# My tail feels buried under the snow? (And other questions)



## Ibanezez (Nov 19, 2017)

Sorry if this is the wrong section, but I am fairly new to the forum and snowboarding. I have gone 3 times, took lessons the very first time. The lessons weren't super helpful, and I seem to be learning at a faster pace by myself (I used to skate a ton). 

I haven't attempted carving much at all, but I think getting my basic turns down is more important. When I'm riding down the hill, sometimes my tail slides into heelside/toeside pretty easily, sometimes it feels buried under the snow and just doesn't move. This is a problem because when I'm confident, I'll swing my arms and lean where the edge would normally take me, and I'll fall over if the tail gets stuck. I noticed that this happens less when I am more aggressive, emphasizing the swing of my arms and push with my back leg, but in videos it looks very effortless. Is there something I'm missing?

At higher speeds, I also fear turning (and I end up just going back and forth between one edge and straight, basically sideslipping down the hill) because I'm exposing more edges which seems like it increases the chances of catching something. 

Like I said before, I think I learn faster when I'm riding freely without lessons (I still do ride with more experienced friends). Thanks for taking the time read this! :smile:



EDIT: Now that I think about it more, is it because I'm not transferring my edges correctly? For example, I'm still on my heel edge and I go for a toeside turn, so it just digs deeper into the snow.


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

Honestly, swallow some pride save yourself some growing pains and take some lessons. You'll thank yourself later.


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## SteezyRidah303 (Oct 5, 2010)

Ibanezez said:


> Sorry if this is the wrong section, but I am fairly new to the forum and snowboarding. I have gone 3 times, took lessons the very first time. The lessons weren't super helpful, and I seem to be learning at a faster pace by myself (I used to skate a ton).
> 
> I haven't attempted carving much at all, but I think getting my basic turns down is more important. When I'm riding down the hill, sometimes my tail slides into heelside/toeside pretty easily, sometimes it feels buried under the snow and just doesn't move. This is a problem because when I'm confident, I'll swing my arms and lean where the edge would normally take me, and I'll fall over if the tail gets stuck. I noticed that this happens less when I am more aggressive, emphasizing the swing of my arms and push with my back leg, but in videos it looks very effortless. Is there something I'm missing?
> 
> ...




Try to widen your turns...make them more 'swooping' across the hill. This will slow you down and force you to lean more to stay on edge. When you go from one edge to the other commit to it..... 

Once you get more comfortable straighten out the S curve.... One thing that really helped me, was learning how to slash or spray the snow on both edges...picking up speed on one edge and then slamming into the other edge, helps your mind understand what it takes to get from one edge to the other. 

I would definitely recommend lessons tho....a friend had convinced me to take a class when I had been riding for about 5 years. I thought i knew what i was doing but that class completely changed how i think about the mechanics of snowboarding. Especially since you are a skater...it is NOT the same so you have some 'bad' habits from skating that may really mess you up.......


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## trippinsoul (Dec 17, 2014)

You're having a common beginner issue with the mechanics of turning, where you are 'forcing' the turn by swinging your arms, twisting your upper body, and pushing with your back leg rather than following through and letting the board complete its turn...more advanced turns require properly aligning your body over your board and using subtle shifts of weight to transfer edges, initiating the board's turns with your feet, ankles and knees...the absolute fastest way to improve is lessons, but you can find all the info you need on youtube beginners tutorials like here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDxVetiIKvZ9t56VvytI27RH50qTwxeaA


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

Sounds like you are mostly skidding, and not all boards are great for that. Worst with a tight radius soft board. You should try carving, get your body low and touch the snow on the side you are turning, keep your weight centered on bindings through turns, and a little more on the back leg in transitions. This is the main way to turn in powder too. Think longboard skating. Bending knees more and adding some forward lean on highbacks can help you in the beginning.


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

As mentioned, swallow you pride and take a lesson. Also, slow down. Best way to learn to turn is by working your turns while going slow. Going fast just means your momentum is running the show, not how you work your board. A 1000' vertical of doing slow super wide s turns that traverse all the way across the slope will be a game changer by the bottom. You'll just get it.


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## Ibanezez (Nov 19, 2017)

Thanks for the replies everyone! If you're wondering, I'm riding a K2 Bottle Rocket.


