"lonerider" wrote in message
ups.com...
David Taylor wrote:
On 2006-12-26, wrote:
Bob F wrote:

This technique works well, especially at low speed. Sure, at high
speeds
anyone can change edges evenly to make quick non-skidded turns
without pushing the tail of the board around. Using board torsion
allows
smooth turns without skidding even at near zero speeds. Focusing on
it when riding switch makes switch riding much more comfortable. You
just don't catch edges and fall as much.

I will say again - I teach this technique to all my beginning
students. It
works very well for them. When it doesn't seem to work for them, they
usually have their bindings too close together on the board. Move the
bindings, and all of a sudden it works. The students that learn this
way
to turn are visably smoother riders. They also seem to suffer many
fewer
traumatic falls during the learning process.

If you like the way you ride - fine. If you want to try something a
lot
of riders have never discovered that might improve your performance,
you might want to try this. I have no vested interest other than
liking
to help people ride better. And I am always interested in any new
concepts that I can learn, which is one of the reasons I visit R.S.S.
Keep them coming.

I'd be interested in hearing from others on here if:

1 - When learning to ride, they were told to make turns by twisting
the
board by moving the feet in opposite direction

Yes.

2 - If they now use this technique in their own riding.

Yes

My answer is no to both.

I'd be interested to know if you actually understand the technique being
discussed. It's not so much moving the feet in opposite directions.
You start with pressure on the heel edge on both feet. Then release
the pressure on the heel edge on your front foot, and apply pressure
to the toe edge on your front foot. As the board begins to turn, do
the same with your back foot. All you're doing is turning with the
front
of the board first.

1. I have heard of this suggestion, but I wasn't told it while learning
to ride. One very good instructor (AASII III, PSIA III, CASI Race II)
told me at a race camp I attended that it is a useful technique if you
board is not very torsionally rigid, but not the most effective for the
stiff decks that Neil G, Mike T, I and many others ride and hence is
probably why we don't use it very much. It is ONE of many technique he
uses to teach - for those of with a preference for carving, we work
more on edge pressure.

=== Quoted from someone ====================
OK, I'll give it a shot: There are 4 things you can do to a snowboard:
Pivot it, pressure it, edge it and, yes, twist it. Since many of the
alpine focused decks are pretty stiff torsionally, the twisting concept
is pretty minimal. However, if you ride fairly flat angles and a
relatively soft board like a 4X4/AWD/Axis, then you can actually twist
the board to initiate a turn. Think about pressing down with your front
set of toes first to start a toeside turn, then following up with by
pressing the back toes down to finish and you have the concept. This is
best accomplished on a long mellow run as you will have to wait a while
(read- time it with a calendar) to allow your average alpine board to
gradually edge into a turn.

This is a much more applicable discussion in the freestyle, boards that
are as flexible as a french fry. Nevertheless, it is a valid topic. I
say this because I teach the "twisty" method of turn initiation to the
french fry crowd. BTW, I do it on my Axis.
=========================================

2. Not really. At least I don't visualize that way. I visualize it more
like David does - although I actually pressure the front edge of the
board first (not both feet). Anyways, so David know the technique you
describe it actually different from Bob F's description. He really
means twist. Bob's mentioned that he hasn't had much instructor
training outside of the PSIA and each instructor group has it's own
"school of teaching" in which they believe to be superior to all other
"schools of thought." I'm sure Bob would have a fit with the SBSS
school of teaching that advocates a rotational style
(http://www.extremecarving.com/tech/tech.html). I'm not even sure if I
would teach that to my students either.

For a note to the some of members of the forum. We value your input
greatly, but you don't need to continually try to convince us of your
street cred and consequently your worth as a contributor. You don't
need to tell me how many boards you've sold to happy customers, or how
many of your students have suddenly "got it" with your help. To me
that's reminds me of one of the Real Men of Genius commercials by Bud
Light. Listen here (http://tinyurl.com/j5axj). Let your thoughts stand
on their own merits.


Nice addition to the discussion. You are right about the "extreemcarving"
turning style. It is very different from what I have been taught. The body
rotation seen in their videos is almost eliminated the way I have learned
recently. It is, as I remember, what I was taught a couple decades ago,
and the way I was trying to ride before I talked my way into the
snowboard instructor clinics a few years ago instead of the ski clinics
I had done earlier. Once I learned the newer technique, I found my
confidence increased rapidly, as I could turn when I wanted much
more reliably. That is why I bring it up when someone expresses
questions with their turning technique. Enough said.

Bob