Tag Archives: snowboard tutorial

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Backcountry Advance Snowboard Lesson

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This online snowboard lesson will go over Free Snowboard Tips On Backcountry. Other Snowboard Videos on YouTube & Flowing Freeride go over backcountry tips and preparation. Conditions vary depending on the area you’re going out into the backcountry. There will mostly be lots of powder in the backcountry and you can practice backcountry conditions by going off the groomers and riding crud, bumps and powder inbounds at the snowboard resort. Riding deep fresh powder is very similar to surfing the mountain. Our snowboards are wide and have a lot of surface area that allows us to float on the snow. Skiers have adapted snowboard technology and have made powder skis that are much wider than normal skis. The thrill and adrenaline rush from ripping a fresh powder field is something that is astounding and a feeling that can’t be matched! 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, 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 Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and learn to snowboard right!

Some tips for powder riding are to keep your nose up and your weight back. I set my bindings back so I have a longer nose when I’m riding deep powder. I still steer with my front foot but my back leg is doing a lot of work. Speed is a big part of riding powder, you need to keep enough speed and stay on steeper slopes when you’re in deep powder so you don’t sink, crash or get stuck. I like to keep my snowboard a little bit more flat in powder. When you lift your edge up too high the edge digs in causing you to lose balance and throw your rhythm off. That’s all it takes to make things go wrong in powder conditions. Stay stacked over your snowboard and what I mean by that is keep your center of mass over the snowboard. If you’re using body movements that aren’t efficient it will be hard to ride powder because there’s more snow to push. It’s usually making the toeside turn. People try to turn the snowboard by counter rotating, chucking their meat, and steering with their upper body. I progress my students through proper body movements and it’s easy to see when snowboarders aren’t using the best movements. You can send footage of your snowboarding to Virtual Pro and I can go over the timing, intensity, duration, edit and add voice over of your movements to improve your riding. Virtual Pro Example. Once you get comfortable keeping you balance start going to steeper terrain and do whatever you want.

I like to call powder conditions “Hero Snow” because you have tons of confidence with soft snow. You can do almost anything with smaller consequences. It’s like jumping into a foam pit. I like to got out in the the backcountry and build huge kickers and jumps. You can shoot out and do big grabs, flips, spins and get huge air and land in soft powder pillows. I lived on Donner Summit near Truckee, CA at Donner Ski Ranch and there’s some awesome places to build jumps in the backcountry. The old stagecoach trail is still there and we’d hike out along that and build kickers on it because it was perfect terrain. It’s steep, flat and then steep making building jumps easy. If you know a place that has a road cut into a mountain that can be a great place to build your kickers. A lot of roads are closed during the winter and aren’t plowed so find some terrain like that if you’re wanting to get your Big Air on. Take caution and scope out the landing. There needs to be plenty of snow. There are obstacles under the snow. Landing on snow is soft so make sure it’s snow and not rocks. In all my freestyle snowboard videos I always say to look before you leap so you can enjoy snowboarding for the rest of your life.

Jumping into deep powder is awe-inspiring and shredding the pow is awesome! I build up my students confidence in powder by taking them down trails that are groomed and have powder on the sides. I tell them to keep their speed and carry that speed into the powder and make just one turn so they can get back on the groomer. If they don’t do well they’re close to the groomed trail and can get out of the powder. Powder get chewed up as people rip through it and that makes it bumpy. If you surf, water ski or wakeboard you know how great it is when the water is glass. It’s easy to turn, the water is soft and the conditions are perfect. When the wind picks up or other boats create waves the water is bumpy similar to when the snow gets chewed. You need to be able to absorb these bumps and when you can you’re a Ripper! The powder will spray and you’ll get face shots. I was in  Ripping Kitzbühel, Austria last year and was getting face shots every turn. It was amazing powder conditions and the people there were great! I stayed inbounds and got tons of powder.

When I go out in the backcountry I take safety seriously. You need to have a beacon, probe, shovel and you should have a buddy. There is a lot to know about going into the backcountry. You need to have some basic skills on how to survey the terrain. Slopes that are over 30º can slide and create avalanches. I go over avalanche safety and teamed up with the Utah Avalanche Center to create a video on Snowboard Avalanche Safety 5 Red Flags. It’s a good idea to take a class 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 Steering, Balance, Stance and Body 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 through my local resort or have any questions about Snowboarding.

