Side Slipping Snowboard Style

Side slipping on a snowboard Technique

Confused about How to start and stop your side slipping on a snowboard with both feet clicked in?

The core fundamental of a great snowboarder is the understanding of how to stop your snowboard controlled and quickly.

Without understanding this concept of how to stop correctly, your riding ability will be very limited and their is a high chance that you will end up breaking an arm or seriously hurting some innocent bystander.

In order to master this skill, you need to start learning about

• Edge Pressure
• Flexion and Extension

to have complete control over your snowboard.

By using flexion and extension to control the amount of pressure we place on the snowboard edge, we are able to control how much friction our snowboard has with the snow, this in return will enable us to control our speed in any situation.

Control your speed and snowboarding becomes 10X easier.

Obviously when learning this technique, your brain is in hyper drive, but it doesn’t take long before it becomes second nature and stopping is easy!

Heel Edge Side Slipping on the Snowboard

Here’s how:

Step 1: Start by having both feet clicked in facing across the fall line, Make sure you have a strong basic stance, relaxed and focused.

Step 2: In this position, I want you to slowly flex down onto the snowboard edge, at the same time lifting your toes up.

We call this (flexion) flexing down into the snowboard, this will create more friction underneath your edge causing your snowboard edge to dig into the snow and stop.

From this position, I now want you to slowly start standing up taller on your board (extension) and at the same time,  start lowering your toe side edge just enough so your board starts sliding on the heel edge.

Do not let your toe side edge touch the snow!

Step 3: Hold your Basic stance with Even weight on Both Feet and keep your head looking up (do not look down)

Slowly make your way down the slope, starting and stopping every 5 meters or so…

Toe Edge Side Slipping on the Snowboard

The same Principle applies here,

Here’s how:

Step 1: Flex down to apply pressure and stop, Extend up to release and slide.

Step 2: Starting on your toe side edge in your basic stance (heels up), slowly extend yourself up, and at the same time, lowering your heel side edge down towards the ground until you start sliding.

Step 3: Flex back down onto the toe side edge to create friction/pressure on your snowboard to stop.

The range of movements when doing this on the toe side edge is a lot different from heel side edge, Take things slower and really focus on using your toes, ankles and knees to create edge tilt.

Step 4: Keep your basic stance and make sure your head is looking back up the hill.

Don’t look down! (Look back up the Hill)

Practice this until you can side slip on both edges comfortably.

One more thing, keep even weight on both feet, this keeps your snowboard across the fall line and enables you to control your edge a lot easier.

Remember, ‘Even Weight!’

Related: The j turn

NOTE: Want to learn how to shortcut your frustrating beginner snowboarding progression? Simply download this beginner snowboarder roadmap to learn all aspects of learning how to turn. Learn what bad habits beginners tend to make so you can avoid them to progress faster and maintain balance and control easier…check it out now!

Have a question about side slipping when snowboarding?

Join our other members and ask our OSC snowboard Coaches anything you want about how to snowboard!

Not a member of the OSC Engage Facebook Group. Learn more here….