# Turn & back foot issue on RC board



## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

Hey, what's the riding like in Argentina? I think next summer I'm going to head to South America for a week for some snowboarding...

Anyway, a couple things I can think of:

1) Check your stance width. You might be a little tall for the suggested stance width on the board. I'm the same height as you and my feet are setup about 21" (530 mm) apart (centre to centre). The +15 -15 duck stance is decent for stance angle, although a little less rear foot angle might help while you're still learning/progressing with turns. The true symmetrical duck stance is really meant to be able to ride switch easier, at the expense of some forward control. Also the 148 is a fairly narrow board. Put your boots in your bindings and rock the board onto both edges to see when your boots contact the ground. You should be able to get the board on about a 60 degree angle on both edges before anything touches.

2) It may just be the snow. If you're riding mostly hardpack and ice, you may just be having bad snow days. I've been riding for 20 years now but an icy day still makes me feel a little loose in the legs! 

3) It might be the board. I hate to say this as your board is brand new, but were you renting rocker or camber boards? If you learned on a camber and then went rocker, you'll probably feel like you lost some traction and turn in. Rocker should help float in powder, and may help in the park, but otherwise on hardpack and ice a camber board will always have more control, more edge contacting the snow, etc. I guess the only way to really tell would be to swap boards with a friend for a run or two and see if your problems go away.

Have fun! I'm jealous that you're in the middle of snowboarding season...


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## HoboMaster (May 16, 2010)

Sounds like you're doing what's necessary to initiate a backside to frontside turn, but you may not be leaning forward enough when you make the transition. For most people who are still new, leaning forward feels extremely awkward and they will avoid it at all costs.

What ends up happening when you don't, is you pick up speed very quickly in-between turns because you lack the forward pressure to push the turn through. Since the turn isn't being made and you can't bleed off speed, you get out of control very quickly.

It's hard to fight the impulses your mind sends you that your body is out of balance, but you want your center of gravity (body) northeast or northwest from the center of the board.

This is a poor example pulled off the google to give you a visual: See where his body is in relation to the board? You probably won't be leaning that much yet, but basically the further over you get the more force you have to reel turns.


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## MariaSnow (Mar 3, 2011)

poutanen said:


> Hey, what's the riding like in Argentina? I think next summer I'm going to head to South America for a week for some snowboarding...
> 
> Anyway, a couple things I can think of:
> 
> ...


I think you'll have a great time if you come here next year. There are 3 important ski resorts: "Catedral" in Bariloche, "Chapelco" in San Martin and "Las Leñas" in Mendoza (there are a couple of smaller ones too, but I recommend any of these 3). I'm in Las Leñas right now, but know all 3, and don't have a favorite. Bariloche and San Martin have more natural surroundings (trees, lake, mountains, very pretty), while Las Leñas is just the ski centre, nothing else to do. I would probably start with Bariloche & San Martin, which gives you the opportunity to get to know a little Argentina too! Contact me next year and I'll send you more specific advise on hotels, restaurants, that kind of stuff.

About your suggestions

1) Stance width: Good point. Haven't paid attention to this so I will focus on this next. I don't know what stance I'm using. For my height I might have to open up the bindings. In this case, should I open both simetrical or just the back binding?

2) Can't blame on the snow, there is really good snow (but thanks for the benefit of the doubt)

3) Sure. I rented traditional boards for 5 years and then I went and bought a banana tech magne-traction board. I have to live the adaptation period, since I don't think I'll have a chance to change the board. I think I can get used to it.


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## MariaSnow (Mar 3, 2011)

HoboMaster said:


> Sounds like you're doing what's necessary to initiate a backside to frontside turn, but you may not be leaning forward enough when you make the transition. For most people who are still new, leaning forward feels extremely awkward and they will avoid it at all costs.
> 
> What ends up happening when you don't, is you pick up speed very quickly in-between turns because you lack the forward pressure to push the turn through. Since the turn isn't being made and you can't bleed off speed, you get out of control very quickly.
> 
> ...


Thanks. I'll check on this. Today I experimented with the angles and changed them from 15/-15 to 20/-10. It solved the turning issue, but complicated the other turn (front to back), I had difficulty bending my knees, so I'll probably go back to the 15/-15 angle. Next: I have to check on my stance.


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## Irahi (May 19, 2011)

MariaSnow said:


> It solved the turning issue, but complicated the other turn (front to back)


You can balance this out by adding some more forward lean to your highbacks. Your heelside response comes almost entirely from your highback because the human body doesn't really have any joints that can bend in that direction to give you leverage. With more forward lean, you don't have to straighten your legs as much to initiate a heelside turn, which makes your ride feel more responsive. As an added bonus, it also forces you to bend your knees a bit more, which helps develop some good habits.

Too much forward lean will exhaust you quickly (you have to stay in a low squat position all the time) and can cause your highbacks to dig into your calves. As with all things snowboard, you have to find the right balance for you.


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## poutanen (Dec 22, 2011)

MariaSnow said:


> Contact me next year and I'll send you more specific advise on hotels, restaurants, that kind of stuff.


Sweet, thanks! I just think rather than going to sit on a beach for a week I'd rather visit a country with some culture, and get some snowboarding in at the same time. No need for a fancy hotel, just a clean safe place that's reasonable would be sweet. I'll PM you later...



MariaSnow said:


> 1) Stance width: Good point. Haven't paid attention to this so I will focus on this next. I don't know what stance I'm using. For my height I might have to open up the bindings. In this case, should I open both symmetrical or just the back binding?


Many guys go wider than 21" but I think for somebody our height it's an ideal starting point. It's actually wider than the board I used to race on which had a stance width of 20" or so. You want to stay as symmetrical as possible. Measure from either centre to centre of the baseplates, or front screws to front screws. If you're riding a fair bit of powder you'd be better moving the back foot back, but for all around riding symmetrical is the way to go methinks... 



MariaSnow said:


> 2) Can't blame on the snow, there is really good snow (but thanks for the benefit of the doubt)
> 
> 3) Sure. I rented traditional boards for 5 years and then I went and bought a banana tech magne-traction board. I have to live the adaptation period, since I don't think I'll have a chance to change the board. I think I can get used to it.


Yeah it's going to feel different for sure. I went from a 153 cm, stiff cambered board, to a 159 cm stiff cambered board and it certainly felt different for a couple days. 



MariaSnow said:


> Thanks. I'll check on this. Today I experimented with the angles and changed them from 15/-15 to 20/-10. It solved the turning issue, but complicated the other turn (front to back), I had difficulty bending my knees, so I'll probably go back to the 15/-15 angle. Next: I have to check on my stance.


If you have difficulty bending your knees avoid that stance. Everyone's different but you could end up seriously hurt if you have a stance that limits your movement. I've had luck with a more narrow stance angle. I'm +9/-9 right now, experimented with some other things over the years. You could also try +18 -3 for a bit until you get used to that board. Forward angle on the front foot can help turning while riding forward. +15 -6 or +15 - 9 would be another one to try.

Did you mount the bindings yourself or did a shop do it? Sometimes I think they don't take the time to set them up properly. If a shop did it, and they didn't ask for your boot while setting them up, they didn't do it properly!


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