Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Going Quackers: Evolution of a Duck.

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
There's been a lot of talk about stance angles on here this season and while I've been an advocate of it it ain't broke don't fix it, I'm thinking it's time for a change.

I've always had a forward stance: +15/+12 and while this has made carving relatively easy I really can't ride switch: I can just about carve down a green switch but nothing else and I tend to spin straight back to normal after 180's. So in an effort to change this: I'm not too arsed about riding switch per se but my ridings evolved to the point where I'm wanting to do more spinny things and it looks like I'm going to have to change my stance to make this easier. Also my new boards quite a bit fatter so it's more effort to carve it and I can't be bothered 99% of the time.

So my plan is to leave the front foot alone but progessively alter the back angle every few days.

In Tiges I went from +15/+12 to +15/+6 it was noticable and after a couple of hours I wanted to change back to what I was comfortable with, however, I forgot to do this when I got back to the chalet so went out the next day with the same stance and eventually it felt fine, I'm not too sure how much this has changed the ride: it's still forwards not not as excessive so while switch still wasn't really on the cards bouncing around seemed easier.

Having waxed the board ready for Morzine I've taken all the angle off the back foot so it's now +15/0 and added some forward lean to the highbacks. I think this will seem stranger and it'll be interesting to see what I have to change to bring the back of the board round a turn. I imagine how I move the pressure on my back foot to complete the turn will alter but I guess this will be fairly subtle either way by the end of that week I intend to have gone quack so will let you know how different it feels.
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I could talk all day long about stance angles...

This year I started on +18°/-3°, but the outside of my front foot always felt a bit numb/slightly sore. Not a big issue but i thought it meant that my front foot was try to "open up" even more and putting undue pressure on its outside (no pain when out of the bindings so it was not the boot..).
So one lunch I changed from +18°/-3° to +21°/-3°..that was dreadful!! was not comfortable at all and could not turn properly or at all...so after a while I stopped on the side of a run and changed it all back to +15°/-3°, thinking that I was somehow misinterpreting the pain in my foot...

Well it seems to have worked although it still does not make sense to me.. Puzzled
ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Kruisler wrote:
I could talk all day long about stance angles...


I couldnt, you guys are anoraks wink
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
DebbiDoesSnow,

Guilty as charged! Very Happy Embarassed
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
DebbiDoesSnow, could be why this happens


Laughing Laughing

Seriously, are there any changes I have to make to the way I turn my board as I go duck?
latest report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Swirly, that better not be a picture of me !!! Shocked I can't see it from this pc

You need Stab or Masque for some sensible answers
snow report
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

I can't see it from this pc


In that case no, no it's not.

Quote:

You need Stab for some sensible answers



Shocked
snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Swirly, quality pic there of someone so deep in snow it is hard to tell who she is Laughing

I found that a forward pointing stance was good for caving because it gets weight forward on the front foot and takes the sideways heel pressure off the rear foot, you may now find going duck that your rear foot comes in to play a bit more on heel turns, as a natural effect, causing the board to spin on to the heel side more so in the turn. Well that is what happens to me anyway
snow report
 You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Swirly,

Laughing Laughing

Debbi, did you dig that hole on beforehand or was it created on impact? Laughing

PS: that's some length you got on that jump! Shocked Laughing
snow report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Swirly, your dead Evil or Very Mad I am gonna have to get out the craptop that takes half an hour to boot up just to see.

rayscoops, if its the close up unfortunately you can tell by the tartan backside Embarassed
Kruisler, there was a mound of powder underneath, but I think my impact flattened it Sad
snow conditions
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
oh good its not the one i thought it was, i thought it was the impact shot

snow report
 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Swirly wrote:
Seriously, are there any changes I have to make to the way I turn my board as I go duck?


I think you are going about it the wrong way. Forward stance and duck stance are fundamentally different and so I would not recommend trying to gradually move from forward into duck - during the in-between stage you will be neither one thing nor the other.

I recommend that you just set it up duck and go for it. Perhaps start at +18 / -10 and from there you can find your preferred angles.

The reason I say that they are fundamentally different is this - with a forward (alpine) stance your lower body tilts forward as you tuck your back knee in. With a duck stance, your lower body is parallel to the board, with both knees pushing down and outwards so that they stay in line with the feet. The middle ground is nothing (unless those are the angles that you choose to ride - some people do so and I guess it works for them).

Changing to duck does not require you to learn a whole new technique, it is still boarding, but you do need to focus on not letting your lower body twist forwards. If you feel that happening, push your back knee around more so that it straightens you up again. Holding your back arm slightly behind your back also helps re-allign you.

I found riding duck to be an immediate revelation, and I mean for fast piste riding as well. I found that with a duck stance it was a much more natural position to squat down and exert pressure on the edge. This allows better carving. It also gives you better control on ice - the easier it is to squat straight down over the board, keeping the centre of gavity low and weight directly over the edge, the better grip you have on ice and the less likely you are to wash out.

I went from an alpine stance of about +20 / +8 to a duck stance of +18 / -10 in one go and I loved it immediately. I now ride +14 / -12.
snow conditions
 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
DebbiDoesSnow, Christ Shocked Even I can haul m y lardy old ass further than that Shocked

Riding switch with a 'duck' stance is no different than regular, just application to basic rules of control and PRACTICE!

Riding switch in an alpine stance is more difficult but all the same it's still PRACTICE!. If you know you need to apply edge pressure to start or control a turn etc. then you need to try it till you get it right with the body language. Time on the snow is the most important part of learning.
latest report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
DebbiDoesSnow, Respect - even if you didn't land it quite how you meant to. Toofy Grin


I wouldn't even attempt it Blush
ski holidays
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Masque, You calling my ass lardy ??? I can normally haul it further, but unfortunately not on the one occassion when the camera was present.
snow conditions
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm going duck.

I can't remember exactly what angle my front foot is but back foot is 0. I'm going to set it at the same angle as front foot and give that a try. I've got 3 sessions booked at Chill Factore over the next 3 weeks so am going to play around with it before the MSB.
snow conditions
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
DebbiDoesSnow,

That impact photo is just great! Laughing Laughing

If it were me, I'd be ready to put up with the banter and would actually frame it!..

It's a classic! snowHead
snow report
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
DebbiDoesSnow, I'd not seen that one: amazing!
latest report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Ok sod it, I'll go the whole way, there's still a while before I get to try the new stance so be patient.
snow report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Swirly, snuck it in the album the other night wink

I'm gonna dig out my board tonight and actually add a relevant answer to this post !
snow conditions
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
DebbiDoesSnow wrote:
oh good its not the one i thought it was, i thought it was the impact shot



how the hell is it possible to land there? Surely that didnt even give enough speed to get up the kicker in the 1st place.

Angles, whatever you like. Like I said before I send beginners out with +18 -3 or 6 depending on my mood. A lot of beginners don't have a clue on goofy or regular, I have done a few +15 -15 and they liked it but once they figure out if they are goofy or regular I would knock 6 or 9 from the back foot. IMO unless you're riding a true twin tip in the centre of the board then equal front and rear brings nothing.
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
stab, I went in fast and straight, caught the toe-edge at the top and nosedived Embarassed
It was a monumental cock up unfortunately caught on camera. In my defence, it was only mins after i had rec'd the news about my mates accident & I had had to walk back up the hill after taking everyone elses pics to do it. Mind not on the job. Still its given all you lot something to laugh at and be superior about (Thanks Swirly Evil or Very Mad ) Laughing
ski holidays



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy