Down-unweighting??

I've been hearing about down-unweighting for performing some advanced turns, but I don't really understand the concept. I find the definition as "sinking down by compressing your leggs to unweight ski/snowboard prior to turning", but wouldn't sinking down be more weighting and applying more pressure? if someone could enlighten me or point to me some resources that I can read/learn on this, I'd appreciate it alot.

I've been hearing about down-unweighting for performing some advanced
turns, but I don't really understand the concept. I find the
definition as "sinking down by compressing your leggs to unweight
ski/snowboard prior to turning", but wouldn't sinking down be more
weighting and applying more pressure? if someone could enlighten me or
point to me some resources that I can read/learn on this, I'd appreciate
it alot.

Perhaps not the same thing, but read this article:

http://www.bomberonline.com//articles/cross_over.cfm

In particular, look at the section on "cross under". I may have my
terminology mixed up, but I thought skiers referred to it as
"up-unweighting" and that "down-unweighting" was something differenet, again
I could be totally wrong here. In any case, the "cross under" technique is
where you keep your upper body pointed more or less in the same direction
(head downhill, hips and shoulders would generally be aligned with bindings
although some hardbooters point towards nose of board instead) and then
compress your legs to *unweight the board* between turns. At the apex of
the turn you would be extending your legs... the board essentially moves
back and forth under your body. Try it on a nice gentle slope, you'll find
that you can make very frequent turns this way, and once you get the hang of
it, it's a lot of fun. For added effect, try keeping your hands on your
hips to completely remove the upper body from the equation - this is a very
effective drill for making your lower body do all the work.

If you belioev that down-unweighting means something different, please
describe in more detail, as I would like to correct my understanding.

Thanks!

Mike T



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Yeah, MikeT's got it....
Riding steep advanced slopes, you can't unweight coming out of your
turns, because by the time gravity brings you back on the board, you
have travelled too far down the hill and have picked up too much speed
to scrub off on the next few turns.
So instead, you keep your upper body static, and the legs extend and
compress depending on what you are doing.....

"sjoo822" wrote in message
...

I've been hearing about down-unweighting for performing
some advanced
turns, but I don't really understand the concept. I find
the
definition as "sinking down by compressing your leggs to
unweight
ski/snowboard prior to turning", but wouldn't sinking down
be more
weighting and applying more pressure? if someone could
enlighten me or
point to me some resources that I can read/learn on this,
I'd appreciate
it alot.

I'm not sure if it's the same as for skiing, but for skis,
it's essentially the timing of the motion. You are slowly
extending your legs as the turn progresses, then suddenly
retract them as you initiate the turn. If you were to
exaggerate the speed of the down unweighting, you can lift
the ski (board) off the snow with no jump at all. You can do
this at home. Stand straight legged. suddenly pull your feet
towards you. Before your body drops, your feet will leave
the ground. This is as opposed to up-unweighting, where you
rise up more suddenly at the end of the turn and initiate
the turn as you reach the top of the motion.

Down unweighting is used by skiers for hockey stops, and is
very effective in the bumps.

Bob

It's more noticeable when you're boarding/skiing the steeps. Steep
as in you fall, you skid all the way down...no stopping no matter what
you hit.
More applicable to skiing because most snowboarders have no desire to
ski the really steep stuff, using short swing turns, fall line upper
body, and focused speed scrubbing.
Somewhat applicable to snowboard racing technique, as you need the
body centered low, and the legs able to extend around the pylons.

LeeD wrote:
More applicable to skiing because most snowboarders have no desire to
ski the really steep stuff, using short swing turns, fall line upper
body, and focused speed scrubbing.

Weighting and unweighting techniques come into play on any slope, not
just steep ones. You're right in that they're especially useful in the
steeps, and in the bumps. And some snowboarders desire to spend all
their time on the really steep stuff. I ride everywhere the skiers do.

Neil

Wow! It's funny, I read this thread the other day and thought to
myself "Looks like I got something to work on this season" then I read
the article and it turns out (no pun intended) that I've been doin this
or some version therof for years now...just didn't realize there was a
term for it. It's actually one of my favorite things to do when bombin
down the hill (I think the cross-under) ...I keep my upper body facing
down the hill but use my toe and heel pressure to initiate and control
the turn. Also a little back knee flex forward upon entry then back
upon exit and the board just zigzags under my motionless upperbody. I
try to see how consistent/fast I can do this (usually about 3turns
/sec).
Hmmh...interesting
J

Jrobb wrote:
Wow! It's funny, I read this thread the other day and thought to
myself "Looks like I got something to work on this season" then I read
the article and it turns out (no pun intended) that I've been doin this
or some version therof for years now...just didn't realize there was a
term for it.

Yes, it's one of the things skilled riders/skiers do without thinking
about it. But if you can carve a turn with either equipment, you are
using up and/or down-unweighting. How else could you be switching edges
without skidding?

Neil

"Neil Gendzwill" wrote in message
Yes, it's one of the things skilled riders/skiers do
without thinking
about it. But if you can carve a turn with either
equipment, you are
using up and/or down-unweighting. How else could you be
switching edges
without skidding?

You could be switching edges when the board is going in a
straight line.

Bob

Bob wrote:
"Neil Gendzwill" wrote in message

Yes, it's one of the things skilled riders/skiers do without thinking
about it. But if you can carve a turn with either equipment, you are
using up and/or down-unweighting. How else could you be switching edges
without skidding?

You could be switching edges when the board is going in a
straight line.

You could but I'm talking about the context of a carved turn. You're
hard on one edge, and you want to switch to the other. Either the board
has to come under you and through, or your body has to move across the
board to change. Somehow you have to get the pressure off the edge to
accomplish this. That's where the weighting techniques come into play.

You can read about this in detail he
http://www.bomberonline.com//articles/cross_over.cfm

Neil