# Riding switch!



## Guest (Apr 1, 2008)

any tips? other then just do it that is. i was practicing on some intermediate runs and i ate it hard a couple times, hard enough to make my headphones go flying off and feel pretty embarassed.


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## PaoloSmythe (Aug 19, 2007)

duck your stance

practice like you are learning all over again

once you are linking consistent turns, go for more speed

if when going for more speed, things feel fuzzy, revert back to regular and take note of what each leg and your body is doing. take note.

go back to switch and apply what you;ve just noted but the opposite way.

once you can charge the piste, refine your technique by alternating your regular and switch runs.

keep smiling. pain is a reminder that you live!


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## Guest (Apr 1, 2008)

Making helicopter-like turns (360 on flat ground) continuously is a good start to get a feeling for riding switch.
You gain momentum from all the turns you make so you don't start to lean too much backwards. I tried it and I found this trick very helpfull. Of course it is not the same as riding a whole piste switch, but it well give you a basic idea


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## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

Put the ego aside 

It's hard going back to a green run... but you gotta do what you gotta do. I started switch greens last season, and this year I am able to ride blacks. Catching air switch is still a challenge.


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## Guest (Apr 1, 2008)

aahhhh yea thats exactly what i was thinking. i was thinking i should bust it back to the bunny hill for a little bit buttttt me and my big head didn't want to go. i'll have to practice doing that next time i go snow thanks for the advice. same with all the rest of you guys. :]


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## laz167 (Nov 27, 2007)

Helicopter turn's are good..that's what an instructor told me and it work's..you get use to the heel/toe feeling..


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## Guest (Apr 1, 2008)

tonysimoni said:


> Making helicopter-like turns (360 on flat ground) continuously is a good start to get a feeling for riding switch.
> You gain momentum from all the turns you make so you don't start to lean too much backwards. I tried it and I found this trick very helpfull. Of course it is not the same as riding a whole piste switch, but it well give you a basic idea


This was my first step. Try doing helicopter turns in each direction (backside and frontside). Then start running switch and try linking turns. It's tough to get the balance figured out because your usual front leg is likely to be stronger. When riding switch it's typical to lean backwards, which is hard to overcome. Then start trying ollies 

I've been working on switch for a few years now (I've only gotten to ride three times a season) so it's been a long road, but after next season I should be good to go.


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2008)

I pretty much got good at switch by just buttering every flat spot there was. 180 switch tailpresses don't feel like you're riding switch, but you are, even if its not for long. same goes with doing 180s and 540s on jumps, you're not going to be switch long, but you'll be thinking about landing it too much to think "Oh shit this is switch"


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2008)

@lowerclass
yea thts what i've been doing is 180 tp's and its soooo much fun.
helicoptring sounds like a good idea but i'm okay at riding switch already so i dont think i need to do that. i can ollie and nollie switch so im good there :]
its just the whole switch deal itself. i've gotta get used to it, which i will, with more riding. it'll come with time


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2008)

colortv said:


> any tips? other then just do it that is. i was practicing on some intermediate runs and i ate it hard a couple times, hard enough to make my headphones go flying off and feel pretty embarassed.


hey man some thing you should try are flat spins (rotating circles on the snow going down one line) and both ways, if you only do one way, then it kinda screws the whole getting better at switch. 
Try some nose rolls (leaning onto the nose of your board and just rollin it to the other edge) and again doing it on both switch and reg helps best.
The only other thing is just doin it, yeah it sucks but go to the top of the mountain and take 3 comfortable runs down on only switch. Your gona get frustrated but its the best way to make you better, good luck!


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2008)

I do the same. When my wife is with me (she's a beginner-intermediate) I ride switch almost always. When we get into traffic or really narrow areas I flip around to my regular side so I don't crash into people. Eventually I'll be just as good switch, especially now that I have a board that's a twin and not a directional freeride board.


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2008)

Riding switch is my next step, with my old board I used to catch edges constantly. You had to be very careful not to catch an edge, so my nature told me not to ride switch to avoid another fractured coccyx. I have a question on a brand new Rome Agent, should I get it detuned and waxed for spring riding or leave it as is for the first couple of sessions?


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2008)

Lucky for you, Rome detunes their tip and tail edges from the factory.:thumbsup:.

I find my toeside turns switch aren't really clean and smooth like my good side. Bit jerky and all......Time to go back to square one and get a lesson, dial that technique down switch. 

Plus side to the bunny hill: catch it on a slow day, and it's great to dial down one foot riding for those foot plants and no comply's.


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2008)

thanks all of you guys for giving your advice on riding switch. now i can fosho go with the gf and not totally want to ditch her and ride around. sounds like a really good idea. my switching back and forth is kinda lame to be frank lol. i kinda just helicopter around and just start riding, should try and just like rolls i think their called


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## baldy (Nov 14, 2007)

i've been trying to learn switch and i can do greens well but sometimes i'll get a little sketchy and start leaning back. it's kinda weird cuz i always tell my friends that just learn not to lean back at all. kinda like i gotta listen to wat i teach them haha. also bumps are a challenge, it feels like my legs are really stiff and i can't absorb the shocks as well as riding regular.


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## Ezkimo (Apr 2, 2008)

i can ride switch very good and a very high speeds. the onnnnnly prob i got switch is riding park objects and getting a good balanced ollie/nollie


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2008)

Riding switch is one thing that I have already started doing. As a beginner, I figure it would be just as easy to learn riding switch as it would be to learn how to ride regular. It just might take me longer to get good at both but I figure it will be much easier for me now than to have to go back at some point and learn all over. What made me decide to do it was my 4th trip out I was finding myself feeling like I may want to ride goofy so I rode that way a good part of the day and while I have decided to stick with regular, each time I go out I try and ride equal amounts of switch too.


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2008)

Snowolf said:


> And the extra bonus is the GF will be really happy and not feel like she is getting ditched and that can have positive results later when you get home....:thumbsup:


hahaha forsure. i'm sure she will be very happy with me staying with her the whole day :]

well looks to me as if the season in socal is just about over...  gonna have to wait till next season to starting practicing switch unless i hit up mt. hood


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## Guest (Apr 10, 2008)

hehe, It is actually the same over here.
I went to 3 vallees in France couple of weeks ago. For the time of the year it was years ago they had that much snow!

One morning, it has been snowing 25cm`s on an already prepared piste. We (or course) where first on the piste, so we could ride it as it was an off-piste, without any tracks on it. Best snowboard experience ever!


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