Snowboarding Forum - Snowboard Enthusiast Forums banner

Riding Switch

38K views 66 replies 43 participants last post by  snow & pow adventures 
#1 ·
What's up people?

I'm having difficulty learning switch. Does anyone have any tips on how I can focus on it and practice it better? It feels so unbalanced. Should I stick to the bunny hill and just relearn to ride switch, or should I just try it while out on the mountain? How did you practice switch?

Thanks
 
#6 ·
there are actually several good tips for riding switch. i have surfed and skated forever, but in surfing nobody rides switch ever (except for short extremely rare circumstances like 180 airs and shit like that, and thats not really switch, your board is backwards) and i never did very well switch skating either as i was not a pipe or park, but street and downhill rider.

point being never really practiced switch even on the snow, but since becoming obsessed last year, it has become important to me as well.

this video helped me alot: Snowboard Basics: Switch Riding - YouTube

everything he says is really important, he is not wasting words. watch it like 20x. its hard to remember everything on the mountain, but everything he says HELPS.

you can just practice and learn the hard way, like the guys say, but there are definitely some really solid tips here:

1. concentrate on a new foot forward, instead of imagining that you are riding backwards.
2. rotate your back knee out as you keep square and centered on your board, but turning your shoulders and head to the direction you are heading, driving the board where you want it to go.
3. focus on the independant movements of your lower legs to control your board to link turns

extra from me
4. if you already are beyond beginner riding regular, then teaching yourself to ride switch should remind you alot of your first few days on a board. you have to be a little more mindful of your edges so you dont look like a somersaulting scorpion all day. turns are not initially natural, but something you have to focus on as you transition from heel and toe throughout the turn.

learning switch was important to me for a long time but i could never find any tips. i've watched this video like a hundred times and rode a bunch of switch this preseason...its working! you CAN teach an old dog...

i like doug's videos, have pulled a couple super bogus 270ish 360's barely even trying but focusing on the stuff he teaches in that video as well.
 
#8 ·
1. concentrate on a new foot forward, instead of imagining that you are riding backwards.
2. rotate your back knee out as you keep square and centered on your board, but turning your shoulders and head to the direction you are heading, driving the board where you want it to go.
3. focus on the independant movements of your lower legs to control your board to link turns
Perfect advice, I'd also add to remember to keep your weight forward.

I tend to not like riding switch the first few days of the season, but you warm to it quickly again once you get a couple of linked turns.
Once I got comfortable riding switch around the flatter parts first then forced myself to do more difficult runs switch.

Most of my mates don't slow down so riding switch around the mountain was a bit scary at times but it forced me to pick it up quickly.
 
#11 · (Edited)
i dont think riding backwards is the idea.

new foot forward!

and going faster...maybe if its soft out...or young enough to take falls like gumby. pretty easy to catch an edge until you are comfy with it. i'm getting faster for sure but bombing your fear to overcome your lack of ability to ride switch is a sure way to kill a small child, old man or end up as a tree decoration.
 
#12 ·
theres 2 ways being talked about here, one is more technical one is more instinct. I prefer to just go with the flow and let it come to me naturally but I did ride switch from the 2nd day on a board because I knew I wanted to be good both ways.

I do think its a good idea to realign your hips and shoulders so you are in the right stance.
Other than that for me personally thinking about anything more than 1 thing at a time doesn't work. Its just confusing.

same when I learn a trick I just focus on 1 new thing at a time once I have that down I move to the next and slowly let it come together.

Each to their own I guess.
 
#14 ·
Like every great athlete, you visualize yourself riding switch. Daydream about your exact movements and you'll discover how to correct things which may screw it up for you and you'll just do it. Anything with regards to skill is about visualization. If you can't visualize yourself doing it, you simply won't ever do it. Visualizing also gives you a false sense of self confidence. Wait man, I did that switch 180 bs yesterday! It may have been in ur head only, but that's really all that matters.

Anouther thing that helps is to practice ambidextrous activities and really work at it. Getting used to kicking a soccer ball with ur opposite foot, stick handling a hockey puck the same way, etc, etc. Pour a glass of water, drive your car, w/e it may be.
 
#15 ·
Some people may roll their eyes at a suggestion like this but i believe it is good advice. I play a lot of golf and often think about my swing when i am not playing. The more i visualize and "mentally feel" the correct swing, the better i play. I havent been snowboarding very long but i do this with snowboarding and feel like it has been beneficial
 
#16 ·
dont think too much about it. When you start over analyzing everything, youll find your head swarming with "do this, do that" and you will never learn. well not never but it will take you longer.

The only thing you have to remember to do is LEAN FORWARD-- kinda contradicting myself here :rolleyes:
At first you wont realize but your entire body will be backseating and this will cause excessive weight to be placed on the tail of the board and you will have a harder time controlling the board. Leaning forward will make you think you are over the nose, but actually this will make you centered. This helped me out a LOT!

