"Cheat Sheet" for newbies?

[AccidentalChef]

I'm still a relatively new hardbooter. This seems to translate to "I have no idea what the hell I'm doing on the slopes yet, but if I can remember enough of what I read on Bomber I do OK." Of course, the problem here is having time to study the forums and tech articles before I head up to the mountains, which doesn't always happen. In another thread, Inkaholic suggested a cheat sheet, and I think that's exactly what I need. If I have something quick to read through on the way up, on the lifts, and at lunch, I think I can improve my riding quite a bit.

So, what would all you experienced carvers put on a cheat sheet for a beginner? What are the most important things I need to keep in mind when I hit the slopes? What were the things you tried that gave you your breakthrough?

[DiveBomber]

Rule no.1

BEND YOUR KNEES!!

Look where you want the board to go and try to balance on what ever edge you are on, dont lean back, Keep slighly more pressure on your front foot(not your knee, YOUR FOOT!)

Try this, keep both hands on each side of the nose of the board and reach for the nose(but dont bend over to do it, think more like a sprinter, or a like pushing a bobsled)

[pebu]

Only a season and a half in for me on hardboots (10 I think on soft), but keep your hands in view. You should be able to do everything with your hands behind your back, but keeping them out front re-enforces all the motions you need to get some good turns. On your toe sides reach with your rear hand towards where you want to turn. Your leading hand will end up towards your front cuff. On your heelsides make sure to keep your trailing hand in view. It would end up somewhere near your front knee to cuff area also.

Remember, you should be able to do all this stuff without arms, so don't rely on them, but you've got them, so let them help you out a bit.

Those are the two main things that I find myself doing when I really rail a turn.

[Jon Dahl]

Go to an easier slope, and go back to basics for a few runs to reinforce them. Then step it up a bit at a time. One step back will equal two steps forward, eliminating fear/survival riding helps this.

[nekdut]

Here's your cheat sheet:

http://www.bomberonline.com/articles/practice_drills.cfm

Start with the easy ones of course. :)

[rwmaron]

- Angulate

- Rotate

- Weight forward

- Hands in front of you

- Look where you want the carve to go

Take them one at a time; take Jon Dahl's advice; and enjoy the learning curve!

[Gecko]

- Angulate

- Rotate

- Weight forward

- Hands in front of you

- Look where you want the carve to go

Take them one at a time; take Jon Dahl's advice; and enjoy the learning curve!

Rode the chair today with a ski instructor and he commented about my hands forward stance that I was working on today once I got my balance worked out. He was teaching the juniors in his class the exact same thing, it really does make a difference.

[surfinsmiley]

I always think "western gun fighter" stance. Once that`s locked in so is the carve.

[cafercr35]

keep the butt down - staying low makes the carve come naturally.....DO NOT HUNCH OVER.......bring the butt down keeping your upper body perpendicular to the surface.

look through avatars on this site.....study them.....notice the position.....and take some notes on what you see.

larger view of my avatar.

[tex1230]

keep the butt down - staying low makes the carve come naturally.....DO NOT HUNCH OVER.......bring the butt down keeping your upper body perpendicular to the surface.

look through avatars on this site.....study them.....notice the position.....and take some notes on what you see.

larger view of my avatar.

[ATTACH]11313[/ATTACH]

GET YOUR HAND OFF THE SNOW!!!!!!

[carvedog]

It helps me to make motocross sounds. In powder it is a little more 4 stroke like a YZF or older XR if I am feeling mellower.

If it is ripping carver it is a little more 2 stroke. I used to race an RM250 so that is the sound for me.

I also like to make the sound of the board ripping into the snow. It's a kind of a rough throat clearing sound. I start to make the sound just a quarter second before the board does and it amps me up.

Silly, huh? Whatever works.

While talking about silly for me sometimes it's more about a state of mind than remembering a specific drill or body cue. Go to your happy place. The state of mind when you are feeling appropriately aggressive, athletic, in control, confident zone. :)

When you add in creative interpretation of the slope you have to work with then it becomes more of an artistic experience than a physical/muscular excercise.

