True carving on a snowboard

[AK 77 0]

Carving is not difficult on a snowboard in the right conditions, but hard to keep correct when it's icy / bumpy / really steep.

 

I learnt to carve the first day i rode a snowboard - it had K2 Clicker step-in bindings which may have played a part, plus i could ski and skateboard already, which is a big help.

 

The first turn i made was a medium radius toeside carve, continuing round back up hill as i didn't know how to stop with all the speed i picked up.

 

I remember looking at the completely thin carved tracks i left on the piste, sharp curves with gaps the width of a board between each where i changed edge, and wondering how snowboarders managed to go anywhere without turning.

 

I didn't master skidded turns for a while, and flat basing until about a season later.

 

Carving in a radius that is not the natural radius of your board, and not on groomed piste is not so easy though.

 

Oyuki - we always referred to the embarassed japanese school girl stance (still seen on many a punter in Europe) as the 'power triangle'.

[skidaisuki 0]

Oyuki - having looked at that site (for all of 30 seconds) I have another term for extreme carving on a snowboard:-

 

Falling over

[coldcat 0]

When you first get on a snowboard is far easier to carve than to slide. Most beginners cannot take the speed the board achieves with the carving though, and as soon as it starts accelerating they become scared and do strange movements which make them fall. Sliding is the only way they feel safe on a snowboard cos it allows them to control the speed. As they become more comfortable with speed they start looking back at carving and so they have to unteach themselves out of sliding.

 

AK since you had already skied and skateboarded maybe you were already used to the speed and that might be a reason why you didn't need to start sliding straight away.

 

I'm not an instructor, and my snowboarding knowledge is very very limited but from my experience with other people and even with myself I think this image fit a lot of people who start snowboarding.

[Oyuki kigan 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by skidaisuki:
Oyuki - having looked at that site (for all of 30 seconds) I have another term for extreme carving on a snowboard:-

Falling over

nah, its called "Standing up sideways".

But really, i can think of better ways to ruin my snowboard wear than by trying to touch my armpit to the snow every turn.

[skidaisuki 0]

Oyuki - I have seen plenty of good boarders carving (which even to a committed skiier looks good), but that looks like a lack of control to me. I agree with you...keep your armpits intact

[Ocean11 0]

> but that looks like a lack of control to me.

 

Sheer ignorance. You've got a lot of reading and learning to do before you start criticizing other posters' manners.

[AK 77 0]

Oyuki lets have an extreme euro carve competition next time your up here!

 

Aim: full circle carve, closeness of body to snow, correct armpit form, smooth return to standing, thin tracks.

 

This will of course be deadly serious. Image training and practicing the correct form while standing beforehand will be permitted. Smiling or outward expressions of enjoyment will not be permitted.

Unless they are in German or French.

[Ocean11 0]

Remember to hold in your mind the image of the suspension of a BMW, Audi or Mercedes for the correct leg position. Citroen is also acceptable.

[skidaisuki 0]

Ocean11 - where was I criticizing anyone's manners?

[coldcat 0]

I've known about extreme carving for quite a while. It's not easy to do though without hard-boots and special board (tail is cut) from what I've read.

 

I agree with Ocean11 that it's not a lack of control. Actually,you need to have a lot of control over your body and centre of gravity (as well as be comfortable with speed) in order to be able to play with your angle like that.

[Oyuki kigan 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by AK 77:
[QB] Oyuki lets have an extreme euro carve competition next time your up here!

Aim: full circle carve, closeness of body to snow, correct armpit form, smooth return to standing, thin tracks.

you're talking about the loop! I've tried a few times at Norquay (in banff), i've neve actually completed one, you need a perfectly flat and groomed area to try it on. Do you know any places like that?

[Ocean11 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by skidaisuki:
Ocean11 - where was I criticizing anyone's manners?

 Quote:

6702 posts and you don't seem to have learned any manners.

Had you perhaps forgotten already?

You're talking there about/to somebody who has posted 47 km of worthwhile information about snow sports, while you feel free to post stuff that is not only ignorant and uninformed, it doesn't even pass the common sense test. It's not about manners, it's about information. I hope I won't have to mention this painful subject again.

[coldcat 0]

now I'm lost

[bushpig 0]

don't worry cc, O11 is a bit like an elephant with an extremely long memory.

[panhead_pete 27]

Do those guys who surf find it easier to do big carves??? From my experience surfers sure see a mountain differently to non surfers - surfers seem to look for places to do big bottom turns or full rail turns into vertical areas (lips) they can smash like doing a reo or really nice round house cutbacks. Even just linking really hard turns is like doing alternate forehand and back hand bottom turns, generating more power like on a solid wave

 

Anyome else experience this?

 

I remember having an instructor tell me in my first season she prefered not coaching surfers as they used their back foot too much, to me thats what drives a carve, although my experience in DEEP powder is limited. What about you guys?

[coldcat 0]

I believe using your back foot too much can lead to repetitive strain injury on your back knee so I don't think is good.

[Ocean11 0]

I've never surfed, but riding really deep powder feels a lot like what I imagine riding on water to be like (because that, to a large extent, is what it is). I definitely skid the board around my back foot then.

 

But tidy carves on groomers need a fully centred stance. What should 'drive' the carve is downhill momentum. And Zen-like detachment.

[Oyuki kigan 0]

Like O11 said. A centered stance. we are talking about carving on hardpack, you don`t want your weight in the backseat. You want the weight to be evenly distributed.

 

if your weight is back, you

 

1-will have a hard time maintaining the stance at high speeds, you back leg can`t take all the strain by itself (well, mine can't). You will probably have to compensate by screwing your upperbody a bi.

 

2-won`t maintain pressure on the full edge. You want to carve along the whole edge.

 

3-You won't be able to absorb the `chatter` with both legs effectively. Your knees should be such that they move up and down, perpendicular to your board. A rear-weighted stance does not allow this.

 

Holy shit, i have been instructing way to long. i'm starting to sound like an anal ski instructor.

 

Fukk it, and have fun without killing yourself or anyone else.

[skidaisuki 0]

Ocean11 - so you are attacking me for my (true) comments on another thread about a different poster. What has that to do with my comment that this extreme carving looks out of control? It was merely an observation.

 

And most posters seem to agree with me about that guy in Germany...anyway

[thursday 1]

jeeze, sounds like a good subject for a poll.

[skidaisuki 0]

Thursday: No - I agree with Ocean11. You guys carry on talking about extreme carving, that's the subject, after all.

 

Everyone with more posts here than I have clearly has the moral high ground

[bushpig 0]

[bushpig 0]

you're gonna cop hell for that teacher remark skidaisuki! You might wanna edit that bit out!

[thursday 1]

I just wish people would calm down. We're here for fun afterall.

[skidaisuki 0]

Good point Bushpig I love everbody