# Critique My Ride - Snowolf & Others



## metric (Jan 16, 2011)

*(EDIT: updated video added on page 3)*

So yesterday was my 8th day snowboarding, and I'm just getting comfortable with linking my turns together comfortably on the easier red runs here in Switzerland. Any help would be much appreciated from Snowolf and others here in the forum.

From watching the video, I already notice that I'm doing a bit of the "holding the invisible girlfriend" when I turn on my toeside, but any other constructive criticism would be great so I can work on my riding while I'm in Zermatt the next few days.


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## MistahTaki (Apr 24, 2010)

i aint no expurt but you're doin' it all wrong


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

you like to swing that back foot around don't you?.. That needs to be fixed for sure, you look like a damn fish.

Y U NO HAVE GILLS!?


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

MistahTaki said:


> i aint no expurt but you're doin' it all wrong


It's snowboarding, there is no "wrong".


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

metric said:


> So yesterday was my 8th day snowboarding, and I'm just getting comfortable with linking my turns together comfortably on the easier red runs here in Switzerland. Any help would be much appreciated from Snowolf and others here in the forum.


You're looking confident for only 8 days, but you could use your board more efficiently to make turns.

The narrowing at the waist of your board from the wider tip and tail is called sidecut. It's like a turn shape built into the board. If you tip the board on edge it will follow the curved sidecut across the snow in an arc. 

In the video you are keeping the board fairly flat and pivoting the tail across the hill to alter your path. It works but it's more effort than simply tipping the board on edge and letting the sidecut do the work for you. Think about moving from edge to edge to make turns instead of pivoting off your front foot to move the tail of the board around. Ridning with more knee and ankle flex will help you do this.


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## myschims (Jan 11, 2010)

bend yo damn knees! haha
just keeep at it and you'll get more confident and get better and smoother, keep it up


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## snowfiend (Jan 20, 2011)

lookin pretty good! i dont really feel there's a right way to snowboard out side of comps but with efficiency grizz has got you


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## earl_je (Oct 20, 2009)

you're ruddering a lot with the rear leg, weight on the front/center and initiate turns with the front leg.. keep your core/trunk loose. other than that, good job for just the 8th day.


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

come to steak country and for 40 bucks I can correct everything and have you doing 1080's off six inch kickers in an hour and thirty minutes.


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## klover (Feb 26, 2011)

earl_je said:


> you're ruddering a lot with the rear leg, weight on the front/center and initiate turns with the front leg.. keep your core/trunk loose. other than that, good job for just the 8th day.


I assume by "initiate turns with the front leg" means twisting?


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## metric (Jan 16, 2011)

Thanks for the advice everyone. Today I will concentrate on keeping my knees more bent and initiating my turns with the front foot & sidecut like Grizz explained. I'll update tonight if I have WiFi in the hotel.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

BliND KiNK said:


> come to steak country and for 40 bucks I can correct everything and have you doing 1080's off six inch kickers in an hour and thirty minutes.


Damn! Throw in a Porterhouse and some twice baked potatoes and I'll take some of that action.


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

Omaha Steaks is actually pretty damn good... eating some filet mignon as we speak.. but yeah... even when you are initiating 'carves' your weight should favor the front foot.. to center of the board... you are always ALWAYS on that front foot... we don't steer from the rear.


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## skip11 (Jan 28, 2010)

BliND KiNK said:


> you are always ALWAYS on that front foot... we don't steer from the rear.


not always (e.g. powder)


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

skip11 said:


> not always (e.g. powder)


In powder and 90% of riding, I'd vote for a centered stance, with complementary fore and aft movements.


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## cocolulu (Jan 21, 2011)

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I guess this is the same topic.

I'm trying to break the same habit that the OP is doing... which I guess is either 'ruddering' or maybe relying on skidded turns.

I went back to greens and forced myself to steer only by leaning on the front foot, and then following through by leaning my body. I made myself use only the edge to turn, and didn't allow the board to skid. I seem to do fine on greens.

Things get really ugly though on blues, for a few reasons:

I don't turn sharp enough, so I gain way too much speed in the turn.

Many blue runs are really really choppy, so when I lean, and expect the board to follow an arc, instead it skitters over bumps here and there and follows a different line, and I either fall over or the board gets too much speed.

Lastly, I can bend at the waist on heel side turns to dig my edge sharper to get a better turn... but on toe-side? I'm not sure how to do it...

I'm an beginner/intermediate... really trying to get these edge/carve turns down so I can cruise down blues and stop skidding, so help would be appreciated.

Part of it might be my board... I have a stiff, 6 year old standard camber board. I just got a new one, so maybe that will help... but I really think it's me.


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## BliND KiNK (Feb 22, 2010)

I just say front foot because if you concentrate on your weight being on the front foot it usually makes you center your own stance, I'm not saying nose press I'm saying put most of your weight up there... and yeah quit swinging the foot around, let the board do the work for you.


