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Riding Switch

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mac.N.steeze
Posts: 652 - Karma: 6
I've snowboarded for 6 years and I hated it and I finally decided to start skiing. And I really want to start doing park, but I can't get down the whole riding switch thing. I can hit jumps fine and carve well, but when I have no idea how to ride switch> Does anyone have any tips on how to start riding switch.
plus karma for anyone who posts any tips or advice
Feb 15 2009 5:00PM
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Fish_Sandwich.
Posts: 9108 - Karma: 16
Learn to look over both shoulders.  To turn just push one ski farther ahead than the other ski an lean to carve, you have to be going decently fast to carve switch.  Just learn on wide open runs that don't have a  bunch of gapers.
Feb 15 2009 5:11PM
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JMcCallum
Posts: 151 - Karma: 36
I'm sure this will sound confusing but once you put it into practice it comes quick. Riding switch is easiest if you heavily stagger your stance, meaning you have one ski farther downhill than the other. Your uphill ski leg is much more bent than your downhill. As you turn you switch which leg is up and which leg is down. When turning to the right (skiers right, downhill right) stagger your stance so your left leg is downhill and your right is bent and uphill, look over your left shoulder. Staggering your stance allows you to turn your upper body so your head is facing downhill and thus you have more control over your turn. When you want to turn left you do the exact opposite. Head over right shoulder, right ski downhill, left ski bent and uphill. Look at picture of skiers skiing switch and you'll see that they all use this, it really is the only way to properly ski switch.

I actually confused myself a bit writing that. The best way to learn is to watch other skiers do it and practice. Watch videos and try to copy their stance and then go hit up bunny hill or a nice long green and try to do as much as you can switch. The more you ski backwards the more natural it becomes.
Feb 15 2009 5:13PM
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Nico_G
Posts: 1480 - Karma: 15
Check out the Ask turpin cult soo much good information on everything you need.
Feb 15 2009 5:20PM
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Qman
Posts: 128 - Karma: 10
Dont know how to embed but:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoMXu-vHmY0
Feb 15 2009 6:06PM
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s.bishop
Posts: 665 - Karma: 26
this is what taught me, thanks fr finding it so i didnt have to, just follow his tips and practice alot
Feb 15 2009 6:14PM
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theblacktaco
Posts: 1462 - Karma: 82
i just try to memerize the hill then i turn around
Feb 15 2009 6:35PM
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EClay46
Posts: 2499 - Karma: 69
this is wrong

you stagger your skis but he has it backwards, if you are turning to the right, skiers right you put your right leg further down hill and look over your right shoulder, and vice versa for the other direction
Feb 15 2009 6:38PM
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mcweapon
Posts: 175 - Karma: 247
i know this sounds dumb... but how i started was doing the old pizza wedge backwards until i felt comfortable enough to french fry .... and now i can haul ass ... so thats my thought.. good luck
Feb 15 2009 7:37PM
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mac.N.steeze
Posts: 652 - Karma: 6
I've tried this stuff but then when I try to carve I just make a huge turn and end up parallel again. Maybe I'll get an instructor tomorrow
Feb 15 2009 11:07PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15951 - Karma: 9,451

Feb 15 2009 11:10PM
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Tinga
Posts: 11349 - Karma: 2,333
totally make sure to stagger your skis and get them both on edge. go back to the basics and try to remember how you carve forwards and bring that into your switch riding.
Feb 15 2009 11:18PM
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Shlogan
Posts: 4942 - Karma: 430
make sure u can turn around going any speed first. i dont know if this has been said yet, but ya, just know how not to catch an edge when turning back forward and u will be ok for starting off!
Feb 15 2009 11:21PM
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JMcCallum
Posts: 151 - Karma: 36
Apologies, thanks for catching that.
Feb 17 2009 12:41AM
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ilikeplants
Posts: 1868 - Karma: 17

What I started doing was whirly birds. You do a 360 on flat ground without popping. From there I started stretching it out a bit more each time so I would do a 180, ride fakie for a second, then 180 back. I kept doing it and then just extended the time in between.

From there to learn to carve I just started kind of messing around with it. I would do the blind side switch where you put one ski further forward than the other and look over your open shoulder. Then I would just focus on getting on edge from that position and kind of carving. Make sure to look over your shoulder, not just spinning around and skiing fakie blindly.

