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  • Where am I going wrong?

    Hi, I've been thinking about doing this since I got back from snowboxx a month ago. I was a little afraid of opening myself up for a torrent of criticisms but I'm probably never gonna meet any of you guys and if I did, I WOULD jump at the chance to ask you how to improve my technique...or get one. I've uploaded a video in the hope you can tell me where im going wrong.


    I switched to KTPs with 15mm risers after being on snowblades. I tried them out at a snowdome and found them to feel really sticky and slow, so I gave them a wax before going to snowboxx festival last month in Andorra. They felt a lot better but still not right. So I adjusted the binding so I was sitting further back since I'm used to riding the snowblades which have virtually no back to them. Suddenly everything felt better, riding them felt more natural, I could get a bit more speed on them, and had much better control.

    On the blades I was feeling really confident on and started attempting grinds. However now I've switched, the KTPs are so heavy and so wide I can barely get them off the ground, I can't get any air when I attempt jumps, (especially on days where it was a little slushy). I'm knocking the top sides together a lot, and I can see in the videos of me on them that I bounce around on them and don't look very stable.

    Part of me feels I should have stayed with something more blade shaped, but it was so much fun going off piste with my snowboarding buddy. I would love to hear your thoughts on what I'm doing wrong, or what's making me look so clumsy on them and how I can improve.

    PS: It was retro day at the festival...hense the onesie...but it was really comfy.

  • #2
    Some boards just don't work for some people. I had a pair of KTPs and didn't like them, but many riders love them. You may be better off with softer boards that aren't so wide, like the Revolts. It also could be just a matter of riding the KTPs more to get used to them.

    One thing I noticed in your video is that you are using your whole body to initiate turns. Try just using the lower half.
    Boards/Bindings:
    2013 Spruce Sherpas w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
    2023 Spruce Stingers w/Tyrolia Peak 11s
    2015 RVL8 Blunt XLs w/Tyrolia Attack 13s
    2020 RVL8 Sticky Icky Ickys w/Tyrolia SX 10s


    Boots:
    Salomon X-Pro 80

    Past boards: Salomon Snowblades, Line MNPs 89 & 98 cm, Five-Os, Bullets, Jedis, Spruce 120s, LE 125s, Ospreys, Crossbows
    Summit 110s, Nomads, Jades, RVL8 ALPs, BWPs, KTPs, Tanshos, Rockets, DLPs, Blunts, Condors, RCs, Revolts, Spliffs

    Comment


    • #3
      I prefer big, wide fatties like the KTPS, Condors, etc. However, they do take a bit of getting used to.

      Just my 2 cents ... but try this and see if it works for you: Work at dipping those knees up into the slope more to get the edges to bite... get them higher up on edge. Do that and you'll find yourself doing less sliding/skidding down the fall line and more of your direction of travel tracking tightly to the sidecut of the boards without slippage.
      Skis: Armada JJs, Armada Magic Js and Icelantic Keepers
      Bindings: Marker Griffon, Look Pivot
      Full Tilt Boots
      Past: Revel8 Tanshos, KTPs, Revolts, DLPs, Condors; Spruce Raptors, 120s, Sherpas

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by BillieFingers View Post

        I switched to KTPs with 15mm risers after being on snowblades. I tried them out at a snowdome and found them to feel really sticky and slow, so I gave them a wax before going to snowboxx festival last month in Andorra. They felt a lot better but still not right. So I adjusted the binding so I was sitting further back since I'm used to riding the snowblades which have virtually no back to them. Suddenly everything felt better, riding them felt more natural, I could get a bit more speed on them, and had much better control.
        It's a big jump from blades to KTPs. Not so much the length, but the width and stiffness makes them much more technical to ride well. The main problem is getting these wider boards on edge, you have to be more aggressive on the edging, as FFA suggests. I had similar trouble moving from blades to 110 Summit Customs. To be honest, at that time they were just too much for me. I traded down to Summit Jades, they are short like blades at 87cm but wide like skiboards. When I got the hang of them I moved up to BWPs (Slapdash). They are more of a park style skiboard. By the end of the season I was able to ride the 110s, but preferred the Slapdash by then anyway.

        I would keep the KTPs for later, but get something less challenging to learn on, maybe through the demo program. Hey, didn't we just have a thread about this?
        Just these, nothing else !

        Comment


        • #5
          Bravo for being "brave" to ask for some advice and for posting up the video - visuals are always helpful. Coaching over long distance is always a bit tricky, but here are a few things that you might consider:

          --There are a number of people on this forum from the UK - gromit, valmorel, ysbr33 (I think that is his screen name and that he is from the UK) - consider posting up a thread for UK riders and seeing if any of them a close enough by that you can meet up at one of the indoor slopes. Nothing like riding with other people and getting advice in person.

