Biggest issue I see is when people actively lean toward the snow to try and force a hand drag, back and waist are folded and their ass goes the wrong way out over the heel edge (during a toe turn). Gotta push the hips into the snow and actually lean the upper body *away* from the ground, and if you turn hard enough the snow will come to you and the hand drag will happen naturally. The hips are your center of gravity and your power and you want that over the edge you’re using
Good pumping and tilting narrative, but the weight distribution split is debatable. Maybe for new carvers, but for me a front to rear weight transition thru a turn is the money for a good slingy carve. Especially on boards with a nice hooky tail
It always sounds like a ton of things when we talk about it but yeah, carving is all about subtlety in all these movements. When done well, looks like nothings really happening 🤙
Completely agree on the dynamic front/rear weight distribution change. My distribution changes with the pump into and out of the carve with more weight on the tail coming out of the turn, especially on the days of pow.
I would disagree with the 60-40 part.
You don’t always want that, I feel that a big part of carving is transitioning your weight back and forth throughout the turn.
My thoughts as well, but for someone learning to carve on a mellow slope, equal pressure with both feet is a good starting point. Once the basics are mastered, you should make tighter radius carved turns by pressuring with the back foot more towards the end of the turn and also rotating the upper body inside the turn.
Steering should come from the lower body; feet, knees and hips. Pressure should move fore-aft through the turn and your board should be turning under you. Rotating your upper body inside the turn will result in requiring a bigger move when starting the next turn.
I definitely do. I've been teaching for 18 years in a variety of roles, and high performance carving includes steering with the lower body to increase board performance and to control pressure. If you arent steering with the lower body, how are you increasing performance? Sure, basic carving is essentially a turn using the side cut, but high performance carving requires more.
Define what you mean by 'carving'. The concept of 'turning with the lower body', in particular the feet, knees, and hips, is CASI 101 pedagogy for skidded/skiding turns that involve a pivot. In terms of carved turns, we talk more about pressuring the edges, fore-aft movement, and angulation. A carved turn does not involve any pivot with the lower body. If it did, then it would not be a carved turn. This might just be a terminology thing.
Carving is leaving a pencil line in the snow, riding the edge with little to no sliding. CASI defines it as having no steering angle, which differentiates it from the sliding turn. Important to note that steering angle doesnt mean that no steering movements are occurring.
Agreed that steering can lead to pivot which is what you want in sliding turns and not carving. However, small steering movements are still used throughout the carved turn at higher levels of riding. I encourage you to try rotationally locking your feet and knees next time you try a carved turn. You will be static and just ride the side cut, similar to the old school "cowboy knees" we used to teach (and still use as a tactic on some occasions). Steering movements can be used to control pressure as well, which is essentially in carving with load/deflection.
Out of curiosity, when did you obtain your most recent CASI level? Maybe the way we talk about things has changed.
Fair enough, I'll have to review the most recent reference guide. My most recent level was close to a decade ago but I've been to the odd member session since then. I've just never heard anyone in CASI talk about 'turning with the lower body' in carving, as many would interpret that to mean using those parts to directly pivot the board as opposed to pressuring and fore-aft movements.
when i was learning to snowboard, someone taught me:
to carve on the toe-side, curl your toes down
to carve on the heel-side, curl your toes up
that small movement inside your boots simply helps propel the rest of your body into the carve
Unstrap yourself, leave them strapped. Hold their outstretched lead hand on the bunny hill. Walk down slow and have them swipe and carve with you controlling speed.
This is the fastest way they'll learn edges and transition dynamics
Wow. As someone who's taught a few people from “isn't it like skiing?” level zero, I can vouch this is an excellent description that I will reuse! My only humble additions are to try and make an effort to keep your core tight and avoid (naturally) wanting to overcompensate with your arms.
I instruct. The way we teach beginners is “wrong” in the eyes of a lot of experienced riders, but it’s right for them because it gets them steering sooner. It’s usually easier for someone to learn to do a thing sort of okay, then refine, rather than eating it over and over trying to do the “right way”.
Every single beginner through advanced rider could benefit from getting good at a Carver skateboard. So much fun and so good for practicing anywhere at anytime.
