How to do a Snowboard J-turn

Why do you need to learn how to do a J turn on a snowboard?

J-turns actually teaches us a lot about how to turn a snowboard. but most importantly, it will teach you how to stop once you get off the chair lift (when you have one foot out of the bindings)

Not only does it Teach us

• Edge control
• Balance 
• speed control

but it also teaches us how to stop when getting off a chair lift.

Without the J turn, the snowboard progression is slow!

The J Turn Technique:

Let’s begin...

Starting position: Start by choosing a beginners slope to practice this technique on (ideally the beginners area for Ski school).

You don’t want a completely flat surface nor do you want anything over a green run, just at the bottom of a small hill is fine.

Our goal here is to slide down the hill with one foot out of the bindings and turn our snowboard back across the fall line.

Toeside snowboard J turn:

Here's How:

Step 1: Start by standing with one foot clicked in on the snowboard and the other (back) standing on the ground. Have your snowboard facing straight down the hill.

Step 2: Slowly place your back foot on the stomp pad and stand in your basic stance

Step 3: Once moving, Apply extra weight to the front foot and slowly start moving the knees forward over the toes and flexing down through your ankles at the same time!

This will help create edge angle(tilt). Start looking and pointing in the direction you want to go (back across the hill), this will help you keep alignment with the snowboard…

Your snowboard should naturally come to a complete stop.

Heelside snowboard J Turn

Here's How:

Step 1: Start by standing with one foot clicked in on the snowboard and the other (back) standing on the ground. Have your snowboard facing straight down the hill.

Step 2: Slowly place your back foot on the stomp pad and stand in your basic stance, Once moving, Apply extra weight to the front foot and slowly start moving your hips back over the heel side edge.

Step 3: at the same time, slowly lifting your toes to the top of the snowboard boot.

This combination of movements will create tilt, Keep looking and pointing to where you want to go (back across the fall line) until you come to a complete stop on the snowboard.

The trick is to slowly move a little higher up the hill every time.

RELATED: How to stop on a snowboard

Once you get comfortable with using your front foot to steer the board and slow down , snowboarding becomes easy.

Practice this snowboard j turn exercise at least 7 times each on both edges, or until you feel confident you can stop and turn your snowboard with one foot not clicked in.

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 the J Turn 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....