ECS2011-Video -> technical tips please

[Swayne]

Hey fellows,

I made a video of myself at the ECS2011. My purpose is that you extremecarvers can give me some hints and tips on my technique and style.

Unfortunately the video on youtube has been blocked for several countries. There is a soundtrack from SonyBMG (Rage against the Machine - Bombtrack) and the system seems to recognize this song.
I uploaded the video to facebook, so if u are on FB, please watch it there.





Thanks in advance for your tips.

*edit: I`m sorry for the not working link. If I use the [url]-command, my post gets erased completely....?

[starikashka]

It will be very difficult to fix. Lot of things made incorrectly

- rotation is not used to initiate the turn
- incorrect movement timing, i.e. your movements are not done in key point of the curve where it should be made.

What i would advice

- make a video on the easy slope and do the first excersise from thechnique as it explained on this site
- make a video when you doing push-pull turns

And then give us to see.

Do not try to learn extremecarving on black slopes.

[manuchill]

I totally agree with starikashka

After a few years now of working on the correct technique, I still find myself going from a black (or steep red) piste to a simple blue one just to work on the rotation and push-pull technique

Those are vital for the ECS style patrice and jacques propagate and need be done without thinking about it before initiating a turn

[Transistor Rhythm]

- incorrect movement timing, i.e. your movements are not done in key point of the curve where it should be made.

I see him getting low before the turn through bending his back and knees only, and then initiating the turn. It should be more like one motion. Also I see no ankle flex at all. So my guess is the boot is too stiff. Search this forum for boots modifications and recommendations.

I do like the way he gets his board on edge, it is not perfect style but it doesn't look like shit to me

[pokkis]

This video contains content from Sony Music Entertainment, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds. Sorry about that.

[starikashka]

- incorrect movement timing, i.e. your movements are not done in key point of the curve where it should be made.

I see him getting low before the turn through bending his back and knees only, and then initiating the turn. It should be more like one motion. Also I see no ankle flex at all. So my guess is the boot is too stiff. Search this forum for boots modifications and recommendations.

I do like the way he gets his board on edge, it is not perfect style but it doesn't look like shit to me

Nobody tells that this is shit. It`s just a freecarving.

I would not gues about stiffnes of the boots. It`s too early. Boots will limit the movement only when there will be need for boot bending. It`s when he start pushpulling.

So, i shut up. Because it now looks like technical gurus discussion which does not make much value. There should be one person talking to the guy who want to improve.

[Swayne]

I thank you for your comments and hints!
My thoughts:

-On the front side I don`t have the feeling that the timing of my movements is wrong in general. Do you think it is?

-I also see that there is not enough rotation in general.

-As you mentioned, the knee-bending before the curve seems to be separated from the rotation.

-When I bend my legs, I don`t have the feeling that I can flex my ankles more. Maybe the boot is too stiff, I don`t know. I need new boots anyway...

-The backside feels wrong to me in most curves... could the reason be that there is not only too less rotation but that the rotation comes too late? It seems as though I go on the edge too late in the curve.

Unfortunately the ECS is over so I can`t deliver another video.
By the way, it was a red slope

And starikashka, please DON`T shut up!

[rcrobar]

I see a lot of potential and many good things happening:)

I would suggest taking several runs on a slope that is flat enough that you can just let the board run without fear of going a 1000km/hr after 2 or 3 turns; this way you can concentrate on the leg bend on one turn, then the rotation on the next turn without the worry of laying out a turn (touching the snow) or going too fast after 2 or 3 turns.

Make a video of your riding, for your eyes, while riding on a moderate slope and just push-pulling to the best of your ability. The night before watch video of J&P push-pulling without laying out any turns. Compare these videos. Working out the details while riding on a flat slope will have a huge impact on your ECing progression when riding on a steep piste'.

I think you should continue to ride the steep slopes, it is good to push yourself. I would alternate a few runs on a very flat slope, then a few runs on a steep slope. The technique and riding principals are basically the same when riding a flat vs a steep piste', you just have to make thinks happen faster and lean over to the extreme:) Try NOT to worry too much about laying out the turn (touching the snow). Focus more on the feeling and understanding how the turn on a flat slope is VERY similar to laying out a turn on a very steep slope.

Best of luck from one one weekend rider to another.
Cheers
Rob

[Swayne]

Thank you for your post!

Indeed, I think I need to train the technique on easy slopes to get in "flow" so that I don`t have to think too much about what I`m doing. That`s a problem I actually have: before starting the turn, I think "remember this, remember that, don`t forget to..." etc. =)

The recommendation about comparing the videos of me and P&J in such a way is very valuable.

[skywalker]

Thank you for your post!

