Pan Admun Republic of Western Blog

Week 3 started after a meltdown, we barely have enough snow on the hill. We received 2-3cm snow on Sat, but that's it.



On Saturday, Norm runs us through a pack introduction. Since the features in the park is too advanced, I do not attempt. But it was fun checking it out.



On Sunday, we have a new Level 3 instructor Terry show up and have a session on early pivot.
- Drive with knee
- Early pivot

We tried a few tactics:
- spray snow sideway/uphill
- sponsor turn, try to pivot and show the logo on the base of the board up-hill.
- traverse across the hill, and tried to pivot from edge to edge. It's tricky when you are on toe-side edge and pivot to the heel-side.... which might result into catching the edge and fall. I actually ended up fall on the heel edge, tried to recover it by force myself to make a hell turn.... but end up hit an instructor from behind. (not good)

bonus: Norm hits a rail

Monday night, Terry runs the training session on steering. The different between pivoting and steering a snowboard is generally that: pivoting is by upper body movement (anticipation), while steering involve more lower body driving the turn with knee and ankle.

We tried run after run with different idea:
- side-slip and steering, focus on center body position
- adding flex/extension to the above
- medium size full/complete turn, pivot in between the turn when traverse perpendicular to fall-line, spray snow up hill/earlier in the turn.
- bow-tie on snow, body center in board and just twist the board left and right on snow.
- turn like a fish, focus on independent steering of both feet, back feet following the front feet into the turn.

Some points:
- drop lower/flex more to allow more steering movement from the knee.
- minimize/reduce edging can help steering/sliding.
- focus on a buttering/sliding with minimal edge
- no speiss, as it forces the weight shift to the front.

---

tags to del.icio.us: snowboard
tags to Technorati: snowboard