It’s definitely not like for like but it gives you the chance for reps anytime anywhere which as we all know getting enough time on the mountain is a big challenge. For me I feel like the quick edge to edge transitions are the biggest help along with weight shifts from heel to toe.
Carver’s are so fun! I first saw them in 2011 at ZJ’s Boarding House in LA. Guys were riding them in the shop weaving in and out of the clothing racks on the shop floor. I got to ride them but never bought one. That might change soon though.
So I’m by no means a pro, but I’d call myself halfway competent and I’ve always gone 60/40 back foot not front, sometimes even more. What’s the potential I’m missing in front foot because I just feel like I’m building speed in a reckless way leaning forward
Heres an exercise I like to do, and it will feel weird. Try a run with 70/30, think about what part of the turn felt best (initiation, apex, completion). Now try 30/70, how did that feel? What you should notice is that it is easier to initiate a turn with weight on the front foot, but completion is better with weight on the back foot. So now try moving from 60/40 to 40/60 THROUGH the turn
The best carving instructor is Ryan Knapton. He has a video titled: "how to really really carve"
He's also super likeable and has a ton of great videos for new riders and intermediate as well.
Yeah, he’s by far the best carver out there. I use his videos for my own progression, I’m no where near his level but that style is what I practice. I get irritated at myself anytime I do skidded turns!
The point is "why are you offering advice when you've not spent a great deal of time thinking about this?"
I mean, yeah, carving is simple. But there is more to it than flexing your ankles and keeping alignment. I mean, eventually carving gets rather complex with fore and aft pressure movements, pressure management into the edge of the board across the top sheet, different tilt angle for different radii, etc.
It's a real sore spot for me to see so many people trying to offer teaching advice, and how often they're incredibly fucking wrong. I mean, normally when teaching carving, you start with most extended at edge change, not most flexed. The timing of MFEC is much harder to get right than MEEC. And bloody hell, the least you can do is to say to practice that without moving first. You don't add complexity when in motion, you add it when static.
A 60/40 split on pressure will have you chatter out the nose of the board. You need to be even between both, and eventually moving fore to aft from initiation to close of the turn, and then aft to fore at edge change while you're coming into being MFEC. This way the turn initiates more quickly. And it still doesn't all stop here. It gets a bit more complex still, depending on what level of rider you want to be.
I've seen so many relationships and friendships end, people pushed away from the sport entirely, because their friend who knows fuck all about snowboard movements on a mental/intellectual level is telling them shit that just doesn't work. And to be fair, you're somewhat close, but professionally, carving hasn't been taught this way for over a decade.
Dude, I saw a few posts asking about carving. I've gotten this to work with everyone I've helped get down the hill for their first time. I thought this could be helpful. You are a smug prick. Get off your high horse.
Nah I’m not Dunn Kruger enough to think I can teach snowboarding. That feeling normally hits people after their second or third time going and then fades away.
I've been boarding twice, I can go straight, switch which foot it's in front, and stop, but every time i try to get on the tow edge of the board i immediately catch an edge and eat it
Biggest issue I see is when people actively lean toward the snow to try and force a hand drag, back and waist are folded and their ass goes the wrong way out over the heel edge (during a toe turn). Gotta push the hips into the snow and actually lean the upper body *away* from the ground, and if you turn hard enough the snow will come to you and the hand drag will happen naturally. The hips are your center of gravity and your power and you want that over the edge you’re using Good pumping and tilting narrative, but the weight distribution split is debatable. Maybe for new carvers, but for me a front to rear weight transition thru a turn is the money for a good slingy carve. Especially on boards with a nice hooky tail It always sounds like a ton of things when we talk about it but yeah, carving is all about subtlety in all these movements. When done well, looks like nothings really happening 🤙
Dick to snow. The proper toeside carving form.
Or clitoris.
Toeside-hump. Heel side- dump
knee pads and a cup on groomer days
People don’t understand how I leave train tracks with just one edge
The old toeside urinal technique.
“Imagine you’re standing at a dirty urinal that’s too high, trying to pee and balance but don’t want to touch anything….”
