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At last some proper turns! Let’s try traversing!
Now that we know how to slow down to a stop on the slopes, it’s time we did some turns. First, let’s practice traversing.
Put your left foot out in front as shown in the photo. The regular position has the snowboarder facing the slope, starting from the left-hand side (the red line shows the back side). There are two main points to remember when traversing. The first is to maintain one’s eyeline as taught previously! The other important point to remember is to accelerate from your front foot.
When snowboarding the front foot is used to accelerate. Close the distance between the toes of your front foot and the snow surface like an accelerator, as shown in the photo, to start gradually inclining down the slope.
When doing so it is important to remember to accelerate with your front foot only. Don’t even think about your back foot.
Once you’ve mastered the back side it’s time to take on the turn back!
Next, let’s trying moving to the front side shown in blue. Use the edge of your toes to cut across the slope. A little tip for switching from the back side to the front side is to change direction as if you were to sit on the slope. Placing the slope at your back makes this a bit daunting at first, but it’s important to remember accelerating with your front foot from the same position when snowboarding sideways with your toes pointing out in front.
However this accelerator works a little different to a car accelerator, and is used by placing the heel of your front foot closer to the slope surface. Try imagining that there is a mandarin underneath the heel of your front foot. Try squeezing it with your heel to make some juice! Pressing down on the mandarin will slowly start the board rolling down the slope. Conversely, release the pressure on the mandarin to slow the board to a stop.
Now you are just a short step away from producing perfect turns!
Once you can slide sideways down the slope, it’s time to try accelerating a bit more. When speeding up the board will naturally start pointing down the slope.
Let’s try heading down as though we were decorating a Christmas tree like in the photo! (The red line shows the previously introduced traversal path, and the black line shows what we are about to practice) Of course, don’t forget the two key words - accelerate and mandarin!
Try turning without taking your foot off the accelerator!
Now it’s time to practice our turns! Do you notice anything different to what we previously practiced? Up to now we have practiced pressing down on the mandarin and releasing, but now its time to practice keeping that mandarin pressed down.
This will make it easy to turn the board around. However, never forget: accelerating and the mandarin only relate to the front foot! Keep that back foot out of your mind.
Keep practicing to master perfect turns!
So that about wraps it up for the [The WAmazing Snow approach to improving your snowboarding technique] series on mastering consecutive turns in 90 minutes!
Memorizing each point in body and mind will have you showing off an exquisite series of turns in no time! Even if you don’t get it at first, this technique is sure to come in time with practice. Make this winter the year when you make your outstanding snowboarding debut!
Pricing information and schedule may not be up to date and are subject to change without notice. Please check before your trip.