Last Updated7 June 2022

Exploring Freeriding looks at progressions and activities used to help deal with the unpredictable terrain encountered as riders venture into ungroomed terrain. This includes methods of absorbing bumpy and choppy snow, and how we can blend absorption into our turns.

We will also introduce the concept of how we SCOPE the slope. This is a useful tactic snowboarders use to assess their Safety, the Capabilities to ride terrain, understand their Options and all the necessary Preparations needed before the Execution of a run. Students will require good edge awareness, and turn size/shape skills with a degree of adaptability in riding different groomed terrain before venturing off-piste.

Developing Freeriding with Active Absorption

What, Why, How

Work on stronger steering in the off-piste and learn to actively move the snowboard up and over bumpy terrain.

To develop line choice, decision making tactics and an alternative method of absorbing terrain.

Developing Stronger Steering

Review early edge changes and the intermediate turn on blue groomed terrain with some medium and small, closed turn variations. Rhythm tasks such as funnels and diamonds will be useful here. An earlier edge change is typically more desirable as confidence grows in the off-piste. It will allow more control over where the board travels in the second half of the turn.

Now try making the same turns, but progressively increase the amount the lead knee, hip, shoulder and head rotate or turn to steer the board after the edge change. The turns should feel like they are getting smaller and/or more powerful.

Once comfortable, try earlier edging and increased steering power in some familiar easy off-piste terrain. Remember to allow the ankles, knees and hips to remain flexible to move up and over bumps throughout turns.

As confidence grows, gradually increase the speed or difficulty of the terrain.

Hot Tip

A tactic to help with more powerful lower body steering and rotational alignment is to subtly turn the lead shoulder and head into the turn early (around the same time the early edge change is happening). This can help set a position to create smoother, more powerful steering in the lower body later in the turn. It is important to maintain this upper body position, and strength in the core, through to the completion of the turn to avoid any counter rotation.

Active Absorption

To develop a more proactive way to get over bumps, start with the board off, standing in an active stance, lift the front leg and spring gently off the back leg, landing on the front leg with the back leg landing just after. This is the same movement used in an ollie, but where the nose of the board lands first (sometimes known as a bad ollie).

Try this again with the board on and imagine riding over a bump. Now try two or three in a traverse across a groomed slope mimicking the movements needed to actively ride up and over bumpy terrain.

Make a turn and practise on the other edge.

When ready, go back into off-piste terrain and try the same movements to physically lift the board up and over gentle bumps while traversing, keeping the board in contact with the snow.

Once confident with this new movement try to blend it into off-trail riding as an option to deal with trickier bumps or to react to other obstacles like small rocks or tussocks.

Example

Set up a series of snowballs in a traverse line across a groomed slope and have your student try ollie over them. This will help in timing their movements, matching up to multiple bumps. You can adapt this activity to develop more power and range of movement in your students by turning the snowballs into larger snow stacks if the snow is moldable.

SCOPE the Slope

Developing an understanding of off-piste situations is essential in being able to go exploring safely and successfully. Before starting down this off-piste run, let's work through a bit of a checklist to make sure it is safe and any hazards are identified, think about the basic line or direction to be travelled, the best places to turn and where the entry and exit points are.

A good tactic once riding in the off-piste is to always be looking a few turns ahead so that the line chosen and where turns happen creates a smooth consistent flow, and that any hazards or tricky spots can be avoided.

Hot Tip

When working through SCOPE with your students, consider which are the most relevant elements for them to understand in the current situation and try to avoid overloading them with information. You, as the instructor, will work through all five elements internally; however, your students might only need to know about the safety and options initially.

Movements & Board Performance

Lateral with Edging

A strong stable lateral position that has the hips and upper body balanced over the working edge is required. This position should also enable an appropriate edge angle to maintain edge grip but still allow the board to skid through turns.

Vertical & Longitudinal with Pressuring

Strong independent flexing and extending movement through the ankles, knees and hip joint is required to lift the board up and over bumps while maintaining contact with the snow. A slightly lower active position should still be used. There is often a subtle fore/aft movement happening with active absorption. This movement should be controlled to avoid moving too far to the nose or tail of the board. More longitudinal movement will be required as independent absorption is increased.

Rotational with Steering

Rotational movements will increase with stronger steering, but should be progressive and focused in the lead knee and hip. The lead shoulder and head can be rotated into the turn around the edge change to set a complementary position for more powerful lower body steering.

Terrain & Group Management

Bumpy terrain similar to that used in passive absorption exercises will be the most appropriate place to begin and the same general class handling will be required. Students may tire quickly when using active absorption because of the extra energy needed. Watch for signs of fatigue and avoid riding bumpy terrain if students are not warmed up or feeling tired, as there will be a heightened risk of injury. Progress students to terrain with bigger features, like man-made rollers, and increase speed as their timing and range improves.

Active absorption should be developed as a tactic to complement passive absorption rather than the main method of riding off-piste terrain. Encourage students to be careful with how much independent power they use in their legs as too much can lead to inefficient riding and falls.

Encourage decision making from the students to manage and create awareness of SCOPE. Consider the entry and exit points, the terrain and snow conditions and any terrain hazards that may exist. Present different options to ride in the off-piste, the size and shape of the turn required, options to traverse if needed and that it is okay to use a floating leaf if they find it too difficult. Being warmed up and having good working equipment set up correctly will help in preparation to ride off-piste. Once you feel confident that you have covered the above you should be ready to execute the run.

Hot Tip

On chairlift rides, have students look at off-piste sections and discuss any hazards they can see and what the snow looks and sounds like when being ridden by others. Teach them to check out off-piste runs from multiple vantage points, above, side and below to gain a bigger visual picture and be able to map out the terrain they are considering riding.

Corrective Teaching

Student struggles with the timing of active absorption movements and matching them to terrain:

Have them practise ollies, nollies and bad ollies off a flat base then off each edge.

Find more suitable terrain with isolated bumps to develop timing of these movements.

Try pre-jumping a bump with a bad ollie or using a “follow me” approach.

Utilise long traverses across multiple bumps to develop more sequential movements.

Encourage them to use verbal cues for timing such as counting or singing/humming a tune.

Self Reflection

“Are my students able to coordinate the movements of a bad ollie before heading off-trail?”

"Did my explanation of how to actively absorb bumps and undulations make sense to my students?”

“Did my students get involved and contribute to decision making discussions?”

“Are my students more confident with line choice and increasing their steering movements?”

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