Corey Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Below are a couple of short clips from today's fun. Would anyone care to offer advice on things I could do better or drills to try next weekend? :) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TZ5i2eL2LQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgX45sMPlhE It was a brutal day! -25C with a cold wind, 1/2" of groomed snow on top of ice with the occasional random soft spot mixed in. I was the only one leaving marks in the snow visible from the chairlift, everyone else was just sliding over top of it! I had a few good falls where I just lost the edge on icy stuff or augered in the soft stuff. :( I'm usually much more confident but the snow scared me into being a bit more cautious - probably a good thing! I'm most confident in the tiny slalom-like pumped carves in the middle of the run, but that's likely because the snow was a bit softer there. I've also been fighting with sketchy heelsides for this season - it just doesn't seem like I can lock the edge in hard enough to really pressure it. Equipment: Volkl RT 168 GS, TD2 step-in bindings with yellow rings, Raichle 413 boots, BTS kit with blue springs. Me: 215 lbs, 5' 11", snowboarding for 20 years, last 4 with hardboots (about 20-25 days total on HB). Hill: Yes, you can see the entire hill from top to bottom in the 2nd clip... 500' vertical, 45 seconds down, 7 minutes up. That's what I get for living in Manitoba! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gtanner Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Looks good. Try to stop hugging your imaginary friend with your right hand/arm. If you keep you arms in, you will keep your weight over your center of gravity and force you to use your knees to drive in and through the turn. I understand the short verticle hills, enought to get your fix, but you do need a trip once in awhile. -Gord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Imaginary friend - :lol: That's something I didn't even know I did until I saw this video! I'm going to try the 'ape arms' exercise (arms hanging at sides) someone mentioned in another post next time I go out. Is this related to William Blake's advice in another thread? Riders who strive to 'reach out and touch' the snow all the time often become too attached to having their arms extended outward. Riding elbows out at slightly acute angles, when bombing, instills a palpable solidity. many freecarvers can benefit from this minute tweak. I have no idea what the last two sentences mean. :o That's interesting about the driving comments, I usually move the board around under me a lot more but I kept losing the edge with any of those movements... Is that technique universal and these conditions highlighted my weaknesses or does ice call for different technique? I'll be at SES this year! I'm practically counting down the days. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willywhit Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 try the hands behind the back, snowytom has great style <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUsKsFufXUQ&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUsKsFufXUQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mawsea Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 magne traction is the answer ,turns ice into powder. i wonder if it would work on a alpine carving board? if so maybe Gnu should re-design and re-issue the antigravity boards of 'ol. nice carving on snowytoms part... any idea what model boards he's on? one looks like prior and one appears to have swallow tail? remember to relax and flow with it.. style is all in how you hold your hands so remember to be relaxed and total casual if your gonna do the hands behind your back thing otherwise you look like your trying hard to hold up your britches. Manitoba isnt looking as flat as would of imagined Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Inclination vs. Angulation. both end up with the same board angle to the snow but with angulation you end up with your shoulders over your feet. Even in Toms great vid the first bigger carves that he did, he had to do a really quick balancing move to keep from falling over. That was because he leaned whole body into the turn, which works at speed on smooth snow, but first turn in that series he didn't have quite enough speed to keep from almost falling over. Arm was out too. Which I see you doing some not super objectionable, but yes you could try some other ways to turn. that arm out can pull you over with the anticipation of where you want to be instead of ending up on the snow as a result of angulation. Please excuse horrible photoshop stick men. On toeside it seems as though by anticipating and reaching for the snow you end up a little more like number one. Center of mass is to the inside of the turn, but shoulders are not over feet. This can cause unbalanced sensations. Number two is pushing pelvis and hips more into the turn, but shoulders end up over feet so better balance can be achieved. If you can try opening up your hip into the turn ( toeside) you may be very pleased with the results and balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 20, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 It's possible that I've had my right arm stuck out like that for 20 years of snowboarding! :lol: Amazing what video can tell you... Thanks for the great tips, I'm going to work on keeping my arms down/behind my back and using more inclination next weekend. Manitoba is damn flat, we just find big river valleys to build ski resorts on. ;) This hill is actually just across the border in North Dakota - www.frostfireskiarea.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ursle Posted January 20, 2008 Report Share Posted January 20, 2008 Advice, that’s easy, get a madd 158 http://www.bomberonline.com/VBulletin/showthread.php?t=19036 It has such a small sweet spot in terms of where your weight can be that it will teach you how to ride ice, of course you still have to get it up on edge, but you will be correctly positioned when it’s on edge, angulated and dynamic JMHO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 don't know enough to give you much advice but all I gotta say is that is some HAAAAARD snow and you're holding an edge nicely. Good job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecnalubma Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 Video is such an amazing tool! Snowytom took about 15 minutes of video of me last year, my left arm spent the entire run waving about above my head as if I was on a damn parade float. I also found I was very static and did not have nearly as much inclination/angulation as I had previously thought. Love / Hate it !:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted January 21, 2008 Report Share Posted January 21, 2008 my left arm spent the entire run waving about above my head as if I was on a damn parade float. :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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