Carving.
During a heelside turn you have drop your butt vertically to bend your knees. I don’t like the way they explain it on Snowprofessor. “Stick your butt out” - I don’t agree with that at all. You want your joints stacked over your snowboard.
Try it standing up: you can bend your knees by dropping your butt straight down, without sticking your butt out, right? Now try this: stick you butt out and see what happens. Your upper body breaks at the waist and leans forward, right? Bad technique as you are now out of alignment! Just drop your butt straight down. As soon as you’re sticking anything out, you’re out of alignment and pressure control during the carve will be more difficult.
I think what NAP means is, don’t bend forward at the waist (breaking at the waist) by sticking your butt out - which I agree with completely. Hold your core strong and upright.
I’ll let NAP explain the rest as we all have different ways of explaining technique.
Ah I see what you mean. I’ll try it next time. I guess the reason for sticking the butt out is to create more inclination (along with the angulation from the knees and ankles).
I guess the reason for sticking the butt out is to create more inclination (along with the angulation from the knees and ankles).
The butt sticking out would only create “breaking at the waist” and the appearance of inclination. Inclination is achieved by inclining (leaning) the (whole) body laterally over the board.
Yeah exactly what rider said in regards to the not breaking at the waist is what I meant by the no “sitting on the toilet”.
“Inside” refers to the direction towards the hill, to the inside the turn. “Outside” would then refer to the direction away from the hill, toward the outside of the turn. So you would want to turn your torso (hips) towards the hill. If that just made you more confused I apologize I blame the head cold.
Perhaps rider may have a different way that makes more sense.
I still don’t really get it by turning the torso towards the hill. But I understand what you mean by breaking at the waist.
Have you seen the first 3 clips I posted before regarding carving? (the japanese guys). It seems that they are sticking their butt out during heelside carves? What do you think?
The truth is there are many different techniques for carving, different stances, and many different boards which perform differently and require different techniques etc. When done correctly they all work. The way I teach is based on the Canadian (CASI) system. The Australian (APSI) system teaches differently again. Same goes for Europe. You get the idea… 
I think the ‘turn your torso’ reference is referring to steering. There’s two ways to turn; rotation and steering. Rotation is what we teach beginners; turn your upper body and the lower body will follow. Steering turns the board with higher performance and greater efficiency. When you carve you need to steer the board with your lower body, using your hips, knees, ankles, and even the feet. Initiate with the upper body (and hold your core strong), drive and steer the turn with your lower body.
Have your read these articles?
Those articles will probably answer a few of your questions. Let me know if you have any questions about the material.
Here’s a video showing good body position and technique for basic carved turns using the CASI system. Start with the basics on easy terrain, then work on your skill set and challenge yourself on harder terrain.
Hey Jeremy, yes I’ve read the articles you’ve posted (also your how to carve vid =)) and it certainly helped a lot. I think it’s just the different style of teachings that confuses me. I guess I need to practice carving on harder terrain more often hehe.
Did my explanation of steering help you understand the torso movements?
We’ve probably overwhelmed you a bit with all the information. Let the information settle and go out and practice your carving for a while. Try to think of some of the points we mentioned. Get back to me and let me know how it goes. If you have any questions just let me know. Asking questions is good. 
Yeah, I the steering explanation definitely help understand the torso movement . Heading to big white this weekend so hopefully it’ll be good. The main problem I have with carving is with steeper terrain (E.G. the bottom of the GS run near the harmony lift). I tend to skid my turns more instead of diggin my edge in. But yea I will definitely work more on my carving.
I think you guys should also make a tutorial on how to ride deep powder. I’m strugglin with thigh to waist deep pow, especially with turning. Btw, are you still riding your signal omni Jeremy?
You might be having some of the problems in powder due to stance setback as well at the board that you have (how wide, camber type, shape of the board…). Perhaps for another thread.
Nobody has mentioned progressive angulation/edging and progressive steering. So I’ll chuck in my 2ยข
I am a “park + ride” kinda guy especially on my heel edge. Getting really low early and having nowhere to move half way through my turn, therefore skidding my turns (heel side) to try and get symmetry in turn shape. I have been told to slow my movements down and count it out. My turns are looking better on wide open greens, now to work on steeper intermediate blues.
Think of ankles, knees, hips and spine try to flex in that order, and the slow count of ankles (one thousand) knees (one thousand) hips (one thousand) spine (one thousand) makes a pretty nice long carve. As you flex your ankles first it is a good way to set the edge. Then bring in your knee flexion to increase edge angle, gradually getting lower in the middle of the turn, flexing hips and spine while still pulling your toes up to the top of the inside of your boots.
I’m not sure about inclining too much on the heel edge, in the AASI video the girl looks like she’s leaning on her high backs a lot to edge the board. In APSI we’re taught not to rely on equipment but to flex your joints - try riding without high backs. Hips and spine are also flexed, but not to the point where you are breaking at the waist. Some good drills for body position are Peter Bauer turns, on heel side turns grab indy, one toe side turns try and grab melon or method.
I’m not saying inclining is bad, but it shouldn’t be used to initiate the turn, instead inclining should only be used to deal with the forces created when travelling at speed. p.s. is it just me or does the AASI rider look very static?
I also agree with previously mentioned steering, initiate with front foot and FEEL your weight move from nose of board to centre to tail of board. I tend to feel a “snap” at the end of a turn. Feel the board slide under your back foot as you finish the turn and almost spring off the tail as in porpoise turns. Addition of upper body steering can also help here too, as you start to steer the board uphill don’t forget to look uphill to keep your upper body in alignment with the lower body. I like to drive my rear elbow inside my rear knee to keep the upper body torquing to finish off the turn.
Disclaimer: I am APSI L1 so some of the above may be contradictory with your teaching techniques.
I can ride a bit, even landed my first seven last season, but carving, man i can’t carve for…...
I get the general gist don’t get me wrong but as soon as the pitch gets at all steep (basically above green) the speed picks up and the heel edge don’t want to know….
The reason why i care is that i find it kinda fun (just picture nice carved turns down your favourite green run in the sun!) and secondly i’m gonna need to be pretty clever at it for my Canadian level 3 instructor exams!
What i was hoping was that people could share their little secret tips or tell me what they really focus on. Dynamic or normal carving….or both.
Hi Aidy, that article by Paul Morgan is tops, i’ve done some great carving training with him.
You say your heel edge doesn’t want to know? If what u mean is your heel edge is “chattering” at the end of your turn I might have a trick that might help you (it definitely helped me).
Think of your heel edge having a pressure gauge, it’s okay to increase to full pressure but if you don’t release it soon after (either fast or slow) it will start to chatter or slide and you’ll lose your carve. So if you flex your lower joints down all the way too early in the turn the pressure will be at “full” to early and stay “full” until your carve chatters.
Try SLOWLY flexing your lower joints down more and more through the turn gradually bringing your “pressure gauge” to full just as your ready to start extending your legs and releasing that pressure.
Hope that helps