joey1254
Bunny Hill Material
Posts 18
Points 18
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I consider myself a good snowboarder. I can go down blacks and i can do boxes and jumps. But i cant ride switch. I tried once and i couldnt turn toe edge at all and once i picked up any speed at all i got all shaky and just leaned back hurting my ankles. i feel like a beginner again. help
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Don`t feel bad. It is why so many good riders never really get switch down. After all the work and frustration to get to be a decent rider, we just hate that feeling of being new all over again. A couple of things though; are you on a directional board? if so, this will make riding switch a little more difficult. It is very doable, but will take a little more practice.
So, to practice switch, you do in fact need to go back to easy terrain since in essence you are new all over again. On easy terrain, go slow, make wide turns and try to think about your body movements and control your board with your new front foot and remember to keep your weight centered. Trying to ride switch on terrain you can tear up normally will frustrate the hell out of you. Practice switch riding on the terrain you would teach a new rider to ride. You don`t have to spend all day tortureing yourself; just take a few switch runs on easy stuff then go about your day. Do this every time you ride and in no time you will be able to ride switch very well. Also note that not everyone will ever be as good riding switch as they are in the regular stance, so don`t beat yourself up trying to make yourself ride as well switch as regular. Some people have very dominant foot and eye and are very directional.
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Do you have to be very good at your regular stance before you learn switch? I'm okay at goofy (my regular stance) but I find myself switching to regular with no problem. I'm basically still a beginner in a sense. I only get to the mountain about 10 - 15 times a season (2 so far).
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No actually. It is much better to start doing a little switch riding as early as possible in your riding progression. That way it is something you learn as you learn to ride in your preferred stance. Still concentrate more on riding normally as learning switch is easier once you know how to initiate and complete turns properly, but don`t wait till you are a very accomplished rider to then go try to learn switch, Most people hate that feeling like a newbie all over again and want to ride fast down challenging terrain and never spend the time on easy stuff practicing their switch riding.
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Polonsky
Bunny Hill Material
Posts 1
Points 1
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Hey, I got the exact same question!! I am learning right now, gone riding 3 times, feeling very good, but wonder if I should learn to switch right away, since I fall whenever I go fast after switching. The thing is, I am using duck stance and it seems really hard to go straight with the other foot because the negative angle is so small. Do you think I should make it wider or will that make regular turning much harder? Thanks!
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Yes, turning out your new lead foot will help a little, but more important is your stance on the board and thinking of the movements you make on the board with your feet and when regularly and then applying that switch. Snowolf is exactly right about taking it easier terrain. I've noticed to many people try after getting basic switch turns down to take it to harder terrain to fast. Instead stay on the easir terrain and practice stuff like carving, hopping 180s, nose and tail manuals, etc. These will help create more movement option for you when you take it to harder terrain.
P.S. I used to ride a my bindings 25 front and 15 back and could ride switch anywhere. Currently I ride a ducked stance 18 front -15 back. This more due to the amount of time I need to ride switch for students' visuals.
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