How can a snowboarder increase speed

Trampolining will not only increase your physical strength especially your core strength but it will also improve your spatial awareness, muscle memory for certain tricks, it will help you visualise certain tricks, and will help you to coordinate your upper body rotation with the timing of your pop.

Billy Trampoline from Josh Birch on Vimeo. Visualising new tricks and other movements is one of the most important skills a rider can possess and is often the difference between a good snowboarder and a fantastic snowboarder. We all know at least one person who has an uncanny ability to land new tricks on a skateboard, BMX or snowboard, first try.

Visualisation of the trick is normally the key to their success. Before and after……. Much like a golfer takes a practice swing or studies the undulation of a green before putting, a snowboarder will close their eyes and go through the necessary movements in their head. This may mean mimicking the movements, especially of the upper body, while standing at the drop-in.

Give it a go….. Rotational — movement of the knees, hips, and upper body in a rotational movement. Have a play around with these various movements while riding, especially when entering and exiting turns, and try to over-emphasise these movements so that you can clearly feel what effect the movement has on the performance of the board.

You'll turn using the same technique you use on flat ground. You're just turning on a different surface. Keep your knees bent when you're turning on steep terrain. Bend your knees enough so your body matches the slope's pitch. This will naturally force your shoulders and hips in line with the slope's angle. This will help you put enough weight on your front foot to successfully start turning. Don't be afraid to over-exaggerate that upper body lean when you're refining the technique.

It might seem like you're leaning too far forward, but if you're keeping your balance, that's unlikely. Push through those uncomfortable feelings until the stance seems natural.

If you're still struggling to get it right, try touching your front knee or boot when you start turning to get your weight where it needs to be. The way you end a turn on steep terrain is just as important as the way you start it. Pay close attention to where the fall line pulls you. Make sure your board is completely across the fall line once your turn ends.

Looking to the sides of your trail, rather than down the center, can help you complete these challenging turns better. Relaxing your legs helps keep fatigue at bay. It's important wherever you're riding, but especially on challenging terrain. Think of your legs a little like the shock absorbers on a car. Keeping them loose will help you have the smoothest ride. When you relax your legs, they absorb the impact, rather than your board. That helps your board stay on the ground and stops your head bouncing around.

After you feel you have gained good momentum, I now want you to bring your snowboard back across the fall line to stop and at the same time twist your upper body in the opposite direction to the nose of your snowboard. This will instantly bring your snowboard across the fall line and help you lose any unwanted speed. Practise this exercise on both edges until you feel very comfortable at performing this technique!

NOTE : Want to learn how to shortcut your frustrating beginner snowboarding progression? Simply download this beginner snowboarder roadmap to learn all aspects of learning how to turn.

Learn what bad habits beginners tend to make so you can avoid them to progress faster and maintain balance and control easier… check it out now! I want you to steer your snowboard down the hill a little more, we will not make a closed turn shape and go for a more open turn shape. It can be scary but thats why I talked to you about learning the hockey stop, if you get into trouble, you can wash away your speed very quickly! The problem people face is that they want to increase their speed on the snowboard but have a lot of bad habits with their basic stance,.

So…From now on when you are making turns, I want you to start pushing yourself a little more each time by keeping the turn shape more open. So what are some of the problems that arise when you start learning how to ride straight and fast on your snowboard? So how do you avoid catching an edge when you become scared at such high speeds on your snowboard? PRO TIP: You have to become very assertive with your edge change, you cannot pussy foot around when it comes to releasing edge pressure or applying it at this stage if the game.

There have only been a few times in my life where I have taken my speed to the next level, and you have to trust your basic stance… The key is Know you can do it! I use to point my snowboard straight down the hill from the top of chair 23 in mammoth mountain, my goal was to try and not turn until I reached the bottom of the mountain. Click here for your Tutorials!

That being said, if you think you stance is good, there are a few wee tips to help you control a straight fast snowboard line. One is by shifting your weight from a centered stance to a more forward stance weight over the front foot. This will help make it easier for you to make small micro adjustments with the front foot and knee. More practice will make your turns second nature allowing that extra speed. Another area to practice is working on balance while steering. More aggressive turns help control speed better, so you can ride faster.

Choose the right weather conditions to practice your speed. Good powder and visibility will help you focus and stay consistent while improving your form.