Within the world of instructing, the skill of analysing a student’s riding is essential to their future progression and achievements. The first step to providing the most effective feedback and formulating a suitable lesson plan that will bring out efficient changes in a student’s riding, is accurately analysing their riding.
Analysing Movements
Comparing the image of how an efficient rider moves versus the real-time riding of the student is a useful tactic here. Using this simple approach, analyse each of the directions of movement to gain an overview of how they’re moving. To help with this, begin by asking: “Are they moving efficiently vertically/rotationally/longitudinally/laterally?”
To develop this further, within each of the movement directions, ask: “What body parts are the riders using to move?”
Example
“Was it efficient when the rider moved their leading knee laterally at the initiation of the turn?”
“Did the way they move their hips rotationally cause a problem in the completion of the turn?”
“Were their legs too stiff vertically, causing them to lose their balance in the control phase of the turn?”
“When the rider moved their hips towards the tail of their board, did it limit their ability to initiate the next turn?”