I wouldnt suggest a bunny hill for this. go on a blue trail or more advanced green. Dont point your board straight down and shoot, do wide traverses while leaning fwd, and just get used to edge to edge transitioning. it will prob take you an entire season to learn. Just devote 1-3 runs per trip riding riding switch down the entire trail and you will get it.


i
 
#19 ·
I wouldnt suggest a bunny hill for this. go on a blue trail or more advanced green. Dont point your board straight down and shoot, do wide traverses while leaning fwd, and just get used to edge to edge transitioning. it will prob take you an entire season to learn. Just devote 1-3 runs per trip riding riding switch down the entire trail and you will get it.


i

This.

I've been trying to ride switch more and it's actually harder on flatter runs. You need some incline to help give you something to turn against.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Now, maybe this was a coincidence, but one of the ways I learned how to ride switch on a directional 162 Rozzy with super aggressive stance was to go into a bit of a butter. When I first began learning how to turn/carve, I sometimes would overcarve and this would lead to a sensation similar to buttering it up. When this happens you can choose to stop your butter at 180 and do a couple simple carves and repeat the process of buttering it up in order to do the 180 so you're going with the good foot again. Maybe this is just one of those 'me' type of riding experiences, but if you're fearful of speed or simply don't trust the board or yourself not running into people with that speed, simply try to learn the butter method and you'll find yourself slowly progressing to riding more and more switch and you'll be comfortable doing it. I found myself visualizing how to ride switch, memorizing how the back leg and balance must be coordinated in order to stay in control, but then I arrived at the hill and would essentially start doing these carve/butters and that's how I learned how to ride switch (somewhat). Lol, my stance on my pow board is setup +25/+15 so other than coming out of a butter, I never really did switch carving. Just wanted to illustrate that this would be an easier way to learn how to switch ride and progressively increase your speed. Man, I can't wait to get my 2011 Machete out there and start ripping down the mountain switch. Gonna be a breeze with a twin, haha.

Oh-yeah and as if this needs to be mentioned.... Confidence is +1 when calculating the chances of success. Some things you have a 'mental block' about and others you don't. If you believe you can ride switch before you even try, you're likely going to be super successful as I was. If you think that going off a 20ft rock drop is going to end your life (exaggeration) then you might not wanna try it or if you do, you may biff it hardcore. Your thoughts breathe life into your riding, careful what you tell yourself.

Or find yourself a way of disguising what you're about to do as a rider. For example, though it was unplanned, me turning my mini-butters into short carving lesson riding switch made it feel really natural because it was never my intention. If you're into jumping, try landing fakie or bs and do a carve or two before straightening yourself out. Haha, maybe I should go smoke a bowl and stop thinking so darn much!

Seeing truly is believing. And anyone who is against that might learn how to do some tricks naturally and/or spend a lot of time on their ass learning. I'd rather just be a success first time trying something new, wouldn't you? Would you go into a final exam at university without studying? Study your riding man!

Out
 
#22 ·
my son and i went up today in our resort,and he wanted to learn to snowboard.though i'm on my second season and i can call myself an intermediate:rolleyes:i though him the basics and have him practice it all day while i tried to learn to ride switch.i can say that he was getting down his toe turns as i was getting my turns as well. it was like learning to ride again:laugh: i say practice more and we'll get it down...someday
 
#24 ·
I actually started snowboarding regular and thought hmm why does this feel different. Then I did a 180 and laughed because I realized I'm goofy for everything else and completely forgot. I learned the feel from longboarding really long distances. 1 leg would get tired of constant pushing for miles so I would ride switch to push with the other leg until that got tired and then switch back. Don't approach it like a challenge, just let it come naturally and flow. BTW on a snowboard it is much easier to ride switch with angles similar in a duck stance. Like 15, -15 since it would be the same both ways. I ride 18, -6 since it feels more comfortable for me. My body is like permanently or naturally duck stanced. When I walk or just stand my right foot is actually angled out and my left foot is almost straight forward but with the slightest angle out, hence the goofy. I find it pretty funny.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I Ride Machete +15/-12 after yesterday and have to say it feels great. Going to take my riding to a whole new progression using this stance. I'll vogue for it too! After only two days messing around dry land training for rails I find myself becoming lost using my left as my lead foot and then I think to myself, dude you're right footed!!!! That's just the comfort level from a playful twin and the above stance. Try new things with your stance if you get a chance.

P.s. A few days ago I was on a 168 rozzy directional with a stance of +25/+15, lol.
 
#26 ·
I've focused on riding switch the past two weekends. I wish I started to learn earlier because now I have a tendency to switch back to normal when I do heel carves. One thing that felt different for me is I wasn't afraid of doing toe carves switch as I was when I initially learned how to ride. I think part of it is, in switch, you can't see where you are going in a heel carve and that is a weird feeling. As mentioned, learning on a freshly groomed advanced green is the easiest. Riding on flat areas is one of the harder things to figure out while learning to snowboard. Not to mention having to skate because you caught your edge in the cat track. I didn't think too much about the center of gravity and that will be my new focus next time I go. But basically if you force yourself to riding switch you will learn it quickly. Much easier than learning to ride in the very beginning.
 
