Considering Spruce 120s

[bri_guy]

Happy winter everyone!

I am considering purchasing a set of Spruce 120s this year. I'm realizing that I'll never ride in the park and the only thing I'll ever ride will be groomers and powder, just your average green and blue hills, maybe the odd "easy" black diamond.

I already have several other boards: My first boards were Rumspringas, and a few years ago I got Revolts. My wife owns Tanshos and I've ridden them a few times. My consistent issue with all of them is stability. I'm not really in the best shape and I usually find it difficult to get on edge to a proper carve. I figure since Spruce 120s are longer, they might be easier. Not being able to carve properly is frustrating me to the point I'm thinking of *gasp* going back to skiing for a while in order to try and develop better form with poles. I haven't ridden skis in over 10 years since I was a beginner, but maybe that's really not my problem. I've been trying for 3-4 years now and I just can't "get it."

Should I maybe go back to skis and take some proper lessons at a resort? Would longer skiboards help? Could it be something else? I'm sure I've asked this before but has anyone else ever been in the situation where you just can't "get" yourself to carve?

[Bad Wolf]

Should I maybe go back to skis and take some proper lessons at a resort? Would longer skiboards help? Could it be something else? I'm sure I've asked this before but has anyone else ever been in the situation where you just can't "get" yourself to carve?

There are much better skiers out there than me, who probably have some great advice and links on equipment and technique.

My technique breaks down as the terrain gets too steep, so I find it best to learn on easier terrain, then move up later. Carving is basically just turning without skidding or slipping. If it's not working for you, I would find the most gentle slope you can and try to make slow easy turns by just rolling your ankles and knees into the hill. If you skid, back off. You will soon get the feel for when your edges are making you turn versus you forcing the turn. The idea is too keep your upper arms and body facing down hill and let your lower body do the work.

I believe a common mistake is not keeping your lower legs parallel to each other, creating different paths for each ski, causing them to skid. If your knees touch you probably have an "A" frame, you can't carve in an "A" frame. To avoid this try to keep your knees the same distance apart as you turn. This video explains it better than I can.

You are probably trying on terrain that is too steep and fast for you. Learn on the gentle slopes then move up as you get the feel for it. Every ski has a natural radius based on the side cut. When you get it right the skis will just slide around like they are on rails; smooth and effortless. Start slow, go fast later.

[mahatma]

Here's my suggestion - you need to get your carve on. My guess is you are steering. Anyway, my suggested technique is this - go to a bunny, point straight down and pick up speed until you are basically scared. You need speed for this technique but it is not unsafe. Let's say you want to turn right. When that feeling comes over you that your ready to scream for mommy, bend your right knee and drop over onto it from the waist placing the great majority of your weight on the right side board. I mean it. Lay over onto your knee and have a ton of weight on it. Keep those boards pointed straight. DO NOT steer them. Simultaneously, look where you want to go. You will magically carve directly to what you are looking at. I actually point with my downhill hand. I'd point with both hands but the uphill arm is busy raking the sugar. When it's time to turn left, pull yourself up and flop over onto your left knee. Wash, rinse, repeat. This will give you your form. Once you did that for a few runs you can modify it for a less aggressive attitude. But, it all starts with laying it over and hanging it out. The only hard part is that very first turn. Believe me on this one. Just hang it out there for that first turn and the rest is pure magic.

[mahatma]

By the way, this is one of the ways we as skiboarders have more fun than anyone else - even on the bunnies. You do not have to be in great shape and you don't have to be young. I'm 46 years old and my legs look like they've been in an inappropriate relationship with a wood chipper. I've got plates and screws scattered over both legs, my right leg has been broken in 5 places, my left knee has been fully reconstructed twice and I've torn out my left hamstring. If I can do it, anyone can. It's not hard or abusive on your body. Just take a little chance and the reward will be the smile of a lifetime.

[Bill]

I'm not really in the best shape and I usually find it difficult to get on edge to a proper carve. I figure since Spruce 120s are longer, they might be easier. Not being able to carve properly is frustrating me I'm sure I've asked this before but has anyone else ever been in the situation where you just can't "get" yourself to carve?

Bri, the first thing I would do is to quit worrying about "carving". Ski magazines and such go on and on about carving like it's the holy grail but for many folks it's not even relevant. "Carving"---really carving and getting on a high edge angle to actually follow the ski or skiboard's turn radius is a speed technique, civilians like us would go too fast and be out of control if we rode that way all the time. I have a lot of fun skiboarding, almost never truly "carve", and feel no need to apologize whatsoever.

Watch an expert like Jack at shredfest goind down some nasty mogully chopped up steeps at shredfest. I watch him close, and he's not "carving", even Jack would crash if he did that, there. He's expertly using edge angles and a controlled slip to climb down those places, always in perfect control. For Jack in those challenging places and for guys like us in general it's more about balance, edge angles and speed control than so-called "carving".

You asked about the 120. For me, it's the perfect combination of stability and turning ease. I find it to be more forgiving of pilot error but still with the skiboard nimbleness we're all so fond of, but like with most things all individuals are different.

