What's your technique for switching lead foot? - Snowboarding Forum

**Donutz** · 12-21-2010, 01:21 PM

By which I mean, when you're riding at speed and you need to transfer into or out of switch, how do you do it? Nollie and 180? pop and 180? Just get the board flat and 180? I've seen a lot of people doing this seemingly simple move a lot of different ways. It's kind of hard to tell sometimes exactly what the mechanics are -- it's a pretty small move, and quickly done. Hell, if you're an old hand you may not even be aware of exactly what you're actually doing.

alecdude88 · 12-21-2010, 02:48 PM

ride heel edge put some pressure on your nose start the nollie (doesn't even have to leave the ground) turn your shoulders

snowjeeper · 12-21-2010, 04:09 PM

that seems like that only thing I do right! lol. I just butter it, like if i'm riding switch I do pretty much what alec said ^ do front foot toe pressure, turn the shoulders a little bit, push down with the back foot to get the full front edge, roll onto the flat with the other foot forward and then move back to the back edge riding regular again.

gjsnowboarder · 12-21-2010, 05:03 PM

Mostly I use a scissoring motion of the legs.

justdust · 12-21-2010, 11:06 PM

This weekend I was doing a series of fast flat ground spins first in one direction, then the other and when I came out of them I was surprised to realize that I had to think about whether I was riding switch or not...the spins just force you to improve edge control to the point that you hardly think about it...after developing that edge control switch is just a matter of leaning into your carve.

Jeklund · 12-21-2010, 11:40 PM

I just rotate around on my uphill edge I the the term is "Helicopter", sometimes ill pop a 180 but only if I'm not moving.

fattrav · 12-21-2010, 11:44 PM

I stop, lie down on the snow and roll over which ever way i want to switch too, get back up, then cruise off...

linvillegorge · 12-22-2010, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fattrav

I stop, lie down on the snow and roll over which ever way i want to switch too, get back up, then cruise off...

the only logical approach to the situation

rasmasyean · 12-23-2010, 10:28 AM

I find that in high speeds, it's actually easier to 180 (i.e. takes less effort)...at least the way I do it. I sort of do a nose-roll/mini-nollie with the first part of the manuever invovling the nose-edge stll on the ground. The speeding passing ground helps throw my board into a spin. And at higher speeds (assuming you land aligned) it will lock onto the landing and seems to stop the spin and keep it aligned in the direction of travel.

But I think an even less-effort and faster way I've seen involves un-weighting rapidly and spining your arms in the opposite direction of the board. You barely get off the ground...just enough to not skid, and the counteractive arm motion spins the board quickly, and also stops the board spin quickly as the arm motion stops.

mrjimyjohn · 12-24-2010, 02:25 PM

usually when im going fast regular (not switch) ill simply do a flat 180 because im terrible at landing anything switch on edge...but thats just me

when im going slow i usually nollie pop 180...it just feels nore natural that poping off the tail somehow

12-21-2010, 01:21 PM	#1 (permalink)
Donutz Drunk with power...er beer. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 3,669 Blog Entries: 176	What's your technique for switching lead foot? By which I mean, when you're riding at speed and you need to transfer into or out of switch, how do you do it? Nollie and 180? pop and 180? Just get the board flat and 180? I've seen a lot of people doing this seemingly simple move a lot of different ways. It's kind of hard to tell sometimes exactly what the mechanics are -- it's a pretty small move, and quickly done. Hell, if you're an old hand you may not even be aware of exactly what you're actually doing. __________________ Illegitimi non carborundum Mountain Days: 30

12-21-2010, 11:40 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jeklund Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Fernie, BC Posts: 122	I just rotate around on my uphill edge I the the term is "Helicopter", sometimes ill pop a 180 but only if I'm not moving. __________________ My Wood... 2011 Ride DH2 159 Wide - 2009 Burton Missions 2009 Burton Bullet 160 Wide Riding Days: 81 Goal: 75+

12-21-2010, 11:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
fattrav Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 1,057	I stop, lie down on the snow and roll over which ever way i want to switch too, get back up, then cruise off... __________________ Never Summer SL153 & Atomic Hatchet 159 Burton CO2 Nitro Teams

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12-21-2010, 02:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
alecdude88 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 343	ride heel edge put some pressure on your nose start the nollie (doesn't even have to leave the ground) turn your shoulders

12-21-2010, 04:09 PM	#3 (permalink)
snowjeeper Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: WI Posts: 1,922	that seems like that only thing I do right! lol. I just butter it, like if i'm riding switch I do pretty much what alec said ^ do front foot toe pressure, turn the shoulders a little bit, push down with the back foot to get the full front edge, roll onto the flat with the other foot forward and then move back to the back edge riding regular again.

12-21-2010, 05:03 PM	#4 (permalink)
gjsnowboarder Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Grand Junction, CO Posts: 539	Mostly I use a scissoring motion of the legs.

12-21-2010, 11:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
justdust Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Albany Posts: 494 Blog Entries: 1	This weekend I was doing a series of fast flat ground spins first in one direction, then the other and when I came out of them I was surprised to realize that I had to think about whether I was riding switch or not...the spins just force you to improve edge control to the point that you hardly think about it...after developing that edge control switch is just a matter of leaning into your carve.

12-23-2010, 10:28 AM	#9 (permalink)
rasmasyean Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 674	I find that in high speeds, it's actually easier to 180 (i.e. takes less effort)...at least the way I do it. I sort of do a nose-roll/mini-nollie with the first part of the manuever invovling the nose-edge stll on the ground. The speeding passing ground helps throw my board into a spin. And at higher speeds (assuming you land aligned) it will lock onto the landing and seems to stop the spin and keep it aligned in the direction of travel. But I think an even less-effort and faster way I've seen involves un-weighting rapidly and spining your arms in the opposite direction of the board. You barely get off the ground...just enough to not skid, and the counteractive arm motion spins the board quickly, and also stops the board spin quickly as the arm motion stops.