Wondering

[Odd Job]

Is it because I'm on softboots 30/15? My carves feel a lot more stable with my knees bent with my ass as close to the board as possible during a carve. It starts feel unstable the second I try to do any extension/retraction on big GS style carves.

The problem is, with my knees bent, I have no idea how I can do a cross-through movement. (I can do cross under/over, I've been wiping out a zillion times a day trying to learn cross through)

[DiveBomber]

I think its going to be tougher on a softboard especially since you cant ride as forward on the board.

Try to let the board come around then extend

[Odd Job]

by the time it gets around, wouldn't it be almost pointless as I'm already almost perpendicular to the fall line? or no? (afraid the extra pressure might make me skid?)

[Jonny]

See if you can find a section of trail with a natural crown or spine running down the middle. Then, at moderate speeds, make your edge change right on the top of that convexity with good commitment down the hill. The action your body naturally will take on is about the same as a flat-slope cross-through. Then transfer that sensation to riding on other slopes.

[Odd Job]

I think I figured out my problem.

All this time I was trying to really "PULL" the board towards me, but that "resistance" feeling was my legs tensing up refusing to bend, so today I just told myself "blah blah pull whatever, just bend ur knees on second half of turn, who cares if you don't pull"

like magic! almost.

1. Should I be while "retracting"-- try to maintain edge angle as long as possible (which is just a split second) before going back "up" and reducing edge angle as I set up for the next edge change?

2. On very hard pack/ice, should my turns be wider as a result? I wasn't falling much today. Maybe I'm not committing hard enough, I know i can turn tighter but maybe I didn't want to fall today as much? I tend to skid out if i raise my board angle and try to be more aggressive, or maybe it's a boot out? (guessing here) From the lift my turns looked like a bunch of C's connected, not too wide, but when carving in the moment, it seems to take forever to turn.

3. Maybe it's me, or my binding angles, but I find pre-shoulder rotation helps avoid counter-rotation entirely throughout the turn?

4. On the last run today, I totally just extended my legs to pretty much near straight and got a totally laid in feeling (remember, +30/15, + rotation into a toe side turn is pretty much almost EC here, no matter how much I try to angulate), then sucked them in on the later half. Wondering, is EC technique/push/pull any good on the east coast? or should I just try to angulate as much as possible? I'm getting ideas on trying this very aggressive push maneuver downhill on my heel side and trying to "almost" lay it down (soft binding heel cups are in the way), or should I just angulate?

I'm open to all and any styles. I don't even care I don't have a carvingboard + having softboots, I just like to carve. I wish I had the $ now for a hardboot setup.

But for now, I'm really looking for advice on a carving style/technique that will give me MAXIMUM edge grip.