Why Can't I snowboard on my Back Edge???

Question

I am new at snowboarding, 2 times so far. On my first time, my friend taught me how. The only way i could stand up was facing uphill. If i tried to stand up facing down hill, the board would just slide out from under me, downhill. It's like i can't get my weight over the board (rental board).

I am 6'3", 265lbs. Not really fat (no beer gut), but a weightlifter kinda big. All of my friends that i board with are relatively thin people and they say it's harder to toe slide than heel slide. I can ride the front edge as fast as my friends who ride both edges, but my calves are killing me!

Is it a weight thing?

Also, I have a size 15 foot (i think my buddy is like a size 10). I don't dig my toes at all. The bindings were adjusted properly as far as i could tell.

WHAT'S WRONG??? Do I need a wider board or a different setup?

Thanks,

Don

Answer 1

This just has to do with balance and getting the correct amount of angle and pressure on the edge.

It is much more difficult for most people to get up on their heel edge - people are not as flexible in that direction. It isn't a weight thing as much as a technique. I am almost 200lbs and I can do it, but it is hard.

Also remember that the more shallow the hill the harder this is going to be. It is very easy to get up on your heel edge when there is a 40 degree hill under you because you don't have to push yourself as far. This is how:

1. You need to really set the heel edge and hold it

2. If your edge is sliding you will never get it

3. Twist your body so that one hand is further back

4. Push your body up over that edge.

5. Hold the edge until you feel like you are falling forward

6. Only then release the edge for balance and start sliding

Good Luck

Answer 2

Getting up on your heelside is more of a flexibility and coordination thing.   many people try to stand before their body weight is over the board.  The first thing to do is to become very good at heelside sideslipping.  This will give you a better feel for how to balance on your heel edge.  It is a bit of a catch 22: you need to sideslip heelside, but to do that you need to get up heelside (or learn how to turn from toeside to heelside).  But if you were turning successfully you wouldn't have to worry about getting up heelside!

Once you have a good sense of balance on your heel edge try this.  

1) get the board across the hill so that once you are up you are directly in a sideslip position

2) Get your backside as close to your board as you possibly can.

3) grab the toe edge of the board with one hand and put the other in the snow close to your backside.

4) push off the snow with one hand and start pulling up on the toe edge with the other (this helps get your body over the board)

5) When you are over the board stand up and start sideslipping right away

Once you figure it out, it is very easy.  I have seen every person of reasonable fitness accomplish this with little effort.

Hang in there!