Feb 17 2009 12:46AM
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NESblowjob
Posts: 1174 - Karma: 41
just practice on some flat terrain its so easy
Feb 17 2009 1:56AM
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RudyGarmisch
Posts: 25443 - Karma: 13,844
Just takes time. Do it everywhere. Start by wedging to slow down, then try getting your skis closer. The hardest part for me was getting comfy riding at speed, but learning how to do that forces you to stagger stance, which totally helps everything.

Also, keep your hands on your knees when you start linking turns, it really helps your balance.
Feb 17 2009 2:10AM
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Powdered_Donuts
Posts: 2180 - Karma: 187
i just searched for this, found it, then scrolled down to post it and saw this lol
Feb 17 2009 2:31AM
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Dustin.
Posts: 13839 - Karma: 7,704
I'm weird because I look over my right shoulder when I'm going right, and my left when I'm going left.  I do everything else the same, I just feel like I can see where I am going better that way.
Feb 17 2009 2:34AM
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EClay46
Posts: 2499 - Karma: 69
dont put your hands on your knees, that will make you ski backseat(weight over your tips) and get less edge control. put your arms at your sides with your hands against your hips
Feb 17 2009 3:38PM
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JsNeagle
Posts: 1405 - Karma: 1,576
Yeah if you think about the way you carve going forward you have to initiate the turn with your tips. Same is true going switch. You have to initiate your turn with your tails, so you need to have some weight back on your heels. It feels awkward at first but its pretty necessary on groomers. Obviously switch in the powder is a little diff.
Feb 17 2009 6:16PM
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Jwalk
Posts: 4647 - Karma: 134
 
Feb 17 2009 6:22PM
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the-big-lepowski
Posts: 1212 - Karma: 541

These suggestions have been good.  As mentioned above, the torso positioning won't work if you don't look over both shoulders.  Be sure you can revert quickly and safely (not coming to a stop befor eturning around)  before you start carving.  Keep a wide stance, and try it without poles.  This is the one instance where there is absolutely no argument for them.  You won't pole plant and they only get in you way switch.  Just experiment and it will come.  For me, it was like learning to ski groomers all over again, and feeling your sidecut while bombing backwards is unreal.  I just got bacons this year, and I feel sort of silly using the rare EC pow day to practice, but skiing switch in pow is the most challenging/rewarding thing I can think of. 

Feb 17 2009 7:32PM
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steeCETzzee159
Posts: 422 - Karma: 20
one day i decided i wanted to get good at it.   so i skied switch on every run.   and i just practiced all day.   and now i thats all i ever do because its soooooo fun to ski switch.    i look over my left shoulder and keep my left ski farther down the hill (like staggered).   then the carving comes natural with practice.
Feb 17 2009 8:12PM
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mac.N.steeze
Posts: 652 - Karma: 6
I've pretty much got switch down now all I need to do is take it into the park. I spent all of today bombing switch making some sweet carves. Thanks for the help everyone. And I always look over my right shoulder and can't do it opposite is that bad, cause my neck is completely fucked right now but it might have been getting first chair last call and skiing switch for most of every run.
Feb 17 2009 8:20PM
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EClay46
Posts: 2499 - Karma: 69
try stretching your neck and practice looking over your left shoulder. if you spin left side you may be able to just spin right switch but it is good to be able to look over both shoulders for spinning both ways, its not good to do "suicide" spins which is spinning to the opposite way of the shoulder you look over
Feb 18 2009 7:50AM
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Mrvic.
Posts: 1033 - Karma: 154
i learned it by just skiing a whole day switch and just figuring out how to stagure my stance and look over my shoulder... it might not be fun but if you wanna learn thats the way i did also make sure to lean forward wen wen your going switch it will stable u out. Switch hits on jumps are soo much fun
Goodluck!
Feb 18 2009 8:33AM
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brixperience
Posts: 250 - Karma: 6
good video
Feb 18 2009 2:40PM
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afton_steeze
Posts: 1765 - Karma: 92
i got it down but its really hard for me to slow down and stop unless i 180 back to front.
tips?
Feb 18 2009 4:42PM
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