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 #1 Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 17/08/2010 @ 23:22 |
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Hey all. This is ma first post, so I'd like to say hello to you all. 
I started boarding a few years ago, but managed to snap a ligament in ma ankle after 2 lessons (didnt snap it boarding!) After 30 months of surgery and physio, i finally got the all clear to board again, and i very luckly have 95% use of ma right ankle again!
So im about 4 lessons in again, on artificial slopes, and now i cant seem to get the hang of turns.
Im struggling to complete a 'C' turn, and sometimes struggle to get into the fall line from the "side slip" I sometimes catch ma edge getting into the fall line when going from my heels into the fall line (im left foot forward) Its always my toe edge at the front of the board that just digs in, rather than curve. I have no problem getting into the fall line from my toes.
When i do get into the fall line, from my toes, i cant then make the C turn. I lean forward, and put the pressure on my heel on my left foot, but when the board starts to turn, i lose my balance! It feels like the board suddenly swerves to the left, not at a sharp angle, but quick enough to knock me off balance.
If anyone can give me a few pointers, or better still, if anyone visits Swad ski slopes who can spot me, i would be most greatful!
Thanks all!  |
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| #2 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 18/08/2010 @ 03:34 |
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Hey welcome
There's some really knowledgeable people on this forum. Unfortunately i'm not one of them  and I am a relative beginner myself, but i'll give you my two cents anyway 
If I was slip sliding on my heel edge i'd weight my front foot and as the board starts to turn to the fall line i'd aid it by bringing my back leg round a bit. Just best not to think too much about it and just feel relaxed and try to be smooth. (not helping much am I  )
As for turning when on the fall line sound like you need to be a bit more flexed and balanced. No need to like dig your edges in hard. Just be gentle and make nice mellow turns till you get the right balance and a better feel for the turns. I'm not great at foot pedalling ect someone will be able to tell you more, but you finish the turns by using the back foot edge. HTH... |
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I like to eat snow... |
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| #3 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 18/08/2010 @ 14:21 |
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| In reply to post #2
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hey there
thought i would throw in my part as i struggled when learning also ,i am a regular rider left foot forward.in order to carve smooth turns it is important to note # you turn your board by design instead of force # so you shouldnt be needing to throw your weight into a heel or toe edge to slow down this however takes a bit of practise to get used to flexing your board ( foot steering ) and body position is extemely important.
1.starting on my toe edge my weight is slighty over my left foot i slide into the fall line then flatten flatten the board and pull up on my left foot to start me going into heelside turn.
2.i can flex how much i want depending on how wide or tight i want to turn( more pressure to turn tighter )
3.my left foot stays roughly in the same position pulling up and to slow down when i am just past midpoint in the turn i apply pressure using my right foot gradually getting more to where i want to stop the turn,hence with your left foot already pulling up you have a edge dug in all the time.
4.as soon as one turn is finished you begin the next
5.shift your body weight slighty over your left foot and flatten the board now push down with your front foot to go into a toe side turn,as mentioned above you will come round and to finish your turn off strongly simply apply pressure to your right foot and equal the pressure if you want to come to a complete stop.
if you try to turn by foot steering and the board just goes straight your body weight is too far back,leaning into a turn helps to turn tighter arcs.
i saw this on a dvd from neil mcnab and has greatly improved my riding over the years,hope this helps
jimmy |
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| #4 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 18/08/2010 @ 16:32 |
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| In reply to post #1
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I had trouble turning when I was learning. The lesson that helped me focused on my body position. The instructor stood me next to the board with my feet in the position of my bindings and got me to move my hip (and upper body) forward over my front leg. I was twisting and not staying square with the board and that was why I had trouble turning. With my weight forward I could turn without falling. And I knew if I fell back my weight was back. There was a post about thinking of John Tavolta in Saturday Night Fever with his hip forward. Stayin alive. I used to turn to that song for a while. |
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| #5 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 18/08/2010 @ 20:29 |
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| In reply to post #1
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Hey,
I'm no instructor, but I'll try to help. I learned on dryslope, dendix, a good while ago, and before hitting snow I'd learnt enough to link turns, so I got the full experience (e.g. many falls) involved in getting linked turns down...