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Advance Online Snowboard Lesson: Heli Boarding

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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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Snowboard Responsibility Code #7 Lift Safety

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This online snowboard lesson will go over #7 Lift Safety. The lift is something you want to really know how to use. I’ve gone over certain skills you’ll want to have when loading and unloading the lift. Be very comfortable skating and gliding with one foot in and one out. Use a bench on a slope to create a simulation of the chair lift. Before getting on the chair lift ride the conveyor belts or gondolas which are much safer and easier to load and unload. Refer back to what type of lifts are on the resort in the snowboard tutorial video Navigating the Resort. 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 Beginner Snowboard Skills & Drills 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. 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!

I have a ton of eye-witness experience seeing what snowboard chair lifts can do. When loading I’ve seen people not paying attention and get smacked in the face by the chair. This will cause lots of pain, bruising and bleeding. Pay close attention and follow the chair out. You need to keep your board straight and flat. Lifting your edge or turning your board can catch the snow under you and drag you under the lift. I’ve seen all this happen to folks. They usually are able to stop the lift but things happen fast around the lift. It’s good planning to actually sit outside of the lift line and watch people load the chair. Stop and wait for the chair to pass and then follow it out and wait at the line in the snow where the chair picks you up. If you hesitate and don’t follow it you should just wait for the next one so you don’t get hit by the chair. Once your board leaves the snow you can turn, sit, put your foot under your board to relieve stress on the leg that is strapped in and enjoy the ride up.

I had several students talk to me about the lift that failed in Russia this season. There is a viral video showing a Russian snowboard lift that has failed and the chairs are going backwards swinging wildly around the bull wheel at the bottom chucking people off the lift. I’ve worked in the winter sports industry for along time and know about these huge people movers. The technology and moving parts that goes into running thes giant ski & snowboard lifts is amazing. In the back of my head I always think about what if the lift were to fail? Where on this lift would I jump off so I won’t end up like some of the people who were riding that lift in Russia. A lot of times near the bottom there is less vertical and you see some people jumping off there. You don’t want to jump off a lift unless the brakes fail and it starts going super fast in reverse. I’ve been on lifts that have broke and I was evacuated off by ski patrol using and rope. Jumping off the lift or bouncing can cause a lift to derail off or cause damage to the lift and increase injury risk. Respect the lift and you’ll be fine.

I came up to lift and right as I was about to load the chair fell off as it was coming around the bull wheel. They closed the lift for a week to make sure it was safe. Luckily no one was on that chair and that it fell off right at the bottom. I helped the lift operator drag it off and close the lift. That chair weighed 500 pounds about 220 kilos and was heavy. I was teaching a lesson and helped close that trail. I always think about that when I ride that chair. I saw another chair come off the bull wheel at the bottom. This chair was a detachable quad meaning it comes off the wire at the top and bottom and slows down while going around the bull wheels. A skier was going fast out of control and crashed through the bamboo poles and ropes to keep folks away from the lift. Well, he went through those barriers and wrapped himself around a chair as it was about to detach off the wire. The rope and poles started snapping and breaking and then they pulled the chair right off the bull wheel. I was coaching and helped the lifty drag the chair and this one was even heavier. These are personal experiences that I’ve seen mainly because folks weren’t being safe and following the Snowboard Responsibility Code.

Chair lifts are big moving pieces of metal so make sure you unload the lift using efficient body movements. Keep your upper body and lower body aligned with the snowboard pointing parallel to the ramp slope. Have your back foot on your board as soon as you touch the snow. Standing up tall and not touching your hands to the ground is tuff but you can do it and keep the majority of your weight on your front foot that is strapped in. Glide off the ramp without turning and use the edge to steer once you’re in the flats. As you ride up the lift relax but practice turning your body in the chair to get ready to unload. Allow yourself about 30 seconds to get prepared to unload because if you’re prepared you’re 90% of the way there. You can practice efficiently with  Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to earlier snowboard videos that teach Steering, Balance, Stance and Lift Safety. 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: Dropping Cliffs

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This online snowboard lesson will go over Advance Snowboard Lesson: Dropping Cliffs. When you’re confident enough in your riding to start jumping and hitting cliffs you’ll want to be able to enjoy the adrenaline rush for your whole life. It’s key to scout out your landing and takeoff. There needs to be enough snow to cover the rocks, scouting is the most important thing when hitting cliffs. 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 Cliff Drops 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!

