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Thanks for the in depth reply Jez! I’ll re-read it later to fully absorb it.
Glad to hear it’s not only me that’s had issues. Sometimes I’ve felt pretty silly bombing down a slope only to find my heel edge blow out seemingly at random. If conditions/time permits I wouldn’t mind you passing an eye over my technique at the shred as my only video footage is in pow and probably wouldn’t help much.
I think you’ve also started to address another question I was going to follow up with. “Carving/Turning in bumps and chop” When things get choppy I tend to revert to “bombing it” mode riding a lot more straight with shorter turns. My question was going to be in regards to longer turns in bumps and how do you keep the edge engaged when you inevitably hit a bump which often pops it out. From what you’ve said this is all about staying loose and absorbing it with your joints.
What I’d be very interested in hearing more on (so I can think about it at the same time that I work on the heel side carve) is “Un-weighting the edge” particularly up vs down un-weighting when switching edges. Further to this I’d generally be interested in the theory behind at what stages in the turn you should be lowering your body and at which stage you should be raising your body.
I suspect a lot of my terminology is wrong so I hope that makes sense.
Cheers.
For sure, and let me know if you have any questions. I’d be happy to explore it further. More than happy to give you some feedback at the Shred.
You’re 100% right about staying loose and absorbing the bumps. However, to really get the performance you want, it’s not only about staying loose to absorb, but pushing back at the right times to maintain contact and stability. Pressure control is not only absorbing the pressure, but exerting pressure when required.
Also worth touching on, is the idea of independent foot control. Each foot/leg needs to work independently. When we travel over a bump, we absorb one leg at a time; front legs works first, with the back leg responding in quick succession.
What I’d be very interested in hearing more on (so I can think about it at the same time that I work on the heel side carve) is “Un-weighting the edge” particularly up vs down un-weighting when switching edges. Further to this I’d generally be interested in the theory behind at what stages in the turn you should be lowering your body and at which stage you should be raising your body.
Up-unweighting and down-unweighting are two different techniques. Up-unweighting is what we teach first; it is easier to perform but provides less performance for high level carving. Is up-unweighting what you’ve been trying? i.e. sinking lower during the turn, then rising up at the end of the turn to change edges.
Pressure control becomes a lot more important with down-unweighted turns. I would suggest working on your pressure control, to reduce the chatter first, so you are getting nice clean and consistent carves happening, before focussing on down-unweighted carving.
For sure, and let me know if you have any questions. I’d be happy to explore it further. More than happy to give you some feedback at the Shred.
Sweet I’d really appreciate that. A couple of throw away lines from a coach I was riding with on my first trip to Japan was enough to get my mind ticking on the theory side of things. Since then I haven’t really had my riding assessed though.
Pressure control is not only absorbing the pressure, but exerting pressure when required.
Good point, will certainly try to work on that aspect.
Is up-unweighting what you’ve been trying?
I believe so, I had read about down-unweighting but didn’t think my riding was up to the level of being able to consistently pull it off. I’m generally interested in the whole turn i.e when you should be at your lowest, when you should be at your tallest and anything in between. It feels great when I get the “bounce” just right and the board flicks from edge to edge but it’s still not something I’m performing in all types of terrain.
Great thread, and advice, Jeremy (as always)!
Dave, I have a tendency to skip out on my heel side as well, although not usually to the point of butt-planting. I have worked on increased bending of knees etc however the advice that helped me most was to keep looking across the hill while riding heelside. Not quite sure why that works, but it seemed to help me.
Now I am on the flip to washing out on heelside.
It’s that I am a sook on my toes even though I can carve. It’s the initial going from heels to toeside. Once there and I commit I can carve around left and right and transfer to switch and back to heelside.
It’s like I have this fear of the initial switch over to toeside from heelside?
Can get down all the double black at speed blah blah, just this stupid inital thing when I get out there and then at the end of the day when I start to fatigue I get lazy and sit on my heels or switch.. Terrible habbit that I need to kick??
Must say this is only my first season but still feel I am progressing in all other ways quite well.
Any advice to fix my stupidness will be appreciated.
A couple of throw away lines from a coach I was riding with on my first trip to Japan…
... that was me, right??
Dave, I have a tendency to skip out on my heel side as well
Thanks MH I’ll keep that in mind as well!
A couple of throw away lines from a coach I was riding with on my first trip to Japan…
... that was me, right??
yeah sure it was Billy…. 
Actually you can take credit for getting me into the park for the first time on that trip and you definitely gave me some handy tips!
Haha it seems soooo long ago, I think I had around 5 days on a board under my belt at that stage and was very green.
Now I am on the flip to washing out on heelside.
It’s that I am a sook on my toes even though I can carve. It’s the initial going from heels to toeside. Once there and I commit I can carve around left and right and transfer to switch and back to heelside.
It’s like I have this fear of the initial switch over to toeside from heelside?
Can get down all the double black at speed blah blah, just this stupid inital thing when I get out there and then at the end of the day when I start to fatigue I get lazy and sit on my heels or switch.. Terrible habbit that I need to kick??
Must say this is only my first season but still feel I am progressing in all other ways quite well.
Any advice to fix my stupidness will be appreciated.
Hey Stellvadore,
This is also a very common problem, but luckily, quite easy to fix.
How strong are you on your toeside edge? i.e. can you traverse both ways and stop on your toe edge comfortably? Sometimes we find that some riders become a lot stronger and more comfortable on their heelside edge. We need to break that and develop your skills/confidence on your toeside edge, to be even with your heelside edge. Do you feel this is the case in your situation? This could be a contributing factor, but my main points are below:
When we first learn to link turns, the hardest part is committing to transfer from heel edge to toe edge. The biggest obstacle is the fear of pointing the board downhill and gaining speed (and having to control your speed on the most likely weaker toeside edge). You can understand why it’s such a common problem.
This is the key point right here: you must commit to pointing the board downhill to be able to make the toeside turn. Consider these three phases of a turn: you are on your heelside edge, you point the board directly downhill with a flat base, and only then can you engage the toeside edge. The turn can’t happen without that middle phase. When you release the heelside edge, actively think about looking, pointing, and directing the board directly downhill, with a flat base. As soon as the board is flat and pointed downhill, you will easily be able to turn onto your toeside edge. If you rush the middle phase, you will most likely tip over your toeside edge and fall (has this happened to you?).
Now this is the part most people don’t want to hear. Speed is your friend! I’m not saying to fly down the hill, but the speed you gain in the short moment you point the board downhill, will actually help you make the turn! If you take anything away from this, relax and be patient with the pointing downhill phase. Understand you will gain speed, you might be uncomfortable at first, but this is the big hump we all need to get over. You will become comfortable with this, it’s just a matter of relaxing, being patient, and executing the different phases of the turn at the right time.
Always start on mellow terrain. Build your skills, get comfortable, and only then challenge yourself on steeper terrain. The steeper the terrain, the faster we need to make our turns to control speed, but it takes practise.
I would also suggest you read this post, in particular the “common problems” section.
Sorry if I’ve babbled here. Please let me know if you need any clarification or have any other questions.
^^^ printing this for the Shred!
^^^ prionting this for the Shred!
Prionting? 
Kim, I don’t even know what you’re trying to say. 
Oh… printing!