          --From the short video clip I think you might have the following things to "correct": looks like you have too much rearward weight bias in your form - I say that because it looks like the tips are really coming off the snow and the boards are not firmly planted; sliding turns and not enough edge engagement; as sempai pointed out turn initiation is coming from the upper body rotating - need to initiate turns with your lower body; hands are down at your sides mainly (part of the reason for the rearward weight bias) - need to get your hands out front

          --Here are a few resources you might find helpful to address the above. I am not going to go point by point on the above re how to correct because good riding technique is a set of connected postures and motions. I think if you go through these reference materials you might knock off a lot of the issues above.
          Do a search on this forum and on youtube to see if you can find some videos of "valmorel" (I think on youtube he has also posted some things using his last name of "Stevens" - he has very good form and you will see good leg angulation to initiate turns, quiet upper body, arms out front, etc
          I think a lot of good fundamental techniques can be pulled over from solid ski instruction. I like the "Sofa Ski School" video that a guy named Klaus Maier put out. He has a few free clips you can find on youtube and on the Sofa Ski School website. Good fundamentals of turn initiation and control, etc. One of the concepts he stresses is "face the danger" meaning keeping your upper body oriented to face down the fall line more than across the fall line. That single concept has helped me immensely in my riding.
          As was pointed out the KTPs are a big jump from blades. Not saying they are not the right boards for you, but the adjustment might take a longer time. If you can meet up with some of the other UK riders that might be an opportunity to try some other boards.
          This Japanese skiboarding video is good for watching a solid carving style. mahatma on this forum posted up a translation of the Japanese voice over somewhere. It is not critical that you read the voice over but if you can dig it up it might add something.
          In pursuit of Peace, Harmony and Flow.....
          Think Like a Mountain

          Boards ridden, some owned: Sherpas, Spruce 120 "STS", Blunts, DS110 custom prototypes, Rockered Condors, Revolts, DLPs, Summit Custom 110s, Summit Marauders, Head 94s, Raptor prototypes, Osprey prototypes.

          Comment


          • #6
            Kudos on the guts it takes to post a video and ask for a critique. Looking at the vid and what others have posted I'll put in my two cents and agree with the comment that there is too much of your upper body in your technique. If you look at instructional vids (like the one posted by Bluewing) or the skiboarding vids like the Junk Show you'll notice that most riders have a quiet upper body and they are initiating turns with their lower body. They beauty of Blades/more narrow skiboards is you can "cheat" your technique but it's harder on wider boards. Some riders have found that skiboarding with poles held horizontal in front of them help calm the upper body. For me I just try to keep my chest and shoulders square to the direction I am traveling (ie. facing down the mountain).

            Simply stated you don't need to turn your body to turn. You only need to tip your skiboards on edge and let the sidecut do the work.
            Boards:
            2016 Spruce tuned Head Jr. Caddys - 131cm
            2013 Spruce "CTS" 120s
            2010 Spruce "Yellow/Red" 120s
            2018 Spruce "CTS" Crossbows - 115cm
            2016 RVL8 Spliffs - 109cm
            2008 RVL8 Revolt "City" - 105cm
            2017 RVL8 Sticky Icky Icky - 104cm
            2011 Defiance Blades - 101cm

            Comment


            • #7
              How tall are you, how much do you weigh, and how would you rate your leg strength on a scale of 1-10?
              I'm a snollerblader.

              Go big or go home.

              "Just keep on doin' it if you love it. If you don't, scram!" - Angel Soto, SFA, 1996


              Comment


              • #8
                Cheers!

                Thanks everyone, you've all been so helpful. I've been so busy at work the past month I've not had the time to go to any snowdomes and try things out.

                Badwolf, you're totally right about the stiffness of them! I did post up before I bought them asking advise on what boards to go for but everyone prased the KTPs, I do love being able to follow my snowboarding buddy off piste now though. But I also found myself wishing I had packed the snowblades when we had a park day....dispite still recieving taunts from the skilifts of "gay blades!"

                Bluewing, Thanks for posting the Japanese vid, they're my skiboard bible. Once my workload dies down I'll be sure to get out to a snowdome and meet some other skiboarders.

                Dave, I'm 5'10" or 178cm, 10.5 stone or 66.6kg. I wouldn't really know how to rate my leg strength, I'd say I'm stronger than all my girlfriends but no where near as strong as any guys I know. a 6 or 7 out of 10 maybe? I rollerblade and rollerskate too, but cant do anything exciting on them. perhaps there's some exercises I can do which will man me up for the KTPs?

                Thanks everyone! Really loving the feedback!

                Comment


                • #9
                  My first impression of your video is that you are doing great! You looked like you were having a blast. It made me want to be there with you.

                  For constructive criticism, I would say that at times your ankles looked weak, which left you having to steer with your upper body which causes the boards to sort of lag behind in the turn. For me, it seems that the wider the board the more they need to be driven and told what to do then your body will follow them with confidence. On wide boards, I steer a lot by canting the bottom of my feet with ankles to force the board onto an edge. Even when I'm not skiing I'll practice rolling my ankles side to side and standing on the sides of my feet.

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