 

Getting air is an awesome feeling. Review other snowboard videos and articles on how to get air and you’ll know that Speed is key and hesitation kills. To prep for cliff drops start pointing your snowboard straight and get a ton of speed. Getting comfortable with speed will launch you off your jumps. Progress up towards bigger and bigger terrain features. There has been many times that I’ve seen riders hesitate or not carry enough speed into the jump or cliff drops and the outcome has been grinding on the rocks and hard crashes. Have good efficient practice by not trying to do too much. If you’re just starting to get speed and little jumps you wouldn’t want to go huck yourself off a ten foot cliff drop. You build up to it. If you’re practicing getting speed going straight for 30 meters you should be getting that goal 80-90% of the time. When you get tired of doing that specific skill go have fun snowboarding your own style. Develop deep efficient practice by choosing skills that are within your ability but you haven’t mastered. This is how you’re going to develop into a better Ripper. Go out and practice getting comfort with speed and carry that speed off jumps.

You’ll get better with speed and to keep speed you’ll want to keep you body alignment straight. When you board leaves the snow if your upper body turn so will your lower body and you want the snowboard to land parallel with the fall line. Keep your upper and lower body aligned with the fall line. Let the tail touch first and then the nose with a flat board and not on it’s edge. It’s good practice to start grabbing your snowboard when you get a few feet of air. Keep the nose up and grab the nose or the toeside edge for your first few grabs. Grabbing the tail points the nose down and it’s not wise to land nose first so keep your tip up. Practice getting lots of speed then ollie moving for and aft on the board creating pop and also jumping. When you start dropping cliffs you’ll need that speed, pop and air to get over the rocks. Pull your legs up while in you’re up in the air and extend them down on your landing to absorb. It’s best to hit cliffs with tons of fresh powder for softer landings.

Develop your snowboard skills up so your fast and comfortable getting air. When we get some super stoked powder it can make you become a superhero! The adrenaline you get from hitting cliffs is an amazing rush and you’ll have bragging rights. “Practice doesn’t make perfect perfect practice makes perfect” so build your skills up with perfect practice. You can practice efficiently with  Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to earlier snowboard videos that teach Speed, Jumps and Big Air so you drop cliffs safely. 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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Learn To Snowboard Trees & Steep Obstacles

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This online snowboard lesson will go over Snowboarding Trees, Gates & Steep Obstacles. Navigating through trees and obstacles can be a great reward to get into premo terrain. You should practice turning through trees on an open trail and putting down little like pieces of candy or a bunch of pennies or even your clothes like gloves. Setup a little course or go into the Nastar course if your resort has one. Running a course with gates will really help you get into a rhythm of when to turn. 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 Carving 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, & 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!

Be able to ride well through obstacles will get you into terrain that not a lot of people go into so the snow stays fresh and better longer. If you get real good you can start competing in races like slalom and giant slalom where there are gates setup. The big key is to start your turn several feet above the obstacle. If I start my turn near the obstacle I will pass it and might have to avoid another tree or gate. You want to make your turn early and to be perpendicular with the fall line as you pass the tree so you’re ready to dodge the next set of obstacles. In steeper terrain you don’t want to make the mistake of turning late and then it’s too late to make any adjustments. Turning early and going across the fall line allows you also to turn up the mountain so you can find a better powder lines!

I like to say turn 8-10 feet before the objects that are in the way of your line. Find out what resorts host a Nastar course or any type of race course. The thing is though with most course they are setup for skiers with tall poles. Snowboarder race courses are setup with a short pole and then a long one. This is so we don’t get smacked in the face on our toeside turns. When I’m on skier gates I punch the gate when I’m doing my toeside turns. Be safe and where a helmet when entering gates, trees or terrain with lots of obstacles. We turn faster by using Snowboardclass/FlowingFreeride’s techniques so go back to earlier snowboard videos that teach turning, steering and rhythm if you’re having problems getting through trees. 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 Snowboard Carving Surfer Turns & Grab Carves

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This online snowboard lesson will go over Advance Snowboard Carving: Surfer Turns & Grab Carves. Surfer Turns can really lock you into your carves. When you watch Advance Surfers ride waves they grab their board with one hand and touch the wave wall with the other. I came up with Surfer Turns after I started grabbing my snowboard while riding. This is Advance Carving and you should go back and watch Basic Carving: Circle Drills and have that down before attempting Surfer Turns. 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 Carving 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 & Snowboarding Moguls Learn to snowboard online with flowingfreeride.com, Take FFR Placement Quiz, take a look at Our Blog for more free content, and learn to snowboard right!

Carving terrain should be nice and groomed with wide open trails. Be sure to Look Uphill to see if there’s traffic from other snowboarders and skiers coming down. Carving is when you’re using your sidecut and eliminate the pivot/rotation movement in your snowboard and body. You’re balanced on your edge with no skid. Carving can make you such a better and efficient rider. Grabbing your board makes you more solid. When watching freestyle you’ll notice that riders grab their snowboards for style points but also it keeps them solid and in balance. Surfer Turns and Grab Carves start to get you bending and flexing to have better flow and rhythm. It’s safer to grab while your on the ground and then you can progress up to grabs while in the air. This drill helps with your carving and speed but also with your freestyle. It looks pretty cool and helps your personal snowboard style.

