Scrubbing speed...

Okay, so I've done about 15 rips in the past two years. I can stop. I can
link turns. I don't go very steep, but I can handle a lot of stuff. One
thing I can't seem to do well is traverse he slopes via those narrow
one-lane roads that lead from one ski area to another. I landed on by
tailbone so hard on a patch of ice last year, I'm looking for a pair of
ass-pants to protect my tailbone. I blocked traffic for five minutes while
I made sure I wasn't bleeding internally.

What is the technique for constantly scrubbing speed while I'm descending?
I've got the speed part down pretty good, but how do I go slow on my board
while maintaining control? Is there a specific technique, or am I just out
of shape? Constant toe-and-heel movement just wears me out.

JR

What is the technique for constantly scrubbing speed while I'm
descending?
I've got the speed part down pretty good, but how do I go slow on my
board
while maintaining control? Is there a specific technique, or am I
just out
of shape? Constant toe-and-heel movement just wears me out.

If you want to scrub speed on hard snow and ice, *without constantly
changing edges*, the best way is to sideslip a bit. Practice swinging
the board around, so that you are skidding on the uphill edge, and then
going back to riding straight, back and forth. You don't need to go
from skidding to riding straight as often as you would need to change
edges to slow down by making turns.

In general, sideslipping is your emergency way out... being able to do
it in tight spaces is a valuable skill and doesn't take too much
practice.

I prefer to make very small carved turns to check my speed when
possible... as you point out this requires lots of quick edge changes.
On really hard snow it might not slow one down as much as desired,
either... at that point I resort to throwing in the sideslip.

Mike T

What is the technique for constantly scrubbing speed while I'm descending?
I've got the speed part down pretty good, but how do I go slow on my board
while maintaining control? Is there a specific technique, or am I just out
of shape? Constant toe-and-heel movement just wears me out.

One trick is to learn how to keep the board at an angle to the
direction your moving. So, for example, if you're on a mild slope, and
you want to slow down a bit, gently shift onto your edge and turn your
board a bit. With a little practice and gentle edging, you'll realize
that you can still keep going in the same straight line you were a
moment ago, but with your board at an angle to the direction you're
moving. Just keep the board angled until you slow down enough, then
move your weight back to center and let the board go flat. An easy way
to start trying this is to just think about pushing your back foot out
to the side a little. After you get used to the feeling, you'll learn
you can do it just by shifting weight gently, without pushing your
back foot around. It works great on mild slopes or narrow trails where
you'd have to make lots of turns. It also teaches you that you can
control the radius of your turn independant from the angle of your
board during the turn, which has really helped me to make short smooth
skidded turns on steeper slopes without jerking my body around to get
the board to rotate.

On Sun, 4 Jan 2004 21:14:10 -0500, "John Richardson"
wrote:

Okay, so I've done about 15 rips in the past two years. I can stop. I can
link turns. I don't go very steep, but I can handle a lot of stuff. One
thing I can't seem to do well is traverse he slopes via those narrow
one-lane roads that lead from one ski area to another. I landed on by
tailbone so hard on a patch of ice last year, I'm looking for a pair of
ass-pants to protect my tailbone. I blocked traffic for five minutes while
I made sure I wasn't bleeding internally.

What is the technique for constantly scrubbing speed while I'm descending?
I've got the speed part down pretty good, but how do I go slow on my board
while maintaining control? Is there a specific technique, or am I just out
of shape? Constant toe-and-heel movement just wears me out.

JR

I have similar "issues" with traverses too. Probably dopwn to breaking
my arm on one 3 years ago I just never feel safe going on hard packed
snow, esp the narrow traverses with lots of more talented folk zipping
past you

I go for the sideslipping method that the other mike mentioned but it
just doesnt feel right and I seem to kill off far too much speed.

Give me a wall of powder any day!

One trick is to learn how to keep the board at an angle to the
direction your moving.

Jason, you did a better job of describing what I was trying to say -
thanks!

"John Richardson" wrote

thing I can't seem to do well is traverse he slopes via those narrow
one-lane roads that lead from one ski area to another.

What is the technique for constantly scrubbing speed while I'm descending?
I've got the speed part down pretty good, but how do I go slow on my board
while maintaining control? Is there a specific technique, or am I just out
of shape? Constant toe-and-heel movement just wears me out.

Umm... Something is not right here. Really small carves on green
slopes are actually easier to sustain than riding one edge for a while.
By really small carves (I'm not even sure it qualifies as a carve) I mean
when not only your head, but also your butt is moving along the straight
or almost straight line down. Your legs just let the board do its thing
down there. If the "road" is too steep for lazy board zig-zagging, you
just start putting some pressure on each little carve to slow down.

