Tag Archives: snowboard gear

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Learn What To Wear Snowboarding

Blake Tholen Clark Certified Snowboard Instructor, Flowing Freeride Online Snowboard School, Free Snowboarding Lessons, From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboarding Tips, , , , , , , , , , , ,

This online snowboard lesson will go over Snowboard Clothing. Most people know that when it gets cold to put on a coat. There are many different kinds of coats made from different materials. When you go snowboarding you don’t want to just grab any coat. You might be able to go snowboard with any coat but it can limit your flexibility, make you uncomfortable and not keep you dry. We’ll go over a few things you’ll want to know about snowboard clothing. Other Snowboard Videos on YouTube & Flowing Freeride go over equipment technologies to teach you how to get the best gear. You’ll have access to all our snowboard tutorials when you signup that cover every step and feedback from your coach. We also have some free snowboard videos to prepare for snowboard weather and equipment to bring on our YouTube Page. I recommend watching these snowboard videos; Beginner Snowboard Lesson on Steering, Toeside Heelside Stance, Learn How To Ride The Lifts Safely, How to Snowboard: Balance Twist, Beginner Snowboard Stance, Snowboard Pads, Snowboard Training Hill, Demo Boards, Snowboard Camber, Building Rhythm, Snowboard Freestyle Boards, Snowboard Dynamic Flex & Extend, & How To Size Your Snowboard. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take Our Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and Learn To Snowboard Right!

I’ll go over what I like to wear snowboarding. It’s a good idea to wear clothing that doesn’t restrict your movement. I start with comfortable athletic underwear and undershirt made from cotton. My socks I try avoid cotton because if they get wet they won’t insulate. I then like to wear a pair of jogger pants, sweatpants, or shorts if it’s hotter above 45ºF or 13ºC. When I’m hiking I will just wear my underwear and snowboard pants because of how hot I get. If it’s below 20º F or -10º C I will put on long underwear as an additional layer. My next layer will be Under Armour or a material similar that’s breathable, flexible it and allows your sweat to breath out but blocks out weather, UV rays and wind. If it does get wet it will still insulate and keep your warm. Having clothing that is breathable will allow to keep in your body heat but allow perspiration to escape that can make you much cooler. My snowboard pants and coat are the final outside layers. They need to be waterproof and to have vents again for letting heat out to breath. If you don’t have this waterproof outside layer wind will get in making you cold or even worse the snow sticks to it and then melts absorbing into your clothes. This makes you have to carry the extra water weight making you use more energy to make movements. It’s not efficient, makes you cold, uncomfortable and your style points go way down. Looking good while you snowboard is what everyone wants so get the right snowboard clothes.

If I’m not wearing the proper clothing I will work very hard when I’m snowboarding Deep Steep Powder or hiking backcountry, when I get on the chairlift I’ll freeze because I’m drenched in sweat. I recommend you have this breathable clothing it can really make or break your day. This layer stretches and as we bend over to strap in your bindings or when freestyle riding grabbing your board, this layer will stretch and stay covered over your lower back and butt. Make sure it’s longer too so that it will tuck into your snowboard pants. If you don’t have this layer that stretches the skin on your lower back will get exposed and snow can go up your shirt or down your pants when you sit down or crash in the snow. As you ride you will feel wind on your skin and you don’t want wind burn or frostbite so get this longer stretchy breathable layer. In powder conditions no matter how good you are you’ll be covered in POW from falling in it or riding in it making huge turns spraying snow walls and Face Shots (snow sprays your face from powder turns). If you’re not dressed properly you won’t last long in powder.

When I have everything working I ride well. If my goggles are fogged up, I’m overheating, using more energy and breathing harder. The resorts aren’t open yet but I’ve been up hiking at Alta, Utah. We got a ton of early snow up in the mountains and I’ve been able to get up there four times already. The first day I went up it was snowing pretty good. I brought my winter coat up, neck gaiter and had sweats under my snowboard pants. I was overheated and I couldn’t see. When I finally went snowboarding I lost my balance and crashed because I was dealing with exhaustion and couldn’t see. If I took my goggles off snow went into my eyes and when they were on they were too foggy to see. It was already foggy conditions so visibility was low. The next 3 times I dressed much cooler and ripped some awesome powder turns. I released Snowboarding Alta In Roctober 2018 that gives some early season riding and gear tips.

I was a beginner once and have experienced snow going up my back and freezing my ass on a crash in deep powder. I have learned a ton from my experiences and I want to share that with you so you don’t have to have these experiences. If I could of learned snowboarding online when I started I would have avoided many pains. One way to avoid miserable feelings is to have the right snowboard clothes. You can practice efficiently and get Hooked On Snowboarding with Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to other snowboard videos that teach you about other snowboard equipment. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, textbooks, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right! My name is Blake Tholen Clark contact me if you want to book a lesson or have any questions about Snowboarding.

