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Sit Down For Power in Powder
Most
riders can rip toe-side turns, no problem: It's natural.
You're facing the hill and you can see what's going
on. When it comes to carving on the heel side, however,
beginners tend to straighten their legs and the board
bounces across the snow, half out of control.
Fixing this problem starts at the top of the turn. Using
the momentum from your toe-side turn, roll your board
onto the heel-side edge by lifting your toes inside
your boots. At the same time, sink your butt into the
hill, as if you're sitting in a chair (Fig. 1). Try
to create a 90-degree angle in your legs, then drive
your knees toward the tip as the board carves a clean
arc (Fig. 2).
The key is to trust your speed. It may feel like you're
about to fall when you sit down, but the energy of the
turn will keep you up. In fact, you have more power,
not less, when you maintain this position, and you'll
also have an easier time absorbing rough spots or recovering
from a slide on slick snow.
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