Carving in Michigan

I think the influence stick helps with the shoulders in the heelside similar to the tray technique

Hey Ry- Where was that taken?  My wife and I just wrapped up the season at Nub's yesterday- 3 days of amazing cord destruction on our Coilers.  

This was Boyne Mtn last Saturday (3-23-24). With their Michigan season pass discount, it's dirt cheap. I'm going again probably this Sunday. Let me know if you're interested.

I guess my own takeaway is that I'd like to work on two things. One, shoulders level on steeper terrain. Two, drive my front knee across the board towards the snow to help tip the board into my heelside. It seems like I have decent control of my back knee a.k.a. "stinky knee," but I end up pinching my knees together on heelside. The better riders seem to be driving BOTH knees over into the heelside turn. Hoping that will get me a higher edge angle. Thoughts?

P.S. I will try and get some video riding my 254 wide 158cm Nidecker Blade next time. It should carve better I just have to use more aggressive binding angles because the board is about 2cm more narrow. I prefer my +27/+18 stance on the 273 wide Marhar over the +34/+24 on the Nidecker.

Hey Ry @greatlakesryan!  The video you posted above is hard to analyze because it's selfie stick footage.  This one is way better!

https://youtube.com/shorts/9jmWtwM7pS0?si=zSlBwdNOhv9EUSm0

I can also see your progression from week 2.  Looks like you've been working hard and making great progress in the right direction.  I agree that you can lean further forward into that front knee on heelside, you could rotate your hips into the turn a little more too, but overall your heelside is your stronger side.

I also agree that 34/24 degrees is quite steep, but for carving it will work just fine.  It only feels too steep when you need to make jump turns or ride switch, but people do it, especially in Asia.  

On toeside I would like to see you resisting that temptation to reach for the snow.  You're bending at the hips over the side of the board.  Try instead to push those hips into the turn, stretch through your rear obliques and keep the shoulders level.  You can drop your knees lower to kick the board up higher.  This will result in a more balanced position and more edge angulation.  Try not to touch your hand at first, try instead to touch your knees to the snow and see how the board reacts.  Reach that inside shoulder away from the snow, keeping it level with other.  When done correctly, the snow will come to you and you need only extend the arm at the elbow to drag the hand.

The number one mistake I see carvers making is reaching for the snow on toeside, that's why I keep repeating that the number one rule of carving is "keep your shoulders level"!

Good luck man, post a new video after a few more weeks of practice!

@wild-cherry Thank you for the feedback! Much appreciated! I will try to enlist some help getting better video's this upcoming season. Best wishes!