Grasschopper

Ok so last year my wife decided she wanted to learn to snowboard rather than ski (she was skiing at nearly an intermediate level), we got her all set up and she took a bunch of lessons. This year she hasn't progressed much and is still on the bunny slop though I think that is more fear of the unknown than lack of skill but she came home from a woman's clinic yesterday with an interesting comment. Her instructor was saying she might be regular footed. Last year I set her up regular because I thought she was but after a lesson they decided she was goofy...she has been riding goofy since then. Her issue is that she can do heel side turns better when she is riding switch...but toe side turns better when riding goofy. I don't have a clue what is going on. She is riding a Gnu Carbon Credit, stance centered, bindings set up goofy with a 12*/-3* stance. Binding backs are rotated parallel with the heel edge and the forward lean is set however the bindings came from the factory but are adjustable.

So one thought I had was to give her a bit more forward lean in the high back...any other thoughts on either setup or just tips?

Donutz

I'd start by putting her into complete duck. maybe 12/-12, let her try that and see if it's comfortable. If the board is heavily directional, can you get her a twin-tip temporarily? Once there's no equipment bias, she should be able to go more on her natural tendencies.

As to the heelside/toeside tendencies, it sounds like she might have a tendency to ride with her upper body rotated counterclockwise, which would cause the 'left' edge to bite more easily. That's a total WAG on my part, and I have no qualifications, so take it with whatever healthy salt-substitute you prefer.

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Illegitimi non carborundum

Mountain Days: 30

wrathfuldeity

idk, but many skiers converted to snowboarder, tend to ride open shoulder because they are used to facing down hill; and when the turn toeside they are twisted around trying to look downhill to see where they are going...its perhaps part fear of seemingly to ride blind. Have her look back uphill which will bring her shoulders closed when she is going toeside. I got confused by your description of what she is trying to do...but looking back uphill when going toeside shouldn't matter if ur goofy or reg.

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gjsnowboarder

Several ideas on this one:
One: don't worry so much about which foot is forward. The end goal is to be able to ride both ways equally. I would let her know to keep trying both ways every other run. Skiers tend to have a dominant turn. Left or right. It sounds like this is what is happening with her. More then likely it is due to a Stance(alignment) type like issue. That being said. The tip I'm going to give you may or may not assist. I've noticed with skiers picking up boarding there is a tendency to look to far down the mountain and forget that boarders spend as much time going straight down as across. Have her try picking her general line down the mountain. Then have her look for her next 3-5 turns. When she starts to ride have her actively point at where she is going to turn. When she gets to that point have her look and point(lead arm) at her next turn. Every once in awhile she can look back down at her general line. Chances are with as much ride time she has that she is making that right movements but is freezing up/stop moving by being fixated too far down the hill. If this helps her then over time she can stop pointing and will only have to do it mentally.

Two: Have her take another lesson(private preferrably) make sure to ask for a certified AASI level II instructor or higher(min three years experience teaching at least). Meet with them before the lesson with some input about her previous riding and gear issues. A higher certification will mean they have a greater knowledge base to help your wife.

Three: Take video. PM me or post online her trying to make turns. I or others here could then make an accurate analysis of what is happening and give pertinent tips to improve. Also seeing herself on video might help her to realize what is happening.

P.S. As for the equipment I would also make her angles a little wider +12 and -9. Also you might want to experiment with how wide her stance is(distance between feet). I do not believe the equipment is causing her issues since she can due toeside and heelside turns.

gjsnowboarder

For the question of which leg should be the lead leg. Please answer all of these questions.
Which foot does she kick a soccer ball with?
IF a wake boarder, which foot is forward?
if skateboarder which foot is forward when both feet are on the board? is it the same foot that is on the board when she pushes?
Softball, which foot is forward when hitting?
If she plays the piano, which foot does she use on the pedals?
on her alpine skis which foot can she ride better on if only one ski is on?
If she was too slide across the ice what foot is forward?
IF she sews which foot runs the pedal for the sewing machine?
Ask her to jump and down on one leg, which foot does she jump with?(make sure not to demonstrate or talk about lead foot et. cetra.)

By answering as many of these as possible we might be able to determine her dominant lead foot. If she is ambidexeterous to the extreme either decide on one or follow my advice from above.

Grasschopper

Wow lots there...thanks for all the input. The answer to the above is right Except softball, she hit right handed or left foot forward)...she is right hand and foot dominant. Now when I was learning (I started riding in like 1987) you put your dominant foot in the back. I answer right to all of the above that apply, skate board regular footed and skate in front of the board...I snowboard regular as well. I think the current line of thinking is that right foot dominant should be goofy footed...is that right? When did it change?

To some of the comments in the previous post, she took like 5 private lessons last year and has had 2 this year plus is not in a woman's clinic on Sundays that just started. One note is that she was the only one to show up at the woman's clinic so in essence it was also a private lesson. Now to what level the instructors are certified I do not know...we are at a very small local mountain here in PA. I will make sure she asks next time. She will be taking this clinic every week for the rest of the season.

gjsnowboarder

With snowboarding it is about which foot do you feel most comfortable balancing on. So for instance in playing soccer you were to kick a penalty kick which foot you make contact with the ball is not the foot you are balancing on. In softball if she hits right foward you are suppose to stay balance on both fit with hitting so it is about your sideways orientation. I hope this clears up the question. For when did it change, it was more about understanding why a lot of people thought they were regular when actually goofy. As people grow up there really isn't much thought given to dominate leg or stance so typically people perhaps try it opposite to what they really are. For your wife I would look at her front shoulder and hip. if she was to ride a flat board straight for about twenty feet which shoulder and hip(right or left) that is forward, points further up and away from the hill? Which ever one keeps more parallel to the hill, or even points down would be the lead side I would stick with.

As for the clinic see if they have a video camera they could use during lesson or have them borrow your own if you have one. Video can be great tool for the instructor to have more time to see consistent riding issues, and also a great tool for the student to see themselves and get a "picture" of their own riding.

Grasschopper

Well thanks for the tips...I think they helped though I was not there. The report from my wife is that she was linking turns great and went up the mountain to tackle a harder green circle and even a blue square slope. Well on what would be her last run of the day (month, year maybe?) she caught her heal side edge and just like you should never do put her hand out to break her fall...or should I say wrist?

Yup she's in a cast for 4-6 weeks.

slyder

wow sorry to hear that, my son broke his wrist last thursday.

As to the foot issue I must go with comfort. I am Right dominate, R handed, penatly kick R footed, skateboard (when I was a kid) push with R foot and I ride Goofy. I'm so messed up hahahahaaa

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Thanks
-Slyder