Snowboarding: how to learn to switch from heel-toe & vice versa?

Question

What's the best way to learn? I know how to heel carve and getting better at toe carving. I totally lose confidence when I'm building up speed for the turn and either fall or stop.

Answer 1

Hey BeX: read my answer to your "lessons" post... anyone who thinks they can teach you to turn from one edge to another over the Internet is fooling themselves.  It is so much easier when there is a trained professional standing right there with you coaching you along the way!  Take the lessons, and tell me if I am wrong.  Have fun!

Answer 2

Put your hand out in the direction your wanting to turn, and just lean that way. Make sure you don't lean backwards. Good luck to you!

Answer 3

1.) ride flat.

2.) lean back and throw out your back foot a little to go onto heel edge.

3.) lean forward so that you flatten out for a split second

4.) lean forwad and throw your back foot out the other way to transfer into toe edge turn.

5.) repeat, substituting step 3 for step one.

Answer 4

Remember to keep your weight  on your front foot/leg.  When you start to pick up speed, the natural response is to lean back into the hill, putting all of your weight on your back foot - thereby straightening your front leg, which lifts the front part of your board from the snow and gives you a little turbo boost (which is not what you're looking for at that particular moment).  So, the key is to stay centered and you may even want to put your hand on your front leg, just above the knee as a reminder to keep that leg bent and weight on it.

When you need more speed, you steer the nose of your board gently toward the fall line (the fall line is the route a ball would take it you were to roll it from the top of the mountain) - when you want to stop, you bring your board perpendicular to the fall line.

If you have someone to help you it's nice if they can help "whip you through the turn" - if that makes sense -to get the hang of it.  The key here is a quick shift from your toe side to heel side edge...the longer you run on your flat base (especially when heading toward the fall line) the faster you will go.  However, I must note, you do need speed in order to initiate a turn, otherwise you will just get stuck or fall over (as you mentioned), so as long as you keep weight on your front foot your speed should be controlled.



Good luck!