# snowolf - did I do better today?



## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

I notice you tend to carve more on your toe-turn and skid more on the heel-side turns. Also not sure but are you rudder turning on your heel-turn a little bit???
You look much more relaxed


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

Amazing progress! I noticed the same thing as slyder. Try and sit into your heelside turns more and it'll take out the skidding. Keep on shredding, you're doing great! I'm using your videos to motivate my wife to try boarding again!


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## firstx1017 (Jan 10, 2011)

okay guys, need some clarification from you both. 

Not sure what you mean by "rudder turning" on my heelside. Sometimes the hills all slope screwy and I need to slow down to go to my toeside as I was focusing on trying to bend more on my toe side today and wanted to start slower before I initiated my turn. Is this what you were referring to?

And Nefarious, not sure what you mean by "sitting into your heelside turns more". When I was first starting I was squatting into my turns and kept squatting and had problems until snowolf said I needed to extend and once I did that I was able to slow down. Are you saying I need to start sitting sooner and then extend into my heelside? 

I went a lot slower today than last week trying to work on things to get better. But I really appreciate the feedback because I don't want to learn any more bad habits.

Vicki


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

*Rudder Steer:* is when you are pushing or pulling your rear leg around to initiate the turn rather then using the front of the board to carve into the snow and pull you around. Hope I made that sound correct.

Snowolf or one of the others may see what I'm talking about and clarify a little better. 

No matter what, nice job !!!


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## firstx1017 (Jan 10, 2011)

slyder said:


> *Rudder Steer:* is when you are pushing or pulling your rear leg around to initiate the turn rather then using the front of the board to carve into the snow and pull you around. Hope I made that sound correct.
> 
> Snowolf or one of the others may see what I'm talking about and clarify a little better.
> 
> No matter what, nice job !!!


Thanks - I see what you mean now. I will try to work on that tomorrow and see if I can fix that. 

Thanks Slyder.


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## Nefarious (Dec 26, 2010)

Bad way of explaining, my apologies. What I meant is this: when I watched, I see you lift your board for toe side, but slide trough heel side. I just meant for you to lean into heel side just like toe and use your leans to help speed check. Eventually you'll be able to use your traversing back and forth to control minor speed adjustments. for example: if you lean farther into each turn, it applies more pressure and causes more friction. It's hard to explain, but will make sense after a few more outings.


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## sabatoa (Jan 18, 2011)

This is good for me to see. You're giving me hope that I can figure this out!


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## firstx1017 (Jan 10, 2011)

*updated video for today*

Snowolf - I didn't read your reply until after this mornings ride. Today I tried to lean my front should back while going to heelside and not slide or rudder as much. I thought I could tell a big difference on my heelside by not sliding as much. 

I only got 3 runs in today as the resort had 3 huge tour busses and ALL the parking lots were full and they ran out of rental snowboards we heard. Just tooooo many people. I fell once today and it's on the video, but can you tell any difference from yesterday?

I will work tomorrow on your radius comments and see how that goes for the next couple of weeks. Thanks again for all the feedback.

YouTube - 1 29 2011

Vicki


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

NO expert here but I saw a difference.

Around time 2:55 - 3:30 ish you can effeminately see that you are carving your heel edge, which I didn't see in yesterdays video
Also you seem to use your heel-side to scrub and maintain your speed. Have you thought to try larger linked turns. This way you are getting used to controlling your speed on both heel and toe edge. 
Not sure if this is to much to ask at this point.
Just trying to help you advance.

Coming along nicely, are you at least enjoying yourself. We only see shots from behind, is there a smile in front????


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## gravityhomer (Apr 8, 2008)

Snowolf, thanks for your descriptions :thumbsup: I'm amazed at how well you describe something that most people would probably just say, you just have to feel it. Reading your advice has always helped me over these past few seasons. I can totally see what I am doing wrong now on steeper slopes. I am being way too static, and therefore the only way to control speed is to skid. I can definitely see how getting this dynamic carving down will allow a steady speed to be achieved on any level of steepness, without all of the start stop. I think when I am feeling my absolute best, I am getting the dynamic carving down, without really realizing what I'm doing right. This is usually on easy blues, where the trails are nice and wide and evenly steep. On steeper stuff I tend to freeze up and I'm sure my body becomes very static during the turns, and it becomes all start and stop. I never really knew what the problem was but this whole being more dynamic with the lower body to control speed is a great picture to have in my head. 

I do get a little lost if I try to think about all of the steps that need to happen to complete a dynamic turn (pressure on toes, heels squat down, rise up, it's almost too much to think about when actually out there. But the picture of being more extended at the apex of the turn and then having your legs be more bent and under you while the board crosses underneath you to get ready for the next turn is great. That plus trying to ride higher on the edge a little and the idea of being momentarily weightless to help initiate the next turn. All great things to think about to try to get the feel right.


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## gravityhomer (Apr 8, 2008)

Wish I was out at Mt Hood, I'd take a lesson from you for sure. I took a lesson out here two seasons ago and I still use the tips the guy gave me every time. Good instructors are awesome and don't get enough compensation at all (as the resort takes almost all of it). 

Oh and I don't want to hijack the thread, Great job firstx1017! Having the confidence to go down without falling is the first step in doing anything else. It gives you a feeling of control. 

It's really the ultimate goal of any beginner, myself included, is to feel in control regardless of the terrain. Otherwise it's no fun, just frustrating and painful.


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## sook (Oct 25, 2009)

Hey Vicki,
I have nothing constructive to add because Snowolf has it pretty well in hand but I recognized Summit Run from your vid and wanted to congratulate you on your progress. You looked very relaxed in your first vid especially around 2:57 where it gets a little steeper. That part used to scare my GF when she was first learning. Keep up the good work and we'll probably see you out there. I ride either bear or summit every friday and sunday.


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## firstx1017 (Jan 10, 2011)

sook said:


> Hey Vicki,
> I have nothing constructive to add because Snowolf has it pretty well in hand but I recognized Summit Run from your vid and wanted to congratulate you on your progress. You looked very relaxed in your first vid especially around 2:57 where it gets a little steeper. That part used to scare my GF when she was first learning. Keep up the good work and we'll probably see you out there. I ride either bear or summit every friday and sunday.


Yes sook, I made great strides Sunday as I continued thru the flat section all the way down the that scary hill without heelsiding like I usually do! We'll be at Summit Friday, Sat & Sun. Don't run into me! lol

YouTube - transition continued

Vicki


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## sook (Oct 25, 2009)

firstx1017 said:


> We'll be at Summit Friday, Sat & Sun. Don't run into me! lol
> 
> 
> Vicki


Not to worry, when I'm by myself, I try to stay far away from Summit run. But if my GF and I go sunday, we'll give you a wide berth.


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## firstx1017 (Jan 10, 2011)

sook said:


> Not to worry, when I'm by myself, I try to stay far away from Summit run. But if my GF and I go sunday, we'll give you a wide berth.


lol - I know what you mean, by 11:00 that run is just chock full of beginners falling everywhere. And the classes playing follow the leader down the run. That's when we tend to leave, but at 50 now I'm pooped by then anyhow! lol That's when I tried Perfect Pitches last week and scared the hell out of myself. It was nice that there are no people on the left side of the mountain, but still too steep for me to try any turns yet. Hopefully that day will come some year! lol


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