I'm regular too.
OK - the one thing that stuck out in my mind as being difficult on dryslope, in contrast to learning on snow, was the extra patience required.
You see, in my opinion, when you're at the stage that you're at, it's not yet possible for you to think about the detailed mechanics of the turn. I might be wrong, but I was only able to try one maybe two things in my head... I think beginners are kind of in the state where they're waiting for something to "click" - an action or feeling that is successful, that they'll then reproduce to "get it" and then improve.
What you're struggling with is the transition from one edge to the other. On your toes, you're reaching the fall line but not getting the next heel turn. On your heels, you're catching a toe edge before reaching the fall line.
Patience. I mentioned patience for the following reason:
- I think dryslope is less forgiving than snow. When you're learning and you don't have a full understanding of what's going on in the turn, or, you might have the understanding but not yet the skill to implement it, I think you need to be patient around the time that you seek you fall line, and then move into the next turn.
Unfortunately, as you hit the fall line, you start to pick up speed, and that can make being patient hard. I just think that as a beginner you need to apply the weight/body position changes slowly, to get them right...
On snow, I think you still need to be patient, just less so. Also, my local dryslope seemed to be a lot steeper than most beginner snow slopes, which made the speed thing that much harder.
So my advice, if it's worth taking, is that you probably already know how to transfer your weight and body position to (a) get to the fall line and (b) get into the next turn. I think it's not happening because you're putting the edges on too soon, more so in the case of the heel traverse.
If you can, try leaving more time before attempting the next phase of the turn. If your dryslope is anything like the one I learned on, it's not particularly easy to be patient...
Cheers, Gav
PS: someone mentioned the Andy McNab dvd. If it's Go Snowboard, then I'd agree that there is some excellent tuition in there. I wrote a review about it ages ago if you're interested. |
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Afterbang Snowboarding Blog - keeping the snowboarding stoke going, all year round.
Two guides you might find useful: Learning to Snowboard and Getting Started with Snowboard Tricks |
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| #6 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 18/08/2010 @ 22:19 |
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| In reply to post #5
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Firstly, thankyou all for your help! Im going back on the slope tomorrow evening to keep trying!
Ok, here goes!
GavinHope, i am learning on this stuff.
from what you have all said, and from my own experiance, i think i have the theory correct, but i just cant seem to put it down right on the slope. I think my downfall is my weight distribution. When i first start the 2nd turn in the 'C', the board DOES start to turn away from the fall line, but my reaction is to "countersteer" back into the fall line.
I think what your all saying, is practice, practice, practice!!!!! |
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| #7 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 19/08/2010 @ 01:32 |
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Just ordered that McNab DVD better be worth it  . |
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I like to eat snow... |
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| #8 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 19/08/2010 @ 09:38 |
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| In reply to post #7
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I think it's excellent - especially for the intermediate looking to take their initial linked turns to stronger, more refined carving
I've tried the exercises on the hill loads of times, and I can tell that my control throughout all stages of the turn is getting better.
I hope you like it too! Let me now what you think... |
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Afterbang Snowboarding Blog - keeping the snowboarding stoke going, all year round.
Two guides you might find useful: Learning to Snowboard and Getting Started with Snowboard Tricks |
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| #9 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 19/08/2010 @ 12:43 |
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I am about to prove that I am also a noob....
What on earth is a C-Turn  |
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| #10 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 19/08/2010 @ 13:06 |
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| In reply to post #9
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Yeah, it's the first time I've heard it described like that, but I think they're referring to the shape made by traversing on one edge, hitting the fall line and then turning off the fall line to traverse on the other edge.
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Does that make sense? |
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Afterbang Snowboarding Blog - keeping the snowboarding stoke going, all year round.