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All Mountain/Freeride Snowboards And Asymmetrical Snowboards

Blake Tholen Clark Certified Snowboard Instructor, Flowing Freeride Online Snowboard School, Free Snowboarding Lessons, From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboard Gear Reviews, Snowboarding Tips, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This online snowboard lesson will go over Freeride Snowboards. There are different technologies in a Freeride Snowboard that make this ride the whole mountain more efficiently. The three main types of snowboards are Alpine, Freestyle and Freeride. Freestyle Boards are shorter and softer in flex to get spins around faster and to absorb with forgiveness while Alpine Boards are longer for more response, not as wide for quick edge change and stiffer to hold an edge in harder snow conditions. Freestyle Snowboard stances usually are wider with a ‘duck stance’ or your feet angles are pointing towards nose and tail like 12º, -12 so they can use a full range of motion to absorb landings and jump of kickers. Alpine Snowboard stances are sharp towards the nose like 70º, 67º to be able to carve and switch edges quickly. Freeride Snowboard stances are a combo of these two styles picking out the best attributes. A lot of snowboarders like freeriding because you can ride the whole mountain hitting trees, moguls, cliffs, park, pipe, off piste, groomers, etc., Other Snowboard Videos on YouTube & Flowing Freeride go over equipment technologies to teach you how to get the best gear. You’ll have access to all our snowboard tutorials when you signup that cover every step and feedback from your coach. We also have some free snowboard videos to prepare for snowboard weather and equipment to bring on our YouTube Page. I recommend watching these snowboard videos; What To Wear Snowboarding, Demo Boards, Snowboard Camber, Building Rhythm, Advanced Snowboarding Getting Air, Snowboard Freestyle Boards, Snowboard Dynamic Flex & Extend, & How To Size Your Snowboard. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take Our Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and Learn To Snowboard Right!

Asymmetrical Snowboards can be wider with softer flex in the front or nose and then more narrow with stiffer flexin the tail. It’s shaped like an ‘A’ and it tapers down being wider at the beginning and narrow at the end. This will help you plow through the crud conditions and in powder to ride up on top and float to make it easier to ride. These boards are directional and meant to go one way more efficiently. You can ride them switch or fakie but they won’t perform the same way. You can have an asymmetrical sidecut, your heelside edge has a deeper sidecut to lock you into your carves better by giving you more leverage or similar to your toeside carves. On my toeside I eliminate one more angle by extending my hips instead of flexing like on my heelside thus creating more leverage on my toeside edge. These type of snowboards are ‘A Sym Twins’ or twin tip in every way except you have a designated heelside edge weather you’re riding goofy or regular. This snowboard is great for freestyle but I want to include it with freeride boards too. You don’t need to have an asymmetrical snowboard for it to be a freeride snowboard and the Asymmetrical Twin Tip is great for freestyle. I do like to ride twin tip snowboards but when I’m out riding the whole mountain or freeriding I set my bindings back a bit so that I have a longer nose and shorter tail. When you set your bindings back or the holes are already set back then it’s a directional twin. I’ll talk about sidecuts in a second. This let’s me ride powder and crud a bit better by staying on top of the snow and not sinking in.

Freeride Snowboards or All Mountain Snowboards usually ride better through bumps, trees, off piste conditions and at high speeds because they’re longer and stiffer flex. The sidecut is usually set back a bit, off-centered or it doesn’t start arching back out in the center of the snowboard. A few centimeters back from the center is when the sidecut starts heading back out. This gives you a better solid ride when you’re riding the board directionally with your bindings set back along on your snowboard and that’s why you sidecut is set back, off-centered. You lose that when riding switch because now you have a short nose and long tail. The technologies of an All Mountain let you ride the whole mountain efficiently in one direction and you’re still able to ride backwards or fackie fairly well also.

Freestyle Snowboards that are shorter for quicker rotation and softer flex to absorb landings and tricks. They are True Twin Tips with same flex patterns at the nose and tail. The sidecut is not set back it arch back out right in the center of the snowboard and the binding holes are also centered. This makes the snowboard ride and perform exactly the same no matter if you’re going goofy or regular.