Essentially what I'm trying to say is that the fact that you get tired
and you're afraid to fall most likely means that you don't have that
fluid wavy move figured out yet. I was like that until on my third or
forth day on a snowboard I got really drunk at the Hight Camp bar in
Squaw, went out to ride back down and it just happened naturally 8-)

"Mike T" wrote

I prefer to make very small carved turns to check my speed when
possible... as you point out this requires lots of quick edge changes.
On really hard snow it might not slow one down as much as desired,
either... at that point I resort to throwing in the sideslip.

Yup, and the problem with sideslip is that if there are some bumps
to go along with the narrow path they tend to throw you out of
balance (or off the narrow path) while when carving you don't
care much for them bumps.

"Dmitry" wrote in message
news:wNnKb.137355$VB2.488730@attbi_s51...

"John Richardson" wrote

thing I can't seem to do well is traverse he slopes via those narrow
one-lane roads that lead from one ski area to another.

What is the technique for constantly scrubbing speed while I'm
descending?
I've got the speed part down pretty good, but how do I go slow on my
board
while maintaining control? Is there a specific technique, or am I just
out
of shape? Constant toe-and-heel movement just wears me out.

Umm... Something is not right here. Really small carves on green
slopes are actually easier to sustain than riding one edge for a while.
By really small carves (I'm not even sure it qualifies as a carve) I mean
when not only your head, but also your butt is moving along the straight
or almost straight line down. Your legs just let the board do its thing
down there. If the "road" is too steep for lazy board zig-zagging, you
just start putting some pressure on each little carve to slow down.

Essentially what I'm trying to say is that the fact that you get tired
and you're afraid to fall most likely means that you don't have that
fluid wavy move figured out yet. I was like that until on my third or
forth day on a snowboard I got really drunk at the Hight Camp bar in
Squaw, went out to ride back down and it just happened naturally 8-)


Afraid to fall? Not with my new helmet and ass-pants! Afraid of dying of a
ruptured spleen or a cracked skull? Damn right. It can't be fear of
embarrassing myself. Shoot, with my new helmet, I'm unrecognizable while
I'm laying flat on my back in the middle of the trail.

It's all good advice, and it sounds like something I need to work on before
I go back to Snowshoe at the end of the month. I can do the small carves,
but the sustaining it for long periods wears me out. It's control at slow
speeds. I'm probably trying too hard.

It's similar to what I'm experiencing with my girlfriend. I took her for
her first lesson a couple of weeks ago. She got the hauling-ass part down
quick. When we went for the second time last Friday night I told her
"Honey, you need to practice learning how to stop."

Surprisingly, she took my advice.

John

"John Richardson" wrote

of shape? Constant toe-and-heel movement just wears me out.

Umm... Something is not right here. Really small carves on green
slopes are actually easier to sustain than riding one edge for a while.

Afraid to fall? Not with my new helmet and ass-pants! Afraid of dying of a
ruptured spleen or a cracked skull? Damn right. It can't be fear of
embarrassing myself.

Having a helmet, ass-pants or wrist guards does not make us invincible :/

But here I meant that you're probably not so sure of your balance. I see
a lot of beginners getting beat up badly on these not very steep but
narrow passes - catching edges mostly. Just work on your technique on
a more friendly (wide) slope.

It's all good advice, and it sounds like something I need to work on before
I go back to Snowshoe at the end of the month. I can do the small carves,
but the sustaining it for long periods wears me out. It's control at slow
speeds. I'm probably trying too hard.

Are you sure you're carving and not just skidding with alternate edges?
That is indeed tiresome, esp if the surface is uneven.

"Dmitry" wrote in message
news:J7rKb.139214$VB2.525005@attbi_s51...

"John Richardson" wrote



But here I meant that you're probably not so sure of your balance. I see
a lot of beginners getting beat up badly on these not very steep but
narrow passes - catching edges mostly. Just work on your technique on
a more friendly (wide) slope.

It's all good advice, and it sounds like something I need to work on
before
I go back to Snowshoe at the end of the month. I can do the small
carves,
but the sustaining it for long periods wears me out. It's control at
slow
speeds. I'm probably trying too hard.

Are you sure you're carving and not just skidding with alternate edges?
That is indeed tiresome, esp if the surface is uneven.

While I did have one bad fall, that isn't really the problem. I have a
problem making my way down those narrow traverses without being a danger to
myself or others. I'm looking for a better way to control my speed and
position than what I'm currently doing. I'm taking up way too much of the
slope and find myself going too fast or too slow.

Helmet, ass-pants, wrist guards and I'm still going to wake up with a
hangover at least once on each trip.

JR