Two guides you might find useful: Learning to Snowboard and Getting Started with Snowboard Tricks |
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| #11 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 19/08/2010 @ 13:08 |
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| In reply to post #1
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I think you are getting too worried about the technicalities. It may be a bit frustrating but as you have mentioned - you ought to spend more time practising. You ought to do more falling leaf, gradually coming closer to the fall line until you get the feel of how to control the boad more naturally. Get your hips and shoulders are in line with the board and don't worry about weight distribution.
When your are confident of control with falling leaf and can steer the board down almost to the fall line and then back across the slope you will have reache the stage when you can start complete turns
To get right around the turn (the bit you seem to have a problem with) you must look at where you want to go. Toe to heel - look over your left shoulder at an object on the left slide of the slope. Heel to toe - turn your head right and look at some object right at the top of the slope. (pick out an object to fix your eye on and look directly at it when you turn) With any luck the rest of your body will follow your head. You must have you knees well bent too. Any instructor should get this sorted. Take care - get the feel of how to control the board before you go and bruise yourself any more. Be patient - it will come but its hard on a dry slope. |
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| #12 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 19/08/2010 @ 16:58 |
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| In reply to post #1
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It's very difficult to decipher what's actually going wrong without seeing you in action. I think your weight distribution getting the board into the fall line is okay.
From heel to toe it looks like you are trying to rush onto your toe edge. You need to gradually push against your ankle strap and flex your knees to bring the board around and across the slope.
From toe to heel it sounds like you may be pushing against your high backs too much particularly if you are ending up on your backside. With heelside turns you need to use your shin muscle to 'close' your ankle joint by pulling up on your toe strap and again flexing your knees.
Are you still having lessons? Not to take business away from Swad, but you may find it easier at the Snowdome just down the road and a level 2 fast track would probably sort you out. Lessons are also cheaper during the Summer. |
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| #13 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 20/08/2010 @ 20:02 |
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| In reply to post #11
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Cheers oldgit. I think you just about nailed it on the head there. I noticed im not fully in the fall line when i try and turn most times. When i am, im so worried, im looking at my front foot! My falling leaf and garland are spot on, i can plant the board in any direction, at any speed, so i have a lot of confidance there.
I also get scared when i hit the fall line, i start to panic, because i feel out of control, the board im learning on is a bit crap, and not forgiving at all.
I think maybe im trying too hard, but non the less, i am booking a couple 1-1 lessons to iron out the faults in my tecnique.
Went on the slope last night in the rain, amazing surface to board on, but had a bit of a tumble trying my turns. Now got a bruised wrist, and a jarred neck!
Oh, Fatbob, I will start boarding at tamworth soon, but im the kind of person who likes to learn the hard way first, then i can nail the easy slopes! I dont mind paying for lessons at swad, cuz there about 2 miles from me, rather than the 20 mile drive to tamworth!
Thanks all for your help. Its muchly appriciated!  |
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| #14 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 22/08/2010 @ 19:36 |
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| In reply to post #13
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Well, i went on the slope again today, it was really dry, and very grippy, so the board didnt shoot off n the fall line, and im pleased to say, after taking loads of your advice into account, i managed not only to pull off a couple 'C' turns, but i managed to link them too! Soooooooooooo pleased with myself
Now, it probably wasnt the most perfectly deployed turn, and theres no doubt i got some fault in my tecnique, but i did it! Still gonna book a lesson for friday, to iron out any posture flaws, but i got ma confidance back
Thanks peeps!!  |
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| #15 Re: Fall line into C turn - Help please!! Posted 23/08/2010 @ 02:18 |
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Practice at the bottom of the hill or from the first lift stop (on dryslope) on straight lining without turning, get used to and comfortable with the acceleration from side slipping to fall line and the mechanics of doing that. After you feel comfy doing that, try going into fall line all the way to near the bottom (still from only a little way up the slope) and then try initiating a turn there and then progress it further.
I found it intimidating the speed I picked up and hard to concentrate on the mechanical process of the turn like I needed to, so doing the above helped me get used to certain elements of the turning process and focus on the parts I was struggling with. |
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