Edging

Question 0

Hopping between the turns

Answer 0

While completing linked turns, lightly hop on two feet during the traverse.

Should take off and land on both feet.

Question 1

Flatland manoeuvres / butters

Answer 1

On flat groomed terrain

Balance over nose or tail of the snowboard.

Add rotation or edging to challenge.

Question 2

Side slipping 180 jumps

Answer 2

Sideslip on moderate terrain on the heel edge. With weight over both feet flex lower joints and extend to hop.during hop body should rotate as one, turning the board 180 degrees. Students should land on toe edge facing up hill with their weight evenly over both feet.
Repeat to return to heel edge.

Riders should feel the importance of alignment and balanced body position.

Question 3

Sliding 360s on snow

Answer 3

On mellow terrain, centred body position. By turning head shoulders and hips have them begin to turn.

Continue past 180 degrees, keep balanced body position and look through the rotation with their eyes.

Can be performed in both directions.

Question 4

Switch riding

Answer 4

On terrain suitable to ability have students link turns in opposite direction to their natural stance.

Question 5

Toe to toe / heel to heel

Answer 5

To enhance balance have students ride and complete only toe side turns.

Begin with regular toe side turn, in natural direction. In the traverse, before edge change, have students complete a sliding frontside 180 ( rotating nose of board downhill) then complete a switch traverse on toe followed by a frontside 180.

For heel side, heel side traverse followed by a backside 180.

To extend exercise use hop or Ollie 180 instead of sliding 180.

Question 6

Garland / chicken out turns/ fall line pivot

Answer 6

Side slide on either edge, shift pressure slightly over lead foot to establish slight change in direction. To intimate pivot turn head shoulders and hips down hill - board will move down fall line. Then rotate away from the fall line and back to starting position.

No edge change. Practice multiple times on both edges

Question 7

Rail to rail (carving)

Answer 7

On mellow terrain, begin to straight run. Roll on to toe edge, establishing a carved turn and roll onto heel edge, carving again.

Terrain should be flat enough that speed control isn’t difficult. Not completing full turns - just rolling or steering onto edge for a brief period.

Challenge students to feel knees and feet directing the snowboard onto edge or increase pace of edge changes.

Question 8

Clock face analogy

Answer 8

As ability increases students should be able to engage new edge earlier in turn. Imagine a clock face, changing edge at 2 and 10. An engaged edge is evident through the point at which the snow begins to spray away from the turning arc.

Question 9

Drinks on shoulders

Answer 9

As a means of creating angulation, have students ride, as if they have drinks on each shoulder. Their goal is to avoid spilling it as they increase edge angle by increasing amount of angulation used.

Question 10

Stop n hops

Answer 10

On terrain suitable for ability level, have students side slip at a moderate speed. Have students stop by flexing lower joints and increasing edge angle. After stopping students should balance on edge and attempt three hops by maintaining a balanced position over the edge and keeping a stable edge grip. Try on both edges.

Question 11

Hop-carved turns

Answer 11

Have students complete a series of side cut turns. During the edge change phase of the turn have them hop slightly off of both feet at the end of the turn and end on new edge.

The edge change takes place in the air and students must find pencil line carve immediately on landing.

Question 12

Inverse traverse

Answer 12

To encourage a commitment to an early edge on set. At the exit of a turn, extend the traverse phase across the hill and attempt to set a down hill edge and maintain travel across the hill.

Question 13

Pour water from the boots

Answer 13

An analogy to have students to begin to develop smooth application and removal of edge angle in carved turns. Have them imagine their boots are filled with water and they are trying to pour the water in a controlled fashion. As they finish the turn they are to gradually start pouring the water, changes, and begin on the opposite side.

Question 14

Side cut turns

Answer 14

On mellow terrain, have student ride in a balance position. With slight inclination (lean) to the toe edge have them establish a carve turn and maintain position allowing the side cut of the turn to dictate the shape. Return to centre and then engage the other edge relying on the side cut to complete the turn.

Ensure terrain is flat enough to keep a safe speed.

Question 15

Slap base

Answer 15

On suitable terai. Have students try to create a quicker edge change by using the ankles to ‘slap’ the base of the snowboard on the snow while changing edges. Try to hear the slapping sound - while impossible to achieve the analogy is very effective.

Question 16

Speed checks

Answer 16

Ride relatively flat base allowing speed to increase. Quickly turn the board across the fall line and apply maximum edge to briefly slow the snowboard and return to the starting position.

Safety is the largest consideration.

Question 17

Sponsor turns

Answer 17

To creat an earlier edge within the turn, have the students envision they have sponsors at the side of the run. With each turn the goal is to show the base of your board to the sponsors at each side.

For advanced riders, have them attempt to show the board uphill for quicker edge change and maximum edge angle.

Question 18

Spray the trees

Answer 18

To increase the amount of edging students are applying, have them attempt to spray snow to the sides of the run (trees), while riding.

Question 19

Static edging exercise

Answer 19

With front foot attached on area with a slight slope have the students practice edging the snowboard using the hips, knees and ankles.

On heel side focus on ‘siting’ toward the bindings as well as flexing the ankle to slightly moderate the edge.

On toe side maintain upright body position with hips under the shoulders and move the knees toward the snow to create edge angle.

Question 20

Fall line stops

Answer 20

To increase knowledge of flex toon and extension.

Straight run on moderate terrain, initiate a 90 degree turn bringing the snowboard across the fall line and applying edge and pressure to stop.

Try this multiple times on both edges. Ask students to identify the movements involved to stop. Extend legs to apply pressure and flexing to control the pressures.

Question 21

Pump turns

Answer 21

Ride at moderate speed on open terrain, completing large radius sliding or carved turns. As they progress through the turn, have then experiment with vertical movement - flexing and extending to change the pressure.

As the flex the edge angle increases thus decreasing the turn radius. Extending will cause initial loading of pressure resulting in rebound at greater speeds. Increased performance.

Question 22

Static down un weighting

Answer 22

Used to illustrate the concept of down un weighting. On flat terrain, with the front foot attached to the snowboard only, assume a flexed, low position with back foot on the board between the bindings. Extend and project the body slightly toward toe edge. Move back foot out to support start to move back towards the snowboard by flexing the legs and retracting the legs under the body. Foot back on snowboard and extend the other way, towards heel.

Feel the concept of unweighting by “pulling” the board off the snow in conjunction with the edge change. Feel the pressure between the snowboard base and the snow increase as they extend away from the board.