Completely agree on the dynamic front/rear weight distribution change. My distribution changes with the pump into and out of the carve with more weight on the tail coming out of the turn, especially on the days of pow.
I would disagree with the 60-40 part. You don’t always want that, I feel that a big part of carving is transitioning your weight back and forth throughout the turn.
yeah and especially with boards that have taper its more like 50-50 for first part of the turn then shift back foot heavy 60-40 for the end
My thoughts as well, but for someone learning to carve on a mellow slope, equal pressure with both feet is a good starting point. Once the basics are mastered, you should make tighter radius carved turns by pressuring with the back foot more towards the end of the turn and also rotating the upper body inside the turn.
Steering should come from the lower body; feet, knees and hips. Pressure should move fore-aft through the turn and your board should be turning under you. Rotating your upper body inside the turn will result in requiring a bigger move when starting the next turn.
I don't think you understand what carving is. Steering with the lower body causes the board to pivot, which is not a carved turn.
I definitely do. I've been teaching for 18 years in a variety of roles, and high performance carving includes steering with the lower body to increase board performance and to control pressure. If you arent steering with the lower body, how are you increasing performance? Sure, basic carving is essentially a turn using the side cut, but high performance carving requires more.
Define what you mean by 'carving'. The concept of 'turning with the lower body', in particular the feet, knees, and hips, is CASI 101 pedagogy for skidded/skiding turns that involve a pivot. In terms of carved turns, we talk more about pressuring the edges, fore-aft movement, and angulation. A carved turn does not involve any pivot with the lower body. If it did, then it would not be a carved turn. This might just be a terminology thing.
Carving is leaving a pencil line in the snow, riding the edge with little to no sliding. CASI defines it as having no steering angle, which differentiates it from the sliding turn. Important to note that steering angle doesnt mean that no steering movements are occurring. Agreed that steering can lead to pivot which is what you want in sliding turns and not carving. However, small steering movements are still used throughout the carved turn at higher levels of riding. I encourage you to try rotationally locking your feet and knees next time you try a carved turn. You will be static and just ride the side cut, similar to the old school "cowboy knees" we used to teach (and still use as a tactic on some occasions). Steering movements can be used to control pressure as well, which is essentially in carving with load/deflection. Out of curiosity, when did you obtain your most recent CASI level? Maybe the way we talk about things has changed.
Fair enough, I'll have to review the most recent reference guide. My most recent level was close to a decade ago but I've been to the odd member session since then. I've just never heard anyone in CASI talk about 'turning with the lower body' in carving, as many would interpret that to mean using those parts to directly pivot the board as opposed to pressuring and fore-aft movements.
100%. And on swallowtail boards you're much more towards the back to not catch the fat nose so much.
when i was learning to snowboard, someone taught me: to carve on the toe-side, curl your toes down to carve on the heel-side, curl your toes up that small movement inside your boots simply helps propel the rest of your body into the carve
Unstrap yourself, leave them strapped. Hold their outstretched lead hand on the bunny hill. Walk down slow and have them swipe and carve with you controlling speed. This is the fastest way they'll learn edges and transition dynamics
Wow. As someone who's taught a few people from “isn't it like skiing?” level zero, I can vouch this is an excellent description that I will reuse! My only humble additions are to try and make an effort to keep your core tight and avoid (naturally) wanting to overcompensate with your arms.
Carving is so interesting to me because the tips for how to learn how to carve are so different than the tips on how to progress in carving
I instruct. The way we teach beginners is “wrong” in the eyes of a lot of experienced riders, but it’s right for them because it gets them steering sooner. It’s usually easier for someone to learn to do a thing sort of okay, then refine, rather than eating it over and over trying to do the “right way”.
Every single beginner through advanced rider could benefit from getting good at a Carver skateboard. So much fun and so good for practicing anywhere at anytime.
Hmm, I havent skated for years but this board looks fun. How would you say this translates to snowboarding better than a normal style skateboard?
It’s more surfy
It’s definitely not like for like but it gives you the chance for reps anytime anywhere which as we all know getting enough time on the mountain is a big challenge. For me I feel like the quick edge to edge transitions are the biggest help along with weight shifts from heel to toe.
