# Advice/Tips Needed



## vusb (Nov 26, 2015)

Hi All,
This is my 2nd season. My whole family (2 sons, my wife & I) never skied nor snowboarded before but really got into it last year. We're (me, especially) really got hooked. We all took lessons & just kept hitting the slopes to try to improve. We're all able to S down the mountain with my youngest (13) being the 'smoothest'. I myself need some work still. I'd love some advice on what I'm doing wrong: knees not bent enough? Still leaning back? I feel that my heel turn is very stiff (if that's the right description).
Please see my video below of a clip shot by my son's GoPro. Any help at all is greatly appreciated:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm_R78J9YZU&feature=youtu.be
Thank you for your time.
Vu


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## Quandom (Oct 5, 2015)

The vid says private, but my advice would be to look up some instructional vids on you tube. There are some pretty tips and footage on what to focus on and what to start with.


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## vusb (Nov 26, 2015)

Oops. Sorry about that. I'm new to YouTube as well.
Thanks for your time & reply.
Vu


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## Quandom (Oct 5, 2015)

Ah. Fellow Vietnamese. Strange how our people find our way to the snow. Anyway. Watch this video. I don't actually ride like this, but its a good blanket way to help in the beginning. http://youtu.be/u20epr7tSEU


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## vusb (Nov 26, 2015)

Thanks. I'd watched that video (& many other) again & again. I think you're saying that I need to work on getting my body aligned with the board when turning? I'll work on that. I'll probably get some more lessons as well. It's difficult for me to watch a tutorial video & then try to apply while riding.
Vu


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## Quandom (Oct 5, 2015)

Snowboard addiction on youtube has some decent vids on improving different areas.

I actually ride like this. Ryan knapton is how I try to ride like. Which is much different than the first vid suggest. http://youtu.be/mvADH_dLb4w


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## vusb (Nov 26, 2015)

Thanks. I've also watched a lot of Ryan Knapton's videos. I love his style although I may never get there. I'm after a smooth riding style & being to carve. 
You must've been snowboarding a while?


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## Quandom (Oct 5, 2015)

vusb said:


> Thanks. I'd watched that video (& many other) again & again. I think you're saying that I need to work on getting my body aligned with the board when turning? I'll work on that. I'll probably get some more lessons as well. It's difficult for me to watch a tutorial video & then try to apply while riding.
> Vu


You don't need lessons, you need to take a friend with you that can ride pretty decent. Everyone has different riding styles. You simply need to feel how the board is cutting(carving) into the snow. 

On any edge you ride, initiate the turn by putting weight on the front foot or front edge. This will create friction to start a turn to that direction of leaning. Once you have turned enough, you can bring back your weight to center or even on the back foot. Doing this just makes you go straight. Once you transition to the other edge and apply weight on your front edge again, you will turn. 

If you are doing the butter spreading motion, you are forcing it with your back leg and not putting weight on the front leg and edge. Surfers ride like this or snowboarding in powder, which you guys probably arent ready for. 

Once you get used to turning on edges, you will be able to start learning more and start carving. If your board is smaller or more park ish, carving will be harder, but you still will be able to do some kind of carve once u feel it


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## Quandom (Oct 5, 2015)

vusb said:


> Thanks. I've also watched a lot of Ryan Knapton's videos. I love his style although I may never get there. I'm after a smooth riding style & being to carve.
> You must've been snowboarding a while?



Nah. I have only done it for a few years, but I get in about 60 sessions a year. I can't say I am very good, just OK. Snowboarding is an addiction and I think of it even in the summer. I would suggest watching a few vids and then try and feel what the vids are telling u. Helped me a lot to get my tricks down. It's really best to have someone that is good watching u and correcting u on the spot. Lessons are just crazy pricey.

A good tip is to keep the knees bent and loose


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

OP you are doing fine. But a couple of things...

the big thing...you got flat terrain and slow snow...so in the vid...you can only cruise...but you could up your carving (in your vid you are smearing...not carving)...it will help to find some steeper runs.

