Soggysnow

Since getting a new board this season I have found that my speed has improved a little, more contact with the snow, more chance of catching and edge,more care taken in turning so a little happy about that....
However since heading back to the park I realise there is something holding me back. Me!

I have started to concentrate on bending my knees more on jumps as I lacked pop. I noticed as soon as I did this (I also practice on flats, bringing knees up to body) my landings suffered. It was suggested that perhaps I had shifted my weight back, I don't fall, just feel that I am landing awkwardly tail heavy.

I asked my friend who i was riding with after noticing a photo of me looking silly. I had opened my arm out, actually not that unlike some flailing bordercross pics. I think I have been using my upper body to help get height instead of my knees (mentioned in jumps thread) She agrees that I am likely doing this. Arm flapper, great

So now I know that I have a busy upper body, which no doubt transfers into my regular riding which prevents me from riding faster (counter rotation?)

I don't seem to have any problems with boxes. Just could ride faster in general and MUCH cleaner on jumps.

SO i google ways to keep my upper body quiet. Nothing much in the way of help really. Except 'focus on keeping upper body quiet' Its like calling the kettle black.

I would like to know some tips or exercises that can help nip a bad habit, freeriding or freestyle. I got to stop looking like a noob, and focus my energy on the right things.

wrathfuldeity

amputate both arms, stick your hands in your pockets, super glue your elbows to your ribs, grab yo saggin bitties. Of course ur riding with shoulders and hips closed. Snowolf clued me in on the drill of just cruising a mellow run and then swining your arms in opposite directions and how that effects your riding and now I much more conscious of keeping my trailing arm closed or over-rotated closed when going toeside.

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Soggysnow

I think if anything my back hand is fairly good unless i hit bumpy/chopped up terrain. In regular mountain riding my front arm is pretty quiet but I find tat occasionally I twist from the waist.

In freestyle I def am front arm flapper.
I try and keep my front arm to my side but out just a little to guide the landing, but it ends up doing its own thing.

Cutting arms off might be my best option? ;-p

Donutz

People have mentioned grabbing and holding the outside of your pants legs to keep your arms at your sides.

I'd also recommend getting someone to video you riding. Watching yourself, while cringe-inducing, can be very educational. If you don't have someone to do that, get a Contour and make a frankenpole out of a hockey stick.



I did this one of myself last year:



and it helped me to see that I was using very little edge.

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Illegitimi non carborundum

Mountain Days: 30

grafta

If you are holding a pole-cam, you are unlikely to be doing weird 'normal wrong shit' with your back arm though eh*?










*note: that 'eh' is the Kiwi version, not Canadian

Donutz

Yeah I could tell because you typed it different

You're right, when holding the pole, I am a lot more careful about staying square, staying quiet, etc. So it's both a diagnostic AND a treatment.

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Illegitimi non carborundum

Mountain Days: 30

grafta

BUT HOW WUD U EVEN KNO?!

Ha, yeah you're onto something there.

I feel like every time a camera comes out I ride different, ie 'proper'. Def a great diagnostic though. Gotta get on that stuff asap

liner

+1 for on the bottom of the jacket.

A more extreme methodology a co-worker showed me was to take your forward hand and put in on you rear shoulder(left hand on your right shoulder if your regular and vice-versa), and your rear hand behind your back.

With this weird positioning of the arms, you feel more stress in the upper body when you use it, thus making yourself very aware when you do. You should only use this as a "self check" and not as a full on riding style.

WARNING!!! if you eat shit backwards, holding your hands behind your back is a fantastic way to dislocated your shoulder. I rider very comfortably with my hands back, but the second I think im losing balance they go right back in front. So just be aware.

grafta

Sounds like a good way to get nicely into the back seat, while being well rotated over your heel edge, perfect for a solid downhill catch, eating shit dislocating your shoulder and gaining a tidy concussion

Soggysnow

Hey thanks for the advice, Ill watch the videos when I get home from work (blocked)
I think maybe grabbing bottom of jacket might be the best option. I did an exercise with roxy camp last year that made us think more about shoulders or closing and opening 'front pocket back pocket' (front arm in conjunction with turns) which I sometimes use if I find I have lost rhythm
I am by no means a beginner, just have gotten into some pretty bad habits that need fine tuning.

My main concern is my flying arms on jumps. Imagine sucking up a deep breath. I think that what I do with my upper body. It means that my arms are not staying to my sides or they are but I look ridiculous.
It happens more when I am trying to use my lower body to get pop oddly enough, not so much when I don't try (but am in air with straighter legs instead)
Also happens with Indy grabs, front arm wanders.
Im a bit stuck.