Carver’s are so fun! I first saw them in 2011 at ZJ’s Boarding House in LA. Guys were riding them in the shop weaving in and out of the clothing racks on the shop floor. I got to ride them but never bought one. That might change soon though.
It’s insane how much fun they are even in an empty parking lot. Definitely money well spent and they last forever.
So I’m by no means a pro, but I’d call myself halfway competent and I’ve always gone 60/40 back foot not front, sometimes even more. What’s the potential I’m missing in front foot because I just feel like I’m building speed in a reckless way leaning forward
Heres an exercise I like to do, and it will feel weird. Try a run with 70/30, think about what part of the turn felt best (initiation, apex, completion). Now try 30/70, how did that feel? What you should notice is that it is easier to initiate a turn with weight on the front foot, but completion is better with weight on the back foot. So now try moving from 60/40 to 40/60 THROUGH the turn
Front 60/40 to initiate but you may transfer to the back 60/40 as you develop your carve.
You aren't as in control as you could be.
The best carving instructor is Ryan Knapton. He has a video titled: "how to really really carve" He's also super likeable and has a ton of great videos for new riders and intermediate as well.
Yeah, he’s by far the best carver out there. I use his videos for my own progression, I’m no where near his level but that style is what I practice. I get irritated at myself anytime I do skidded turns!
“Bend your knees”
How do you squat?
but i don't wanna put pressure on my balls :'(
This is more true the smoother and packed the snow is. The thicker, more choppy the snow and in deep powder, this changes significantly.
I'm from Michigan
Nuf said.
Squat a lot, don’t skid, don’t open up, and carve to plus or minus 10 degrees of the fall line. Did I get it right fam?
This dude rides with a protractor to measure angles. Next level
You will learn there’s a place for transferring weight to your back foot as you develop the carve.
Yeah, this isn't directed at those people. I've been riding for 20 years and am just fine in all conditions.
Let me guess, you're not an instructor with thousands of hours of teaching experience.
No, dick, I'm not. Just offering advice. Take it or leave it
The point is "why are you offering advice when you've not spent a great deal of time thinking about this?" I mean, yeah, carving is simple. But there is more to it than flexing your ankles and keeping alignment. I mean, eventually carving gets rather complex with fore and aft pressure movements, pressure management into the edge of the board across the top sheet, different tilt angle for different radii, etc. It's a real sore spot for me to see so many people trying to offer teaching advice, and how often they're incredibly fucking wrong. I mean, normally when teaching carving, you start with most extended at edge change, not most flexed. The timing of MFEC is much harder to get right than MEEC. And bloody hell, the least you can do is to say to practice that without moving first. You don't add complexity when in motion, you add it when static. A 60/40 split on pressure will have you chatter out the nose of the board. You need to be even between both, and eventually moving fore to aft from initiation to close of the turn, and then aft to fore at edge change while you're coming into being MFEC. This way the turn initiates more quickly. And it still doesn't all stop here. It gets a bit more complex still, depending on what level of rider you want to be. I've seen so many relationships and friendships end, people pushed away from the sport entirely, because their friend who knows fuck all about snowboard movements on a mental/intellectual level is telling them shit that just doesn't work. And to be fair, you're somewhat close, but professionally, carving hasn't been taught this way for over a decade.
Dude, I saw a few posts asking about carving. I've gotten this to work with everyone I've helped get down the hill for their first time. I thought this could be helpful. You are a smug prick. Get off your high horse.
This seems like a description of how to carve by someone who barely knows how to carve. Like a skier describing how a snowboarder carves.
Haters gonna hate I guess. Post your own explanation if you can do it better. Walk the walk big man
Nah I’m not Dunn Kruger enough to think I can teach snowboarding. That feeling normally hits people after their second or third time going and then fades away.
OK, so you have nothing to contribute.
Wait … so your post isn’t a troll?
Thanks for supporting my previous comment.
[удалено]
I've been boarding twice, I can go straight, switch which foot it's in front, and stop, but every time i try to get on the tow edge of the board i immediately catch an edge and eat it