2nd...you are not letting the board run...let it take off and learn to trust the board...use its edges....GO Faster!

3rd...trust your board and start getting dynamic...meaning crouching low, raising up and angulating and extending. Get your center of gravity over the edges of the board, instead of merely over the middle of the board...to do this you really have to sit/squat low on heelside and for toeside drive your knees and angulate. (see the vid below on some ideas to make this happen by getting on your nose more and pointing your turns. And pay attention to getting the center of gravity over the edges of the board.)

4th...start mobbing with riders who are better and faster...just try to keep up...you are on a plateau...forget about being smooth and MOB...you need to push yourself to the next level

have fun


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## Rogue (Nov 29, 2014)

wrathfuldeity said:


> OP you are doing fine. But a couple of things...
> 
> the big thing...you got flat terrain and slow snow...so in the vid...you can only cruise...but you could up your carving (in your vid you are smearing...not carving)...it will help to find some steeper runs.
> 
> ...



Great advice....I'm coming to Baker for a lesson


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## vusb (Nov 26, 2015)

Thank you. That's great advice. You're right about the slope steepness & snow speed. I was able to turn better & carve at times on a faster blue run. The video also helps greatly with how to get a good stance.
Vu


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## speedjason (May 2, 2013)

You are a bit lazy on the board and just kicking the tail out to steer.
Knees are not bent enough causing you to lose balance.


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## vusb (Nov 26, 2015)

speedjason said:


> You are a bit lazy on the board and just kicking the tail out to steer.
> Knees are not bent enough causing you to lose balance.


Thanks for the advice. I will practice with bending the knees a lot more & steer with only the front knee & foot.


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## pointblank (Feb 26, 2015)

For your second season, I would try to make some goals i.e. get comfy with speed, be more dynamic in your turns, be looser in your lower body (bend knees more)...it will take your riding to the next level.


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## andyl9063 (Aug 4, 2014)

another fellow vietnamese boarder!

you're skidding. i was doing same thing when i started. Basically you want to be on the two edge of the board when turning left or right. Focus on using toeside and heelside to turn on edge.


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## Extazy (Feb 27, 2014)

Quandom said:


> Snowboard addiction on youtube has some decent vids on improving different areas.
> 
> I actually ride like this. Ryan knapton is how I try to ride like. Which is much different than the first vid suggest. http://youtu.be/mvADH_dLb4w


I tried so many times to flex the board the way he does with just lower body and I cant. Maybe it's because he has like size 12 feet and I am only 7 but no matter how much i try I just cant flex my board like that.


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## Phedder (Sep 13, 2014)

Extazy said:


> I tried so many times to flex the board the way he does with just lower body and I cant. Maybe it's because he has like size 12 feet and I am only 7 but no matter how much i try I just cant flex my board like that.


He's also on a wide board that's an appropriate size for his feet. You probably just need a narrower board to make turn initiation easier, and stiffer boots wouldn't hurt.


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## Atoxa (Feb 11, 2013)

Don't push it. When you watch all those videos, don't just sit there thinking, "so i need to do this and this and this" while you ride. Overthinking it is not worth it. You get better at riding by riding - becoming smoother will become natural. Ride with people who are better, watch people who get better - it will happen


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## Extazy (Feb 27, 2014)

Phedder said:


> He's also on a wide board that's an appropriate size for his feet. You probably just need a narrower board to make turn initiation easier, and stiffer boots wouldn't hurt.


I know that. Actually just got burton kelly air 155. It has almost the width that I am looking for. I am wearing Nike Lunarendor. Had around 40 days on it and they arent getting soft at all yet. Some people even said they look like new boots.

It's just considering size of his feet - longer fingers, stronger ankle movement, little more muscle I think I am physically already so underdeveloped that it's very hard to do the way he does it. But we will see on this new board. Conditions suck this year on east coast though.


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