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## Leo (Nov 24, 2009)

First rule of thumb in my opinion...

Stop over thinking things like bending your knees.

Just bend them to a comfortable point. None of us can tell you how much to bend your knees because everyone has a different comfort zone for that (speaking in terms of general riding). You just have to make sure your knees aren't locked. You want to keep them loose and comfy so they can act as shocks when you ride.

Your rear hand really isn't that bad considering you have 8 days. I know for sure I was swinging my rear hand a lot more than you on my 8th day. A good practice for keeping your hands down is to snowboard with your hands on your thighs. This will get your body used to not swinging that hand out. It's a natural reaction so don't be so bummed about it. Just practice and you're body will essentially be forced to shut that reflex off.

The type of turns you are doing aren't actually incorrect in my eyes. They are just a type of skidded turns. It has uses. Every beginner I have seen go through this skid turn phase. Trust me, when you get better, you're going to come across terrain where you'll have to use that type of skidded turning.

What you need to work on now is your transitions. Your heel/toe transitions look very sluggish. I feel that you are wearing yourself out more than you need to by throwing your tail into the turns. Like I said, while that technique has its uses, it's not needed for the type of runs you are doing in the video. 

Snowolf is about to give you some very good advice so stay tuned.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

cocolulu said:


> I don't turn sharp enough, so I gain way too much speed in the turn.


Three ways to make the board turn sharper... more pressure, more edge, or more pivot. 


> Many blue runs are really really choppy, so when I lean, and expect the board to follow an arc, instead it skitters over bumps here and there and follows a different line, and I either fall over or the board gets too much speed.


You need to allow your legs to flex while turning. Think shocks on a car. If they become rigid the skittering, chattering and bouncing occurs.



> Lastly, I can bend at the waist on heel side turns to dig my edge sharper to get a better turn... but on toe-side? I'm not sure how to do it...


 Try not to bend at the waist it makes it hard to balance. Flex your knees and pull your toes towards your shins for a sharper heelside. On toe side your hips should be further into the turn than your head. Drive your knees into the turn to create a higher toe side edge angle.



> I have a stiff, 6 year old standard camber board. I just got a new one, so maybe that will help... but I really think it's me.


The board's flex could be an issue, I wouldn't worry about the camber type.


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## metric (Jan 16, 2011)

Just got back from a day of boarding and I can definitely tell what you were talking about. I bent my knees more today and tried to always use my front foot to initiate the turns. I see what you mean now about allowing the sidecut to help you out with the turns. I could feel that I no longer have to swing my back foot around to start those toe side turns. I found bending my knees more allowed me to get the board more on edge to ease into the turns.

Didn't get any video today but I'm going to keep trying to improve and hopefully get a vid tomorrow. Matterhorn is f'ing amazing by the way.


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## cocolulu (Jan 21, 2011)

Thanks for the tips Grizz!

I guess it brings up one other issue though... I have a lot of trouble bending my knees. It might be because my boots/bindings are really old and they're kind of stiff, so I can't bend my ankle much. Or maybe I just have weak ankles :laugh:

I saw Burton Stilletos on sale, and I grabbed them but people here say they might be *too* soft. So I ordered Flux TT30's (they seem to be unisex bindings) and I'm waiting for those to come in. I hope that helps... I really do NOT want to buy new boots...

I'll try your advice next time I'm on the snow... hopefully I'll have my new board all setup by then too.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

metric said:


> Matterhorn is f'ing amazing by the way.


We have had 8 feet of snow in a week and I'm still jealous. Someday I'll finally make it over there.


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## Grizz (Nov 10, 2008)

cocolulu said:


> I guess it brings up one other issue though... I have a lot of trouble bending my knees. It might be because my boots/bindings are really old and they're kind of stiff, so I can't bend my ankle much. Or maybe I just have weak ankles :laugh:


I think you need to figure out what your range of motion actually is. Try this.

Barefoot, standing in front of a mirror, get in your riding stance and see how much you can flex your knees and ankles while keeping your upper body balanced over your feet.

Then try it in your boots.

Then strapped in your bindings on the board.

Then next time you are at the hill try it while riding down the easiest run you can find, barely moving if possible.

You should be able to pinpoint what part of the system is preventing you from flexing you legs. If it doesn't happen until you are riding on snow..... it might a mental block.


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## cocolulu (Jan 21, 2011)

Awesome, thanks everyone... sorry to partially hijack. I thought it was relevant.


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## metric (Jan 16, 2011)

Okay so here's a video from the 2nd day at Zermatt. I know I'm still using my back leg too much to steer, but I'm working on it. I'm also trying to work on getting the board more on edge to ease through the turns. Any more tips/suggestions on specific things to work on would be great as I'll be trying to hit the slopes again next weekend.








Also for your viewing pleasure, a few pics from my trip...


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