Dirtyeggroll

well just got back from snowboarding, today. Another great day except my friend broke his collarbone, but it was still good. But 1 thing i noticed today...... and i wasnt, sure if it was a real problem or, if it was all just in my head. But i can toeside turn fine, but when i'm on steep hills, i am a little apprehensive, to do a heelside turn. I don't know if its some fear i have, or if my board needs waxing? I think that i'm just afraid, when i heelside turn because i think that i will go downhill.

i think apprehension, plays a little part in it. Because, after i toeside turn, and am ready to go into a heelside turn, i kinda of just loose focus . Its like im pushing on my toe with one foot and my heel with the other. I think its just something that i am going to have to break out of. Any help would be great, becuase i am going up again tommrow

Dirtyeggroll

cant anyone answer me lol

Snowolf

I would guess that it is mostly fear. I had the very same problem when I was first learning to link my turns. Part of it is that it really feels like a blind turn and it is so counter intuitive to look over your shoulder down the hill. As you do it more, you will gain confidence and it won`t bother you. The guide section has turns broken down real well, so take a moment to glance through them.

In short, to help build confidence, try the following excercise for turning heelside. Traverse across the hill and turn slightly uphill to stall the board. Just before a complete stall, execute the turn in the following way:

As the board stalls, look over your leading shoulder and look down at the snow about 3 to 4 feet from you where you anticipate you will be if you make the turn. Doing this, rotates your shoulder and upper body to create pivotal force toward the heelside on your board and opens your knee up a little, making it easier to relax the toe pressure you were holding and transition into heel pressure. At the begining of the turn, your rear foot will still have the toes dug in a bit. What is happening at this point is your are allowing your board to pivot around your rear foot like it`s an anchor. When the nose of your board is pointed down the hill, relaxy all toe pressure on the rear foot and let the tail ride flat. The heel pressure on the front foot will cause the board to continue a slow heelside turn. When you get to about 30 degrees off the fall line, gradually start applying heel pressure on the rear foot to then tilt your entire board onto it`s heel edge and traveres across the hill.

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Dirtyeggroll

alright thanx i tried a little of that 2day

junglecat1971

Two basic pieces of advice.

First, to reiterate what Snowolf says, shift your weight onto your front foot when going into any turn, heelside or toeside. This creates the pivot point and helps bring the tail around quicker and smoother. Some instructors call this "letting the board wash around". This concept has probably been the biggest and most positive change in my riding after I had reached and got stuck in the low-intermediate range.

Second, try leaning the highbacks of your bindings forward. When you tilt back, the board will respond quicker. Just careful not to lean them too far forward cuz you can push your boot out too far forward and get toe drag.

What kind of runs are these and where?

Dirtyeggroll

blue runs at a place called mt.rose

Snowolf

Mt. Rose outside of Reno? The Blues there can be pretty steep and would be Black Diamonds on the east coast for the most part. You may just need a bit more practice if you are fairly new at riding. I am assuming you don`t have this fear/problem on the greens? Be patient with yourself, you are pushing your envelope which is good, but it takes some time. I think you are doing just fine considering the terrain if you are where I think you are....

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Dirtyeggroll

yep thats the place. The Chutes there are gnarly. I get freaked just when I ride over them on the chairlift. Double Black Diamonds are not for me a probably never will be. Ya i tried turning heelsie and didnt get my turn in time, so i went down the mountain at an angle, and tumbled. No problem on the greens