People need to learn to really carve. - Snowboarding Forum

abadidol · 02-03-2011, 07:49 PM

I don't know if there is a topic about this but if there is please just berate me and link me to it.

I have been riding for many years and when some injuries occurred as a youngster (broken legs, same one twice in a year) I had to take it easy for a couple years, and kinda lay off the freestyle. This really taught me to enjoy riding and more specifically carving. Proper carving.

A couple years later I ended up working at a Nastar course then a Demo Center. Most of the people I worked with were racers, race coaches and damn good skiers or boarders. Riding with them really taught me to perfect my turns, look for good lines, hold proper edges etc.

In college I did some race training with the school ski race team to just get more time on the hill and the carving training continued.

Many years later now when I ride I see so few riders who can actually carve properly. Most of the ones you do see are old timers riding race/carving boards, no one killing it with twin-tips/freestyle board.

Why in snowboarding does the majority of riders, even ones with great skill, pretty much ignore the art of the carve? A large majority of most riders time is spent riding down the hill and most people cant do it properly and just wash their edges out and hardly ever make a proper turn?

So I guess what I'm saying is lets discuss the lost art of the carve and see if we can flesh out why so few do it.

david_z · 02-03-2011, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by abadidol

So I guess what I'm saying is lets discuss the lost art of the carve and see if we can flesh out why so few do it.

Same reason why so few skiers know how to properly plant their poles and execute perfect parallel turns?

The majority of skiers/boarders simply aren't avid or particularly interested in perfect technique. They might ski/ride a dozen days a year (probably less) and are happy just to get out & go down the hill without falling.

mbesp · 02-03-2011, 08:32 PM

i like to lay into some carves every now and then. though i really have no idea if im doing it "right"

baconzoo · 02-03-2011, 08:33 PM

I couldn't agree more that power on edge is where it's at.

30* 15* soft boots, all edge lock turns to white room power scrubs.

danielle · 02-03-2011, 08:48 PM

Well good for you. Maybe people want to just ride and have fun, if they learn the perfect carve, well good for them.

Toecutter · 02-03-2011, 08:54 PM

If there's a big powder dump I look for interesting lines in the trees, big open bowls and glades, and natural features to boost off of. If there's no new snow and it's a groomer day I grab skis instead of the board. Spending the day perfecting my snowboard carve just seems so...uninteresting. I'll lay down a few carves here and there to get from one stash to the next, but I don't really want to make that the main attraction.

The local scholastic ski team practices banging gates during the week but it just seems so old school compared to the interesting things people are doing in the terrain park. Go fast-fast-fast then across the finish line. Ho hum. It's like watching people mogul skiing -- pretty impressive back in 1975 but nowadays the acrobatics in the park are much more interesting.

MistahTaki · 02-03-2011, 08:55 PM

not that people don't try to perfect their carving, they can't carve. period. Most people i see on the hill can only skid. I wonder why people that have been riding 10 times longer than me can't even carve.

Mooz · 02-03-2011, 09:07 PM

I ride for me and me only. I spent the time to learn perfect carves and practiced them because I enjoy it. I couldn't possible care less about how someone else rides. If they're having fun I say rock on and keep at it.

Judge less, ride more.

BliND KiNK · 02-03-2011, 09:23 PM

when I carve I get the powder stance and mainly sit on my back leg.. but I drop low, I don't care if it's proper technique.. I leave a straight edge line in the snow and I burn like a rocket... so meh.. I can carve but I do it my way.

jjermzz · 02-03-2011, 09:27 PM

Is carving an art? or a Skill. I mean if its art then "my way" is carving. Now if its a skill, we talking about something else. This is my first year riding and I can have my lines look like that, just not the whole way down. I skid on some turns to slow down a bit. I don't feel comfortable bombing down the mountain especially on the weekends.

02-03-2011, 07:49 PM	#1 (permalink)
abadidol Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Cohoes, NY Posts: 84	People need to learn to really carve. I don't know if there is a topic about this but if there is please just berate me and link me to it. I have been riding for many years and when some injuries occurred as a youngster (broken legs, same one twice in a year) I had to take it easy for a couple years, and kinda lay off the freestyle. This really taught me to enjoy riding and more specifically carving. Proper carving. A couple years later I ended up working at a Nastar course then a Demo Center. Most of the people I worked with were racers, race coaches and damn good skiers or boarders. Riding with them really taught me to perfect my turns, look for good lines, hold proper edges etc. In college I did some race training with the school ski race team to just get more time on the hill and the carving training continued. Many years later now when I ride I see so few riders who can actually carve properly. Most of the ones you do see are old timers riding race/carving boards, no one killing it with twin-tips/freestyle board. Why in snowboarding does the majority of riders, even ones with great skill, pretty much ignore the art of the carve? A large majority of most riders time is spent riding down the hill and most people cant do it properly and just wash their edges out and hardly ever make a proper turn? So I guess what I'm saying is lets discuss the lost art of the carve and see if we can flesh out why so few do it. __________________ It's not about how many runs you get, it's the quality of the turns you made.

02-03-2011, 09:07 PM	#8 (permalink)
Mooz Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Your pants Posts: 1,589 Blog Entries: 1	I ride for me and me only. I spent the time to learn perfect carves and practiced them because I enjoy it. I couldn't possible care less about how someone else rides. If they're having fun I say rock on and keep at it. Judge less, ride more. __________________ I have a word limit on my cynicism

02-03-2011, 09:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
BliND KiNK Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Omaha, Nebraska (for now) Posts: 729	when I carve I get the powder stance and mainly sit on my back leg.. but I drop low, I don't care if it's proper technique.. I leave a straight edge line in the snow and I burn like a rocket... so meh.. I can carve but I do it my way. __________________ I wanted a sig, but I need a job first.

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02-03-2011, 08:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
mbesp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 354	i like to lay into some carves every now and then. though i really have no idea if im doing it "right"

02-03-2011, 08:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
danielle Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Washington Posts: 172 Blog Entries: 2	Well good for you. Maybe people want to just ride and have fun, if they learn the perfect carve, well good for them.

02-03-2011, 08:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
Toecutter Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mt. Bachelor Posts: 1,512	If there's a big powder dump I look for interesting lines in the trees, big open bowls and glades, and natural features to boost off of. If there's no new snow and it's a groomer day I grab skis instead of the board. Spending the day perfecting my snowboard carve just seems so...uninteresting. I'll lay down a few carves here and there to get from one stash to the next, but I don't really want to make that the main attraction. The local scholastic ski team practices banging gates during the week but it just seems so old school compared to the interesting things people are doing in the terrain park. Go fast-fast-fast then across the finish line. Ho hum. It's like watching people mogul skiing -- pretty impressive back in 1975 but nowadays the acrobatics in the park are much more interesting.

02-03-2011, 08:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
MistahTaki Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,362	not that people don't try to perfect their carving, they can't carve. period. Most people i see on the hill can only skid. I wonder why people that have been riding 10 times longer than me can't even carve.

02-03-2011, 09:27 PM	#10 (permalink)
jjermzz Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 21	Is carving an art? or a Skill. I mean if its art then "my way" is carving. Now if its a skill, we talking about something else. This is my first year riding and I can have my lines look like that, just not the whole way down. I skid on some turns to slow down a bit. I don't feel comfortable bombing down the mountain especially on the weekends.