Pan Admun Republic of Western Blog

Week 4 starts with slightly improved, but still icy runs.


On Saturday, ez10 runs a session. It's mostly a clinic to answer our questions. The particular question pops up is how to help students fix the toe-side counter rotation problem.

ez10 shows us a really cool tactic, which I called "bow" turn. Assuming for regular rider. On heel turn, taking right hand touching left chest or hovering in front of it to stay balance. The same time left hand is bend behind the back. For toe turn, left hand is touching right chest, while right hand is bend behind back. It's like what actor do when they come out at the end of the show and bow to their audiences.... of course we do it without bending the back.

I found it very effective on my students, also for my switch riding, which I do not do enough anticipation on the heel-side turn.


Terry runs a freestyle session on Sunday, focus on doing 180. The usual progression: spin 180 on snow -> hop-turn-hop -> hop 180 into the turn

On Monday night training, Terry works on independent pressure control throughout a turn. We did a few things:
- lean backward and lift up the snowboard head as we goes into the a turn (on both edges)
- forward/backward through out a turn; lean forward as we start the turn (front hand push down), center when we pivot, lay backward into the turn (front hand point up), then center again as we traverse. It's like we are rocking from front to back on each turn.
- The forward hand N/bow-tie/infinity motion. Our front hand move up and down (in fact, we are putting weight on front/back) and from edge to edge.
- ollie
- Dolphin turns; As we rock front/back throughout the turn, do a ollie as we out of the turn (while our weight is on the back) before we push front hand down and start the next turn (I couldn't do it...)

In addition, we tried the w/mustache exercise; traverse on heel edge, turn uphill until board on fall-line, board flat and transfer weight to switch from heel to toe, start traverse on toe edge.

Another note is when analysis student riding, The 5 basic elements also applied as student ride down from top to bottom/far to close as we observe them from below. On top, we can pay attention to their timing/coordination (shape/how long they stay from edge to edge), pressure control+edging (snow spray). As he/she come closer, we can start noticed more pivot/steering (shoulder/knee), and stance and balance (body position). As student ride by and continue down the hill, we can look at it from the other angle with reverse order of 5 elements. Another tips is to look at the board to see how it behaves on snow.

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