position for a female rider? - Snowboarding Forum

designfemme · 02-10-2012, 08:05 AM

Hello, beginner snowboarder here!

I heard of a phenomenon where female riders have a tendency to drive the board with their hips forward — due to having wider hips and thus a different range of movement. I even catch myself swiveling and leading with my hips as I exit a toeside turn and enter a heelside turn. Is this the start of a bad habit? Should I be pushing my lead knee out even more instead?

(Since I am a beginner, I cannot detect a difference in performance between the two — yet.)

Thanks in advance!

cifex · 02-10-2012, 08:25 AM

Hips should generally be centered front/back. (as you get better, all rules can be broken at times) Turns are initiated using flexion (bending) of the low body and shifting the knees and hips. Knees toward the front of the board a bit on heelside and toward the inside on toeside. Hips thrust forward (in relation to your body, a humping position) on toeside and backward (like you are taking a dump) on heelside. Hump and dump, hump and dump.

It is good to lead with your hips, but it sounds like you are rotating your upper body and leading with your shoulders. If you can have someone take a video of you, we can give you a lot more specific advice.

It is true that women often shift there hips forward on the board. This usually means you have your back leg straight. It works fine on the bunny hill, but as soon as you ride through the choppy steeper stuff you're going to get bounced all over the place. In order to really ride well, you have to bend your knees and ride dynamically, absorbing the terrain and actively engaging your edges.

If you get to the bottom and don't feel like your legs are getting a serious work out, you are doing it wrong.

Lessons with a good instructor are usually worthwhile. Snowolf has some great videos as well.

Quantity · 02-10-2012, 08:45 AM

face down, ass up
position for female rider

Tarzanman · 02-10-2012, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cifex

If you get to the bottom and don't feel like your legs are getting a serious work out, you are doing it wrong.

....or you're in phenomenal shape
.... or maybe are built like Chun-li (http://kotaku.com/assets/resources/2008/04/chunli.png).

**Donutz** · 02-10-2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by designfemme

Hello, beginner snowboarder here!

I heard of a phenomenon where female riders have a tendency to drive the board with their hips forward — due to having wider hips and thus a different range of movement. I even catch myself swiveling and leading with my hips as I exit a toeside turn and enter a heelside turn. Is this the start of a bad habit? Should I be pushing my lead knee out even more instead?

(Since I am a beginner, I cannot detect a difference in performance between the two — yet.)

Thanks in advance!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantity

face down, ass up
position for female rider

Uh huh. didn't see that coming. Some thread titles you just have to wonder if the OP is trolling just a little bit.

designfemme · 02-10-2012, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quantity

face down, ass up
position for female rider

Face down, ass up, that's the way I like to ride
I like the regular foot, it's my favorite position
But I'm tired of the front, so that's why I'm switchin'

Um…I don't know how to finish the song. Somebody else do it.

designfemme · 02-10-2012, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cifex

Hips should generally be centered front/back. (as you get better, all rules can be broken at times) Turns are initiated using flexion (bending) of the low body and shifting the knees and hips. Knees toward the front of the board a bit on heelside and toward the inside on toeside. Hips thrust forward (in relation to your body, a humping position) on toeside and backward (like you are taking a dump) on heelside. Hump and dump, hump and dump.

It is good to lead with your hips, but it sounds like you are rotating your upper body and leading with your shoulders. If you can have someone take a video of you, we can give you a lot more specific advice.

It is true that women often shift there hips forward on the board. This usually means you have your back leg straight. It works fine on the bunny hill, but as soon as you ride through the choppy steeper stuff you're going to get bounced all over the place. In order to really ride well, you have to bend your knees and ride dynamically, absorbing the terrain and actively engaging your edges.

If you get to the bottom and don't feel like your legs are getting a serious work out, you are doing it wrong.

Lessons with a good instructor are usually worthwhile. Snowolf has some great videos as well.

Thank you for the detailed information! I found myself swinging my hips around because I wanted to get more into riding dynamically. I remember from one of Snowolf's videos about "unhinging" at the waist. I'm linking turns but I am still very rigid in my form. Time to move the hips more — but more towards toeside and heelside.

