Feedback on pics...sorry no video...

[keepTheSport]

Vizsyn, bad news on the snow front..that sucks

I do get the impression that you are a pretty good Carver and really under play your skills..so I don't think you have too far to go to getting some good laid out carves...

[Abrax]

I also moved my angles from 30f, 27b to 36, 33...I was pleasantly surprised how much better it felt and I feel I can go a bit more forward yet on my soft set up...as soon as I feel comfortable with the snow conditions ths hard boots will be out...

please take care! When the angles on a soft boot will be too high, you will loose the ability to steer the board while not on the edge... Possibly the best angles on the soft board in soft boots would be +30, +18 but +55,+50 while on soft boots are a complete disaster.

[keepTheSport]

Abrax, thanks for warning..much appreciated... my feet aren't too far from edges, even at the increased angles, so I felt I would still have a fair amount of control...

These new angles are working really well...I can much more easily face forward...

Today I was on my softies again. ..still haven't got groomed unbumpy slope yet..so i'm to scared to go on hard boots...

Anyway i'm still progressing..I have been on hard pack snow and slippy ice, and bumpy terrain all day...quite a few falls...but the last two hours of the day I was surprised at not falling, holding a good heel edge even when getting flung into the air a bit cause of bumps...my toe edge has improved today but still too skiddy but under the conditions I was pleased...switching edges better particularly on toe side, ...I'm beginning to automatically do stuff like: looking over shoulder ahead of next turn, getting low before turns, hands by my side,....the push pull has worked so well on hard ice to cut speed..

I don't think I would have been so brave if this had been a steep slope.. I was on a green run but it was one where you could get a lot of speed

Almost got a video done...I asked someone to record as I was coming down slope but the wrong button was pressed therefore it didn't save..my fault..wrong instructions given...

Got quite a few bruises today...one of them is massive..

[keepTheSport]

First time on the hard boots this season..about time as well ...the slope was green (same as last post) but conditions were: ungroomed, grippy ice, powder bits.....it was so windy my forehead froze going up on poma... . .an advantage of being built like a bean-pole is, that I stood in the MINUS position going up and the wind by-passed me but got everyone else... ...at least I was practising my stance ...in the queue at the bottom all the larger people were being blown about, while the gusts of around 40/50mph didn't know I was in the queue too

Heel edge definitely better than first time I tried this alpine stuff...I think the soft boot drills have paid off..staid upright 99% of the time...that is very good for me..couldn't really do any other drills, as going into PLUS position put me at war with the wind
At least I got over my fear of getting back onto the hard boot set up

[keepTheSport]

An update...back on softies,off piste, undulating terrain...although a red some of the terrain I chose to go down was very steep more of a black grade...conditions hard ice and grippy ice...winds so strong in places you could hardly move unless on the steep bits of course...

Anyway my heel edge just gets better...i was turning from toe to heel and carving across and back up hill to cut the speed... ..I am just so pleasantly surprised...a few times where I'd turned and started skidding down on the heel edge..I suddenly remembered to twist my body towards nose of board/uphill even, and that put the board back on it's edge to carve instead of skid...amazing tiny adjustment that just worked...

I'm under no illusion about my skills...but I'm trying...my toe edge is stilL rubbish...

However, to have gone on this run in hard boots I would have been in hospital afterwards...I really am not comfortable with the whole set up, at some point I will work out what I need to do to get it right... on the soft boots I know how to bend my board when I turn..i can't bend the alpine board...the only control I feel I have is flipping onto it's side I feel my feet have no control in the hard boots ... ...basically the total opposite to what I can do on the soft boot and set up.....

btw..this day was full of falls until I worked out what I was doing wrong on the steeps on the heel edge(these conditions will cause you to fail if one bit is wrong)..but as soon as I go for my toe edge my brain shuts off?...my knees are covered in bruises and one is completely black from the falls on the ice... And my arms and shoulders are aching from the fall impacts too...still no pain no gain.. a
...lifting a tea bag today to make a cup of tea is painful...hahaha
I'm getting there slowly..and that's fine...

[keepTheSport]

I've been a bit down-in-the-dumps about my lack of progression.

Then last weekend I done my first black run on hard boots. In fact this particular black run, I tried once on softies and was scared to go back, as I couldn't even do one turn and slid 20 feet each attempt. Last Sunday, I was linking a few turns at a time, in mogul conditions on spring snow. A big deal for me.

my constant problems on uplift seems to have vanished

I'm getting in some lowish normal carves, that I could easily drag my hand along the snow on toe and heel side.
I'm desperate to try a heel side ec carve, as that is my better carving side. So I thought I'd watch a few of the fantastic videos on this site for memory refresher and inspiration before I try.

I am now a much better snowboarder due to Swiss rotation and push-pull. so thanks to all for tips.

[Abrax]

Good to hear that you are progressing. Still no video to coach you a bit?

[keepTheSport]

Aye, haven't forgot about trying to get a video. I would love to get some more feed back

As much as i'm determined to improve, there are times i've felt like a right chump on the slopes. Me and my alpine set up sill trying to get to know each other. Alone on the snow amidst competent soft booters and skiers. Week after week not knowing what the hell I look like technique-wise but being guided by a mental vision of the videos from here.

Then bam! One morning I find it all starts to come together because I start falling less, skid less, carve uphill, start seeing a single line in my wake..and of course I feel elated.

Then complete strangers start coming-up and speaking to me asking about the board and boots, and even the odd compliment on my snowboarding.
I accept the compliment whilst simultaneously thinking how far I've got to go to achieve the standards of the people on here.