All Mountain Snowboards are going to have regular camber or hybrid camber in them. If you’re on a reverse cambered board you won’t hold an edge as well and you butter very easily. Banana boards are reversed cambered great for freestyle, tricks, butters and less likely to catch an edge which is a huge plus to beginners. I have to really lift my edge higher on my back leg to hold a carve, my movement patterns differ on reverse camber boards. I like to ride regular camber boards for the edge control, flex patterns, speed and pop from edge to edge. Hybrid camber gives a combo of both and helps you float more in powder conditions. There are different technologies in different types of snowboards. Know what type of camber your board has, how big is the sidecut and if it’s off-centered or directional, the shape and flex patterns are all technologies that can make your riding look better. You can practice efficiently and get Hooked On Snowboarding with Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to earlier snowboard videos that teach you about other snowboard types and gear. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, textbooks, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right! My name is Blake Tholen Clark contact me if you want to book a lesson or have any questions about Snowboarding.

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Snowboarding Steeps & Alignments

Blake Tholen Clark Certified Snowboard Instructor, Flowing Freeride Online Snowboard School, Free Snowboarding Lessons, From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboarding Tips, , , , , , , , , , ,

This online snowboard lesson will go over Closing Your Turns Body Alignments. In steep terrain every little movement can cause a huge reaction. When I’m taking students out on steeper terrain I take a few runs on intermediate slopes to see what type of movement patterns they have and if they’re even ready to be on steeper difficult runs. Most the time I need to work with my students a bit before I take them to steeper areas. They need to be able to make turns using lower body movements and keeping their upper body aligned with their lower. After they are making turns with better alignment I like to take them to a run that has some mellow slope then steep and back less slope. This way the student can practice their movements on the way to the steep difficult terrain, then actually ride the steep advance terrain and then back to intermediate terrain. Other Snowboard Videos on YouTube & Flowing Freeride go over movements to teach you how to ride steep terrain. You’ll have access to all our snowboard tutorials when you signup that cover every step and feedback from your coach. We also have some free snowboard videos to prepare for Advance Snowboard Skills & Drills on our YouTube Page. I recommend watching these snowboard videos; Building Rhythm, Advanced Snowboarding Getting Air, Snowboard Dynamic Flex & Extend, Advance Snowboard Lesson: Dropping Cliffs, Snowboarding Off Piste, Snowboarding Chutes, Snowboard Lesson Navigating Trees & Obstacles, Active Passive Absorption, Upper/Lower Body Separation, Basic Carving: Circle Drills, Basics For Freestyle Features, Advance Snowboard Carving: Surfer Turns & Grab Carves, Funnel Turns For Navigating Obstacles, Snowboard Jibbing & Snowboarding Moguls. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take Our Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and Learn To Snowboard Right!

Human nature is to lean backwards when we are going forwards fast. Think about that. When you are moving down the mountain you gain speed and instead of leaning backwards you need to fight that urge to lean forward putting weight on your front leg. Let’s review what are alignments are. We want to be perpendicular to the slope. Our board, knees, hips shoulders are parallel to the slope. When you start to lean back on steep terrain snowboarding is harder because you’re using movements that are out of alignment. An easy fix to leaning back is to reach down towards the nose of your snowboard and grab it. Start doing this in a flat area so that you’re stationary or static. Then start snowboarding and at the beginning of your turns each for the nose of your board and at the end of your turn release and stand taller in your stance. As you feel more comfortable doing this drill start going on steeper slopes doing these movements. You will gain more confidence in your riding doing this movement pattern.

Speed and going down the mountain is what snowboarding is. We want to be able to control our momentum and that’s what I’m teaching in this snowboard tutorial. I just went over being aligned when you’re going down the fall line or parallel to it, now let’s focus on going across the fall line being perpendicular to it. I want my turn shapes to be the same size on both toeside and heelside edges. It happens all the time where people don’t finish their turns in steeps and then they carry too much speed for their next turn and skid. The fix to this is to turn up the hill on your turns for a second or two longer than you normally do. It’s usually the toeside edge that people do a quick short turn because they keep their upper body facing down the mountain creating upper body separation. Their bodies are out of alignment on their toeside edge and aligned on their heelside edge. To balance this out I’d have them spend more time on their toeside edge and have them look uphill to actually see what is behind them. When you finish a turn on your toes and look uphill you’re aligned. It’s a good idea to look uphill once in awhile when you make toeside turns. Clean up your heelside edge too by looking uphill to finish your turns. Finishing you turns is at the end get your board perpendicular to the slope or even turn up the hill the slow down your turns. This will keep you a symmetrical and balanced snowboarder.