When we start carving we’re following the same path, our front foot follows the same path as our back foot, the tail follows the nose. I’ve given some drills like the Circle Turns to help you start carving but now we’re moving past L2 Rider and accelerating up two L3 ripper. We want to do carve turns while we’re grabbing our board! Really the only couple grabs that you can do the whole time on toe and heel switching edges without smashing your fingers is either a nose or a tail grab. We can start out by just doing some turns that don’t have to be carves yet but trying to make some turns while you’re trying to grab your board. Reach down try to grab your tail, try to grab your nose, try to grab your toeside edge or your heelside edge. You’ll know that if you’re making S-turns you can only grab your nose or your tail. I know that’s yoga really helps out if you’re not being able to flex down and grab your board maybe get out and do some stretching and do some yoga before you’re attempting to do these grabs. After you’re getting a little bit more flexible there attempt grabs. The big key is being flexible you need to be able to reach down and grab the board. Take a run and do some do some turns where you’re grabbing your board, that’s the first thing you want to do. Take a run and try to try to make turns while you’re grabbing your board.

After grab turns get back into flowing carves. You’ll want to go warm up by taking a run where you’re carving on every turn. Get into that flow of ripping carves down the mountain. After you’re feeling good start to reach down and grab your snowboard while you’re carving. Do the heelside and toeside first and then nose and tail. Progress into multiple grabs and start adding some style by putting your hand in the air or in the snow while grabbing your snowboard. Lock in your carve at the end of your turn by pulling up your edge with your hand. Once you’ve got that start to grab your snowboard right as you transition edges or at the beginning of your turn and see how long you can Rip Surfer Turns and Grab Carves. when I’m doing a toeside turn I have to really reach around and grab that heelside edge it’s a little bit more difficult then grabbing your heelside but it really looks like you’re surfing!

Practicing Surfer Turns helps to develop flexible body movements for Alpine Riders but also Freestyle Riders. Being able to reach down and grab your board is a big part of moving from L2 Rider to L3 Ripper. It may take a while to get this down. Remember it’s all about flexibility so if you’re have difficulties grabbing your board do some yoga and workout at the gym. Hope to see you out on the slopes ripping Surfer Turns & Grab Carves! 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 have any questions about Snowboarding.

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Snowboard Dolphin Turns

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This online snowboard lesson will go over Advance Snowboard Lesson: Dolphin Turns. Dolphin Turns can really help you develop fore aft movements on your snowboard. Developing these movements will really help you improve in skill in all parts of your riding. If you’ve got this down you’re moving dynamically with good rhythm. 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; Building Rhythm, Advanced Snowboarding Getting Air, Snowboard Dynamic Flex & Extend, Active Passive Absorption, Upper/Lower Body Separation, Basics For Freestyle Features & 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!

Building up to Dolphin Turns takes some time. It’s a progression that may take you one run or all season to master. You’re using the board efficiently. The snowboard has camber and shape to it. The sidecut is the edge radius shape, usually 8-10 Meters in radius. Camber is the shape of the board from tail to tip. Depending on the type of camber (regular, hybrid, reverse) when you move fore and aft on your snowboard you can pop off the nose and tail creating ollies and nollies. It’s super fun once you’re timing is down. It leads into riding the whole mountain better. In freestyle it opens the door to pop off terrain features or on flat trails you pop more to start spinning. In Freeride you’ll be able to move fore aft to absorb moguls and bumps that get you to Powder Fields and you cruise down the mountain faster. In Alpine riding you’ll be able to pop from edge to edge quicker to really help with the racecourse to improve speed and skill.

Start by making turns putting all your weight on your nose and then your tail. Feel the snowboard with your each leg by flexing one and extending the other so that they’re not doing the same thing. Think of them as independent. The snowboard should start coming off of the snow. Next you’ll start lifting the nose and tail off the snow down the fall line and then across it. You’re not making turns here you’re just balancing on your front foot and then back. You should be feeling the board bending. Now start to lift your front foot off the snow as you makes turns and then your back foot.  Lift your front leg off the snow then your back leg. It’s an active movement that takes strength and good balance. See how high you can get the snowboard off the snow and to really bend it. When you get to the apex pop of your tail by extending your back leg. This will get the board to be straight again. Another way to think about it is the snowboard is a spring and when you pull it back it builds up power and when you let go it will come back with lots of force. This is what I’m trying to get you to feel in your snowboard by attempting these Dolphin Turns.

