How to get higher edge angle on J turns

Those look quite good to me… Doing a J turn isn’t as easy as it looks.  I always feel like my 3rd turn is really my first turn (2 setups).  

@skoonk You need to angulate the board way higher.  Use the front knee too, don't be afraid.  Drop it inside the turn like a motorbike racer.

It's also possible that your board isn't designed for high edge angles.  What board is it?  

@wild-cherry Libtech Dynamo 2024, got it on sale back in October.

I don't think it's the board that's the problem. I know I need to angulate more but Idk my body feels really clumsy lol, I know it looks different from your carving footage but I just can't seem to replicate it.

I will try to drive the front knee, I thought I was but I guess not...

Posted by: @skoonk

↑

It feels like my hip is just jammed and won't move into the turn and down lower.

I've had that happen on a friend's board that otherwise felt very good to carve on. What's your sidecut? My friend's was 9m, I think it's too short for the speed I was going at.

Does it have enough effective edge for your weight? My confidence goes WAY up with EE.  Maybe it’s more of a commitment issue, which is completely understandable if the board isn’t appropriate.  I certainly don’t lay over my all mountain boards as much as the carvers.

Also, it’s only a medium stiffness (with 75% Paulownia and a layer of biax).  If you really ‘dump the boots’ you should be able to get more edge angle, but it’s probably going to wobble a bit on edge (not hold a line as will as a board with more torsional rigidity).

You might try bowing forward a bit more to get more weight up front (to decamber the board earlier and start digging a trench to push against).

I’m not a coach, so I don’t know where your J turn should be at before progressing to other drills… but while there’s a lot more going on when linking turns, I think that pendulum affect does help to bring the edge over.  A little rebound at the unweighting can help too… but I don’t know if you’ll get much from that board.

@emilecantin SCR is 8.2m. With that being said, I'm not going at crazy speeds per the video. I'm also on a green run.

Idk, this is my first board (and my first season, although I've already got 30 days in). I don't know how the board would affect my carving technique though. How would a board prevent someone from getting high enough edge angle? Or like make it harder for you to drive your knees laterally, get your hips lower?

@board-doctor effective edge is 1160mm, my weight is 200lbs. 

I think it might be technique, but I don't know what the issue is. I have a video of a "drill" someone recommended on alpinesnowboarder but my front knee just won't move laterally and "dump the boots". Give me a sec and I can share it...

Posted by: @skoonk

↑

effective edge is 1160mm, my weight is 200lbs. 

Yeah that’s certainly limiting. Under 1200 can feel pretty sketchy to me at 180lbs.  I want like 1270 to really lay it over.  

The C4 is 1430, which is 23% more than yours (though you don’t need that much at modest speeds in ideal conditions).

You’re doing great for your first season/30 days!

@board-doctor So this is one of the heelside angulation drills I got from AlpineSnowboarder (and I might ask again there for feedback):

Basically he said to sit on the slope, shoulders, hips facing direction of bindings, and drive the front knee to the snow, as if "you wanted to pour water out of the side of your front boot". However, the board barely gets additional edge angle at all.

Also, the closer I tuck my legs in (the more knee bend), the less edge angle the board gets...

@skoonk maybe that works with steeper binding angles and more hip rotation?