Learning how to ride switch
^^ hahah…There is no doubt in my mind now..Hi James
LOL
Good to see you as a part of BW too, Dave!!
I can hardly wait for someone to ask for “Carving” instructions…You da Man!!
This is almost like a reincarnation for us..
I’d think Jeremy would be happy about that.
It would take a lot of time and energy to hash that out all over again.
James, I’m going to send you the carving article now. It was written by Paul Morgan, a level 3 CASI instrcutor. He also wrote a few other articles: Improving performance, steering, edging, and pressure control. They will all feature in the Rider Progression section. Let me know if you want to read them.
I got the email.
I will follow up soon.
Don`t send it to me..I don`t even snowboard
Here is a method that I use to teach when I get a rider that can get down the hill safely and put turns together.
When learning switch…I view a 360 as a 180 and a 180.
It is either a BS180 and a FS180, or a FS180 and then a BS180. (BS = backside, FS = frontside).I get the rider to simply spin down the hill flat spin, keep the board in contact with the snow at all times, try to maintain a centered stance…
Spin a bunch of times over and over in the same direction.
Then spin only a 360 and stop, then another 360 and stop.
What the rider is doing, is using the momentum from the first 180 to help INITIATE the 2nd 180.
(I feel that it is the INITIATION of the turn that most riders have trouble with when learning switch, so spinning helps with creating some momentum for them to begin the new turn with.)After turning a bunch in one direction, change directions.
Basically the rider at this point has performed both:
a left-foot-forward FS turn, into a right-foot-forward BS turn, etc.
OR
a right-foot-forward FS turn, into a left-foot-forward FS turn, etc.This exercise has worked for me many times.
Creating stopping points for the spinning helps too.
Asking the rider to stop after a 360, or after a 540 or after a 720, this teaches basic freestyle awareness as well, and the stopping and starting again helps with the initiation and direction changes.
This is all done with reinforcement of what body movements it takes to make the board spin on the hill etc.
There are different ways to teach this, and one may be more effective than another for different riders…but I wont go into it at this time - some riders wont need those details, and I would only offer those comments and suggestions on hill if I felt the needed it, or if they were falling a lot.
This is one of the VERY few times, I tell someone to “do this” and have them copy it.
I agree, this is by far the best way to learn switch, it gives the confidence needed to intiate the turn and that for sure is the hardest part intially.
Another thing worth thinking about is the pressure in your feet. If you are a regular rider you normally lead with your left foot, so in switch you will be leading with your right foot. Try and concentrate completely on applying pressure to your right big toe on toe side turns and your right small toe on heel sides turns. Once you can link a few turns I would suggest trying this technique to help round out your turns and give you confidence. Depending on your style it could be really beneficial riding normal stance too. It forces you to intiate your turn with your lower body giving you a lot more control without having to do unnecessary large movements with your upper body. Of course you need to be able to link a few turns switch first but after that it is a great way to to make sure you are guiding the board rather just kicking it around with your back foot.
In general though I would say learn switch right from the begining and don’t do it just on occasional runs, do it all the time as part of every aspect of your riding. Try riding powder switch, slash banks switch, switch straight ollies off of rollers, switch shifties, take a tbar switch. Its all good and it opens so many possibilities in snowboarding.
Another thing worth mentioning is the long term physical benefits. Any board sport when you are always standing in one stance gradually pulls your body out of alignment due to the natural lean in one direction. Riding switch and normal equally prevents a lot of bone and muscle problems and decreases the risk of injury.
there are so many ways to talk about or teach the above.
I like to direct the rider in thinking about 4 points or dots or buttons (whatever I fell like calling it), one under each heel and one under the ‘ball’ of each foot.
I get them to focus on how you alternate between those points.
When Left-foot-forward and turning FS, it’s all about the left heel, etc etc.
Learning to ride switch:
Get a season pass.
Why? I think it has a lot to do with the desire to ride switch. If you’re paying $$$$$ for a day pass, practicing switch riding is probably the last thing you will want to be doing.
That is very true, more time on snow is a critical element to progression.
You cant progress if you’re not riding.
there are so many ways to talk about or teach the above.
I like to direct the rider in thinking about 4 points or dots or buttons (whatever I fell like calling it), one under each heel and one under the ‘ball’ of each foot.
I get them to focus on how you alternate between those points.
When Left-foot-forward and turning FS, it’s all about the left heel, etc etc.
True thats a good way to explain it too. sometimes someone needs to try a few different techniques until one clicks with them, even though all the techniques are showing the same concept.
there are so many ways to talk about or teach the above.
I like to direct the rider in thinking about 4 points or dots or buttons (whatever I fell like calling it), one under each heel and one under the ‘ball’ of each foot.
I get them to focus on how you alternate between those points.
When Left-foot-forward and turning FS, it’s all about the left heel, etc etc.True thats a good way to explain it too. sometimes someone needs to try a few different techniques until one clicks with them, even though all the techniques are showing the same concept.
I believe that the strength of an instructor is within the numerous ways they can say the same thing.
When you measure how you want the rider to put pressure under a certain area of the foot… how many ways can you describe it? Because as you said, one way will stick with the learner and that will work for them. but another way will work for a different person.
If an instructor only has one way to talk about something they may not be very effective.
Thats a great explanation J.
The biggest thing I have noticed of people learning switch is:
Leaning on their now backfoot,
not actually looking where they are aiming to turn to
and leaning into the turns causing them to edge the board to much, not rotate into the turn or just fall over!
sorry it took me so long to get on the forums I am slightly website dislexic.
sorry it took me so long to get on the forums I am slightly website dislexic.
did you show up at Broadworld by mistake….?
That`s a whole `nuther ball game.
after watching buddies at the start of the season snap cab 5s as clean as their regular spins , i knew i had to bone up on my switch riding. all the tips in this article are awesome, and many ‘common problems’ conincide with my own experiences in switch riding , great tips guys.
once you think youve got your switch riding dialed (snapping cab 3s clean, got your switch backside spins to not feel like youre going to smash your face, slashing pow switch) my tip is to force yourself to constantly ride switch at high speeds and in cat tracks in switch stance. The cat-track tip was introduced to me by a trainer at WhistlerBlackcomb (Paul Van Den Berg) and it initially threw me right off. Switch was easy to me when I had room to play around ,to correct my small (but potentially face planting) mistakes. Yet when thrown into a tight situation, the minute mistakes became ALOT more apparent. Next time you see you buddy huck a cab 5 infront of you with ease, challenge him to a game of cat-track-switch, it’ll make both of you better riders.
Switch riding is so beneficial, when I’m videoing I don’t even realize how often I do it, I’m concentrating more on the shot than riding. I can ride switch comfortably but do a lot of high speed switch when riding without my camera (until having snocam). Not full on high speed >80kmh up to 60 maybe. After 2 weeks riding, some switch on every run, it finally clicked again and I feel 85% as capable going “backwards”.