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I don't get extreme carving


1xsculler

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What's the point of any carving? We're not getting paid, it's risky (getting hit by straight liners), and we have to buy specialized equipment that's hard to find. 

Extreme carving is fun! I wish I could do it half as well as shown in the Swoard videos.  For me, it blends the thrill of carving with a heathy dose of showmanship. You cheat your body a little lower than you can achieve on a pure carved turn by putting weight on hands/shoulders/hips, but you try not to make that obvious. 

This movie blew my mind when I first saw it, and frankly rekindled what was a dying interest in snowboading in my heart: http://www.extremecarving.com/films/2003/wmv/stoked1.wmv 

I keep that a copy of that on my phone and still watch it regularly. 

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1xsculler, I have always thought the same way you do about extreme carving.  I have spent almost three decades trying to make the perfect turn.  Wether it be on greens, blues or blacks, I'm out there concentrating on all of the techniques I've absorbed.  Drive the knees, drop the hips, keep the shoulders up, don't reach for the snow, look where the turn is heading and not down the fall line, depending on the snow conditions and the steepness of the slope where am I placing my weight as I start or Finish the turn, based on my speed am I using cross over, cross under or cross though.  I love all that is involved in making the turns I make.  I also love to watch all of that in other riders.  I find it so fun to watch video of guys like Corey (the ultimate in smooth efficiency), Jim (super aggressive and active) and Ryan (absolutely railing on softies).  I could waste time watching videos of guys like them for days.

Extreme carving does none of that for me.  I know that it takes skill to do what these riders do.  I don't think that extreme carvers are less talented.  I just have no interest in trying or watching it.

Edited by workshop7
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All of the above.

That same movie and it's precursor was got me into snowboarding. 

As mentioned, when done on double black wide slopes (ie rare find in my corner of the woods), that quick edge change well before the fall line, followed by your head just above the snow below your feet, the Gs and knowing you're leaving pencil line on very steep are great fun.

Don't need an audience for EC for those reason to be honest.

Edited by Zone
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2 hours ago, corey_dyck said:

This movie blew my mind when I first saw it, and frankly rekindled what was a dying interest in snowboading in my heart: http://www.extremecarving.com/films/2003/wmv/stoked1.wmv 

This is the one I like.  Type in Reschen 2011 on you tube search.  There is one part where the rider rips a heelside right at the camera with a PERFECT toe side immediately after.  Extreme/ Euro, I don't care what you want to call it. This is the best carve on the internet!  The camera man yells out afterward "perfect!"

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17 minutes ago, 1xsculler said:

  Thanks for all of those informative comments as they help me define what I am trying to do.

Looking back and if I had to redo all over again, if you are interested in trying (watching EC over and over does get a bit boring, doing it is not though)I I would get really good carving techniques first, but incorporate the Swiss upper body rotational technique into my riding arsenal, and especially important is being able to do that edge change on very steep WAAYY before you reach the fall line.

And don't reach for the snow, let it come to you.

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5 hours ago, billyt. said:

This is the one I like.  Type in Reschen 2011 on you tube search.  There is one part where the rider rips a heelside right at the camera with a PERFECT toe side immediately after.  Extreme/ Euro, I don't care what you want to call it. This is the best carve on the internet!  The camera man yells out afterward "perfect!"

This one? At 0:50? That is pretty awesome! 

 

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2 hours ago, Zone said:

And don't reach for the snow, let it come to you.

Agreed! The biggest struggle I had was exactly that. That's an ugly stage with lots of bending at the waist and not achieving anything like I wanted. 

It wasn't until I ignored the snow and focused on technique that things started to click. Then the snow came up and touched me. Whoa. 

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Yes.  Then there is another that pops up in the previews, " wellness something another" just after it and it has carvers learning with an awesome soundtrack.  If anyone knows the tunes to that video, please let me know.  I go to these and others to get stoked, especially when I have not ridden in awhile.  

When I can rip a carve like that, I will be good.  Until then?

