Edge Control and Basic Carving

One of the key elements to riding the board with performance is the ability to create tilt and grip.

In this article we will be looking at how to tilt the board and introduce basic carving into your riding.

Edge control is introduced early on when learning to ride. Think about how on a simple sideslip manoeuvre we are using edge tilt to control ourselves. If you are side slipping on theheel edge and wanting to come to a stop then you will tilt the board to increase the edgeangle for the board to then bite into the mountain. You will use the ankles and feet to create tilt.

To release the edge to continue the side slip the opposite must happen. It means flattening the feet to release the edge and continue the side slip. These are the basic movements needed to be able to create tilt.

Terrain and safety: Here we want mellow groomed terrain which in an ideal world won’t beloaded with people. Always be super aware of other slope users and remember that blindspot on the heel edge. Always start and stop at the edge of the slope and look before you go.

When wanting to introduce more edge tilt in your riding think about being centred on theboard. Don’t have your weight too far forward or too far back. Stay in a stacked bodyposition with 50% of weight on the front and 50% of weight on the back foot. It is very often a big fault with riders being unable to tilt the board because their weight distribution isunevenly spread on the board. If for example you are standing heavy on the front foot, thenthis will allow the board to skid rather than grip through the turn. In any carve turn there isno rotation happening. The tail of the board must take the same line as the nose.

Ride a simple J turn line keeping a relaxed stacked position on the board. So, for example here drop into the fall line on the toe edge and try railing the board back up the hill usingthe side cut of the board, press against the edge. Push your shins into the front on the boot and allow the board to angulate using feet, ankles, knees, and hips. Think about scrunching up the toe and pressing on the edge. On the heel side we are using the ankle joints to aid with tilt. The lower half of the body will be aiding tilt. Ankles, knees, and hips. We are always trying to leave a pencil thin line in the snow behind us. If the line is fat at all we know we’ve skidded the board not gripped. Noise can be another indicator when trying to create tilt and grip. A skidded turn will be rougher and noisier a carved turn or arc will be smoother and more silent.

One of the key aspects here is to progressively tilt the board. Here I use a rating scale measuring how much tilt I am using. Think about a rating scale 1 – 6. 1 being flat and 6 showing off the graphics on the base of the board. When carving the board, we want to use a progressive movement through the numbers both up and down while rolling from edge to edge through the turns. Once the skill levels have increased you will be able to play around with the rate and range of this movement.

Speed is your friend! Speed will make all this a lot easier. When riding at slower speeds we risk skidding the board and taking away the tilt, grip, and performance in our riding. Speed helps with these movements.

Being able to create tilt, grip and performance is the key to all higher end snowboarding. Without it we will struggle to be able to ride all over the mountain skilfully. Once the basics are mastered it’s time to test your own skill by increasing the speed and steepness of the slope that you are riding and carving on.

Remember to Angulate with the feet and incline with the body. Keep the body inside the arcof the turn. The centre of mass must stay inside the arc! Remember the tail of the snowboard needs to take the same line as nose, any deviation is wrong, no skid please. Look for a thin pencil line.