[Bluewing]

At the risk of sounding redundant with a similar message across multiple posts recently, good fundamental form is the building block for being comfortable, in control and being able to progress. Without good form your body is doing things that make it difficult, if not impossible, for you legs and the boards attached to them to do what they need to do.

Lessons can help - as long as the instructor is good with you being on skiboards and is willing to really tailor the lesson to your specific needs. It should be a "parallel from the start" lesson, meaning no wedging or other novice instruction techniques which they later "break" you of by then having you go parallel with your boards.

I have mentioned it in other posts but I found the DVD "Sofa Ski School" (http://www.sofaskischool.com to be very good. Easy to understand explanations of the fundamentals, good video of what to do and maybe more importantly what not to do, and only a few fundamentals to understand and not a ton of technical jargon.

As pointed out carving is only one type of turn - useful and fun but not the only tool you need and many times not the right tool for the conditions and situation. Yes, you want to be able to carve but you can still have a blast riding with good form and not being in a pure carve at the time. Don't get discouraged - I found that with time on the boards and mastery of a few fundamentals things really suddenly clicked and I made rapid progress from that point forward.

[bri_guy]

Thanks for all the advice and words of encouragement. Those are also some great links/videos, and it's those types of videos I tend to seek out when I'm feeling discouraged.

One issue I have is that these types of videos usually show ideal conditions--perfect amount of snow and a very consistent slope. Generally the hills I go to (like Earl Bales, my local city-run ravine hill) has a lot of quick variance in slope. It starts out steep, then shallows out a bit, then gets steeper, and of course it can get really choppy depending on the track you choose to negotiate. It gets pretty difficult for me when the consistency of the slope is lost. On steeper parts, the tendency to try and "steer" my boards kicks in a lot here, and I end up skidding tremendously, and as fellow skiers pass me with perfect form and stability I can't help but feel like my skiboards just weren't designed for these kind of slopes (hence the feeling like I should get myself something longer).

Nonetheless, thanks for the advice on carving. At the very least I think I need to get better at that, and then I can start learning what other types of turns would work better for those "inconsistent" parts of the slope. I'd love to hear peoples' thoughts on that!

[Bluewing]

The conditions can be a challenge for sure but I think that is where the proper form really comes in. When conditions are good you can get away with a lot. When things get steep, icy, chopped up, etc then the form "breaks" start to really show through.

One of the reasons I like the Sofa Ski School video is because it isn't all shot on pristine slopes. In fact, there are a few spots where the guy messes up - like hitting a mound of snow and almost eating it - and he left it in the edit.

Longer is not always better either. Depending on what your form issues are longer can actually cause you more problems as you have more board in the wrong spot so to speak.

I started on Head 94s (current model is the Salamander; they have also been labeled as "Shape" and "Big Easy" in the past) - not even real skiboards - and found them to be great learning tools. Yes, the ride was "busy" at times, yes I was glad I had strong legs and good balance when I started riding more aggressively - but they were easy to learn on and quite capable in the type of conditions I ride in, which is southeastern Pennsyvlania junk snow mostly. If you look around on eBay (or in my case I bought a set on Goodwill.com) you can sometimes find these for a low price - I bought mine for $40 plus shipping.

[Bad Wolf]

Sometimes we can also get bogged down in the technicalities of a sport and become so confused that we can't perform at all. The phrase "paralysis by analysis" explains how we forget to allow our natural instincts to get the most out of our talents. Just like in golf, not all instruction is good for everyone, and can interfere with your natural ability.

If all else fails, get to the top of the slope, clear your mind, see yourself getting to the bottom with beautiful controlled carves and.....just let it happen.

Yours,

Zen.

[Bluewing]

Sometimes we can also get bogged down in the technicalities of a sport and become so confused that we can't perform at all.

For sure. Check out that carving video. Watch what he does - easy. Stands up straight, skis shoulder width apart and parallel, both arms extended forward, chin up, reaches down with one arm and "pushes" on the outside of one knee with the other arm still extended out. The turn just happens. Beautiful part is the extended arm is then pointing in the direction you are turning. Do that a bunch of times and you are at the bottom of the run having made nice turns.

[valmorel]

If you like videos, have a laugh at this one, everyone else has. I am on those magnificent 120s, and the snow is far from perfect :-)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzoO...e_gdata_player

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD

[Bluewing]

If you create an account on Sofa Ski School you can view the "Poles in Front Drill" video also. The special effects are a bit dated but it is a great exercise. I am currently riding with poles in front like this and it has helped tremendously. It probably looks a bit dorkey, but hey I am wearing a really loud plaid jacket and am on skiboards so I guess it doesn't really matter much...

[slow]

"Clumsy Git" is a good clip for proper form (except at the end). http://youtu.be/6keTjtHtuwY

[Bluewing]

"Clumsy Git" is a good clip for proper form (except at the end). http://youtu.be/6keTjtHtuwY

I think he throws those falls in every once in a while just to make the rest of us feel better about our riding style after watching him...

[slow]

I think he throws those falls in every once in a while just to make the rest of us feel better about our riding style after watching him...

Probably true!