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Hi 1xsculler!  Different strokes for different folks I guess.   In 2000  I moved to Norway from Colorado and pretty much gave up on snowboarding, since I was frustrated with the kind of snow out here.  In 2015 I saw a Russian video called Lock, Stock and two Snowboards and that is what got my blood pumping and got me into hard boots.  I've since focused primarily on learning the North American "Bomber" style, but I totally owe EC style a huge debt for rekindling my stoke in snowboarding (and that EC stuff aint easy; or maybe it's just me).  

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What is Extreme?

Since the beginning or at least late 80's at Milkland, there was a style, that was equated with Surfing, Cliff and Pure Carve put that energy out there...there were at least 30 really good carvers that utilized this style and yes..95% of them were Surfers or had that experience related to them to apply to their Carving...the Flow and Power they achieved in their top to bottom non stop runs with transitions that were so smooth they almost disappeared, is a legendary time for Carving at Milk... Cliff, Joey, Joe, Wayne, Larry, Sparky, Curly, Larry, Mike, Terry, Steve, Pat, Annie, Walter, Jeff, Phillip, Jim, Dick, Diane, are the standouts I remember from that time...all of them were a joy to watch...and there are many more that I can't name...what is interesting to me is how that style has lasted and been emulated at all the sessions that have been at Milk through the years...I have seen a lot of Carvers, racers included and no one ever looked or was any smoother or more powerful than this group,  who spent years surfing at milk...I have called it the age of Camelot at Milkland, when the entire mountain was groomed each day to perfection...I appreciate All the forms and Styles of Carving...Extreme can mean different things to different people...there is a difference between a surfboard and an outrigger canoe, I know that many racers do not want to touch the snow even with their hands, yet anyone who has ridden with Joerg and the Pure Boarding crew and the other Outrigger type riders knows what skill it takes to utilize their whole body as part of the Carving motion...so rather than question motives or Styles, let's just enjoy the ride and different Styles...and look forward,  to the evolution of this sport...Ride the Edge :biggthump

 

Edited by softbootsurfer
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The true Zen of carving is when you feel like you are doing nothing and your board is doing it all.  No rotation, no reaching, no diving, just balance. If you achieve that via EC or not, then good.  In any case, let the ground come to you.

I love that EC draws people to the sport, but it's an expert maneuver that shouldn't be attempted by beginners, and will teach them bad habits if they do.

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21 hours ago, 1xsculler said:

What is the point of extreme carving?

I'd rather see/watch/try to perfect regular carving where there is no laying down on the snow.

+1   I'm more impressed with and wish to achieve huge Gs but remain just above the snow.  No touching other than a hand to keep track of where it is.  

I have been trying to get my boys interested in carving (fail) and have been showing some videos to them.  They are impressed with most and also when we see a skilled carver  when we are on the slope.  the first time i pulled up a "eurocarve" vid one of my boys said "If i saw that on the slope i would think....oh, that guy keeps falling down"  :)

To each his/her own, but I'm with you (and it seems we might be in the minority :) )   No desire to armpit drag.  i want the skill needed of course and appreciate that it takes much... but wish to leave nothing but a pencil thin line on the snow :)   and not armpit hairs. 

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On 25 February 2017 at 7:21 AM, 1xsculler said:

What is the point of extreme carving?

I'd rather see/watch/try to perfect regular carving where there is no laying down on the snow.

The thing is, I hear the exact same thing about hardbooting by sooftbooters. Im surprised that even in our ultra niche sport theres   enough room to question the existence of various... riding styles. Might as well get salty over binding angles or baggy vs fitted jackets and just finish up in bigoted land questioning etnicity or why wont them uppity females leave the big boy sports alone. One poster already brought up nationality for some reason in some kind of troll comment.

For what its worth, EC is what got me and a lot of friends interested in alpine snowboarding and I think it led the development of wider and easier to ride boards, let alone  spawned other riding styles and improvements in alpine technique. Thouhh I agree it made a lot us reach for the snow when we shouldnt have :)

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