The biomechanics of snowboarding - tall vs short - Page 2 - Snowboarding Forum

NateGC · 06-11-2012, 06:16 PM

Here's my excercise for getting your back straight, just for something to try.

When you are out riding next, try getting on your toeside and rolling forward onto the balls of your feet in a centered stance. Let your knees and hips natrually follow that movement, while keeping your shoulders relatively quiet, and you will tend to find your spine start to straighten out, or uncurve. (The guys/children's version I use is "push your hips out like you're peeing over a log and you don't want it to splash you.") But I like the subtle approach with the focus from the feet up.

On your heels, it's a bit tougher. Think about that feeling that you had with your hips on your toeside when you rolled forward and try to duplicate that. I find that to do this, start on a gradual slope and play with pushing your knees forward to un-edge the board in a heelside slip (again, try to keep your shoulders in the same spot, letting the rest of your body move naturally underneath them.) From the un-edged/knee forward position that you've created, use your toes to pull up the edge of the board without letting your butt move back. That'll put you in the position to give you the control to change edges without the full body movements that a curved spine forces.

Try it out and good luck!
Anyone feel free to pitch in if I left something out or mixed up a movements effects on the spine or something. Haha.

BurtonAvenger · 06-11-2012, 07:52 PM

You realize this thread is from fucking 2009 and we're half way through 2012 right?

NateGC · 06-11-2012, 08:14 PM

Yea, I happened across it on a google search today though, so someone else might too. If someone has a similar question, it may not matter that it's an old thread, and the info will still be useful. Snowboarding questions never get old, so maybe I gave someone a good idea who had already commented, or maybe it'll be a good idea for someone who Google's a similar question.
If not, sorry for bringing up an old topic.

adhclark · 01-08-2013, 03:46 PM

No idea if the OP is still around to see this, but FWIW:

I am 6'6" and go about 240. I have been riding for about 15 years and have ridden boards from 158-168 in length. I currently ride a 162 as I lap park regularly and like to play around.

No matter what size I have ridden, mechanics for straight up riding don't change. Center your weight over your board, keep the joints soft and flexible and don't get the weight moving to wild in any direction.

Now, if you want to start throwing stuff, that's a bit different. It took me a while to get comfortable learning how to whip around all of me. Very slight changes in posture and position translate to big changes when airborne. Of course this is just my personal experience, but seems like it would make sense for any larger-than-the-average-bear shredder. Center of gravity can be a bitch!

If you plan to get technical, get really comfortable with your riding posture and then work on your ollies so you know how it all feels it the air.

06-11-2012, 07:52 PM	#12 (permalink)
BurtonAvenger Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mountains Posts: 8,167	You realize this thread is from fucking 2009 and we're half way through 2012 right? __________________ Angry Snowboarder Because someone has to call it how they see it!

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06-11-2012, 06:16 PM	#11 (permalink)
NateGC Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 12	Here's my excercise for getting your back straight, just for something to try. When you are out riding next, try getting on your toeside and rolling forward onto the balls of your feet in a centered stance. Let your knees and hips natrually follow that movement, while keeping your shoulders relatively quiet, and you will tend to find your spine start to straighten out, or uncurve. (The guys/children's version I use is "push your hips out like you're peeing over a log and you don't want it to splash you.") But I like the subtle approach with the focus from the feet up. On your heels, it's a bit tougher. Think about that feeling that you had with your hips on your toeside when you rolled forward and try to duplicate that. I find that to do this, start on a gradual slope and play with pushing your knees forward to un-edge the board in a heelside slip (again, try to keep your shoulders in the same spot, letting the rest of your body move naturally underneath them.) From the un-edged/knee forward position that you've created, use your toes to pull up the edge of the board without letting your butt move back. That'll put you in the position to give you the control to change edges without the full body movements that a curved spine forces. Try it out and good luck! Anyone feel free to pitch in if I left something out or mixed up a movements effects on the spine or something. Haha.

06-11-2012, 08:14 PM	#13 (permalink)
NateGC Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 12	Yea, I happened across it on a google search today though, so someone else might too. If someone has a similar question, it may not matter that it's an old thread, and the info will still be useful. Snowboarding questions never get old, so maybe I gave someone a good idea who had already commented, or maybe it'll be a good idea for someone who Google's a similar question. If not, sorry for bringing up an old topic.

01-08-2013, 03:46 PM	#14 (permalink)
adhclark Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 1	No idea if the OP is still around to see this, but FWIW: I am 6'6" and go about 240. I have been riding for about 15 years and have ridden boards from 158-168 in length. I currently ride a 162 as I lap park regularly and like to play around. No matter what size I have ridden, mechanics for straight up riding don't change. Center your weight over your board, keep the joints soft and flexible and don't get the weight moving to wild in any direction. Now, if you want to start throwing stuff, that's a bit different. It took me a while to get comfortable learning how to whip around all of me. Very slight changes in posture and position translate to big changes when airborne. Of course this is just my personal experience, but seems like it would make sense for any larger-than-the-average-bear shredder. Center of gravity can be a bitch! If you plan to get technical, get really comfortable with your riding posture and then work on your ollies so you know how it all feels it the air.