Quantifying Movements

This is the ability to effectively measure the range of movement (or range for short), timing or power required or being used with a specific movement. This will not only help with measuring the amount of movement that is needed, it will also allow us to gauge any inefficiencies that are occurring. Quantifying movements clearly creates more depth and detail in the information delivered and will create a greater awareness and understanding.

Simply put, if any of the following three principles are not used appropriately, the task and/or performance of the board will be inefficient. For example, a student may be using the necessary movements but there may have been too much movement in one direction, or the movement happened too fast or with too much force.

Range

This is the amount of movement or blended movement a rider is using or has access to. It can also be used to describe the amount of movement being used in a specific part of the body. Range of movement can vary greatly from person to person, and is influenced by many factors. Fitness levels, flexibility, strength, experience and being warmed up, are all relevant here. All riders have extremities within their range. Although it is good to explore these extremes, encourage movement within a range that is comfortable for each student yet also suitable for the task. Too much or too little, and the performance or balance of the rider will be compromised. Range of movement needs to work alongside timing and power to be effective.

Timing

This is when a movement happens and how long it lasts for. There are two aspects to consider here:

Duration (how long a movement or position lasts for) describes how a movement made over a short duration will occur faster than the same movement made over a longer duration. The duration a movement lasts has a direct effect on the performance of the board and balance of the rider. For example, rotation of the hip and knee over a short duration will create a more open turn. A longer duration of the same movement will create a more closed turn. Sometimes the duration of a static position needs to be considered. For example, a tail press that lasts for two seconds when the rider needed it to last for three seconds to get to the end of the box.

Sequence (when a movement happens in relation to the other movements) defines when a movement occurs in relation to another movement, or a phase of the turn/trick. If a movement is out of sequence then it becomes very difficult to create the desired performance and the rider will have to compensate in some way to stay in balance. For example, if, when first learning how to turn, a rider moves their hips and shoulders rotationally before they’ve made a smooth, independent lateral movement through their lower body it may cause them to catch an edge. Getting the sequence right leads to efficient turns and tricks.

Power

Power, or the amount of physical effort/force used to move, will deeply impact the result and performance of the board. Power can be applied to movements in a subtle and gentle way, or with strong and even explosive force being used. For example, when making a medium closed skidded turn on smooth snow the rider will need little effort with gentle movements. On sticky, slushy snow the same turn will require more strength and physical effort to steer the board. In every aspect of snowboarding, power needs to be applied appropriate to the desired outcome and performance aiming to be achieved. Too much or too little power and the outcome will be very different.

Power, timing and range are constantly present and linked together in all aspects of snowboarding, from first-timers to the most experienced riders. Using this as a tool to quantify movements will take time to perfect.

Vertical Movement: Flexed-Edge-Change Movement Patterns

A flexed-edge-change turn has the opposite vertical timing to that of an extended-edge-change turn. The rider now flexes through the initiation of the turn to help decrease edge grip and/or release pressure and flatten the board at the edge change. They will then begin to make an extension movement to increase edge grip and create/regulate the pressure under the snowboard throughout the control and completion of the turn.

This turn type allows the rider to make much faster and more controlled flexion movements to change edges. Being in a lower position as they change edge provides balance at the most critical part of the turn. The rider is able to use gravity, rebound from the board and/or the terrain to help bring their COM closer to the snowboard. In this way riders can utilise the build-up and release of pressure to help the initiation of a turn. This is why it becomes the more effective option in a lot of upper-level riding.

How the rider chooses to create and regulate pressure under the board will change the outcome. An efficient rider understands this and will make adjustments in their vertical movements through timing changes, the amount of range used within specific body parts, and the way they apply power.

Rotational Movement: Separation & Anticipation

As a rider progresses into steeper, more challenging terrain, or more advanced freestyle riding, their need for rotational movement options will increase.

By this stage, they should have the ability to blend the other three movements efficiently or understand how they interact with the rotational movement being applied. The rider is now ready to explore other ways to utilise rotational movements of the upper and lower body, in the form of separation and anticipation. These rotational movement options allow the rider to create, store and apply power and performance effectively. This is done through muscular tension in the core, with the rotation happening around the spine.

Separation is when the upper and lower body have a different rotational alignment. This can be described as keeping the upper or lower body in an open or closed position to the board. These separated positions are used to create specific outcomes for different tasks and terrain, utilising energy or tension within the core, or for the purpose of balance when riding at high speeds.

Anticipation is a form of separation that allows the rider to build and store energy through muscular tension and timing of the movement appropriate to the turn or feature. It is commonly used in all mountain situational freeriding by making an early rotational movement of the upper body as a preparation movement into the next turn. Utilising anticipation during the preparation phase of the turn will help to initiate the next turn quickly, with powerful rotational movements following throughout the rest of the body. A similar anticipation movement can be used at the take-off from a feature. Both variations create tension in the core muscles, which is then released to aid the initiation and steering/pivoting of the snowboard or spin in the air/off the end of a rail or box.

Lateral Movement: Balanced Inclination

As a rider starts to develop stronger edging and further performance, and travel faster in more challenging conditions, the amount of inclination and angulation required will need to adapt. This will depend on the terrain, snow conditions, speed and ability of the rider. The timing of how inclination and angulation is applied will also need to be adjusted.

As the performance increases, so do the forces acting on the rider. This can be used to the rider’s advantage however. Using the whole body as a large lever when inclining can create a lot of power in a turn, whilst maintaining a particularly high edge angle. Lots of forward momentum and good snow conditions are both necessary to achieve this; however, the timing of when inclination blends with angulation is crucial.

Other movements can also be blended into this balanced inclination, to create more power within the turn or provide additional balance.

Longitudinal Movement: Fore/Aft Performance

A high performance stance enables a large range of longitudinal movement through the lower body, whilst maintaining a stable upper body. The rider can now move from a longitudinally centred position, shifting aft to pressure the tail and increase edge grip through the control and completion phases of the turn, then begin to re-centre again through the preparation phase.

Timing this longitudinal movement with turn/trick phase is a technique that can be utilised in any turn and a variety of different tricks; however, the power and range must also be adjusted depending on the outcome the rider is wanting to achieve.

By understanding how all movements are constantly being blended and regulated, experienced snowboarders are able to make quick and often powerful fore/aft movements in most situations they ride. From slashes in powder and technical butter combinations, to the subtle adjustments required to deal with sticky slush.