Snowboarding can be an exhilarating sport for those who love a sense of adventure. This sport provides a type of freedom and excitement that others fail to offer. If you’ve passed the beginner’s stage and find yourself wanting to perform like the pros, here are some tips you can follow to practice more dynamic snowboarding, brought to you by ASO Mammoth, your one-stop shop for gear, repairs, and snowboard rentals in Mammoth.
1. Practice Your Rhythm
When the pros ride, their legs and boards look like they’re moving separately from the rest of their bodies. During turns, the board and legs are moving forward and backward, while the legs are bending and moving according to the rhythm of the snowboarder. To make dynamic turns, you must remain active on the board while thinking on your feet. By practicing your moves and creativity on the board, you’ll develop better coordination and rhythm to ride like a pro.
2. Jump on a Trampoline
Different exercises can help you develop your physical strength and muscle awareness for certain snowboarding tricks. Getting on a trampoline allows you to practice your upper body rotation in coordination with the timing of your pop. Other activities, such as jumping rope, can be helpful as well. If you jump rope and incorporate a series of creative patterns of jumps, your body will adjust to thinking quickly as you maintain a steady, coordinated action. Activities that build your core strength are also essential for progress.
3. Record Yourself
Ask a friend to record your snowboarding so you can have a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses on the board. Even if you have a coach, it’s always preferable to have a visual that explains where you need improvement. To get to the next level, you may need to increase your speed. While you could always time yourself, it would be great to see a video analysis showing which point from takeoff to landing requires the most work.
4. Change How You Initiate Turns
Instead of initiating turns by rotating your upper body, practice discipline with your arms. Start your turns from the bottom up. Use your ankles, knees, and hips to start your turns. By using your lower body, you’ll develop more creativity with your turns as you build the confidence to try more tricks and techniques.
5. Diversify Your Tricks
Try a new technique, such as a “eurocarve.” This trick includes the rider sliding the upper body across the snow on toeside as the hips are on heelside. It’s a difficult trick, as the body’s mass has to be directed over the board’s inside edge for it to work. The steeper the slope, the harder it is to hold the edge with such a daring position. If the snow is hard, the trick becomes even more difficult to accomplish. Other moves you could attempt include doing nose wheelies, riding fakie, and trying 360s.
If you’re already great at snowboarding, follow these tips to move up to the next level. When you get to Mammoth, snowboard rentals and repair are available anytime you need them. Drop by and see us at ASO Mammoth for the highest-quality rentals, gear, and service on the mountain. Find out more about us by giving us a call at 760-965-3444.