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Lower body mostly figured out, now time to work on upper body and style

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(@lukejuras)
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Hey Coach James, here's my video from last weekend. I'm riding +30/+15 on a 162W Burton Custom with Ion Step-ons. This slope is pretty mellow, so I'm really focused on timing and technique in this video. (Sorry for the grainy quality, I only had a tripod to film with and used optical zoom in post to make it somewhat useable.) My goal is to take this technique to blues and blacks eventually, but I need to practice the skills on greens still until they become second nature. 

I have two big questions. The first one has to do with upper body motion, which I really haven't played around with as much, specifically my arms and rotation throughout each turn. The second one is toeside carves. I've done so much work on heelside that they feel really good now, and I don't know where or how to start working on my toeside. I'm leaving pretty good lines in the snow (see photo) but when it gets too steep, I can't make my radius small enough and I start picking up too much speed. Also, if you see anything else in my carving that needs attention, please let me know!

Thanks,

- Luke J.


   
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(@lukejuras)
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PXL 20240309 193124097

Ahh, I realized that I uploaded the files but didn't insert them into the post. My bad!


   
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Iacopo
(@iacopo)
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@lukejuras 

Toeside turn is good. Lower body is working as it should, now you need to compress more through hips and obliques, maintaining some degree of rotation. Next level is getting on edge higher and sooner by angulating from hips and obliques. This is more important as you ride steeper terrain. Your riding in these clips is good, considering the steepness, maybe a little more angulation and compression.

James' video is essential for every stage in the riding progression.


   
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Board Doctor
(@board-doctor)
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Yeah you need to open your hips more.  It's easier for me to say this than actually do it myself. 😀

On the heelside I've found that it really does help to bring your rear hand around to your front knee.  My heelside improved immensely this year. 

I'm still working on my toeside though.  I often resort to more of an inline warrior pose, which is fun to lay down but it's not as efficient and it results in poor stacking over the edge (your weight is way inside of the turn).  In spring conditions (slush on ice) I started realizing how flawed it really is.  Oddly, when it gets steeper and dicey I do tend to stay more forward (as James says steer with your dick) and crank tighter turns.  I should really be doing it all the time.

I got a good pic from the lift here... it's a mellow slope, but the side had been in the shade and wasn't getting slushy.  I'm goofy and you can see a couple of nice heel turns (not much traffic between the lift & trees), but the toe at the bottom just isn't a tight pencil.  That's poor weight stacking.

pencil

Lars had a really great vid that got into the hip 'counter-rotation':

For a tight toe turn, you really need to get onto the nose to get it bending into the turn.  The hip shift gives you early edge angle, and with the hips forward you can get the rear knee forward and really drive into the arch of your rear foot to help the board decamber (before getting into the G-force).  It's easier said than done.

Big White, BC, Canada


   
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Wild Cherry
(@wild-cherry)
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Hey @lukejuras, this is looking good!  Can you send me the full size original video file for a YouTube analysis?  

I'm just slaying...


   
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(@lukejuras)
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@wild-cherry I can send the video I uploaded, but it will be grainy. I didn't keep the original footage, just the post-edited version. Just let me know how best to get it to you (email? link?)


   
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Wild Cherry
(@wild-cherry)
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Posted by: @lukejuras

Just let me know how best to get it to you

Google drive or dropbox or weshare...  Whatever you use.  Send it to [email protected].

 

Posted by: @lukejuras

I didn't keep the original footage, just the post-edited version.

Too bad, I wanted to see that collision at the end of the first clip...

I'm just slaying...


   
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Board Doctor
(@board-doctor)
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He posted a great vid here!

Big White, BC, Canada


   
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Wild Cherry
(@wild-cherry)
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Posted by: @board-doctor

He posted a great vid here!

Hahaha...  Awesome!  Great find!

(Also: Ouch, hope nobody was hurt.)

I'm just slaying...


   
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rocketman69
(@rocketman69)
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@board-doctor maybe another good tip is not wearing headphones so you can hear when and if other riders call out they are passing you. Even though the uphill rider is at fault in this situation - if you get hurt badly that is a crappy booby prize.


   
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Board Doctor
(@board-doctor)
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@rocketman69 I don't wear headphones... when I was younger I'd use a Discman that would skip out within a minute, and then kick back in on the lift. 

Now I'm just all about being in the moment.  I've got an active mind and riding is one of the few times that I practice mindfulness (I don't meditate).  There are certainly times that I'm more focused as I try to progress, but often my actions are simply guided by intuition (and probably a lot of bad habits).

But situational awareness is ALWAYS key.

Big White, BC, Canada


   
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Wild Cherry
(@wild-cherry)
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Posted by: @board-doctor

I don't wear headphones...

I do.  But for exactly the same reason...  I listen to familiar songs with lyrics and sing along while riding, I find this drowns out the verbal part of my brain and allows me to be present without leaving any room for the racing thoughts.

 

I'm just slaying...


   
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