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control with the back leg?



 
 
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  #1  
Old January 10th 07, 03:38 AM posted to rec.skiing.snowboard
JayMoka
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Posts: 3
Default control with the back leg?

Hello group,

I hope your new year is going well everybody...

I'm new to this group, and to snowboarding. I just spent the weekend at
Boyne Mountain in Michigan where I snowboarded for a couple of days.
This is my second time snowboarding; the first was last year (done it
only once as only one time for few hours - but absolutely loved it).

I bought my own snowboard before going this time (picked one off of
ebay, 156cm freeride). I went from the bunny hill to Deere Run (easiest
slope I guess). The slope starts very (very) steep - was kinda scary at
first, but I got used to it, and was able to make it all the way down
without falling (very hard).

My problem is I've been using my back leg to control the board. So, I
put all my weight on my rear leg when going down. By the thirteenth
run, my leg cramped so hard I couldn't even stand any more. So, I
started doing things like sitting on the board's tail while going down
to relief the pressure off my rear leg (kinda fun, but allows no
direction control).

I would really appreciate it if someone can give me some tips on how to
relief pressure off my back leg (I think I'm doing something wrong
here). If you know of any good websites that give some pointers and
tips to beginner snowbarders I would be very grateful if you list them.


Thank you,

Jay

Ads
  #2  
Old January 10th 07, 07:28 AM posted to rec.skiing.snowboard
Jrobb
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Posts: 10
Default control with the back leg?

Hey Jay,

Welcome to the addiction.

I would say your first no-no is the way you were riding. You should
have more weight on the front foot than the back for normal groomed
slope riding. Only in deeper powder do you want to lean back to keep
the nose afloat. I'd say weight bias is 60-40 front-back. TO start
you want to steer by moving the tail around. As you advance you will
find yourself leaning further back while you carve your turns rather
than skid them . Most likely your leaning back started as a natural
reaction to being "scared" of going too fast. Beginners reflex is to
lean back to slow down but that just makes it harder to control the
board at low speeds.

Try leaning more forward next time and I'd be surprised if you don't
find drastic improvement. Give it a few runs to get used to this
different feeling but it should click quickly as you already have a
couple days under your belt.

J

  #3  
Old January 10th 07, 02:02 PM posted to rec.skiing.snowboard
Koos van den Hout
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Posts: 16
Default control with the back leg?

JayMoka wrote in . com:

My problem is I've been using my back leg to control the board. So, I
put all my weight on my rear leg when going down.


Imagine a snowboard instructor with a horrible french accent...

"LEAN FORWARD!!!!"

Seriously, my advice would be "take classes". Either with a group (if your
speed of learning is compatible) or a private class.

It sounds like you are learning some bad habits.. it's better to re-learn
the right habits before you are too 'used' to the bad ones.

Koos

--
Koos van den Hout, PGP keyid DSS/1024 0xF0D7C263 via keyservers
or RSA/1024 0xCA845CB5 -?)
Fax +31-30-2817051 Visit the site about books with reviews /\\
http://idefix.net/~koos/ http://www.virtualbookcase.com/ _\_V
  #4  
Old January 10th 07, 04:52 PM posted to rec.skiing.snowboard
Champ
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Posts: 144
Default control with the back leg?

On 9 Jan 2007 19:38:49 -0800, "JayMoka" wrote:

My problem is I've been using my back leg to control the board. So, I
put all my weight on my rear leg when going down. By the thirteenth
run, my leg cramped so hard I couldn't even stand any more. So, I
started doing things like sitting on the board's tail while going down
to relief the pressure off my rear leg (kinda fun, but allows no
direction control).

I would really appreciate it if someone can give me some tips on how to
relief pressure off my back leg (I think I'm doing something wrong
here). If you know of any good websites that give some pointers and
tips to beginner snowbarders I would be very grateful if you list them.


To echo what others have said - you really are using a very poor
technique there. Hardly surprising as you're self-taught.

Get yourself a lesson or two. It's really the only way.
--
Champ
  #5  
Old January 10th 07, 09:05 PM posted to rec.skiing.snowboard
JayMoka
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default control with the back leg?

