# Toeside/Speed



## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

So I've been Snowboarding for awhile and im getting getting my old knee injury muscle imbalance back on track (pretty much was only using quads and tfl, weak ham,glutes and calves) and things are feeling good but I'm noticing what is letting me down.
I'm washing speed when toeside, particularly on steeper slopes which then leaves me trailing behind the pack. I want to ride fast, but don't feel stable (like I'll loose my edge) and find myself turning often, turning across the hill or "skidding" turn which cuts speed. 
I know I'm doing it but not sure how to get to the next level.
I ride the whole mountain and park, can't find much intermediate /adv fine tuning advice/vids out there.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Get up the hill on ya own so you don't have that mental blocker of havin to keep up with the pack!!!!!

Then use the whole run from side to side when you're carving!!!!!

Repeat with added speed!!!!! 

Gradually tighten these arcs, but keep the anglulation you used when you were first doing it!!!!!


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

IMO something you may be missing is fall line attack skills, which requires downhill pressure (front foot) and control from all 4 edges (heel and toe both feet) where you can roll between them in a fall line carve.

Speed kills.


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

Mizu Kuma said:


> Get up the hill on ya own so you don't have that mental blocker of havin to keep up with the pack!!!!!
> 
> Then use the whole run from side to side when you're carving!!!!!
> 
> ...


I ride a lot alone, I just notice others others, even awkward others, seem to be going by me. I notice particularly on uneven terrain that the problem is amplified. I am not absorbing as well as I could be. I like your enthusiasm haha!

Not even really even focusing on carving here but just looking at the technical side of riding to feel stable/in control, ride faster and generally make riding look and feel easier ;-) floooowwww


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

@snowklinger, ill give my front foot a little more thought next time.


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

what is your weight? 149 is rather a small board





:snowboard2:


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

SnowDogWax said:


> what is your weight? 149 is rather a small board
> 
> 
> 
> ...


130lbs, 163cm, its board enough :wink:


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## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

Pandora 149 + Stepchild 149 = 163 sorry


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

Spend the cash, take a lesson, a private. 2 hours of some personal teaching and you'll break through.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Soggysnow said:


> I ride a lot alone, I just notice others others, even awkward others, seem to be going by me. I notice particularly on uneven terrain that the problem is amplified. I am not absorbing as well as I could be. I like your enthusiasm haha!
> 
> Not even really even focusing on carving here but just looking at the technical side of riding to feel stable/in control, ride faster and generally make riding look and feel easier ;-) floooowwww


Don't focus on getting to the bottom first!!!!!

Focus on the journey!!!!!

Use the whole trail, and get the feel of those edges!!!!!

Trust me, the rest will follow!!!!!


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Soggysnow said:


> I'm washing speed when toeside, particularly on steeper slopes which then leaves me trailing behind the pack. I want to ride fast, but don't feel stable (like I'll loose my edge) and find myself turning often, turning across the hill or "skidding" turn which cuts speed.
> I know I'm doing it but not sure how to get to the next level.


when ur on toeside...perhaps you are getting too far back on the tail (thus washing out), and then not able to attack on the nose fast enough when going heelside. Thus attack the nose for going heelside...by not getting on the tail too much...(idk maybe ur overcompensating for bungled knee)...And while attacking the nose to go heelside...also get your leading hip and shoulder pre-rotated towards heel. It might be that your timing in the transition to heelside is off or has some latency.

Maybe a drill on a black groomed, is to dial the speed back a notch...then focus on keeping your leading shoulder pointed right down the fall line....and keep the nose of your board within 45 degrees of the fall line while going from edge to edge. Hopefully the drill will give you confidence to keep your weight on the nose ...while moving edge to edge. Then repeat the drill but transition from edge to edge faster with more shallow carves. Hope this makes sense.


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## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Soggysnow said:


> I ride a lot alone, I just notice others others, even awkward others, seem to be going by me. I notice particularly on uneven terrain that the problem is amplified. I am not absorbing as well as I could be. I like your enthusiasm haha!
> 
> Not even really even focusing on carving here but just looking at the technical side of riding to feel stable/in control, ride faster and generally make riding look and feel easier ;-) floooowwww


How tall are you, what's the size of the board, ref stance and what's your set up stance? Maybe your stance is too narrow, leading to bot enough bent knees.
To feel comfy at riding fast n absorbing uneven terrain, bent knees are key. If you _think_ you ride low, try to ride even lower. To ben those knees properly is also important to push with determination in carves. 

I second Wraths comment on weight distribution considering the slipping - but also focus on really pushing through the carve using your knees. The steeper or icyer, the more you don't have to _try_ but _do_ push your weight into the turn without hesitation.


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

neni said:


> How tall are you, what's the size of the board, ref stance and what's your set up stance? Maybe your stance is too narrow, leading to bot enough bent knees.
> To feel comfy at riding fast n absorbing uneven terrain, bent knees are key. If you _think_ you ride low, try to ride even lower. To ben those knees properly is also important to push with determination in carves.
> 
> I second Wraths comment on weight distribution considering the slipping - but also focus on really pushing through the carve using your knees. The steeper or icyer, the more you don't have to _try_ but _do_ push your weight into the turn without hesitation.


