# Riding switch?



## flex (Mar 11, 2008)

Does anyone here ride switch well with a positive angle on both bindings?

I mostly carve and ride at 21/9. I am an advanced rider but I'm having a lot of difficulty learning to ride switch. I'm guessing it's much easier to learn when riding goofy but I'd really like to be able to ride switch with those angles because of how well I am able to carve with those angles.

Anyone have any tips?


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

you can definitely ride switch with those angles, but getting into a flow/ryhtm will be harder and the type of terrain you can ride even harder to progress too. 

Start out on eaiser terrain and slow yourself down. To many people try to ride switch at the same pace and on the same terrain that they do in their regular orientation.


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## KIRKRIDER (Mar 18, 2008)

I use the same angles for carving on groomers. WHen I want to do different stuff, like ride pow or switch I go more like 15 - 6 or 15 - 3
makes the ride more comfortable in the pow...no pain loading your back leg...and ride switch much easier. 
of course even easier iof you go duck..like 15 - -15


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## AAA (Feb 2, 2008)

I ride with near 60 degree angles on alpine gear and spend 99% of my time riding forward. But I still mix it up and carve switch passably well at sub-warp speeds. (I don't even try if I'm going full tilt boogie.) The directional board dynamics working in reverse feels a bit weird and the progressive sidecut doesn't make initiation as easy. It's can be a little tough to see where you're going, too.  This guy pulls it off much better than I can. Great example and my hat's off. :thumbsup:

YouTube - snowboarding carving switch fakie


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

Currently I'm at -15/15 goofy ducked stance... and I can sort of glide and go back to goofy from regular but.. when I'm in regular my brain screams at me to go back to goofy before I biff hard... and yeah.. I can do like triple backflip 720 cartwheels (flatland of course) just from riding in regular stance...

btw AAA, that video is gnarly as hell.


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## Guest (Mar 11, 2010)

You pretty much gotta start from scratch to learn how to ride switch.
The way that I learned, way by teaching myself
I'm a snowboard instructor and I have been for years now, and whenever I taught a beginner lesson, I would do my demonstrations switch. Once I was able to turn without counter rotating or anything of the sort, I started to ride with my intermediate lessons switch, and I just progessed from there on


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## phile00 (Jan 7, 2009)

I taught myself how to ride switch this year. I still get a little squirrely at higher speeds because my turn initiation isn't anywhere near as fast as regular, but I can do skidded turns and/or carve a whole green run switch. It's funny, when I decided to just go for it, I followed the mechanics over in my head and I didn't even fall. Once I started losing control I'd just revert. My stance angles are 15/-15. I can carve switch on my twin Evo-R and my slightly directional Goliath.

I think the best way is to take a nearly flat section of hill, and just be comfortable kinda hanging loose going about 3mph switch. Really just stand kinda steezy and just feel comfortable and stable doing that. At such a slow speed you can't really carve, so it helps you understand how to center your weight and keep a little more weight on the front foot to prevent reverting/catching an edge. it also allows you to envision yourself riding switch better. It's a nice baby step to give you confidence as you initiate your first turn.

Crazy thing for me is it's easier for me to carve (and even use cross under technique), than it is to do skidded turns.


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## pipidulce (Oct 3, 2008)

My normal angles are 15/0. Does anyone ride switch with those angles? I try not to go duck as much as possible but a 0 angle on the weak foot makes it hard for me to carve toeside.


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## Snowman26 (Mar 17, 2010)

i learned how to ride switch this year. its funny cuz i was on the beginner hill with my friends and i looked like it was my first time snowboarding. my bindings are set quite equally.


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## Zee (Feb 21, 2008)

I ride switch with +21/-9, however I set up my latest board at +15/-15 and riding switch is more natural... I'll be sticking with that for park, but I'll leave the all mountain at +21/-9


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

My stance is 16/-6 I think and is fine for riding switch. I can't stand 15/-15 (personal preference) but in my opinion riding the lift switch a few times helps. I'm talking unstrapping your front foot at the bottom of the hill instead. It is awkward and you'll hate me for suggesting it once you are in the lift line, but after a few runs it does help. I think it's the weighting the front foot coming down the lift exit that helps.

Word of warning though, don't do it with a packed chair, the board will feel way different hanging off the opposite foot. If anything it feels heavier, so give yourself room to rest the board on your free foot.


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

something to think about.. not even sure I can skate regular stance lmao.. never even thought to try..

I'll be that guy that stops the lift when I leave an imprint of my face dropping in.
I ride -15/15 though.. so when I'm in fakie - it just feels better to me for ground 360s and switch 180s.


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

Ha! Yeah I talked a female friend into it and she wasn't so happy after she fell getting off the lift. Really it was more akward getting *on* the lift with the other foot forward than getting off.


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

The first time I got on a lift I had NO idea what I was doing... and so.. of course my board got pulled under the chair, luckily it was a rentalI put both hands under my knee and pulled it out from there in record time... and then fell down at the top..

but I've seen skiers get sucked under the chair before.. no thank you.


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## Guest (Mar 24, 2010)

uh yeah... I tried getting on the lift switch, HORRIBLE idea.
I dont think you need to do that in order to ride switch properly.


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## Deviant (Dec 22, 2009)

Uh yeah. No one ever said you need to ride the lift switch to learn to ride switch properly, it was only said that it can help, and only in the sense of extra time with that foot forward.


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## Sam I Am (Sep 9, 2009)

I learned to ride switch (or regular in my instance) quickly. I took me a couple of runs, but my mind had to figure out that I just need to reverse leg roles and use my edge (for whatever reason, I was riding flat base) and it clicked. But it still feels funky.


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