To make faster more efficient turns in steep terrain bend your front knee excessively so that you can reach down and grab your nose on your snowboard at the beginning of your turns. As you finish your turns stop grabbing your nose, stand taller in your stance and look uphill to bleed off extra speed you gain from being in steep difficult terrain. Learn how to Rip Steep Terrain by keeping your body alignments good and finish your turns to stay in rhythm. You can practice efficiently with Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to earlier snowboard videos that teach you about stance alignments. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, textbooks, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right! My name is Blake Tholen Clark contact me if you want to book a lesson or have any questions about Snowboarding.

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Snowboarding Pads Flex/Extension Pros & Cons

Blake Tholen Clark Certified Snowboard Instructor, Flowing Freeride Online Snowboard School, Free Snowboarding Lessons, From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboard Gear Reviews, Snowboarding Tips, , , , , , , , , ,

This online snowboard lesson will go over Snowboard Padding Flex & Extend. If you’re going out to snowboard for your first time get some padding. There are some places that have awesome soft fluffy powder snow conditions that are perfect for learning to snowboard. You can find these conditions in Western States like Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, California and more consistently. The Rockies are bigger mountains and in some areas like Utah you get Champagne Powder because of how dry and light the snow is. The Sierras and other mountain ranges near the Ocean get lots of snow but it’s heavier wet snow. When you fall in powder the impact is softer and you may not need pads. The snow isn’t always going to be ‘perfect’ when you fall. Impact shorts, knee/elbow/back pads are worn under you snowboard pants and they can prevent injuries when you fall. Wrist guards are worn under your gloves to give you more protection. Other Snowboard Videos on YouTube & Flowing Freeride go over safety, equipment and techniques. You’ll have access to all our snowboard tutorials when you signup that cover every step and feedback from your coach. We also have some free snowboard videos to prepare for Advance Carving on our YouTube Page. I recommend watching these snowboard videos; Beginner Snowboard Lesson on Steering, Toeside Heelside Stance, Learn How To Ride The Lifts Safely, How to Snowboard: Balance Twist, Beginner Snowboard Stance, Snowboard Training Hill, What To Wear Snowboarding, How To Size Your Snowboard, Snowboard Freestyle Boards, What To Wear Snowboarding, Demo Boards, Snowboard Camber, Freeride Boards, Building Rhythm, Advanced Snowboarding Getting Air, & Snowboard Dynamic Flex & Extend. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take Our Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and Learn To Snowboard Right!

Now when I go out and try new tricks I want to have the Safety Gear to help prevent injury if I do crash. There’s a downfall to having this safety equipment and padding it’s your flexion extension that is lacking. It limits my range of movement. If I were to be wearing a knee pad or an elbow elbow pad or impact shorts it limits my flexion extension. Flex and extension is key in any sport. When I’m extended out I’m using my skeleton and bones to support myself. When I’m flexed I’m using my muscles and pads prevent a little bit of range of movement. That can make it harder to reach down and grab your snowboard or do other dynamic movements. That extra movement can help you jump a little further or higher and let you stomp you trick so weigh the pros and cons of pads. If I were to be wearing something that limits my flex and extension it can change the style of my riding and the way it looks. I always recommend a helmet for protection but I don’t always recommend you wear pads. If you’re a first timer I do recommend you wear pads but it’s not required. The big key is to steer the board with your feet and to limit hard falls with proper technique. Our snowboard tutorials go over movement patterns that teach you how to operate and manipulate your snowboard. Look at these three Snowboard Video Tips; Beginner Snowboard Lesson on Steering, Toeside Heelside Stance, & How to Snowboard: Balance Twist. You can practice these movements off snow so that you can be training to snowboard even when you’re not on the mountain.

When you snowboard you might not fall if you’re good. I like to push myself to new skills, tricks and movements. If you’re building up new snowboard skills and you’re riding kickers, rails or other park features you may crash and pads soften falls. When I do a new trick I may do it hundreds of times until it’s perfect with flowy style. Build up to that skill by perfect practice. Do the same trick over and over again until you’ve got muscle memory and as you’re flowing down the mountain you can bust that trick out anytime no problem. You can practice efficiently with Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to earlier snowboard videos that teach you about kids and beginner movements. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, textbooks, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right! My name is Blake Tholen Clark contact me if you want to book a lesson or have any questions about Snowboarding.

