switch just fine, though I did the ole newbie butt slam when I got off. My legs just kept wanting to turn goofy.

Now Ill just stick with duck and do 180's as much as I can switch.


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## Guest (Dec 19, 2008)

BCsnowboardchik said:


> Cool, appreciate the comments. I have improved a good amount since the op.. but I did feel like a tard.
> 
> I set my board up regular (tho its a twin tip and I was riding duck, I just did it for psychological reasons) and I just rode on the bunny hill for a day, however I could not make myself get on the lift regular! So, after cursing myself for a bit,I hummed and hawed then announced to everyone that I was riding switch (my one slip up cuz I didn't want the lfities to think I was a total noob).
> I managed to get on and off the lift switch just fine, though I did the ole newbie butt slam when I got off. My legs just kept wanting to turn goofy.
> ...


nice... it doesn't matter what people think of you as long s you are having fun!!!
3years ago i went of piste and i was a beggining snowboarder...i hate the best day of my life
the only downside was that my cousin had to dig me up after every run , the snow was so deep that
i just sunk to the botom when i fell ^^

riding switch rulez , i love those 180's


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## Guest (Dec 22, 2008)

when i learned i just hit up the greens all day too, i ate it really bad the first few runs but once i started concentrating on putting my weight on my front foot i had it down pretty quick.


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## Gnarly (Mar 12, 2008)

I normally ride regular and one day last season, I mounted my bindings goofy and spent the entire day riding "switch". I had no clue how hard it was/is to get on the lift with my right foot strapped in instead of my left. I've been riding for 11 years and could barely get on the friggin' lift. But in that one day, my switch riding went from adequate to pretty decent. I'm going to do the same thing again this week. My goal this season is to have switch riding be as good, or almost as good as, regular.


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## Rocan (Dec 3, 2008)

though i ride goofy... i am ambidextrous and switch came naturally. i learned switch second day out XD


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## Guest (Dec 23, 2008)

BCsnowboardchik said:


> my switch needs work, the thing holding me back is embarrassment and knowing people may be thinking "haha look at that chick she is a noob" etc. I spent like many years getting good at riding and it is tough to "lower" myself to look bad. I can link turns and such, go over small jumps switch but I can't really do speed or cattrack.. seems every time I go to do that I get embarrassed and just flip my board around and zoom past people.


All I can really add to this is: how often do you laugh at new riders? While I, and I'm sure most people, will chuckle at someone learning who finds themselves in a bad predicament, perhaps the famed "Oh crap I'm sliding into the woods and I can't initiate a turn!" or maybe someone learning on a crappy day who just looks miserable, no one but teenage losers laughs at people for not riding well. I feel a lot more empathy than I do scorn for people just starting out, and try to give them a hand if it's appropriate.

So basically, anyone that would be laughing at you for struggling is probably a jockitch anyway. Most normal people are nicer and more supportive on a mountain than they are in regular life, and will cheer your successes, even if they can't help but giggle at your more dramatic failures.


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## Flick Montana (Jul 9, 2007)

Rocan said:


> though i ride goofy... i am ambidextrous and switch came naturally. i learned switch second day out XD


Only 3% of the world's population is TRULY ambidextrous. I'm not and I managed to learn switch my first week. I don't think it really has anything to do with being comfortable with one hand or another. I think it's just a mental block you have to overcome. It's an uncomfortable experience until you get decent at it.

I also think it's easier the sooner you learn it. When you get super comfy riding one way, I think it's harder to ride the other.


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## Guest (Dec 23, 2008)

I just started my attempt on riding switch and I personally found it fun to fail. I've been riding for 8 years now and its been a while since I've had a slow speed crash on some groomers. I usually eat it in the park and it felt good just to tumble around in the pow for a little while. Plus, when your with your friends, everything is just that much more fun.

Keep it up! I know I will.


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## Guest (Dec 28, 2008)

bakesale said:


> Yeah I understand, i'm kind of in the same boat right now but my situation is a bit different. I'm comfortable riding switch but big spins scare the shit out of me and i'm not very comfortable on rails. This stems from only freeriding since i learned when I was 10, parks didn't really exist at the time so I had to do with what I had. The first park i ever saw was 8 years later when I moved to Whistler. The kids were sooo good at hitting rails and doing big park jumps that i figured i'd spare myself the embarrassment and just go do what I do best and rip up the glacier.
> 
> .


The thing with Whistler, is that those riders were either very good before they moved out, or moved out with the intention of going pro.It's fruitless to worry about them, or start to compare yourself to them. That's years and years of consistent progress. The thing is, those riders are always stepping outside of their comfort zone. Every time you feel uncomfortable, and go back to your comfort zone, you end up diminishing your progress. I'm sure they could careless about you eating shit. They eat shit. That's part of the game.