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## Aracan (Nov 24, 2017)

Pushing with your back leg? Sounds like you might be counter-rotating, as trippinsoul already indicated. 
Instead, try to look where you want to go: To initiate a backside turn, turn your head over your front shoulder. Follow this rotation with your shoulders and hips, it will transmit through your legs and your board will follow. (After a while, you will make really wide turns, and looking over your front shoulder will allow you to see what's uphill.)
When coming out of the backside, look uphill in the other direction. This will align your shoulders with the board's long axis, and the rotation will take you into the frontside turn. It's too early to carve. Get your drifted turns down pat and take it from there.


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## F1EA (Oct 25, 2013)

Ibanezez said:


> Thanks for the replies everyone! If you're wondering, I'm riding a K2 Bottle Rocket.


Which board you're riding makes no difference.

Unless you post a video of you riding... everyone is just going to take a guess and likely, the real conclusion will be that there's a lot of things being done wrong.

So.. save the hassle and get 1 or 2 proper lessons. Unless you want to keep braving it out, which you can do if you want, because it's still fun.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Really don't take lessons...but adjust your expectations....like high speed carving...give it 7 years or about 140 days before you get there.


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## tonymontana (Dec 10, 2016)

It took me 3 trips to the mountain to learn how to link turns. Learning to board isn't the easiest task.
Your description is kind of vague but it seems like you may counter rotating your shoulders with your knees. This will feel sort of like your trying to go in two different directions and you usually fall over. I think learning the proper amount of weight to have over each foot helps. If you have too much weight over your back foot during turns it can make switching edges harder. Make your board feel catchy especially if your riding on icy stuff which requires more precision.


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## Ibanezez (Nov 19, 2017)

I just mentioned the board because earlier someone said that a few boards have quicker turns. (Although I know that the board doesn't matter too much) Next time I head up to the mountain I'll try to slow down my turns, swing less and maybe I'll try lessons again. My first experience wasn't the greatest, as I felt restricted and that the teacher didn't explain things very well. Thanks again for the feedback!


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## freshy (Nov 18, 2009)

What size of board does matter. Type of camber might have some influence as well. Skill is probably the main reason. Just keep riding man.


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## Rip154 (Sep 23, 2017)

First time I went snowboarding I did like the guy at the shop said, skid from side to side in the kids hill. That was boring and I fell alot, because my balance wasn't on point and going slow didnt make it better. So I went to the top to try some steeps. Got some speed, laid the board on edge on a groomer and everything just clicked. Learned to carve in a few hours. My second day was with my schoolclass, we had a joint lesson, after some theory about edge control, we all tried skidding the kids hill, but me and a friend had the carving on lock already and an instructor came up to us and said: You dont need this, lets go freeriding. That day was some real progress, went to some backcountry powder stuff, rode a 300m long halfpipe that had formed on a creek and learned 360s. So lessons can be nice, at least if you get the right instructor, even if I learned the basics on my own.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

@wrathfuldeity, we two seem to be motorical idiots; it took me as well at least 7 years to learn to carve... while kids nowadays learn it in days or even hours.
:laugh:


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

neni said:


> @wrathfuldeity, we two seem to be motorical idiots; it took me as well at least 7 years to learn to carve... while kids nowadays learn it in days or even hours.
> :laugh:


 @neni however, I do know they can not carve high speed pencil thin lines as elegantly as you do nor can they do super slow speed carves.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

neni said:


> @wrathfuldeity, we two seem to be motorical idiots; it took me as well at least 7 years to learn to carve... while kids nowadays learn it in days or even hours.
> :laugh:


I learned in 15 minutes, second run. Pencil lines on the third run.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Argo said:


> I learned in 15 minutes, second run. Pencil lines on the third run.


Well its my adult diapers that drag and mess up my pencil lines.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Well its my adult diapers that drag and mess up my pencil lines.


Not your saggy old guy balls? Lmao


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Well its my adult diapers that drag and mess up my pencil lines.





Argo said:


> Not your saggy old guy balls? Lmao












:rofl3:


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## SlvrDragon50 (Mar 25, 2017)

The thing that helped me most yesterday (3rd time boarding, first time on my own gear) was reaching over the nose to force more weight over the front leg. I was finally able to link turns with ease though I will admit I do slide a bit more when I am on toe edge turns vs heel edge turns.


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