Search Snowboard Manual
Table of Contents
How the Snowboard Performs explores the outcomes of blended movements through use of timing, power and range, and how the snowboard performs with edging, pressuring and steering. As well as the various movement options an instructor needs to understand how the snowboard should perform for specific tasks and outcomes.
Edge-Pressure-Steer Sequence in Turns
The edge-pressure-steer sequence is utilised in most balanced turns and can help to create understanding around the chain of events that occur. It can be seen as a series of decisions made by the rider (consciously or unconsciously) to achieve a particular style of turn and can also be used to help identify inefficiencies in the performance of the board, if this sequence is altered.
1st Decision - Edging
In any turn a rider must first make movements to create the edge change. The rider makes a decision as to how quickly the board should flatten, whether they will tilt and/or twist the board, when the edge change should occur, and how quickly they apply tilt on the new edge.
2nd Decision - Pressuring
Once on the new edge, the rider must decide how much pressure they can apply to the edge, how quickly they are going to apply it, and where within the snowboard to distribute that pressure. They must also choose whether they are making an extended-edge-change or flexed-edge-change movement pattern to achieve the above; however, this decision begins earlier during the preparation phase and is a continuous adjustment to allow for changes in terrain and snow conditions.
3rd Decision - Steering
Whilst pressure is being applied to the new edge, the rider chooses how much steering to apply and which parts of the body they will utilise. This depends completely on the size and shape of the turn being created, but is affected greatly by the amount of edging and pressuring already being used. Whilst steering through the completion phase of the turn, the rider begins to plan for edging and pressuring movements in the following turn – this is known as the preparation phase.
Note that whilst this can be seen as a series of decisions, humans do not possess the ability to make ALL of these decisions completely in the moment. Many of the factors described above happen unconsciously or as a reaction to the previous decision. They can, however, be seen as a domino effect of decision making that may lead to a positive performance outcome or a potential inefficiency (see The Domino Effect under Rider Analysis).
Example
Riding steep, off-trail terrain with variable snow conditions: A rider is making small, skidded, flexed-edge-change turns. They choose to change their edge early in the turn using a little torsional twist but moving across the board quickly to a platform on the downhill edge. When on the new edge they begin extending a little too fast, putting their COM further inside the turn and creating a high edge angle with lots of pressure. This, in turn, limits their steering and makes it hard to close their turn and control their speed.
The timing, power and range used within the sequence will dramatically affect the overall performance outcome within the board.
Application in Freestyle
The edge-pressure-steer sequence should be specific to the task and can be applied to freestyle as well as turns.
Example
A frontside 360 on a small park jump: As a rider is taking off from an edge, the amount of edge angle used here is crucial. Too much edge and they end up leaning too far over their heels, not enough edge and they have no platform from which to pop. In this example, pressure is actually about regulating it throughout the transition and the steer is now a spin. As they leave the lip of the jump there is an automatic release of pressure, allowing them to get their board in the air. A strong and well-timed rotation movement creates the right amount of spin; however, if they try to rotate (i.e. steer) too early, before the pop, the spin will turn out poorly, and will be under or over-rotated.
