I've been boarding 7 or 8 times. I did have a day lesson last spring when I started.
I'm progressing pretty well, starting to pick up the "dynamic" riding style, alternating from heelside to toeside every second or so pretty smoothly, and can make it down a blue without too many wipeouts, or without any at all in some cases.
The one thing I really struggle with, and is causing me the most fear after a really nasty fall last week, is a simple straight-forward glide.
Almost every single time I pick up any speed, I catch an edge (almost always heel side) and fall flat on my back. Hard and sudden. Like I've hit a rock or something.
Last time this happened I slammed into packed snow/ice and nearly got a concussion. Luckily I wear a helmet, but I hit hard enough to slam my helmet forward, into my sunglasses, which split open the bridge of my nose. Not pretty. I was standing in line at Starbucks afterwards, with a bloody face and didn't even know it
I'm wary enough of this that I rarely keep up enough speed on catwalks to make it between trails, or at the bottom of runs, and end up having to walk or skate the rest of the way. Or, I keep a slight angle of attack to the right, with a little pressure on my toe side - which also keeps my speed limited.
Could this be an issue with the board or bindings setup? It's just a cheap Morrow board, Burton bindings. Maybe I just need more practice. My balance is decent, I'm aware of the edges, I can do connected turns with relative ease on a gentle slope. But just one tiny bit of weight shifted to my heelside on a relatively flat, straight run, or riding up to the lift line, and I'm on my butt.
Added note that might mean something - when I'm gliding with my back foot free and on the stomp pack (as in getting of a lift), the board will almost always try to turn heelside, without a lot of pressure on my front toes, with the tail of the board trying to come around.
Open to any advice/suggestions or similar experience.
I'm progressing pretty well, starting to pick up the "dynamic" riding style, alternating from heelside to toeside every second or so pretty smoothly, and can make it down a blue without too many wipeouts, or without any at all in some cases.
The one thing I really struggle with, and is causing me the most fear after a really nasty fall last week, is a simple straight-forward glide.
Almost every single time I pick up any speed, I catch an edge (almost always heel side) and fall flat on my back. Hard and sudden. Like I've hit a rock or something.
Last time this happened I slammed into packed snow/ice and nearly got a concussion. Luckily I wear a helmet, but I hit hard enough to slam my helmet forward, into my sunglasses, which split open the bridge of my nose. Not pretty. I was standing in line at Starbucks afterwards, with a bloody face and didn't even know it
I'm wary enough of this that I rarely keep up enough speed on catwalks to make it between trails, or at the bottom of runs, and end up having to walk or skate the rest of the way. Or, I keep a slight angle of attack to the right, with a little pressure on my toe side - which also keeps my speed limited.
Could this be an issue with the board or bindings setup? It's just a cheap Morrow board, Burton bindings. Maybe I just need more practice. My balance is decent, I'm aware of the edges, I can do connected turns with relative ease on a gentle slope. But just one tiny bit of weight shifted to my heelside on a relatively flat, straight run, or riding up to the lift line, and I'm on my butt.
Added note that might mean something - when I'm gliding with my back foot free and on the stomp pack (as in getting of a lift), the board will almost always try to turn heelside, without a lot of pressure on my front toes, with the tail of the board trying to come around.
Open to any advice/suggestions or similar experience.