# Teaching tools for a beginner who's afraid of toe edge



## OMG_MOVE (Oct 22, 2015)

Hey Guys

I'm trying to teach a beginner to commit to a toe edge turn.

She is good on her heel side both regular and switch. After learning heel edge she just performed a falling leaf to get around and completely skipped learning toe edge.

She's afraid of falling both forward and backwards and when trying to initiate her toe edge she cannot smoothly work her edges, so it turns into a start/stop edge engagement (kind of like a new driver feathering the gas pedal). I believe this fear also leads to her having a tough time getting her toe side J turn to come around.

After a couple of falls she gets discouraged and returns to heel side falling leaf to get down.

Thanks


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

She probably counter rotates open to look down the hill...so she is twisted up. Have her look back up the hill and ignore what is below her on the hill. Have her do toeside traverses only. She is also probably doing the tippy toes/calf burn thing...thus have her bend the knees. Has she seen the creepy basement vid?


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## OMG_MOVE (Oct 22, 2015)

wrathfuldeity said:


> She probably counter rotates open to look down the hill...so she is twisted up. Have her look back up the hill and ignore what is below her on the hill. Have her do toeside traverses only. She is also probably doing the tippy toes/calf burn thing...thus have her bend the knees. Has she seen the creepy basement vid?


Solid point re: tippy toes, I think you're bang on there because she burns out her calves before anything else.

In terms of her being open/closed she's actually very well aligned....everything within the cereal box. The issue may definitely be in the tippy/toes method.

Just have to get her to believe in the process. To your point perhaps having her traverse to trust her edge engagement will help build up that confidence.

I'll have her watch the video  thanks Wrath!


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## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

Definitely watch the creepy basement video. 


Also,... Make sure her boots fit. Heelside edge is easier innpoor fitting boots cuz you got the highbacks to help you engage & pressure that edge. 

However, If her heel is slipping bad, she'll have all kinds of issues on toe edge. (...including severely burnt calves.)

Lastly,.... *Get her a lesson!* A proper, professional, group or (preferably) private lesson. Let a disinterested 3Rd party tell her to *"Man Up FFS!!!"* >

..._cuz if YOU try to tell her that???*Hoooo Boy.....!*_  :facepalm3:


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

Tell her guys have no problems with it.


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## Fielding (Feb 15, 2015)

Check the board setup. Is she in a good position? Stance width too narrow can promote standing up too straight and locking the knees. Locked knees works ok on a heel side slip but not really on a toe side slip. Plus it makes the rider too rigid, with too high a center of gravity. That makes the ride feel unstable -because it is. How about forward lean? Maybe turn it up a little so that the weight shift required to get from heels to toes is less exaggerated. Check the way the boots actually sit on the board when they’re locked into the bindings. Is the boot centered? Are toe ramps (if you have them) out near the toe edge of the board? You want to make sure she is able to get as much leverage as possible over that toe rail. Finally, stance: symmetrical duck stance with shoulders over knees over toes is very uncomfortable for many people. If she isn’t gonna ride switch or do spin tricks then consider moving the rear angle closer to flat. Turn up the front angle to keep comfortable splay. That can increase her ability by allowing her to better see where she’s going. Might even promote more edge changes. 

Heel slides feel safe for beginners because you’re looking straight down the mountain AND you have your foot on the brakes (that heel edge). For beginners it’s the moment where the nose is pointed straight down the fall line that is sheer terror. They fear not being able to get the nose off the fall line in order to engage an edge and effectively slow their descent. They tend to want to have that heel edge ready to stick into the snow at a moment’s notice. They fear runaway speed above all else. Number two fear is having their back facing down the fall line so that they can’t see where gravity is pulling them. It’s easier to build comfort with having your back to the fall line than it is to build comfort pointing down the fall line. The way to do that is to encourage the beginner to get in their toes only for a while and experience the feeling of the toe rail in a safe, controlled area. They’re not gonna do it if they’re out on the mountain trying to keep up with a more experienced rider. If they’re feeling left behind then they’ll revert to heel slipping all the way down.

Maybe get her to practice toe side slides and toe side falling leaf. I realize this is no longer encouraged as a teaching technique. I think some people benefit however. Get some comfort on the toe rail. First make sure the board set up is right. 

Be sure to keep her on appropriate slopes with favorable snow conditions. An icy day can kill a beginner’s confidence and desire to ever learn the sport. Consider wrist protection and padded impact shorts if you’re riding hardpack. It’s no fun to spend money on this kind of stuff but it can prevent pain (and actual injury) and promote confidence. It therefore promotes confident progression to new skills.

Buy a couple of private lessons for her.


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## Funks (Dec 28, 2015)

OMG_MOVE said:


> Hey Guys
> 
> I'm trying to teach a beginner to commit to a toe edge turn.
> 
> ...



How about making her do more toe side traverses so she gets used to it (build that muscle memory)? If she ends up trying to leaf heel side when she's supposed to be doing it toe side; have her sit down - flip the board over, then make her traverse it toe side.

They eventually get tired of doing this and will eventually try the heel to toe transitions. Additionally, might be a good idea to explain that it's much safer to fall toe side than heel side. My GF has a similar problem, she's not smooth with her toe side traverses & slides, tightly contracts her ankle / lower shin muscles causing it to fatigue fairly quickly. The only way to get past it IMHO is by doing more toe side traverses until the muscle memory kicks in.


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## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

Kevin from snowboard pro camp has a great vid showing him teaching girls on first ever day on a board. Good tips for teachers too. Patience and positivity are my weaknesses when it comes to teaching people. Kevin is great at it. He gets the girls to side slip on toe-edge down the bunny hill. He lays everything out step by step before they start turning. Very good teacher.


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## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

Another thing to try is have her take a lesson with a female instructor. It may help her relax and not seem so intimidating. This is a pretty common early on barrier. It seems daunting but in reality she just needs to get it to click once and she'll be all set. I think most people once they get it prefer toe side.


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

J turns and then link them.


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## Varza (Jan 6, 2013)

WasabiCanuck said:


> Kevin from snowboard pro camp has a great vid showing him teaching girls on first ever day on a board. Good tips for teachers too. Patience and positivity are my weaknesses when it comes to teaching people. Kevin is great at it. He gets the girls to side slip on toe-edge down the bunny hill. He lays everything out step by step before they start turning. Very good teacher.


Kevin from snowboard pro camp is also a professional instructor </thread>


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## snowangel99 (Mar 11, 2016)

I second making sure her boots fit well!!!!! It really is key because if they are loose, no proper turns are happening and us ladies like to have comfy feet. And tell her if snowangel can do it, so can she. She needs a private lesson, someone in front of her she can exactly mimic in their tracks. This is the way I learn. I told my instructor he HAD to ride switch so I could trail right behind him. We did this a couple of runs until I got it. Then it was just mileage after that. Lots of determination and mileage up and down up and down practising. 

If you want, PM me your cell number or instagram and maybe my daughter and I can ride with her one day. This is only our second season so we are not superstars but we have the turns down.


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## SnowDragon (Apr 23, 2012)

You're not a member of NTSC this year?

Take her as a guest and get a lesson for free from one of us.


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