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My skills development as a newbie

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  • My skills development as a newbie

    (I might as well keep my development as one thread that I update over time, so that I can learn, see my own progress, and that someone new to skiboarding can see how a new person progressed)

    Incoming narrative!

    Well, Day 2 on skiboards.. HOLY! My love/hate relationship became love/love relationship. There was some fresh lake effect snow overnight, in the morning, and sporadically throughout the day so lots of powder. I decided to put the riser further back on the 120s because I figured I could get more float.

    Since I was with a few of my friends and one was new to snowboarding... I decided to stay around the bunny hills for a bit. Oddly, I managed to get some fundamentals in accidentally. Such as, putting my weight straight down for a "neutral" stance, weight distribution, etc etc. I also did a few turning drills Bluewing has referred to me once my friend got to the little lift.

    After 2 hours of fooling around with some beginners, we went to the lift. Honestly, I was trying to be a little too safe... wedges all over the place... it didn't work out. I ended up stiff having my knees bent fully, shins pressed forward, and body sitting back.. At this moment I realized I was subconsciously using a beginner skiing stance and was over compensating. I ditched it, and forced a more upright position, avoided making small wedges at speed unless I wanted to, played around with my weight a whole lot more, and (oddly) allowed the skiboards to be "in front" of me at some points.

    Right there, as soon as I did that... it became so much more responsive. I progressively became faster and more aggressive. In the end I stopped treating the 120s like skis, and started treating them like they were just "shoes" on my feet. Now I can see why you guys love skiboarding so much; the power delivery, immediate response.... the freedom.

    Other than repetition, how else can I improve? Any suggestions/tips?
    Your future nurse on snow :P

  • #2
    Great to hear! Always nice to get a breakthrough.

    If you want to make a small investment, get the Sofa Ski Schoo video From Blue to Black Diamond (http://www.sofaskischool.com/dvd/sof...lue-to-black/). Great information that applies no matter how long your boards or skis. I like Klaus Maier's approach to teaching and his straightforward explanations. I am not sure if it is still this way, but I got some cards with mine that had drills I could do out on the slopes.

    Take a look at the Bumps for Boomers information as well. Good techniques you can use anywhere. https://www.bumpsforboomers.com/mogu...-introduction/. These are not just mogul skiing techniques, but apply to skiing on any type of terrain or conditions.
    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.

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    • #3
      Thanks for both posts i'm subscribing to thread to here some more as you progress.

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      • #4
        A lot of classic ski technique is compatible with skiboarding, but we do have a much more upright and centered stance than skiers, so you need to be able to filter the advice and use what is applicable to skiboards.

        Skiboards also give safe and immediate feedback which you can use to improve. If you pay attention to what your skiboards are doing, they will teach you how to ride them best. For example, you could make a few runs and do nothing but focus on how you are balanced on your skiboards, where the pressure in under your feet, how your edges engage, what seems to make you speed up or slow down. If you really focus on variables like this, you will naturally make the necessary adjustments to refine your technique. In effect, but focusing on your results, you can improve them. Just relax, let your boards take you for a ride, and see how fast you improve.
        Just these, nothing else !

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        • #5
          Originally posted by Bad Wolf View Post
          A lot of classic ski technique is compatible with skiboarding, but we do have a much more upright and centered stance than skiers, so you need to be able to filter the advice and use what is applicable to skiboards....
          I agree but to add to this while skiboards respond to many similar skiing techniques you need not be a good skier to be a killer skiboarder. I have been dabbling with the dreaded long sticks this season and found that my skiboarding technique does not necessarily transfer to skis.

          Skiboarding is in some aspects easier than skis and some aspects harder:

          Easier stuff: Skiboarding does not require perfect parallel coordinate of you skiboards and you can use your skiboards independently from each more the way a skater does than the way a skier would ski. Skiboards can be "steered", a skier who tries to maneuver his ski by twisting at the ankle usually has little luck but a skiboarder can make small adjustments by steering their boards or simply lifting them off the snow and adjusting direction rather solely depending on ski angle, pressure, and sidecut.

          Harder stuff: Skiboards require better balance and more awareness of terrain variations. During my time on skis while I hated the lack of maneuverability I was delighted at how longer sticks absorb bumps and prevent issues when you get too far forward or in the "back seat". You lose much, if not all of the this, the shorter you go with skiboards. What you gain in control and playfulness you lose in smoothness of ride.

          All my time late last season and most of this season with long skis have led me to the conclusion that best way to prepare for skiboarding off the slopes is not to watch skiing videos but to throw on a pair of ice or roller skates and work on balance and skating techniques. While there is a lot of merit in studying skiing techniques I feel there is more to gain in spending time on skates if your end goal is to be a good skiboarder. Agressive inline skaters and ice hockey players that find the sport of skiboarding seem to take to it easily so maybe the best off slope time is spent at the ice rink? However if your end goal is to use skiboards to learn how to ski then forget everything I say here.
          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

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          • #6
            Honestly, I figured some things can be transferred from skiing to skiboarding; but, I see how skate/rollerblading is similar to (imho, they are pretty damn close.) each other -- especially in stance and leg work. Carving, body position in turns, etc is where I see skiing techniques coming through.

            Lol bumps are depressing and the first thing I noticed on my first day skiboarding. Most, if not all, the suspension is in the leg. I got tossed around quite a bit, while some skiers were bombing it near by. As a newbie, it was pretty discouraging to die to each bump on the run.

            Originally posted by Bluewing View Post

            Take a look at the Bumps for Boomers information as well. Good techniques you can use anywhere. https://www.bumpsforboomers.com/mogu...-introduction/. These are not just mogul skiing techniques, but apply to skiing on any type of terrain or conditions.
            This was a good read, thanks.

            As for investments, I can only invest time and energy. School, work , and paying my monthly dues are tripling up against me
            Your future nurse on snow :P

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            • #7
              It's good to mix easy green slopes for some technique development and drills with much steeper slopes and/or choppy and poorly groomed or powder conditions to test if your newly minted skills from the green slopes work where it matters.

              On my local mountain they groom the beginner slopes differently and often I don't get to see weak points in my equipment or technique until I venture to the blue and black diamonds. And sometimes it takes a different day with different snow conditions to figure some things out.

              So, yup, more practice and in as varied conditions as you can find. The 120 are an excellent board to experiment with as it is not as short as to mask totally sloppy technique or lack stability, but not too long to be difficult to experiment with, has plenty of float to keep you going when it is soft, yet narrow enough to be easy to edge for firmer days and with enough edge hold and proper flex for good carving, while forgiving enough for easy skidding on demand...

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