We’re bending the board like a bow and arrow. When you pull the bow back it bends and when you let go of the string it pops and shoot the arrow at high speeds and long distances. We’re bending our snowboard like a bow, creating that energy when we pop of the nose or tail. We need to finish our movement by popping off the tail and landing on the nose which is a ollie or pop off nose and land on tail nollie. Ollies and nollies is when we are moving fore aft and we are popping off our boards! Now ollie down the fall line and then across it on both toeside and heelside edges. Now put those movements, intensity and timing into your turns. You’re fore at the beginning of your turn and aft at the end. You’re turns should be symmetrical or the same shape on both heelside and toeside. It will happen naturally if you’re using the right efficient movements that you’ll start to pop to your new edge or at the transition of your turn. Soon you’ll be developing good rhythm to pop from edge to edge Ripping Dolphin Turns!

Dolphin turns are fun to do and a good workout. These types of movements are required of snowboarders to be AASI Level 3 Full Certified. Practicing Dolphin Turns helped me develop efficient body movements to get my AASI L3 in Snowboarding. Moving fore and aft on your snowboard opens the door to so many options in your riding style. Get out on the slopes and rip it up doing Dolphin Turns! 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 Responsibility Code #5 Prevent Runaway Equipment

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This online snowboard lesson will go over Prevent Runaway Equipment. Part of the Snowboard Responsibility Code is to have a device such as a leash to prevent runaway equipment. 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; Snowboard Responsibility Code #1, Snowboard Responsibility Code #2, Snowboard Responsibility Code #3, Snowboard Responsibility Code #4, Snowboard Responsibility Code #6, Snowboard Responsibility Code #7, & Beginner Snowboard Stance. 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!

When you lean your board up on the rack take one of your straps to secure it. Things get bumped or wind knocks boards down and then they can go down the mountain. Use leashes to prevent runaway equipment. Snowboard bindings that have two straps are considered to be safe without a leash at most resorts but you may need to have a leash on your board before loading the lift.

You’ll want to know the full responsibility code when you’re riding out on the mountain:

  1. Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
  2. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
  3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
  4. Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
  5. Always use devices to prevent runaway equipment; you are responsible for possible damage or injury as a result of runaways.
  6. Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
  7. Prior to using any lift, you must have knowledge and the ability to load, ride, & unload safely.

Safety is a big part of snowboarding so be safe while you’re ripping it up! 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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Advanced Snowboard Lesson On Safety Devices

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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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Learn How To Snowboard Getting Big Air Step 1

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This online snowboard lesson will go over Getting Big Air In Snowboarding Step 1. Your biggest key to getting big air is your speed. 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 ‘Big Air’ 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, Basics For Freestyle Features & 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 Ride Right!

We want to break up the steps to going off jumps and features into four steps: The Approach, Take-Off, Maneuver & Landing-ATML. The first step is the most important part of hitting kickers and getting Big Air! Speed kills, don’t hesitate be confident with your acceleration. You need to be comfortable going straight and fast for at least 5-10 meters or 10-30 feet. An excellent drill to practice is the flat board drill. This is where you keep your board flat and straight. You’ll pick up a lot of momentum and then you do a quick stop/power stop. You practice two skills here. You’re carrying speed and you’re doing a freestyle movement using a lot of hip rotation to stop. Do your power stops on both toeside, heelside and fakie to improve your skill. Build up on your speed also going flat and straight for longer and longer distances going right down the fall line.

This drill is all about your approach to your feature. When you first start going off jumps you want your snowboard flat and straight, same with your landing. Jumps and kickers have ramps that go up the mountain so you need a lot of momentum just to get back up them. Most people make the mistake of going too slow and don’t even have enough speed to go off the kicker and get stuck. Practice these drills outside of the park first until you’re able to go straight and flat with lots of speed. Flat board drills build your confidence to carry speed and to be able to stop quickly. It’s a freestyle movement that’s used to make spinning tricks. Upper/Lower Body Separation shows you the type of movement you want to practice if you’re not quite getting how to stop quickly.

Step 1 to getting Big Air is to practice being flat and straight with lots of speed. Get out on some groomed wide terrain that doesn’t have a lot of traffic to build your confidence going fast. Go into the park and start on small jumps and progress up. If you’re not fast enough pull out of the park and practice more Flat Snowboard Drills outside and then go back in to get some Big Air! 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.