[carvediem]

... nice, carvedog :lol:

one construction site my site but I just cleaned up the source code ... ... of the facts section and loaded it up way to go anyway

http://stoked.at/stay_and_play.html

[Steve Prokopiw]

Breath out. Simplistic as this tactic is, it works as well for the timing and effectiveness of my movements as when I do it while weightlifting. As I am about to 'drop in ' (anticipation/preparation phase) to a carve on either edge I inhale and during the rest of the turn I exhale;inhale in prep for the next turn and so on.This helps me establish my rhythm and timing especially well when carving on steeper slopes where I am more concerned with a tight,high edge-angle smooth and complete turn shape to control my decent rate rather than a 'high velocity hanging onto a long turn radius' approach.

[Derf]

Here's a cheat sheet:

1. Bend the knees
   
2. Keep the knees separated
   
3. Don't sit on the toilet

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Fill in your location.

Get with other local riders if at all possible.

Core Four- Article. Please download the pages and save them to your computer to save bandwidth.

Something I see occurring a great deal is "Mixed Styles"

I ask new carvers to identify WHAT style of alpine they are seeking to emulate.

Reason? I see more and more riders mixing the "Race" and "Bomber" or "Toes to the nose" styles. Of course mix that with "I want to EXTREME Carve" and you , well, have a mess.

Know what you are seeking have a good mental image of it.

This is a good thread, good ideas.

[Steve Prokopiw]

Although it makes perfectly logical sense to practice the movement patterns of each discipline,and to develop good fundamentals, I find that I am constantly blending the different styles or disciplines based on what I want in any given turn or any terrain.I don't think of what I do as a mess,but as my own way of EXPRESSION; my STYLE.

[cafercr35]

GET YOUR HAND OFF THE SNOW!!!!!!

LOL - I know bad habit I've been workin at gettin rid of.......I ride the mountain like it's a wave - so I enjoy running my fingers through it as I ride.

[www.oldsnowboards.com]

Although it makes perfectly logical sense to practice the movement patterns of each discipline,and to develop good fundamentals, I find that I am constantly blending the different styles or disciplines based on what I want in any given turn or any terrain.I don't think of what I do as a mess,but as my own way of EXPRESSION; my STYLE.

Hi Steve, I think this thread was related to "Newbies". Your an experienced rider and no one would argue that you don't have your own "Style"

The difference? You know the difference and can mix and match to your heart's content. Newbies? They are trying to form some basic structure based apon some various alpine styles or deciplines. Searching for methods that will allow them to carve smoother on more varied terrain. They too will over time develop there own style.

A while back I threw a bunch of "Toe-Side" turns into a gallery.

It is helpfull in illustrating some of the various styles and forms of making a toe-side carve.

As an example: I see allot of new riders using "Racer" style lower body placement of boots and then "Toes to the Nose" upper body shoulders without the hips. I am more or less at a loss then as to suggestions. I have now defaulted to "What style alpine riding do you seek to perform?".

It is part of knowing that the methods I use are not the current "Most accepted" methods nor styles. So, as a disclaimer I must say. "If you want to ride the same style as I do, know you are signing up for something that is not the accepted or dominate riding style.

Whew, that was longer than I expected "Short Answer".

Feeling a bit better today. Wish I was riding.

Bryan

Photo of Legend, Friend, BOL member and owner of one of the best toe-side carves ever!!

[Chubz]

Biggest things that helped me

• start at shallow angles 45* or so and increase as you get more comfortable
  
• I use the pencil pinch drill
  
• i ride gun shooter style
  
• shoulders square to the bottom of the hill will come evntually
  
• do the hands forward, but i was given a tip once to exaggerate your inside elbow up, dont reach for the snow
  
• dont expectto be laying down turns the first week, unless you get to ride everyday with some one helping you
  
• even then it is a challenge during the beginning
  
• once you start making connected turns and the board angulates more, trust it. in most good snow it knows how to make the turn you feel it leading you through
  always watch your back and wait for openings in people,
  you will find that most skiers and boarders have no idea how tight a carver can turn and are use to evryone else sideslipping along with them. They dont expect to see a rocket zooming perpendicular to the fall line and towards them. Most skiers and boards are mediocre to sh*tty so dont expect them to be able to react.
  
• ride ride ride andride with others if you can. I havent met a carver yet that wont give you a few runs to help out.
  good luck
  

But carve dog did hit it right on the head, I felt like I was on a YZ250 today, snow inPA was finally stiff hero:biggthump

[Steve Prokopiw]

point taken.