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One-footed J-turns on shallow terrain are a good way to introduce the edging skills beginners will apply when they progress (hopefully sooner rather than later) to two- footed riding.
introduce the sensation of gliding on snow without the consequences of gravity. T is is when we as instructors need to get creative; fi nding truly fl at terrain (even in beginner zones) is often the hardest part of all, because we work on the sides of mountains! Sometimes, this means leaving the learning hill in favor of a safe, out-of-the-way spot at your resort’s base area. T e key is to choose terrain where beginners can get accustomed to having a snowboard strapped to their foot, whether they’re skating or just standing still in an athletic stance.
INCH YOUR WAY UP THE HILL Once a rider becomes comfortable moving on fl at terrain, it’s time to introduce some pitch. Stick to the bottom of a slope that has a straight fall line, plenty of run- out, and/or a “catcher’s mitt” (an uphill backstop), so that at no time is a student’s safety dependent upon actively aff ecting the board’s performance. Speeds and pitches
should be slow and fl at enough that if a student instinctively tries to stop using his or her free foot, this can happen without strain or injury. Not sure exactly how much of a hill to start with? Test the terrain by trying a no-footed straight glide – if you’re comfortable sliding down the area with no feet strapped in, then your beginners will usually feel safe with one foot strapped in. As always, consider the snow: on an icy, hard-packed day, fi ve feet of pitch might be plenty, whereas you would start higher if there was fresh snow or slow, spring-like conditions. With the appropriate terrain, you can
instruct students to simply put the back foot on the board and stand comfortably, performing a straight glide until they run out of momentum. From here, beginners can challenge themselves at their own pace by starting a straight glide progressively further up the slope. As instructors, it’s our job to assess each student’s progress. Whether it’s reining in the adventurous beginner who skates to the top of the hill and glides down with straight legs and fl ailing arms, or encouraging a timid student to start six inches higher than the time before to feel how a bit of momentum can help with balance, we have to constantly use our expertise to manage each rider’s progress.
INTRODUCE EDGING WITH J-TURNS Chances are, none of your students in a beginner class will look completely relaxed and balanced as they perform the one-
Start with a one-footed straight glide on relatively fl at terrain.
footed straight glide, and that’s okay. After all, they are sliding down a mountain attached to a board for the fi rst time. As long as they have shown an ability to remain in a centered, athletic stance and keep their eyes in the direction of travel (all while doing nothing to aff ect the board as it glides down the slope), you can progress with shallow one- footed J-turns. Using the same terrain and starting with the same movement, the only new thing you have to introduce for J-turns is pressing on the heel or toe with the front foot. As long as they remain in a centered stance, students should feel the edge engage and experience a change in direction as a result. T e terrain is still what ultimately
Progress to one-footed J-turns on the same gentle terrain to introduce subtle edging skills. 122 | 32 DEGREES • WINTER 2016
SCOTT. D.W. SMITH
SCOTT. D.W. SMITH
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