# questions about stance, bindings and techniques



## CoopersTroopers (Feb 24, 2010)

Angles and stance are 100% personal preference. Ride however you feel comfortable, within certain guidelines. +15/+15 is too far forward on your back foot and is understandably uncomfortable. If you're just learning to carve and whatnot, go for something somewhat neutral but still forward like 15/0 or 15/+3 (or -3) or 18/6 (or -3 or -6). Some people swear by duck stances (particularly park riders), but I've never found 15/-15 comfortable personally. It really is a trial and error sort of thing. Could take you a whole season to find something you're really comfortable with consistently.

You can also try widening your stance slightly, and adjusting the forward lean angle of your binding highbacks more forward. This should help you stay low and transfer your weight better. Be warned that it will tire you out faster though.

As for your foot pains/numbness, what kind of socks and base layers are you wearing? You are correct in suspecting a blood flow issue. You should try to get real snowboarding socks as they really do help support and pad certain spots on your foot. The next thing to look at is your base layers. If you are wearing standard long johns, flannels, sweatpants, whatever, are you tucking them into your boots? If so, then it's possible that they are bunching unevenly, getting compressed when you lace up, and cutting off circulation. Do *not *tuck them into your boots if this is the case. Anything that goes into your boots should be flat and smooth all along the length of your leg in the boot. I have these issues on and off, particularly when I'm rushing and not checking my pants over before hand. Next base layer I buy will be a 3/4 length pant, just so I don't run into this issue. Could also be uneven tightening of your boots. Lots of variables...


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

Go take a lesson, no really go take a lesson. An instructor can get you set-up on gear right, and help with your riding. If a lesson is not in the cards, then either check out snowolf's videos or snowprofessor.coms videos for tips on riding better if you need a "visual reference". 

Stance Angle Set-up - there are three types of angled stances (pigeon toe is idiotic and not a realistic bio-mechanical option), 1. Forward stance - both bindings are set with angles more towards the nose of the board, with the front one typically at a greater angle then the back one. Typically this is used a racing stance. 2.) Neutral Stance - both bindings are set to zero degrees. 3.) Duck Stance - front binding is angled is toward the nose, rear binding is angled to the tail. Combination of degrees typically is no greater than 30 degrees. This stance is probably used the most amongst experienced rider with no physical limitations that also ride switch on a normal basis.

Stance Width set-up - this stance is typically a little wider than the riders shoulders but may be narrower if in more of a racing angle stance set-up

Each rider needs to experiment with their own stance in relation to their board and personnal body make-up. An instructor can usually eyeball this and several places offer a stance fitting.

Riding issues - _"and one reason i think my front binding needs to be angled forward a bit is because it helps my upper __body__ face the direction i need the board to go" _ this is probably the root of all that is evil in your riding. You typically do not want your shoulders to be perpendicular to the nose of the board. Typically your shoulders will stay even over the board or slightly "open" to the nose matching the perpendicular angle of your front foot. Since you pretty much a beginner try thinking with your hips more and steer your hips like a big wheel where you want to turn. Make sure your knees are relaxed enough that they bend with the steering motion. This might help your riding getting away from being over "opened". Remember at your level to look where you are immediately riding too. Not at the bottom of the run. Oh and go take a lesson. Immediate feedback is always better than online delayed feedback. I'd give you more but gotta go.

Equipment issues- some people just have weird feet and leg/knee/ankle angles. Customer footbeds or orhotics can fix that. Google it.


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## Thad Osprey (Feb 18, 2009)

gjsnowboarder said:


> Go take a lesson, no really go take a lesson. An instructor can get you set-up on gear right, and help with your riding.
> 
> this is probably the root of all that is evil in your riding. You typically do not want your shoulders to be perpendicular to the nose of the board.
> 
> Google it.


This man speaks the troof. Snowboarding an enormously complex exercise to the beginner and there are so many variables to screw-up that a beginner ALWAYS gets inconvenienced, in some way, by something, whether its technique or gear, that is not dialed-in quite properly yet.

I am not an instructor. But never underestimate the benefit of a good lesson (or lessons) and the immediate feedback you can get from it. To put it rather bluntly, it seems you dont even know how to ride properly as yet. It is impossible to know whether or not your stance is bad, your boots are improper or your turning is wierd if you dont even know if you are doing it right. Once you become more experienced with snowboarding and what needs to be done with your body, you will automatically know if your stance angles work for you or not. Same with your board, bindings and boots. When I was a "never-ever" I always thought my boots were "too tight", "no blood flow", painful toes etc until i learned how to carve properly and then I realised - "nope, they actually arent tight enough.. theres some heel lift..they should NEVER fit like your sneakers you go to the mall in etc". Even one good lesson can bring you that much closer to "enlightenment". 

As for the boots, go google and youtube some boot buying/fitting tips if you havent already. There some good ones on YouTube, including those by boardshops like Sierra, The House etc. No, this is not an advert, you dont have to actually buy one. But they tell you how a boot should fit and what to look for in a boot (Altho I personally recommend getting your own pair for anyone serious about the sport.. its the one thing in your gear set-up where renting really wont quite cut it since boots molds to your feet over time).

Good Luck!


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## arsenic0 (Nov 11, 2008)

Yup, bad technique will cause a lot of pain and tire you out very quickly.

Try something neutral like 15/0...


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2010)

Thanks everyone who replied. alot of good info. i changed my bindings to 15/0 and it was alot better. i was able to go pretty fast and my feet hardly hurt at all. it was an awsome day!


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## Officer Shred (Apr 21, 2010)

Detailed article on stance here:

Stance for snowboarding

Also there are online snowboard lessons with videos if you are interested (start at the top and work you way down):

How to ride

I hope that helps!


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## Officer Shred (Apr 21, 2010)

Lunal0ve said:


> Thanks everyone who replied. alot of good info. i changed my bindings to 15/0 and it was alot better. i was able to go pretty fast and my feet hardly hurt at all. it was an awsome day!


15,0 is a good starting stance while you learn the basics of snowboarding.


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## gjsnowboarder (Sep 1, 2009)

gjsnowboarder said:


> Riding issues - _"and one reason i think my front binding needs to be angled forward a bit is because it helps my upper __body__ face the direction i need the board to go" _this is probably the root of all that is evil in your riding. You typically do not want your shoulders to be perpendicular to the nose of the board.


I re-read my comment and feel I need to clarify it a little bit. Your shoulders should not be parrallel to nose of your board , but at an angle equal to the perpindicular angle of your front foor. typically this is your front shoulder aimed over the nose of your snowboard or just slighty point toward the heelside of the nose of the snowboard. Sorry about the vagueness.


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## Officer Shred (Apr 21, 2010)

Essentially you want your body parallel to your snowboard. 

Balanced body position


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## Guest (Apr 23, 2010)

Great! Im going again tomorrow. cant FRKN wait. i think i totally have it down. gonna keep practicing and trying/exerimenting some things with my knees and toe pressure and see what happens. (thinking about what snowprofessor.com says). and yea, i realised my upper body does need to be pretty much parallel to the board.
anyways, thanks alot!


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