Topic: Catwalks and narrow areas (Read 2371 times)

duckie · « **on:** January 11, 2009, 05:23:44 PM »

I am fairly new and cannot seem to get over the hurdle of not being able to simply ride the board straight- i.e. pointed down.. and not catch an edge and fall.. hard.. would like to be able to transition to being able to ride straight and moving from edge to edge for balance..
any hints?

Travis Hightower · « **Reply #1 on:** January 11, 2009, 08:39:49 PM »

Because mountains are never flat, trying to go down a run "flat bottomed" is pretty hard. The more experience you have riding, the easier this is, but for just starting out, what you want to do is
be slightly on one edge and transfer to the other. What I'm talking about isn't so much turning,
but just staying enough on your edges to have control.
A good way to learn how to make a direct line, is to start out with wider sweeps and
work your way inward.
Try using something like...a 10 foot width going down the mountain to start off. go on
your toe side 10 feet in that direction, then on your heelside 10 feet to the other direction.
You'll be going pretty straight down the mountain, with just enough turns to make sure you
always have an edge in control.
As you get used to this transfer and the speed of going straight down a run, you can start
keeping your body straight but letting the board go edge to edge and staying straight.
The better you learn these transitions, the more natural it'll feel just riding. You'll start
doing these with the feel of your feet and knees and not think about them so much with
your head and you'll be set.

Welcome to the forums by the way. We're all here to help, and hopefully someone else
will chime in with some more tips for you. This is all I could think of for now.

Frosty · « **Reply #2 on:** January 11, 2009, 11:49:10 PM »

Welcome Duckie. I think narrow flats are really hard, but can be mastered with practice. Here are a couple tips:

1) Most flats ares are not truely flat. Typically there cut into the side of the mountain and one side is the uphill side and the other the downhill side. For reasons of drainage and erosion, the uphill side is usually slightly higher than the other. Try to head down to the downhill side only to gain speed, then use that momentum to edge slightly back to the uphill side. Try to stay on the uphill side as much as possible. That way if you fall, you can get back going easier.

2) Do not try to ride flat base. There is no control that way. If you need to go mostly straight but still stay in control, use the torsional flex in the board to edge only the edge on the back foot and leave the front foot part of the base flat. YOU WILL LOVE THIS ONE -- ONE OF THE BEST TIPS OUT THERE!

HAVE FUN!

duckie · « **Reply #3 on:** January 12, 2009, 05:56:42 PM »

Thanks very much to both posters.. these both sound like great suggestions and exactly what I've been trying to get answered.. I get freaked out when I have to traverse a narrow section because I have no room to make those wide turns I am comfortable with- maybe it's the speed factor, I don't know, also the small nuisance of catching an edge and falling hard every time I try to go straight!

Those tips should really help.. thanks!

Travis Hightower · « **Reply #4 on:** January 12, 2009, 07:12:14 PM »

if you get into a situation where you dont feel comfortable going straight down like that,
theres always the option of doing a "stall" where you go down straight, but
the board is sideways. if you know what i mean.
i use this route when i get stuck on a cliff or something and need to go down slowly
because i dont know whats right under me.

from what it sounds, you're picking things up very quickly. how long have you been riding?
these are more intermediate questions, so you must have small carving down, right?

duckie · « **Reply #5 on:** January 12, 2009, 07:56:02 PM »

yes I am a Stall Master. I'm so good at it sometimes I ride it down the mountain. Been riding intermittently for a couple of years.. need to do it more consistently.. if time will allow..

by small carving you mean...?

Travis Hightower · « **Reply #6 on:** January 12, 2009, 11:25:17 PM »

small carving, slow leaned in turns from side to side without gashing the mountain.
its just something i call it when im inbetween turning and hard carving.
have you hit any jumps yet?

duckie · « **Reply #7 on:** January 15, 2009, 04:35:36 PM »

maybe very small jumps.. but nothing really.. don't have the small carving technique down as I'd like either .. have the falling on attempt down pretty well

Frosty · « **Reply #8 on:** January 16, 2009, 03:19:59 PM »

I absolutely love the small jumps that exist on the side walls of catwalk trails. Probably my first ever snowboard jumping experience 20 years ago and still love em! One of the bast parts of snowboarding for sure.

Author Topic: Catwalks and narrow areas (Read 2371 times)

duckie

Catwalks and narrow areas

Travis Hightower

Re: Catwalks and narrow areas

Frosty

Re: Catwalks and narrow areas

duckie

Re: Catwalks and narrow areas

Travis Hightower

Re: Catwalks and narrow areas

duckie

Re: Catwalks and narrow areas

Travis Hightower

Re: Catwalks and narrow areas

duckie

Re: Catwalks and narrow areas

Frosty

Re: Catwalks and narrow areas

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