Indeed, I think I need to train the technique on easy slopes to get in "flow" so that I don`t have to think too much about what I`m doing. That`s a problem I actually have: before starting the turn, I think "remember this, remember that, don`t forget to..." etc. =)

The recommendation about comparing the videos of me and P&J in such a way is very valuable.

Sorry for asking directly: There were about 50 people able to help you with this in Zinal - why do you ask now?

I would like to give you three advices to start with:
1.) Do not reach for the snow, but keep your hands away from it. Bring your knees an hips towards ground...
2.) bend your knees.
3.) bend your knees even more. Try to grab the snow / your edge as a basic training with your board lying still at a flat place. Train your body to this movement.

Tom

[Transistor Rhythm]

Nobody tells that this is shit. It`s just a freecarving.

I would not gues about stiffnes of the boots. It`s too early. Boots will limit the movement only when there will be need for boot bending. It`s when he start pushpulling.

So, i shut up. Because it now looks like technical gurus discussion which does not make much value. There should be one person talking to the guy who want to improve.

I agree to everything you said, I just wanted to let him know it wasn't really bad.

-On the front side I don`t have the feeling that the timing of my movements is wrong in general. Do you think it is?

Timing is much better, but too much forced bending to touch the snow. If you are going to buy another pair of boots, there is nothing that stops you from experimenting with your current pair of boots. What boots are you using?

If you look at a good EC'er, you will see much less bending of the upper body while their head still gets as low as yours. Also, the hips will be positioned more on the center because of that, which is good.

[Swayne]

Thank you for your post!

Indeed, I think I need to train the technique on easy slopes to get in "flow" so that I don`t have to think too much about what I`m doing. That`s a problem I actually have: before starting the turn, I think "remember this, remember that, don`t forget to..." etc. =)

The recommendation about comparing the videos of me and P&J in such a way is very valuable.

Sorry for asking directly: There were about 50 people able to help you with this in Zinal - why do you ask now?

I would like to give you three advices to start with:
1.) Do not reach for the snow, but keep your hands away from it. Bring your knees an hips towards ground...
2.) bend your knees.
3.) bend your knees even more. Try to grab the snow / your edge as a basic training with your board lying still at a flat place. Train your body to this movement.

Tom

Thx for the advices.

I have been riding with other people who were better than me or who knew more. I wasn`t riding with the absolute pros, because I don`t go on black slopes (makes no sense imo). I made two courses, one basic course on saturday and one advanced course on sunday. I used my spare time to practice the techniques. I felt that I understood the technique much better than before the event. In the courses I was told to train the things they told me.
So it`s not that I haven`t asked people to critique and correct my technique, I just did not want to bother other people all the time.
I think you can`t learn such a sport on your own. On the other hand I also need some time on my own to practice without being watched all the time to get my own learning-pace and feeling.

[Swayne]

-On the front side I don`t have the feeling that the timing of my movements is wrong in general. Do you think it is?

Timing is much better, but too much forced bending to touch the snow. If you are going to buy another pair of boots, there is nothing that stops you from experimenting with your current pair of boots. What boots are you using?

If you look at a good EC'er, you will see much less bending of the upper body while their head still gets as low as yours. Also, the hips will be positioned more on the center because of that, which is good.

When riding I think I`m bent, when watching the vid I recognize I`m not bending enough.

I`m using Burton boots which I bought used several years ago. Don`t know about the model.

[starikashka]

Unfortunately the ECS is over so I can`t deliver another video.
By the way, it was a red slope
And starikashka, please DON`T shut up!

No difference - red/black...speed was excessive.

Are you really sure you want to master extremecarving?

I spend about 200 hours (70-80 days) on blue slopes to do a linked laid down turns with average speed being absolute beginner in hardbooting. Like these youtube.com/watch?v=59xWqKCtDJ0..and it still require improvements.

You can do this faster if you are inherently more sporty than me...And you have swoard, but it still require some hardwork.

50% of my training sessions were made with video shooting.

I support what Rob have said about training on blue slopes, watching others, shooting and watching yourself. It really works. There is no other way to learn if you do not have a heighbour EC-instructor.

Sounds boring, but learning extremecarving within 1-2 seasons is not a fun but hardwork:-)))

Fun became later when you do fully laid backside turn on absolutely flat surface and get up All girls will be yours then )))

Good luck

[Swayne]

Well reading that approves my assumption that it`s a long and stony way to go. Do I want to master it? Let`s say I have limited possibilities with a regular season consisting of 6 consecutive days on the slope plus some extra days maybe. But to stop trying and to bury the dream of EC is not the right solution for me. Cmon, I`m young (23)... I still got some time and don`t have to stop snowboarding tomorrow. I don`t mind practicing hard and kissing the snow with my butt or other parts of my body, so why should I stop?