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Snowboard Lesson On Binding Types

Awe-Inspiring Snowboarding Videos, Blake Tholen Clark Certified Snowboard Instructor, Flowing Freeride Online Snowboard School, Free Snowboarding Lessons, From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboard Gear Reviews, Snowboarding Tips, , , , , , , ,

This online snowboard lesson will go over Free Snowboard Tips On Binding Types. When you’re ready to take your riding to the next level get your own custom bindings.  There are many types of bindings but the most common binding is two straps that ratchet tighter. There are some systems where you step-in or Burton’s New System You Step On to your bindindings. The rear entry system has been made popular by Flow. There are different advantages and cons to the bindings so let’s take a look at some snowboard binding systems. You’ll have access to all our snowboard tutorials when you signup that cover every step and feedback from your coach. We also have some free snowboard videos to educate you on  Snowboard Equipment on our YouTube Page. I recommend watching these snowboard videos; Snowboard Freestyle Boards, What To Wear Snowboarding, Demo Boards, Snowboard Camber, Freeride Boards, Building Rhythm, Advanced Snowboarding Getting Air, Snowboard Dynamic Flex & Extend, & How To Size Your Snowboard Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and learn to snowboard right!

The big benefits to step-ins or step-ons is the quickness of getting in and out of your bindings. If you’ve ever been out riding with skiers they get off the lift and go. Snowboarders have to take time and strap in. Quickly step your foot in and pull the lever or it clicks in. It saves time and you don’t have to bend over as much. If you range of movement doesn’t allow you to bend over very well these step-in bindings save time and energy. A guy I work with teaches and only has one arm, he uses the Flow system to get him in and out with just one arm. I’ve demoed all types of bindings and really liked the Flow system. When I worked in Ski Patrol I was required to have a step-in system so I could get in and out of my bindings fast so I could work setting up poles, signs and ropes. The Flow Rear Entry Snowboard Binding System is what I used. The binding is compatible with any snowboard boot. The first step-ins required you have the boot and binding. The boots wore out quickly and the system would jam a lot. It was a good idea but had flaws and inefficiencies. Flow made adjustments to it’s rear entry system and has remained one of the best step-in bindings. It has a lot of positive uses. Flow is a great name and having good flow and rhythm is why I chose the name Flowing Freeride for my Online Snowboard School, it’s a big part of good snowboarding. Gatorade Flow has come out as well because basketball is all about flow, rhythm, running downhill, momentum & pace and that’s where the saying comes from “he’s on fire!”

There are many pros to step-in systems so why don’t more snowboarders ride on step-in bindings? The two strap ratchet system is more reliable and is very unlikely to fail. Even if the system brakes you’re still able to get down the mountain and it’s easy to fix. After riding my Flow bindings for a few years the high back broke when I was out on the mountain. I’m pretty sure it was the low clearance when getting on the lift or maybe something else. Always fold your high backs down when getting on the lift because they can break. When my high back broke it was still held together enough to get me down the mountain. Most times when things break on step-in bindings you’re walking down the mountain. You usually can get down the mountain if one of straps breaks with the two strap system. A broken binding can really put a damper on your day. My personal experience was a scary one. I had just bought some new Flow bindings and I was going very fast around a trail with some bumps on it. The binding failed and the rear entry opened while I was going 40 mph. My back foot came out of the binding and I flipped out of control down into a valley out of bounds. Luckily it was full of powder and I was unharmed. I took them back and like the two strap system.

I rode the Burton Step On Bindings this year at the 2018 Rider Rally. A bunch of AASI Instructors get together to share new ideas, concepts, movements, skills, drills and progressions to further improve your snowboard style. I like how Burton is using new technology. The binding had a lot of pros similar to the Flow system. The fall back was I had to have that snowboard boot and I was riding boots a bit too small, so I couldn’t wear my boot. Once I was in I was locked in. I found it a little bit difficult to get locked in everytime and sometimes had to do a good heelside turn to click and lock in. While riding the bindings felt real secure and safe. They were responsive to my movements. It was great that the guys at Burton came out and let us demo their bindings, boots and boards. They’re making tweaks every year to this system to make it better. I snowboarded all day on my Custom Wide 158 Regular Camber Twin Tip Burton Snowboard and really liked the speed and flex of the board. The bindings have a slot to slide your snowboard pants to prevent jamming but on my very last run I couldn’t get out of binding. My pants had jammed into the locking mechanism of the bindings. Luckily I was down at the bottom where the Burton Tent was. I was rescued by the tech taking the binding off with a screwdriver. I applaud these Snowboard Companies for pushing snowboard technologies and hope to see more new ideas next season.

If you get an old setup somewhere like at a pawn shop or yard sale try to get bindings that are two straps since the older technologies aren’t as safe. Snowboarding is expensive but there are ways to get hooked up. I talk about demo days. Do a little research, I talk about this in the snowboard tutorial Learn Demo Snowboards, and find free demo days at snowboard resorts near you. It’s a good idea to take a lesson and watch FFR’s videos to prepare you. You can practice efficiently with Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to earlier snowboard videos that teach you about equipment and movements. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, textbooks, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right! My name is Blake Tholen Clark contact me if you want to book a lesson through my local resort or have any questions about Snowboarding.

