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What are you learning this season? 2020


Jack M

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Or re-learning?

Personally, always need to remind myself to LOOK where I want the carve to go - not down the fall-line, not just where the board is pointing, but where I actually want to end up at the end of the carve.  This helps achieve proper body alignment.

Don't twist the board/don't be a backseat driver - especially on toeside, pressure the tongue of the front boot with your shin at the beginning of the carve.  It's so easy to just cross the board from heelside to toeside in the back seat.  This often results in the front leg just going along for the ride, and the back half of the board having a steeper edge angle than the front half. This kills edge hold.

What are you working on?

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21 minutes ago, Jack M said:

Or re-learning?

Personally, always need to remind myself to LOOK where I want the carve to go - not down the fall-line, not just where the board is pointing, but where I actually want to end up at the end of the carve.  This helps achieve proper body alignment.

Don't twist the board/don't be a backseat driver - especially on toeside, pressure the tongue of the front boot with your shin at the beginning of the carve.  It's so easy to just cross the board from heelside to toeside in the back seat.  This often results in the front leg just going along for the ride, and the back half of the board having a steeper edge angle than the front half.

What are you working on?

I've been working on... everything. 

OK-

-finalizing stance angles (50f/45r)  (CHECK)
-finalizing boot centering (CHECK)
-finalizing boot modifications (CHECK)
-looking where I'm going (ok still needs work)
-upper body / lower body independence (much improved in the last two trips! W00t!)
-awareness of my hand placement, lowering hand jive, and keeping them in front of me (CHECK)

This has been a great season and a breakthrough last couple of days.  STOKED.

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Dealing with variable conditions, ridges, chop, etc. 

The racer slide/feather in turn entry when needed. Sometimes I want to scrub a little speed or cut distance to the apex of the next turn (i.e. TREES!), and this is a neat way to do both. 

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I've been working on keeping my hands out of the snow.  After Inkaholic endlessly berated me this week for touching the snow, I realized how even the slightest hand pressure on the snow was almost integral to my balance.  The tried and true boot  cuff drills and concentrating on adjusting balance through angulation are working great for that.

Its been a while since I've been really inspired by someone else's riding (narcissistic much?), but watching Norm (dunno his handle on here) rip his toesides is a sight to behold.  They are arguably the  most technically perfect toesides I've ever seen.  His angulation is just insane. Given how hard I can rail on heelside, I always felt like my toesides were lacking and a little asymmetrical. I used to look at Jack's, Dredman, or Johnasmo for toeside inspiration, but now I have new goals.  Thanks Norm for the in person demonstration at MCC! Alright crush over.

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2 hours ago, JohnE said:

I remember watching Norm at SES for several years. I could pick him out at a long distance because of his beautiful, relaxed style. He is one of the most beautiful, inspiring riders I have ever seen. 

I still can't get over it honestly.  I hope Clint will have some good shots of Norm for the video.  So incredibly relaxed yet super dynamic and exciting.  No wasted movement or effort,  just smooth.  Shoulders on a gimbal.  This is the level of smooth I want to achieve.  His wife Diana also has one of the most beautiful cross-unders I've seen.

Dredman and Johnasmo have  this flow together as well.  I was watching you two do your thing from the lift a couple times.  Its funny when y'all are synced up you are making almost the EXACT same smooth, undistracted turns, but using very different techniques.  I think Dredman stays more centered while Johnasmo is really up driving and diving his nose yet achieving the same results.

There were so many rippin' riders there this week all feeding off each other, helping each other improve.  The atmosphere was special and it was really a pleasure to be a part of.

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17 hours ago, Shred Gruumer said:

How to ski again after 30 years! 

 

 

 

Exactly, 20 years ago a horse bucked my right hip out of joint, as I flew backwards through the air I thought, "I'm an alpine snowboarder now", now, 20 years later with a new hip, back on skis, 20 years ago skis didn't carve less than 17m, today, my 14.9m make smaller carve's than my 9.5m MK, and I was a 4 nastar handicap 20 years ago, I'm a 7 alpine snowboard nastar handicap, carving skis today are as much fun as carving snowboards, but safer, no blind rear edge, not turned sideways going forward, no skipping steep thin trails.

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On 2/17/2020 at 6:43 AM, Carvin' Marvin said:

I've been working on keeping my hands out of the snow.  After Inkaholic endlessly berated me this week for touching the snow, I realized how even the slightest hand pressure on the snow was almost integral to my balance.

Buell taught me this about 10 yrs ago, best advise I've received. Each year I get stronger and my shoulder is feeling much better. And I'm on a budget, I can't afford new pants and jackets from wearing holes into them.  thank you Buell.

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1 hour ago, barryj said:

Working on my Patience...... still on Injured Alpine Reserve from Oct. 24th rotator surgery...Ugh!!

 

PATIENCE , PATIENCE , and PATIENCE !..........but for less important other reasons than yours Barryj !.........

Only 2 snowfalls here in the whole winter till now !.....and only 2-3 days left after each snowfall for "good" snow conditions...............and I'm generous !......

Then strong rain or very warm weather followed by cold foggy nights that we don't even remember what carving on corduroy is.....

You just hope you got sticky rubber band socks on or a dentist that made you a strong filling or you may lose it on such a boilerplate snow we got here !......😉

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On 2/16/2020 at 7:51 PM, Jack M said:

Or re-learning?

Personally, always need to remind myself to LOOK where I want the carve to go - not down the fall-line, not just where the board is pointing, but where I actually want to end up at the end of the carve.  This helps achieve proper body alignment.

 

Admittedly, I'm pretty apathetic when it comes to "working on" things. I thought about this thread, today, and tried this, for my last dozen runs. They were the smoothest (feeling) runs I made all day! I went from acknowledging every little bump that was in-front of me, to no t knowing/caring, and just letting the carve work itself out. Amazing.

Thanks, Jack!

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On 2/17/2020 at 10:43 AM, dredman said:

Norm has been an inspiration to me since I first saw his riding in 2009 at Aspen.  Norm and Diana are amazing people and exceptional riders.  

Flat out: Norm is absolutely the smoothest, most-graceful, fastest, most stylish and confident rider I have ever seen, anywhere. Watching him is like listening to music. You can try and describe it but you will fail. Will Garrow is probably the only other comparable person. The first time I saw a truly capable alpine snowboarder I had an "I wanna ride like that" moment that pretty much ended my softbooting career, and now I can carve. The first time I ever saw Norm doing his thing in Aspen I was like "I wanna ride like that" ... but I don't think I'll ever even come close to emulating Norm's unique cocktail of style, grace, power, and speed. It's nice to have goals, even unachievable ones.

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After over 30 years in hardboots apparently my back is protesting now and given out on me😡. I have developed some bad habits this season sitting in the back coming out of the apex all due to lower back paine. I am focused on relaxing my body, looking where I go, letting the board initiative and not tossing my body into a turn. I am trying to stay balanced and not trying to sit in the back. If I feel myself doing it I go back to basics, touch the front boot stay centered and keep my rear arm from flailing behind me.

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