Backfoot sliding forward

Hey, I consider myself a beginner and need advice to get better. For some reason or other, when going to a heelside turn, my back foot tends to swing out causing me to be in a fakie position. i ride regular. i had thought that maybe i was supposed to be goofy, but i ride worse that way. In any event, it always seems that going heel side regular, i have to force a lot of pressure on my backfoot to keep from going fakie. is this noraml for a beginner and something that i can overcome over time ??

Man, really appreciate the advice. i would love to get better.


Thanks !!!!!!! :?:

It sounds from your description that you might be counter rotating. What's that mean ? It means that in order to get the board to turn, you are rotating your upper body in the opposite direction to the way you want to turn. This allows you to kick your rear foot out to turn heelside. You end up with a jerky turn and your upper body facing backwards. It's a bad habit and not very pretty (sorry).

The cure is to turn the board using weight shift and edging (to engage the boards sidecut). I'm guessing you are in the States (from your name). The style of snowboarding taught there now tries to minimise any rotational movements and If you watch the instructors, you will see that they keep their shoulders in line with the board most of the time. It's a very economical way to ride (no wasted movement) though there are other styles as well.

You should really take a lesson and have an instructor work with you. You are going to be boarding for years so any lessons you take would be an investment. Good luck with it because getting the basics right will make everything else easier.

Trencher

Don't sweat it ChicagoBob - it happens to most people as they begin the boarding journey.... Over-exaggerated movements are commonplace - it's very rare in life that you are expected to balance with legs not able to move. Just stick with it, watch other riders, take in as much advice as you can. A lesson or two can never hurt.
Bend the knees a bit more - this helps to keep the whole body more stable and less likely your balance.

Trencher and chaletslovakia,

Thanks very much for your advice. I snowboarded today and concentrated on weight shifting and bending the knees. I did a lot better. Incidently, I mainly ride at Whiteface Mtn. close to Lake Placid, New York. (1980 Olympics) I grew up in Chicago (Hence the name ChicagoBob) but moved to upstate NY several years ago. I live ~ 45 minutes away from Whiteface. Just across the Lake are some well known Vermont places like Stowe, Jay Peak, Killington, etc. So I was destined to do something during the winers. We had some great powder today.
In any event, you were truly helpful and am grateful for it.

Best regards, shred on, Thanks again, Bob

I spent my first snowboard season at Hunter, NY....

A small hill, but nice and steep. Back in those days a leash was mandatory, snowboarding was outlawed at many resorts (Aspen included) and anyone boarding in Europe had hard boots only....

and the get-up (clobber / gear / clothing) was pretty naff...

chaletslovakia wrote:
Back in those days a leash was mandatory, snowboarding was outlawed at many resorts (Aspen included)

and the get-up (clobber / gear / clothing) was pretty naff...

(Sorry to respond to your old message, but it just sounds too familiar not to respond.I am a first timer to this forum)

Yep, those were the days! I was an exchange student in Denver, co, in 1988. Coming from Holland I had never seen a mountain or snow that lasted longer than 24 hours in my life.
I bought a Burton Cruzer 165 (http://www.dvssnow.com/museum/boards/burton_cruzer165b_top.jpg " target="_new" rel="nofollow"> http://www.dvssnow.com/museum/boards/burton_cruzer165b_top.jpg ) in a summer sale, and I never took one lesson (too expensive).
I still have the board, nailed to a wall in my basement.

I made my first tracks at Loveland Colorado hiking up the one slope with man made snow all day, long before the resort openened. Later got me a student season pass to Vail, Co. and we went there every weekend and vacation.

Snowboarding was for outcast. We yelled to the boarders on the slopes from the lifts ('Right on, dude' , or was it 'Ride on, dude'?).

And here I am, 21 years later, still hooked to boarding, still riding Burton, and passing on the addiction to my 3 sons.

To the orignal poster: Although it's almost over a year ago you asked your question and I am pretty convinced that you have improved a lot over the last year: don't worry! None of us learned to ride in one day. Take a few lessons, it will pay off! Enjoy the ride!


Ton, the Netherlands
CustomX 164.

Thanks for bringing the thread back again CustomX. Rereading my post, I should have added, pressuring to decamber the board.

Boarding (or even skiing) with your kids is one of the great things about this sport. My daughter is thirteen now, and still likes to have dad around some of the time, especially when she wants money for food in the chalet :lol:

Trencher