 

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Advance Online Snowboard Lesson: Heli Boarding

Awe-Inspiring Snowboarding Videos, Blake Tholen Clark Certified Snowboard Instructor, Flowing Freeride Online Snowboard School, Free Snowboarding Lessons, From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboarding Tips, , , , , , , ,

This online snowboard lesson will go over Snowboard Tutorial On Heli Boarding. You don’t need to be the best snowboarder to go out Heli Boarding. You do however want to be able to snowboard in powder pretty well. Practice riding in powder by hiking or getting up to the resort early on a powder day. Riding powder is a lot like riding on water. You can dig your tail in to slow you down. You still use the same movements like steering with you front foot but fresh light powder is Superman snow where you can do almost anything. I know there have been many times that I’ve chased the storms for the epic powder conditions. You’ll have access to all our snowboard tutorials when you signup that cover every step and feedback from your coach. We also have some free snowboard videos to prepare for Advance Powder and Heli Boarding on our YouTube Page. I recommend watching these snowboard videos; Building Rhythm, Advanced Snowboarding Getting Air, Snowboard Dynamic Flex & Extend, Active Passive Absorption, Upper/Lower Body Separation, Basic Carving: Circle Drills, Basics For Freestyle Features, Advance Snowboard Carving: Surfer Turns & Grab Carves, Funnel Turns For Navigating Obstacles, Snowboard Jibbing & Snowboarding Moguls Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and learn to snowboard right!

The skills you’ll want to have when thinking about Heli Boarding is to be able to ride steep and deep terrain. Steep slopes with deep powder. Resorts will usually have areas to hike. I like to hike inbounds meaning they avalanche patrol but you have to hike to get to that terrain. If you start hiking out of bounds take an avalanche course or look back at some of FFR’s Avalanche & Resort Safety to know what to take with you and what to know in the backcountry. There are skills and body movements you’ll want to be proficient and solid with but also knowledge of slope aspects, snow conditions, slope angles, safety and survival.

The price to go Heli Boarding provides a guide. They’ll take the group out, find the best snow for your ability and keep you safe. Taking a snowboard lesson is like hiring a guide. Folks get to the intermediate level and don’t excel because they don’t have someone there to guide them to the next level. I’ve talked about deep practice or efficient practice and that’s what these snowboard videos are here to do if you can’t hire a coach. If you’re able to afford Heli Boarding then you should take a higher level snowboard lesson every so often to improve your technique and skill efficiency. Some snowboard tips to ride powder is keep your nose up so you don’t dig in, keep your board flatter to make turns so your edge doesn’t dig in, and pump through the powder to keep speed in flatter terrain. You’ll need to be comfortable with speed and have good balance.

Be aware of wild animals because they can charge and be aggressive. When you’re out in numbers usually that extra noise will frighten them off. You don’t want to stop in a avalanche zone or where there are steep slopes around you. Snowmobiles can make the snow icy under the powder. Try to avoid snowmobile tracks or riding lightly over them by unweighting your board. Heli Boarding was one of the best days that I have ever had and if you love snowboarding it’s an experience you should have! You can practice efficiently with  Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to earlier snowboard videos that teach Backcountry, Steep & Deep Terrain, Moguls & Off Piste Terrain. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, textbooks, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right! My name is Blake Tholen Clark contact me if you want to book a lesson through my local resort or have any questions about Snowboarding.

 

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Advanced Snowboard Lesson On Safety Devices

Awe-Inspiring Snowboarding Videos, Blake Tholen Clark Certified Snowboard Instructor, Flowing Freeride Online Snowboard School, Free Snowboarding Lessons, From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboarding Tips, , , , , ,

 

This online snowboard lesson will go over Snowboard Safety Devices in Backcountry. The most important device is a way to track and find you. Bring a beacon, probe and shovel when going into the backcountry but your phone can be a survival tool as well. You’ll have access to all our snowboard tutorials when you signup that cover every step and feedback from your coach. We also have some free snowboard videos to prepare for ‘Snowboarding Backcountry’ on our YouTube Page. I recommend watching these snowboard videos; Snowboarding Moguls, Off Piste, Slope Faces, Snowboard Weather Patterns, Dropping Cliffs, Steep Chute Snowboarding, 5 Red Flags of Avalanches, Learning Snowboard Avalanche Conditions, & Heli Boarding.  Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and learn to snowboard right!