Thank you all for your replies. I decided to follow your advice and
ignore my ego.
I'm going this Saturday for my first class. I'm gonna get a private
lesson for a couple of hours at Alpine Valley in Michigan. Wish me
luck..

thx,

Jay


Champ wrote:
On 9 Jan 2007 19:38:49 -0800, "JayMoka" wrote:

My problem is I've been using my back leg to control the board. So, I
put all my weight on my rear leg when going down. By the thirteenth
run, my leg cramped so hard I couldn't even stand any more. So, I
started doing things like sitting on the board's tail while going down
to relief the pressure off my rear leg (kinda fun, but allows no
direction control).

I would really appreciate it if someone can give me some tips on how to
relief pressure off my back leg (I think I'm doing something wrong
here). If you know of any good websites that give some pointers and
tips to beginner snowbarders I would be very grateful if you list them.


To echo what others have said - you really are using a very poor
technique there. Hardly surprising as you're self-taught.

Get yourself a lesson or two. It's really the only way.
--
Champ


  #6  
Old January 10th 07, 09:07 PM posted to rec.skiing.snowboard
z?
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Posts: 14
Default control with the back leg?


I would really appreciate it if someone can give me some tips on how to
relief pressure off my back leg (I think I'm doing something wrong
here). If you know of any good websites that give some pointers and
tips to beginner snowbarders I would be very grateful if you list them.


Also maybe get someone (friend or instructor) to check your stance,
angles and binding positions. Search the web for these and you'll find
some diagrams and info to do with your weight and board length. It
always amazes me how such subtle changes can make such big differences,
so for beginners this is even more relevant as you don't want to be
struggling against technique caused by a set-up issue. Setting up can
be a bind (no pun intended!) but it is satisfying when you start to
understand the physics in relation to your boarding and how different
muscles feel, and make successful tweaks..

  #7  
Old January 11th 07, 09:13 AM posted to rec.skiing.snowboard
Koos van den Hout
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Posts: 16
Default control with the back leg?

JayMoka wrote in .com:
Thank you all for your replies. I decided to follow your advice and
ignore my ego.
I'm going this Saturday for my first class. I'm gonna get a private
lesson for a couple of hours at Alpine Valley in Michigan. Wish me
luck..


Good luck, and hoping you'll enjoy snowboarding a lot more!

Koos

--
Koos van den Hout, PGP keyid DSS/1024 0xF0D7C263 via keyservers
or RSA/1024 0xCA845CB5 -?)
Fax +31-30-2817051 Visit the site about books with reviews /\\
http://idefix.net/~koos/ http://www.virtualbookcase.com/ _\_V
  #8  
Old February 14th 07, 03:22 PM posted to rec.skiing.snowboard
JayMoka
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 3
Default control with the back leg?

Hello everyone. I received a lot of good tips and emails. I wanna say
thank you for that..

I did end up taking a 2 hr private class. The difference was amazing.
We started by doing the "falling leaf", then the "garlands",
then "connecting the turns". Obiously the goal is to be able
constantly connect the turns which I can do very well now on the blue
slopes. I still have a little trouble doing it when I'm going at very
high speeds, so I end slowing it up a little. The "falling leaf" is
my friend on the black diamond slopes (makes me a little boring, I
know, but hey at least I can go all the way without falling), and
most importantly my back leg is not a factor anymore.

This past Sunday, I went airborn for the first time
(unintentionally ). It was
cool, but i don't think I'm ready for it yet (maybe in a couple more
weeks).

Anyway, thank you guys for the tips and the help; I really appreciate
it...


Jay


On Jan 11, 4:13 am, Koos van den Hout koos
wrote:
JayMoka wrote in .com:

Thank you all for your replies. I decided to follow your advice and
ignore my ego.
I'm going this Saturday for my first class. I'm gonna get a private
lesson for a couple of hours at Alpine Valley in Michigan. Wish me
luck..


Good luck, and hoping you'll enjoy snowboarding a lot more!

Koos

--
Koos van den Hout, PGP keyid DSS/1024 0xF0D7C263 via keyservers
or RSA/1024 0xCA845CB5 -?)
Fax +31-30-2817051 Visit the site about books with reviews /\\http://idefix.net/~koos/ http://www.virtualbookcase.com/ _\_V



 




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