163cm, 149 board, +15/-12 and just shy of 20 inch stance, prev a little wider but this is more comfortable now.
I will try out the before mentioned advice, and I really appreciate the serious and helpful answers. 

Question on absorbtion on toes, I feel like im locked in/stiff and dont absorb the bumps, not sure if this is from the knee (leaning too far forward over the ankle; its my leading knee btw) or if its technique, or both.
Does anyone else feel this way?


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

it sounds like your fear is what is holding you back. start small, go slower, and force yourself to make the turns and carves properly. even though working your way up is the right way to do it you're still gonna need to get out of your comfort zone. right now your comfort zone is shitty riding lol. if you feel like you've picked up too much speed then make wider turns/carves that cut across the trail more. keep your weight even on both legs (no matter how steep the trail is). even though it may seem scarier, riding properly (even at higher speeds) is safer and a lot more fun.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Soggysnow said:


> 163cm, 149 board, +15/-12 and just shy of 20 inch stance, prev a little wider but this is more comfortable now.
> I will try out the before mentioned advice, and I really appreciate the serious and helpful answers.
> 
> Question on absorbtion on toes, I feel like im locked in/stiff and dont absorb the bumps, not sure if this is from the knee (leaning too far forward over the ankle; its my leading knee btw) or if its technique, or both.
> Does anyone else feel this way?


absorption is about bending the knees more...really squat...your quads are your shock absorbers....and you got to have a wide enough stance and binding angles that will allow deep knee bends to a couch position. edit...maybe abit less duck angles

for that too locked-in toeside feeling...check to make sure your leading binding is not biased to toeside...make sure the midline of your foot sits right on top of the midline of your board...if not adjust the binding so that it does. and check that you have enough forward lean on the leading binding


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## Mystery2many (Aug 14, 2013)

Confidence confidence confidence. Your mentality plays a huge roll with how well you ride at high speed. You need proper form but without confidence your form will go to shit once you're going faster than you're comfortable going.


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

Well the last two days I have been trying hard and have ended up with perfectly shaped skidded turns and a sore knee(bad one) from trying to driving my knees down. Totally deflating. 
I managed to get high on my edge a couple of times but ended up falling straight over into the hill both times.
I have been riding for years without carving and im finding this all a bit embarrassing. I've told my friends that I won't be riding fast and what I'm trying to work on and no one can see what is going wrong. But something is, swishy snow says so.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Maybe it's time to post up a video?????


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

Mizu Kuma said:


> Maybe it's time to post up a video?????



I'll have to find someone who can ;-) then yup I will. I can't afford lessons at this time. I have wasted money on them in the past on on onckincling something was off (at the time I didn't know what) and the instructor said I looked fine. So... no lessons for now. Might be able to get a friend of friend once high season is over but that doesn't help me right now


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## SkullAndXbones (Feb 24, 2014)

maybe it's your board. what board do you ride? some boards (softer, rocker or rocker dominant hybrids) aren't great for carving.


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## Justin (Jun 2, 2010)

Video will tell a lot.

2 things that it could be from what you are saying. 

1. It is hard to absorb bumps when your toes are pushed down. Your calf muscles should be relaxed, your knees past your toes, and your shines pushing into your laces. Your weight will be over your toes/ball of your foot however you should not be actively pushing down with your feet. When you do this it is easier to allow your knees to jump up and absorb uneven parts in the snow.

2. the above technique will also allow you to ride with more of your weight over your board. You mentioned that you fall when you toe side carve, which leads me to believe that you are bending at the waist which you shouldn't be. Your upper body should be stacked over the board. If you bend really deep you will bend at the hip like you are doing a squat which is ok but only when you are bending very deep.

I hope this makes sense and you will receive more help if you post a video. Good luck.


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## stillz (Jan 5, 2010)

Want to know if you're stacked over your toeside edge? Try jumping during your toeside traverses. Even an inch is enough. Try it on your heels, too. If you don't feel stable during the takeoff and/or landing, you're probably not stacked. If your board washes out downhill of you, you were leaning uphill. If you're in a good position to jump and land with ease, you're in a good position to do some snowboarding.


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## Soggysnow (Sep 11, 2012)

ok so today i had a pretty horrible day trying to figure out this without someone who is able to help.
-not bending at waist. That is off the list. 
-ive taken the pressure of driving down too hard out of the equation. I can jump , but its not sliding on landing that is the prob.
My ankles do feel pretty flexed, but still pushing on boot. Maybe the shouldnt be?

It is very evident when i am on steeper/icy slopes that I cannot get my edge in as i skid my turns or literally, if trying to get up on the edge...just slip straight down the mountain (Like im over the edge or something) 

I was with my bf but he, while a great snowboarder, is not a good coach, he just does what he does but cannot break it down at all or really see what is wrong. He did suggest maybe im transitioning from edge to edge too quickly? does that make any sense? i can get a nice clean line sometimes if on a flatter run, but not consistently and not through the whole turn/s.

Tomorrow hopefully a friend may be riding with us who is a level 4 instructor (if they are not inundated with work) otherwise there may be a chance of someone being able to film.


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