There are apps for your phone that can find phones within a couple of feet based off of GPS. I’ve thought about developing an app for this very purpose. That is how powerful our phones are becoming. They not only allow you to communicate for help but also find your riding partner. You need to have a shovel and probe. Using your board or hands to shovel could waste precious time and you need the probe to find where to dig. The beacon is used to send out a signal and to receive. You need to practice using this equipment. Go bury your beacon and then have your mates go out and use their tracking beacon to find and dig out the hidden beacon. Most resorts that have backcountry access, have a practice course to use your beacons.

Flowing FreeRide Teamed up with the Utah Avalanche Center to promote Avalanche Safety 5 Red Flags of Avalanches. It really helps if you go out and take an avalanche class to get experience digging snow pits to see the snow layers. You’ll see what type of snow will likely slide or faceted snow with variation in the temperature not bonding well and fails causing slides. You’ll get basic skills on how to survey the terrain in the backcountry, what makes good snow pack and dangers. You’ll study about slope faces or aspects and get your splitboard out to skin up the slopes.

Walkie-Talkies are a good way to communicate on the mountains to beat bad cell phone service. Have the right equipment when heading out of bounds or in the backcountry. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, text books, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right.

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Snowboard Boot Systems

Free Snowboarding Lessons, Snowboard Gear Reviews, , ,

Learn how to snowboard with a comfortable boot. Soft boots are what most snowboarders use. There are hard boots that alpine snowboarders wear. They’re very similar to ski boots. The 3 Snowboard Types lets you know what type of rider you are. Depending on what type of rider you are will help you select your boot. I recommend a medium to stiff on your flex of your boot. Think of new tennis/basketball shoes, the newer shoes are stiff and need to be broken in a little for better movement. I ride a lot and know I’ll break in my boots and wear them out so I get stiff boots plus I like that support for my aggressive style of riding. If I were to get soft flex boots I’d wear them out and not have the support I like. When I ride a lot of park and like softer boots. I ride a lot, wear out my boots and have to buy another pair. Most snowboard boot companies give you a 1 year warranty, so if you ride tons you’ll wear your boots out and can get a new pair. That’s nice since most boots run between $100-$500 so ask about the warranty of the boot. This online snowboard lesson will go over Soft Boot Systems.

You’ll have access to all our snowboard tutorials when you signup that cover every step and feedback from your coach. We also have some free snowboard videos to prepare for equipment on our YouTube Page. I recommend watching these snowboard videos; Snowboard Freestyle Boards, What To Wear Snowboarding, Demo Boards, Snowboard Camber, and Freeride Boards. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and learn to snowboard right!

You’ll have options on how soft or stiff your boot is but also the lace system. You can go the ol’ skool way traditional laces just like on your shoes or a laceless system. I’ve used all the systems and like the laceless system where I pull lace and click to teeth on boot. There is the metal wire rachet system as well. The regular lace system takes a lot of time and strength to tie and can come undone if they’re not tied right. If you have younger kids you’ll be doing this so get something easier. A big pro to laces is you can crank them as tight as you want and if they break you can easily go buy shoelaces almost anywhere. The laceless systems will have to be sent to company to repair. With the metal lace rachet system I’ve had problems with it not locking and then the boot is loose all the time. The thin thread material is quick and secures very well. I’ve found them to be more reliable but if the thread breaks it’s hard to replace.

I have a large foot and like to keep my footprint as small as possible on the snowboard. I get a boot that curves up a little at my toe and heel to give me a few more centimeters or a smaller foot so I can get higher edge angles when I carve. I don’t like to ‘boot out’ or my foot goes into the snow and lifts my board off the snow resulting in a crash. If you’re moving from a L1 RAW beginner to L2 RIDER intermediate you’ll want to have your own boots. Your boots are the first piece of snowboard equipment you’ll want to buy. They’re custom and provide such comfort. I’ve had students say they’ve tried to snowboard but felt awkward. I’ve recommended getting their own boots and that has made all the difference. You’re boots need to fit and be secure. If you heels come out while doing a toeside your boots are too loose or too big.
Go try on some boots and the different lace systems to see what you like. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, text books, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right.

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Snowboard Binding Angles

Flowing Freeride Online Snowboard School, Free Snowboarding Lessons, ,

Set your bindings angles up with your front foot more angled than your back foot. This online snowboard lesson will go over Snowboard Binding Angles. Once you’ve been snowboarding a few times you should know what binding angles you like. As a beginner you start out even with a 6º -6º or 9º -9º and stance in centered; your nose is same length as your tail. We talk about your beginner stance in an earlier video Beginner Stance. As an intermediate snowboarder you start to change your stance by moving the bindings and the angles. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right.

