Snowboard tip by Steve Frink
Goal: Set up for success when you are making that first full turn.
Tip: Get confident with the lower half and line up and twist for the upper half. Practice garlands until students can get into and out of the fall line, now they are confident with the lower half of the turn. Students who try to turn too soon get their weight on the back foot and auger in.
Get Lined Up: When they are ready for the top of the turn start them traversing. The key to success here is getting the board going in a straight line before they try to turn. Not straight down the fall line, we just want the tip and tail going through the same snow. From here they can change edges without hanging up. If they are skidding when they change edges the edge will catch and they will eat it.
Twist: First the front foot switches to the new edge. If they switch both feet together the edge will catch and they will eat it. Near the fall line they can switch edges with the back foot and finish the turn just like they’ve been doing in the garland exercise.
That is a lot of words to explain why it works but all you have to say to your students is “get the board going straight and then switch edges one foot at a time.”
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