I never thought to pay attention to what my shoulder was doing! I think you are right, I might be leading with my upper body (which would explain the hip swivel).

I've had 2 useless lessons (instructors were too inexperienced), but my last instructor was very good. I will consider going back for more lessons.

Thanks!

AAA · 02-10-2012, 05:52 PM

Yes, drive your hips front-back and/or fore-aft as needed, but not in rotation (for now... Like alot of things in life, you learn the "proper" basics, then at some point in your advancement you throw that out and relearn something completely different.)

Actually, women have the advantage of a lower center of gravity in snowboarding, which is more stable. You should all be kicking men's butts!

designfemme · 02-10-2012, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AAA

Actually, women have the advantage of a lower center of gravity in snowboarding, which is more stable. You should all be kicking men's butts!

I do kick butt…

at wicked slow skidded turns.

I appreciate the encouragement and advice, everyone (and the 2 Live Crew reference

).

wrathfuldeity · 02-10-2012, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by designfemme

Hello, beginner snowboarder here!

I heard of a phenomenon where female riders have a tendency to drive the board with their hips forward — due to having wider hips and thus a different range of movement. I even catch myself swiveling and leading with my hips as I exit a toeside turn and enter a heelside turn. Is this the start of a bad habit? Should I be pushing my lead knee out even more instead?

(Since I am a beginner, I cannot detect a difference in performance between the two — yet.)

Thanks in advance!

You can steer with head shoulders, hips, leading knee and foot/ankle. However the further away from the board the more slow the response and more inefficient. The torsional twist/leading knee steering is where a beginner ought to start. However you also want the ankles, hips and shoulders aligned, stacked and working together. You really have 3 axis to coordinate for turns...fore/aft, toeside/heelside and lowering/raising your center of gravity (cog)....and women have a lower center of gravity than guys which results in a more flowing riding style with less articulated movements. Perhaps get a private lesson with a good female instructor. Good women riders can be hellishly fast and just seen to float along...I haven't been able to keep up with my daughter since she was 14.

02-10-2012, 08:05 AM	#1 (permalink)
designfemme Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 22	position for a female rider? Hello, beginner snowboarder here! I heard of a phenomenon where female riders have a tendency to drive the board with their hips forward — due to having wider hips and thus a different range of movement. I even catch myself swiveling and leading with my hips as I exit a toeside turn and enter a heelside turn. Is this the start of a bad habit? Should I be pushing my lead knee out even more instead? (Since I am a beginner, I cannot detect a difference in performance between the two — yet.) Thanks in advance!

02-10-2012, 08:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
cifex -LIFETIME MEMBER- Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: New York Posts: 2,933	Hips should generally be centered front/back. (as you get better, all rules can be broken at times) Turns are initiated using flexion (bending) of the low body and shifting the knees and hips. Knees toward the front of the board a bit on heelside and toward the inside on toeside. Hips thrust forward (in relation to your body, a humping position) on toeside and backward (like you are taking a dump) on heelside. Hump and dump, hump and dump. It is good to lead with your hips, but it sounds like you are rotating your upper body and leading with your shoulders. If you can have someone take a video of you, we can give you a lot more specific advice. It is true that women often shift there hips forward on the board. This usually means you have your back leg straight. It works fine on the bunny hill, but as soon as you ride through the choppy steeper stuff you're going to get bounced all over the place. In order to really ride well, you have to bend your knees and ride dynamically, absorbing the terrain and actively engaging your edges. If you get to the bottom and don't feel like your legs are getting a serious work out, you are doing it wrong. Lessons with a good instructor are usually worthwhile. Snowolf has some great videos as well. __________________ Last edited by cifex; 02-10-2012 at 08:33 AM.

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02-10-2012, 08:45 AM	#3 (permalink)
Quantity Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 63	face down, ass up position for female rider

02-10-2012, 05:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
AAA Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 380	Yes, drive your hips front-back and/or fore-aft as needed, but not in rotation (for now... Like alot of things in life, you learn the "proper" basics, then at some point in your advancement you throw that out and relearn something completely different.) Actually, women have the advantage of a lower center of gravity in snowboarding, which is more stable. You should all be kicking men's butts!