Milton Keynes - what's the poma like?

Hi,

I'm going to MK Xscape and was wondering, what's the best technique for using
the poma lift?

I've not used one before and don't want to look like complete knob!

Thanks,

Theo

"Theodore Luigi Stungo" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I'm going to MK Xscape and was wondering, what's the best technique for
using
the poma lift?

Don't, if you can avoid it.

I've not used one before and don't want to look like complete knob!

But because you can't avoid it:

- unstrap your back foot and get nicely lined up for take off. Get your back
foot just in front of your back binding, and wedge it firmly against the
binding.
- don't worry too much about missing a poma or two if you're just beginning.
Be ready for it, and don't grab the first one that comes along if you don't
feel ready.
- resist the temptation to just hang on to the button or shove it behind
your arm. Seat it properly between your legs. Make sure you get it as high
up as possible, without causing yourself any undue pain!
- get ready for the take-off jerk (if there is one) by holding onto the poma
with your front hand *only* and leaning back. Use your back hand for
balance.
- stay leaned back the whole way up. Resist the temptation to grab onto the
poma with both hands. If you feel you need to, either you're on a mental 45
degree French lift or you haven't seated the button properly.

Hope this helps!

Keith

I agree with the last lost

But I would like to add that while you should hold the bar of the poma
lift with your leading hand - you should have your trailing arm behind
you (right arm if your regular, and left if your goofy) what this is
meant to do is keep you inline with your board. If you grab hold with
both hands you can get turned around sideways and end up; either being
dragged up the hill on your heel edge or falling flat on your face.
;-/

Also don't try and push against the poma to much as you'll end up on
your arse – the trick is; to place your weight on your back foot to
counteract the initial jolt of the poma when it first starts to pull
you, then equal out your weight and allow the lift to drag you up the
hill.

Thanks very much for the advice, chaps.
I've just got back. I found it difficult getting on to the poma on my first 3
ascents, but after that it was fine.

My technique is crap though. This was my fourth day of boarding (I did 3 days
in Meribel last year.) Something in my technique is still nowhere near there
yet, as I am not comfortable or controlled at all on the toe edge. It's almost
like the board's either too flat and straight, or comes right round and catches
a big edge; I can't seem to just get a nice, smooth ride on the toe edge yet.

Do you actually flex your toes or just use body weight?

Any tips?

Thanks,

T

EMOVE (Tom) wrote in
:

Thanks very much for the advice, chaps.
I've just got back. I found it difficult getting on to the poma on my
first 3 ascents, but after that it was fine.

My technique is crap though. This was my fourth day of boarding (I did
3 days in Meribel last year.) Something in my technique is still
nowhere near there yet, as I am not comfortable or controlled at all
on the toe edge. It's almost like the board's either too flat and
straight, or comes right round and catches a big edge; I can't seem to
just get a nice, smooth ride on the toe edge yet.

Do you actually flex your toes or just use body weight?

Any tips?

Thanks,

T


Hi

I replied to your poma message but my posts from work have a nasty habit
of never appearing, or at least taking a week.

I think you'll probably 'just get it' after another couple of days. In
my (short) experience the problems you describe are just what happens
when you are inexperienced and nervous about falling. The usual advice
is 'get a lesson'. I suppose that's really good advice, but I must admit
I've never had one. I did find the 'How to Snowboard' video really
helpful though and there are other good videos out there.

I don't think you are supposed to flex your toes - it's all about
shifting bodyweight, bent knees, relaxing, etc.

Cheers for now
Tim

EMOVE (Theodore Luigi Stungo) wrote in message ...
Hi,

I'm going to MK Xscape and was wondering, what's the best technique for using
the poma lift?

I've not used one before and don't want to look like complete knob!

Thanks,

Theo

Hey Theo... Pomas gave me a decent amount of trouble my first year of
snowboarding (more so than 15 ft table tops). Anyways the main things
that I was doing wrong we

1. Squaring you shoulders to the hill, because you have a tendency to
square you hips the hill as well, and that will swing your snowboard
perpedicular to the hill (bad). Someone else said hold on with both
hands... you can hold on with both hands... it's just that it tends to
square your shoulders (in my opinion)

2. Grabbing too high on the pole. What happened to me was that I would
be sent airborne on the initial "jerk" of the lift. Combined with
problem #1, I would land with my board horizontal to the hill and
catch my edge (bad).

Leaning back to brace yourself also helps. As does bracing your
unstrapped foot against the inside wall of your back binding (already
mentioned).

--Arvin

EMOVE (Tom) wrote in message ...
Thanks very much for the advice, chaps.
I've just got back. I found it difficult getting on to the poma on my first 3
ascents, but after that it was fine.

My technique is crap though. This was my fourth day of boarding (I did 3 days
in Meribel last year.) Something in my technique is still nowhere near there
yet, as I am not comfortable or controlled at all on the toe edge. It's almost
like the board's either too flat and straight, or comes right round and catches
a big edge; I can't seem to just get a nice, smooth ride on the toe edge yet.

Do you actually flex your toes or just use body weight?

Any tips?

Thanks,

T

Lots of beginners lean their upper body forward but keep their hips
back, bending at the hips way too much. This keeps the board's edge
angle low and they wash out on toeside turns. I do use my toes some,
but it's mostly in the knees. Flex your knees, and try to keep your
hips farther forward. This puts the board higher up on edge and makes
it less likely to skid through the turn.

The next time you go up, play around for an hour to see whether you
can get it worked out. If you still have trouble, find an instructor
to work with you for the next hour. It's usually worth the money.

-Jules

--
Jules Agee
http://learning.snowboarding2.com

Thanks again for the replies to me thread (sent under a different name),
people.
I'm looking forward to trying out a few of the tips I've learned on here.

I think my stance / angles might be causing me grief though. My front foot
angles forward a bit but my back foot is at a dead right-angle. Flexing my
knees when I got home, I saw how sort of un-coordinated they were like that,
so I've moved the rear binding to a bit of a forward angle too. I am going to
re-post on this subject as for a beginner it's really hard to tell which angles
are best!

T

I'm going to MK Xscape and was wondering, what's the best technique for
using
the poma lift?



My top beginner poma tip: DON'T try to react to whatever's in front of you
(ok, unless it's a runaway skier or a 50ft statue of a bunny or something)
just look where you want to be, relax and trust the lift to get you there.
Same if you feel like you're going way out of the tracks - don't try to
correct yourself, just let the lift pull you back.

You want your weight evenly balanced (ie not on either edge) and on the
front foot, shoulders parallel to the board. May be easier to just hold with
your front hand. Then just turn your head to look where you're going and
keep looking as far ahead as you can.

Liz

Then just turn your head to look where you're going and
keep looking as far ahead as you can.

Liz


Hey, Liz, for the advice. I was an amusing site for any onlookers on my first 3
tries, struggling to get on, but I didn't actually fall off at all and after
that it was fine. The memory of it is quite amusing!

I'm sure the pomas won't be as gentle in Meribel as they were at Xscape, but at
least it gave me experience!

Tom
High Wycombe
UK