#27 ·
When I'm rusty like now at the begining of the season or if I get myself into trouble.
I always seem to need to focus on keeping my weight on my downhill foot. I sometimes get ass heavy and need to re-focus. Not the best switch rider but very confident, but I still get a bit sketchy from time to time. It will all get easier as we/I keep practicing switch riding.
 
#29 ·
I am not very good at it, but I ride switch on 'throw-away' days when I am not trying anything crazy. I once did an entire day at Keystone riding switch.

My body was so not used to it that my front foot (which is usually my rear foot) cramped up... BAD on my last run from all of the new-found attention it was getting :laugh:. I had to sit down at the edge of a catwalk for like 7 minutes before it stopped hurting bad enough for me to ride the rest of the way down.

One thing I figured out is that years of non-trick skateboarding had given my body flexibility and muscles in one direction that I did not have in the other direction.

So, skills aside, is it physically harder for me to ride switch than normal.. I tire faster and its more effort do to the same maneuvers.
 
#30 ·
Your strength issue could come simply from the fact that your weaker leg/arm is 'always' weaker. No matter how many reps I do with dumbells with my left arm, it never has the same size/strength, even though technically my weaker arm is lifting a heavier weight than the right based on it being weaker to begin with.
My technique for progressing in learning to ride switch is going to be practicing butters and constantly switching which foot I lead down the mountain with.

Amusing how one poster mentioned that they used to think about riding switch as going backwards instead of just going forwards with a different foot leading. How easy this concept becomes reality has a bit to do with your stance and whether your board is directional or twin. My old board was directional and I had a very aggressive forward stance, so in reality with this setup, I was riding backwards down the mountain and not switch like I will be doing on my Machete with a more ducky like stance. Now when my left foot is pointed down the hill, my binding setup is positioned in such a way that lets you just simply think you're going forwards instead of backwards.

---My point is that stance has a great affect on your ability to ride switch. I haven't tried it yet on the mtn, but I can already see how much more confidence and ability I'm going to have by switching from an aggressive to a neutral stance. Even though I was able to ride 'backwards' - riding 'switch' on the twin with the new stance (+15/-12) is going to make a huge difference.

Being comfortable and confident will help you do anything, let alone riding switch. It's like faking you've got game until you get it. - Haha, I'm thinking of dating here lads.
 
#33 ·
So today was the perfect day to do some laps switch. Was by myself, sun was out and snow was soft. Holy crap, it is SO weird to re-learn to ride switch. I could link turns switch last season but was never comfortable. It'll happen, but its gonna take some practice. Until then, it's take a lesson in humility.

Thanks to all who have posted, some good tips here for real.
 
#34 ·
I had a blast practicing switch yesterday! While I was at the point where I could fairly comfortably link turns switch all the way down greens and easier blues last season, I found it slow to come back at first this season. Yesterday I decided to really focus on it since conditions were fairly crappy and I'm still sore from my injury from a couple weeks ago. By the end of the night I was finding my rhythm and even starting to ride dynamically down blues at about 75% of my normal speed!

For me, it definitely worked to start on greens, though this may be because I am fairly analytical, as well as prone to "freezing-up", so I initially liked to focus on my technique as I had when first learning. I focused on keeping my shoulders appropriately aligned, enough weight on my front foot (I've always had that tendency to "back-seat", regardless of direction), and using torsional flex/gas-pedaling. I definitely second what Snowolf said about groomed terrain. I also did find it noticeably easier with a centered stance on a twin-tip board. Anyhow, lots of good advice in this thread. I intend to practice switch much more frequently with the intention of equaling my regular riding (though I may never achieve it).
 
#35 ·
I was messing around riding switch on a blue when it turned choppy, caught my edge, and landed tail bone first on ice. It was so bad I got up for a second, instantly felt sick and dizzy, I wobbled and went face first into the ice. Luckily I carry pain killer and water with me in my pack. I was almost sure I fractured my tailbone because it still hurt after 660mg of drugs when the dose is supposed to be 220mg i couldn't sit on the lift. Moral of the story is, home your skills on a green or powder day lol.
 
#37 ·
It made me consider getting those impact shorts for riding. Tail bone injuries are brutal and from what I hear if you actually break it, that it takes more than a year to heal. Just that one hit was enough for me to realize such a stupid decision could have ended my season already. I'll stick to riding regular unless it's necessary lol.
 
#38 ·
When I went up the other day I had on impact shorts, knee guards, and elbow guards. I felt like I was getting ready to take the handoff and go for the first down! Being padded up did give me a sense of confidence though.

I worked on switch today while I was up riding with my kids. It came back smoothly. I'm looking forward to doing it in some fresh snow.
 
#39 ·
My snowboard pants have butt and knee padding embedded, so you might wanna look into that! Doesn't feel as 'bulky' as the imagery you gave us of a football player all suited up, lol. That's why I won't even wear a helmet most of the time - don't wanna wear a full suit of armor unless it's Mithril and is weightless :p
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top