Figuring it all out...

[SWriverstone]

Being a rookie carver, I've spent a lot of time reading and studying, as well as time on the slopes just feeling and learning.

I know there is a lot to learn about stance, angulation, etc. At the same time, though, it seems to me that a lot of carving boils down to a simple essence: learning how much lean you can get away with---at a given rate of speed and at a given turn radius---without falling down. Is this correct?

I mean, it doesn't seem as though there is any "magic bullet" technique that will suddenly produce raging-fast, extreme carves. Rather, it seems like you just have to spend a lot of time on the slopes doing turns, and, over time, become familiar with varying degrees of lean, speed, and radius.

I know angulation has much to do with the amount of edge-holding force you generate...and yet, not being much good at it yet, I've had a few brief (and accidental!) turns where I was damn near laying on the ground for a second...and then came back up again! On reflection, I think this happened because, without realizing it, I blundered into a good combination of lean, speed, and turn radius that just worked.

Just a few thoughts!

Scott

[Phil]

Sweet! It sounds like you are enjoying what we all enjoy so much. Most likely you have been doing it on somewhat favorable conditions. What is discussed here is technique that will make you a better carver in more (and hopefully all) conditions. When the slope gets steep, the game changes. When the slope gets icy, the game changes even more. Then you throw racing in and you are practically playing a whole new game. If you have read up, you have probably run into eurocarving which is kind of another way to play the same game.

Anyway, carving is great fun and can be self taught to an extent. Don't ever let any of us ruin your fun by over ANALyzing the technique that makes you better. As long as conditions are favorable, you will be able to go out and experiment with your own technique and have a blast. When the conditions are not as favorable, and when progression becomes more fun than experimentation, then start working on angulation and using joints and muscle groups more effectively.

When you have studied advanced technique more, you will be able to "get away with" more.

[SWriverstone]

Carving appeals to me because of its purity and simplicity (I'm forgetting the vector physics for a moment). My other two sports---kayaking and hang gliding---are (in my opinion) far more complex because the "playing fields," so to speak, are constantly in motion (air and water). I say they are more complex because regardless of your form and technique, you can still be thrown by a random surge of a wave or a turbulent gust. So you not only have to focus on your technique, but spend huge amounts of time and energy just trying to predict the craziness of fluid dynamics.

By comparison, the slope isn't bucking beneath a boarder. Sure, conditions change, but only from hour to hour...not second to second!

This frees a carver to focus mostly on his/her inputs to the system and to get instantaneous feedback. I love that!

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Right now, I feel like I've got plenty of room for improvement just based on what I'm learning. You're right Phil---I try not to over-analyze things...but I also don't want to get into bad habits.

Scott

PS - Some of my favorite memories of whitewater slalom are of sitting on the water in training gates with Olympic team members and isolating a move---doing it over and over---and having long analytical conversations about how to do it faster. We all learned from those sessions.

[Baka Dasai]

Originally posted by SWriverstone

...a lot of carving boils down to a simple essence: learning how much lean you can get away with---at a given rate of speed and at a given turn radius---without falling down. Is this correct?

That's exactly how I viewed it when I was first getting the hang of carved turns. But with a bit of experience, answering the "how-far-to-lean" question becomes second nature.

Re angulation, I think of it as a technique to increase the range of lean that works for a particular turn. If you keep your body straight (no angulation), you have to get your angle of lean exactly right, but if you angulate, you have a bigger margin of error. (I don't know if this is correct in terms of the physics of the turn - it may work because the biomechanics of angulation make it easier to make small adjustments to your angle of lean. I'm just speculating.)

[Fleaman]

I find angulation is the easiest way to get really low, but sometimes when I really want to lay one out, I will angulate to start then push away from my board and straighten out my body. This way you are still pressuring the edge and it wont skip out on you.

[SWriverstone]

Interesting...I like the theory (if correct) that angulation gives you a wider margin of error in your lean.

On the other hand, the few steep turns I've done with my legs out straight really felt great (like "The Norm") because that's such a comfortable position.

To that end, I think I like the Euro technique (or is it also American?) of push/pull---lowering your center of mass for the transition...then straightening your legs during the turn.

Scott

[Fleaman]

On the other hand, the few steep turns I've done with my legs out straight really felt great (like "The Norm") because that's such a comfortable position.

Those turns are fine on blue groomers, but when you get on diamonds and steeps, you will have to crouch as low as possible and get on top of that edge or it will take off on you. The same goes for anything that is bumpy or icy. Getting as close to your board really makes a big difference. Your legs will scream in pain but you will get used to it after a few days.

Or you can just go out there and rip up the mountain and have fun learning and doing. :)