As you gain more experience you’ll start to play with your binding angles. You will generally want to have a more aggressive angle for your front foot. Angles are set up in increments of 3º so 3,6,9,12,15 or -3,-6,-9,-12,-15 etc., You can set your angles up to be both positive which is more like an alpine stance. Your angles maybe 30º 15º which allows for faster turning. Alpine board setups are usually around 70º 67º and it looks like a slalom water skier. This can limit your flex and extension and makes it harder to absorb landings or bumping terrain. When I’m on my alpine board I like blue groomed terrain. Most riders are on All Mountain/Freeride or Freestyle snowboards and ride with a positive angle in the front and negative angle in the back. You need to keep in mind that the total between the two angles not be more than 30º’s. For example if my front foot is at 15º the most I would allow the back foot is -15º and the total is 30º. Another example is 24º in the front and -6º in the back. So if my front foot is at 21º what is the most my back angle should be?

You may have to lift up the padding on the binding to get to your base plate. From here you can see the lines and numbers in increments of 3. There will be an arrow or line showing what angle your bindings are at. You can always play with your binding angles. There isn’t just one standard on your binding angles. If you like speed, carving and to stay on groomed terrain than your angles may be more aggressive and both positive like 33º 15º. If you’re a freestyle rider you feet will be centered and binding angles maybe mirrored in front and back like 15º -15º. This is so you can ride fakie or switch and have exact stance no matter if you’re right foot is forward or your back. An All Mountain stance is usually set back a little bit. Your nose is longer than your tail. Your binding angles are usually more aggressive in the front and back foot is at negative like 18º -12º. You can ride fakie but it’s set to go in one direction better than the other.

Experiment with your stance and binding angles. This video focused on binding angles but there is more to your stance than just angles. Your sidecut comes into factor as well but let’s focus on getting your angles set and go from there. We talk about that in other snowboard videos. Take a look at Freestyle Snowboards & Freeride Snowboards to see and understand the differences. You can signup to get access to all of our snowboard lessons, study guides, text books, glossary, tests and direct feedback from your coach. Start snowboarding right at the beginning and you’ll excel quickly. Avoid injuries by using flowingfreerdie.com & snowboardclass.com snowboard video tutorials.

 

 

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Preseason Tip: Now Is A Good Time To Save On Last Seasons Snowboard Gear

From Your Snowboard Coach, Snowboarding Tips, Uncategorized

If you’re like me you’re probably thinking A LOT about the upcoming snowboard season. If you need some gear and don’t want to rent or borrow—you’re probably looking to buy. Don’t wait. Resorts are open by mid-October into November,  which means the newest snowboard technology for the upcoming season will be stocked soon.  Retail stores know that by the first frost (around October) skiers and snowboarders are typically getting amp’d-up to buy. This means they’ll be pushing last season’s gear out the door in prep for the upcoming year. So, good news for those of us looking to pick up new gear items and save some cash. Typically, I’ve found you can reliably find good deals up to 40% off. Some retailers say they discount higher but I’ve found instances where their mark-up on the original price was sketchy.

For those of you new to riding, look for snowboard shows or events. They have a lot equipment for sale. Last year while living in London, UK I was just walking in Battersea Park and saw signs to the Snowboard & Ski Show. This show cost 15 pound to get in but I got a bunch of free swag like stickers, shirts, sunglasses, etc., and got a new snowboard for 49 pounds. They also had live freestyle snowboard competitions with snow they shipped in or made. I got to network with other snowboarders and found where some good places were to ride in Europe. I also found where I could snowboard in London on a conveyor belt Chel-Ski. It’s worth checking out a snowboard show since they advertise steep discounts, you’ll get some great info and you’ll meet cool snowboarders. Personally, I always recommend that you hit up your local “mom-n-pops” snowboard shops. Here is Utah there are a ton, but I like to checkout Milo’s.  They’ve been a reliable spot for years, exclusively selling gear for snowboarders (they don’t stock skis), and their reps are real riders that know their stuff on snowboard technology. I interview a rider at Milo in some of  the gear lessons in our Pro Snowboard Training Courses.

So, if you’re looking for a good deal, don’t wait! Shop now before everything is all picked over. But if you miss out, you can always look out for demo days to test new gear at a fraction of the cost, and then wait for the end of the season deals. By March and April you can once again pick up steep discounts, sometimes even better than preseason deals. This is a snowboard tutorial on How to Size Your Snowboard. Get your gear now so you’re ready for the snow!

Okay guys this was just a quick preseason tip. Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com and take a look at our YouTube Page for more free content and learn to snowboard right. Our blog is up and going so check back again for more tips.