A snowboard blog designed to develop snowboarders snowboarding skills and technical understanding through means of written and pictorial bio-mechanical articles, weekly snowboarding tips and freestyle trick how tos, read more…
Here’s something for you to mull over on this friday morning.
A common area that people struggle with when hitting kickers is not knowing where to drop in from, how to drop in, when to get low, how low to get, when to pop and if this all goes to plan, why doesn’t the next hit go as good?
In the following article I am going to illustrate a simple structured approach that you can take into every kicker with a couple of self checks to keep you safe.
Please Note: This article is written for those working towards or perfecting basic straight airs, no spins.
Before doing anything, inspect the feature. Make sure the coast is clear and ride down, stopping in a safe place visible by others (not on the run in or on the landing – to the side of the feature is best). Take note of the run up, distance to be covered and landing. Only now should you think about hitting the feature.
This is the first aspect of hitting kickers that I like address when coaching and can’t stress how important it is to get right. If you don’t have the correct speed, you can forget the rest…
It’s been a while since I wrote a post so I thought this would be a nice change.
Designed specifically for the technical, hard working, powder hungry snowboarder who likes to stay on the move all day, these home made cookies will keep you going until the lift close. read more
I am 8yrs old and I love snowboarding. It is my ambition to be the best I can be, and I’d really love to be good enough to compete in the winter Olympics..
Young Will Gilmore has officially decided (along with some help from his parents…) that he should showcase his talent to world and at only 8 Will is already taking the UK freestyle scene by storm finishing within the top 3 spaces in his first 2 competitions!
Sponsored by Definition Camps, WIll can be found at pretty much every freestyle course that is run and I have been most fortunate to work with him on a regular basis since his arrival to Definition early last season. I remember Will being a little on the shy side when first attending the courses but not now. read more
Here’s something to keep you busy and still working on snowboarding throughout the summer! A snowboard balance bar / rail.
Great for fitness and trying some new tricks out in the safety of your garden, or front lounge, which ever you prefer. If you are a super newbie then definitely build yourself a balance rail. For advance riders, this is a real good platform to build your snowboard skills for street rail get-ons (non ride on boxes / rails etc).
Because the beam is higher than you, it encourages, good pop and locking in the board onto the rail.
This isn’t a new idea and it’s been around for a while now, but I thought that I would document the building of my balance bar/ rail and showcase it up here.
Construction
I’ve gone through the step by step stages and listed out all costs and time spend.
Step 1:
First up if was off down toHomebase to get some wood, screwsand vanish! Note: I shall presume that you already have the following: Saw, Screwdriver, Drill, Sandpaper, Pencil and a ruler / measuring tap
Step 2:
Back home and out with the saw. Cutting the wood into the following sections: 56.7in, (144cm) 13in (33cm) and 13in (33cm).
Step 3:
After a quick sand down, 2 coats of vanish were applied.
It’s been a couple of weeks now, but back on the 16th of July Bracknell Dry Slope played host to the final round of the Southern Freestyle Series.
Congratulations are in order to Will and Cerys, who both finishing in podium positions. Cerys claiming first place with a gold and 3rd place in the previous two rounds.
A special event for young Will too (only just 8yrs old) finishing 3rd in the under 14′s category at his first ever snowboard comp too! Pictures from the event
Also a big well done to: Jack, Skyla, Will and Cerys for all reaching the finals at the Trick Buster Jam put on by For Boarders by Boarders at Milton Keynes on Saturday 23rd July.
Tomorrows event is all about prizes and having fun, exactly what a birthday should be about.
There will be demo Kit available from the world’s leading manufacturers, oh and I hear there’s also some birthday cake, jelly and ice cream to be had too…!
Event: Definition Camps 2 day Freestyle Course Location: Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre Date: 18th / 19th June 2011 Pictures: Coming soon
Last weekend saw another 2 day definition camps freestyle course held at Hemel Hempstead Snow Centre.
Another great weekend and another great group of riders.
Day: 1
The first days riding was all about the rails. After a good warm up and some technical riding aspects it was straight over to the SCUK box.
There was a real mixed group with a real variety of riding standards. This prompted for a challenging but rewarding day for all. Basic, first time 50-50s all the way up to switch backside 270 on were on the cards.
Day 2:
More technical and riding specific drills were covered in the morning to insure everyone was well balanced and standing over their boards. read more
It’s one or the other, compromise fine tuning of stance width to enable fine tuning of where the binding sits (edge to edge) or vice vica. Unless of course you have toe ramp and heel cup adjustments
One important key factor we haven’t covered yet, to do with your bindings, is the position of them across the width of your board. (see picture below)
I’m talking about setting the binding up in the center of your board, edge to edge.
If you read last weeks Tips Mondays article you will know that we rotated the base plates so the slots ran parallel to our boards edge and used these to fine tune our stance width.
With our stance now set up, we can use the toe ramp and heel cup adjustments to make sure that the boot sits in the center of the board with even toe and heel overhang.
Key factor when buying
This is another important factor to look into when buying bindings as without the toe and heel adjustments, you will have to use the base plate to fine tune and position your bindings in the center (rotating the base plate so the slots run vertically)
However, when using the base plates like this you sacrifice read more
up if was off down toHomebase to get some wood, screwsand vanish!