This year I decided to make an effort to go back and work on switch stuff. I could always land switch, ride out switch, do switch tricks, but I couldn't consistently transverse from edge to edge switch on a run. I would always give it a shot, get frustrated, and then do something else. This year though, it just clicked. I just gave it a shot, and it all started happening. I think approaching it with the right frame of mind, and a willingness to learn switch, even going so far as to consider it a necessity, really helped. I find certain aspects difficult though, like switch ollies. My ollie is good enough, that I can ollie over fallen skiiers, and do so on ocassion, but my switch one.....I can barely get over a stick lol.

Overall, it's been a very bumbling experience. It's been both empowering and frustrating, however, I'm seeing progress daily. I'm in more control of my board than ever before, and can only look forward to continued progress. It definitely pays off in the end.


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## sedition (Feb 8, 2007)

BCsnowboardchik said:


> ...I managed to get on and off the lift switch...


Riding the lift switch is like sugarless gummi bears; what is the point?


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2008)

sedition said:


> Riding the lift switch is like sugarless gummi bears; what is the point?


You won't get fat. Duh.


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## Guest (Dec 29, 2008)

BCsnowboardchik said:


> This probably sounds really stupid but...
> 
> the thing holding me back is embarrassment and knowing people may be thinking "haha look at that chick she is a noob" etc. I spent like many years getting good at riding and it is tough to "lower" myself to look bad.
> 
> How did you learn this and did anyone else have a similar feeling or am I just too worried about what others think etc. ?


I think, and call me a dick all you want for saying this, but ya, if you laugh at other people, you're gonna be insecure about yourself. 

I'm fucked in the head, big time. I should be on meds I been told, but drugs are drugs, and I don't do any of 'em. Only thing i've figured out is this. Fuck what others think. That's the one thing I hate about snowboarder's general attitudes. Who the fuck cares what people think????????????????

Hence, I ride alone. Sur-fuckin-prise. Stop giving a fuck and you'll be riding switch and spinning in no time. And if your BF is comfy skiing, let him be. He's the only one you need to impress. Remember that.


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## Guest (Dec 31, 2008)

I just went up today and started teaching myself switch. Heel side was cake but toe side was a different story. It sounds easier then it really is, even when I skateboard normal and snowboard goofy.


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## Guest (Jan 2, 2009)

bakesale said:


> Yeah I understand, i'm kind of in the same boat right now but my situation is a bit different. I'm comfortable riding switch but big spins scare the shit out of me and i'm not very comfortable on rails. This stems from only freeriding since i learned when I was 10, parks didn't really exist at the time so I had to do with what I had. The first park i ever saw was 8 years later when I moved to Whistler. The kids were sooo good at hitting rails and doing big park jumps that i figured i'd spare myself the embarrassment and just go do what I do best and rip up the glacier.
> 
> I spent the whole summer this year skating and getting decent progression there, where i'm actually worse. i'd go during the day when the kids are in school and work on it slowly but surely. Skating taught me how I should look at a snowboard park. I got my ollies high enough to get onto boxes, then down steps, then down rails. Now I feel comfortable enough to hit that shit and learn some crazy stuff. It's okay, i'll start off slow in the beginner park on Grouse. I'll have to swallow my pride and look like a noob, but I'll always know that I can slay double blacks, ride off cliffs and steep mountainside that would make those kids piss their baggy ass pants.
> 
> If you are in the lower mainland and want to work at that shit with someone else who feels like you do just let me know. It can make a world of a difference being with someone else, you tend to stop looking at yourself all the time.



speaking of the beginner park at grouse, i hit this upward slope rail the other day and almost killed myself... i usually chill in the quicksilver park no problem, so i thought oh this rail cant be that hard its in the rook park... well i hit this thing so fast and the air i got off it was insane... i landed it though... 50/50 to mute... was kinda fun, but scary haha.

but yeah, i need to work on my switch big time as well. i cant really even land 1's cause i am afraid ill bail when i land switch... 3's are actually easier for me.


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2009)

I gotta say, I just rode a good portion of the day switch and it felt awsome! Something clicked this time and I found myself thinking "this feels just like regular"... just carving down the mountain. I still can't hit any kind of sizeable jumps or the super steeps swtich, but it feels good to be progressing.

Back to the OP's concern - just think about how badass you'll feel passing all those same fools riding switch when they don't even know your riding switch! Its worth it in the end.


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## Guest (Jan 7, 2009)

when i first learned how to ride switch i just wore my boots over my pants so i look like the rest of the beginners. its not that bad.


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