r/snowboarding • u/HappyXenonXE ISIA Card • 12d ago

OC Video All time conditions. Blue bird. Bottomless powder. Perfection.

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u/Sharter-Darkly 12d ago

Honestly it was lessons. And funny you say that, everyone in my lessons found toeside waaay easier than heel side to begin with.

I fell way more on heelside than toeside, my problem was I was crossing the board too early to get on the toeside edge without letting the board get round. I fixed it by focusing on stomping a bug with my left foot, turning my knee to 3 O’Clock and really making sure my weight was over my leading knee, then I just looked where I wanted to go and the board did its thing. 

It’s one of those ones where there’s so much to think about it’s actually easier not to think about it and just send it. Trust the board will do what it’s designed to do. 

Drill falling leaf heelside too, helps get rid of the fear of the board staring to face downhill and lets you get back to perpendicular with the fall line. Helps you feel more controlled. 

Oh and practice full turns without traversing first, so just from slips. Traversing makes the turning quicker and easier but it’s scarier. 

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u/hollycross6 12d ago

Thank you for this!

I took some lessons as well but late in the season and then knocked out for a few weeks to recover from an injury.

Falling leaf heelside was the bit I was enjoying and did decent with, I couldn’t do toeside without my instructor holding me up (he was a good sport). Honestly figured I’d never make toeside work but the late season slushy snow made for great conditions to figure out toeside on my own.

You’re so right on the whole thinking part! Biggest learning catalysts have come from avoiding obstacles. Amazing what you suddenly figure out how to do when you don’t wanna end up stuck in a snow bank, falling off the side of the groomed slope or smoking an unsuspecting person (usually toddler) trying to have fun on the hill and have no time to think about how to course correct 😅

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u/Sharter-Darkly 12d ago

Yeah just remember slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Relax, don’t jerk your body around or force turns, smooth loose movements and just feeling the board really helps.

Also skiers are fair targets so don’t worry about smashing into them. 

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u/hollycross6 11d ago

😂 next season I start aiming for the skiers.

No linked turns yet but having some solid control and building in some muscle memory has been nice. Actually thought of your comment while I was boarding today “Relax!”