Ask your riding questions here!

Hey guys,

I would like to open this thread to any questions you may have about snowboarding technique or your progression.

Please ask questions related to:
<li>Technique and performance</li>
<li>Problems and challenges you are having with your riding</li>
<li>General questions about progression</li>
<li>Advice on which skills to learn next</li>
<li>And whatever else you can think of</li>
This is what Boardworld is all about. Please reply with any of your questions and myself or one of the other instructors will get back to you as soon as we can. Please provide as much detail as possible when you ask a question.

How to do a legit euro carve with a duck stance (body laid out/extended, not crouching down bent at the back low)?

It’s the one “trick” I’ve been trying to no avail. I’ve only seen a few people do it on videos (e.g. Tucker Andrews, some guy from lick the cat edit, and Pat Bridges doing it 1 footed in the HCSC edit). I’ve seen pic of Dave Downing doing it on Buoloco. There is a very good youtube video on how to do the euro carve but the guy makes it clear that it has to be forward stance and hardboots.

At 4:36

At 4:56

Sick videos. I can’t say I’ve ever tried to get down quite that low.

You need to get super strong with your carving though. Obviously, they are laying down some serious angles when they carve, and there’s definitely a progression to get even remotely close to that.

When you carve, see if you can get your knees to touch the snow on toeside carves. Bend at the ankles and knees and really drive your knees down. I often challenge myself to see if I can get my knees to touch; it’s a good exercise and encourages solid angulation and edging.

This very much seems like a progression thing to me. With good technique and practise, you should slowly be able to get lower. Eventually, you can probably lay down a Euro carve. Seems like you might need a wide board though, as your toes could potentially dig in with any sort of overhang.

@rider: Thanks for the tips Jeremy. Yeah this past season, I’ve been trying to practice touching my knee to the ground and I think I’m able to do that now (well at least according to my friend who’s watching me haha). I can kind of get low by bending my back/crouching position but it’s totally different when you try to extend your body. I can’t hold the carve carve if I try to extend the body, always end up eating snow haha.

Hahaha I’ll have to try this next time I’m riding. I will get some of the crew to try as well. Could be a fun challenge at the Shred. Hopefully I’ll have some constructive advice for you on my return.

Yeap waiting for it! 

Hey I’m still working on carving properly looking for proper technique to doing it.

I’m still finding that when I do try to carve properly the width of the trail after I turn and cut across the mountain is still about half the width of the board.. I’ve been told it should be only 15-20mm right?

I had one lesson in NZ to try work on it and the instructor was talking about crouching and standing up through the turn but I still don’t get it.

Help?

Technically, when you carve properly you leave a “pencil line” in the snow. Basically the edge cutting through the snow without any skid marks.

There are five main skills of snowboarding, and each plays an important role when carving:
<li>Stance and balance</li>
<li>Pivot (rotation) and steering</li>
<li>Edging</li>
<li>Pressure control</li>
<li>Timing and coordination</li>
Your carving issues could be cause by any or a combination of these skills not being executed properly. I would suggest that all skills could do with some polishing.

The first thing we need to do is diagnose exactly what’s going on. Can you tell me more? Where in the turn do you feel the edge starting to slip? Is your edge locked in at all during the carve, or are you slipping the whole way through? Do you have any video footage you could share with us? Video footage would be ideal as we will be able to see exactly what’s going on.

I think ozgirl has some video. I feel the edge engaging at the end of the turn so i definitely know I’m doing skidded turns.

I’m not great at explaining what’s going on as I ride but think the main point I need to put more pressure on in mid way in the turn..

See if you can get a hold of the footage to post up. That way we will be able to break down exactly what’s happening and what you can try to fix it.

Are you coming to the Shred?

Nah I’ll be at perisher on the 7th with a few mates but keen to meet up in the evening..

Yeah I’ll chase her up for the footage..

No worries, next time you’re riding, get one of your mates filming you turning/carving. The more footage you can give us the better. We will be able to really analyse it for you.

Ahhh, I miss this stuff! 

Lol would never have guessed

Also should it feel like I’m trying to tail press the whole time I ride pow or should it be much less of a lifting effort should be required by leaning right back over my back leg?

You started me asking so

Your back foot should be “weighted” and ready to apply pressure when required, but you shouldn’t ever be “leaning back” when you’re riding pow. Also, riding pow is about generating and maintaining momentum. You need to create energy under your feet, so you can increase float and flow with the terrain.

Your back foot needs to be strong, solid and in a state or readiness. But you shouldn’t be leaning back and you shouldn’t feel like you are constantly tailpressing either.

What board are you riding? Size? Stance? What’s your weight? Aussie pow?

Unfortunately I don’t seem to have any good carving video of you. All of it is faffing on FV.