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Skiing Switch

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RRaDD
Posts: 128 - Karma: 139
I need to learn how to ski switch! I've always done 360's and 180's regular and have avoided going switch off the next jump after a 180. Practiced a little on Saturday night and was going to do a 180 into a switch 3. First spin went fine but on my way to the next jump I caught an edge and ate shit and now I have a concussion. I'm pissed! If it helps my Revivals aren't center mounted and I can get them remounted. Can you guys give me some tips on skiing switch?!
Jan 29 2013 9:25PM
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Mr.Sloth
Posts: 5091 - Karma: 13,469
I suck bags of dicks when I ski switch. Help would be appreciated
Jan 29 2013 9:27PM
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Chubz.
Posts: 13918 - Karma: 25,656
i would make your way back to the bunny hill, or a run you're very comfortable on. And just start skiing switch. Get the fundamentals down. Don't assume just because you ski park you're going to be boss at skiing switch. You'll just have to teach yourself OR have somebody teach you how. But i would get skiing switch dialed in before even attempting switch spins.
Jan 29 2013 9:30PM
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lukaturtle
Posts: 98 - Karma: 103
I used to have that problem when I was learning switch 180 especially on bigger jumps.
The 2 things to focus on will be stance and timing.
Most people get anxious when their skiing switch and start to spin to early, making you catch an edge.
Stance will also effect this. Make sure your always looking straigh oer your shoulder not arching your back at take off. Keep your weight on your heels. Get all your pop from your lower joints and keep your back straight.
Once you get the take off the spinning is nothing. Its far easier to generate rotation switch.
Good luck! switch 3's are fun!
Jan 29 2013 9:32PM
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Miomo
Posts: 4302 - Karma: 14,131
I just learned how to ski switch for real and one of the hardest things for me was being able to stretch enough to be able to look behind me. I could always control myself but turning around enough was the problem so I just kept skiing switch on very gentle slopes until my body became flexible enough to turn around a considerable amount. Now I have no problem looking backwards while having a relative lot of control over my skis.
Jan 29 2013 9:34PM
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SquirminKurm
Posts: 4 - Karma: 22
I'd say start skiing switch whenever you can, just practise and practise and get comfortable with sharp turns and how to recover if you do catch an edge.

Once you get good at switch without and jumps/rotations, I can give you these general step-by-steps that helped me to learn! Hopefully they help you too!

Look over your shoulder all the way through the air

Flex all your joints equally feeling your heel, arch and ball of of your foot on the bottom of your boot
Wait until heel pieces reach the lip before you take off, patience

Pop equally with both feet, keep hand away and to the side of your body for balance

Get arms to your side and spin shoulders. Unlock ankles and start rotation with a good pop

Once past 180, spot the landing and lean downhill to stay perpendicular to the landing

Hopefully that helps, and just don't stop trying, and don't get discouraged :)
Jan 29 2013 9:37PM
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clive_bixby
Posts: 1834 - Karma: 499
Act like your skiing forwards but do it all backwards
Jan 29 2013 9:40PM
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gingaskier
Posts: 623 - Karma: 263
This is what I did. all I need to do now is to learn how to throw switch spins over 180.
Jan 29 2013 9:41PM
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RRaDD
Posts: 128 - Karma: 139
so its not that big of a problem that my skiis aren't center mounted? I've also been told to put on ski infront of the other, which is what i was tring to do when my face met the snow.
Jan 29 2013 9:44PM
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ILLinoisance
Posts: 3527 - Karma: 5,398
take the dicks out of your mouth, look backward, bend over, and position yourself like you are about to take them in your ass.
Jan 29 2013 9:50PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
Also realize that it's very similar to skiing forwards, as in using your edges to turn. Once I thought of it like that I got better quicker. Now I'm fine switch. And I just got crowbars, which are much wider than my previous goggles and that helped a ton, cause I can see now.
Jan 29 2013 9:54PM
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johnnyBuz
Posts: 1438 - Karma: 1,270
This. I live on the east coast which has terrible conditions and the parks take forever to open up. My first two days on the mountain this year the parks weren't open so I just spent all day skiing switch and learning how to stagger my stance, link turns, etc. I'm not a pro by any means now but I feel a lot more comfortable doing it now and have started throwing switch 180s before moving up to switch 3's.
Jan 29 2013 9:57PM
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_Jeffrey_
Posts: 1651 - Karma: 572
greatest advice
Jan 29 2013 9:58PM
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KingGeedorah
Posts: 890 - Karma: 1,576
No. It's not a big deal. Putting one ski infront of the other will just help you look over your shoulder. So looking over your right shoulder, you'll have your left nose in front of your right nose and right taiklinfront of your left tail. And vice versa. And definitely don't hit jumps switch until you can turn confidently switch. Another thing to avoid is to not do a backwards pizza wedge.
Jan 29 2013 10:02PM
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Puns
Posts: 2052 - Karma: 429
doood me too. I mean I can 9, all the basic flips, even switch 5 but I still suck one hundred assholes at backwards skiing, shit freaks me out.

I see all my cooler friends just cruising for fun backwards, I think that making a point of doing it often just down runs is what hones the skill
Jan 29 2013 10:04PM
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edai
Posts: 4983 - Karma: 4,632
If you're decently tall like I am, it helps to do back stretches. I'd say I'm pretty good at skiing switch at this point, but unless I do a few back stretches I can't ski switch for my life. Just another rigor of being tall...
Jan 29 2013 10:05PM
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RRaDD
Posts: 128 - Karma: 139
this sounds like a good idea. i am 6'1" so this could be part of it
Jan 29 2013 10:10PM
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PoopDollar
Posts: 296 - Karma: 422
Just fucking send it, son!!!
Jan 29 2013 10:10PM
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prunejuice9000+
Posts: 119 - Karma: 54
Think of when you ski normally you kinda lean in to your turns and move your feet...do it exactly like you ski normally lean into the turn and move your feet also turn left head looks over right should turn right, left shoulder...anyone has anything to add on or disagree quote this...
Jan 29 2013 10:14PM
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RRaDD
Posts: 128 - Karma: 139
thats what i was thinking, now half my brain doesnt work
Jan 29 2013 10:14PM
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prunejuice9000+
Posts: 119 - Karma: 54
LMFAO! but for real you wear a helmet?
Jan 29 2013 10:23PM
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edai
Posts: 4983 - Karma: 4,632
It's DEFINITELY a part of it. Look into some basic yoga back stretches, those helped me more than traditional pre-workout/sports stretching ever did. It's a lot of hip motion and the ability to keep your back straight really, it can't hurt to rotate your neck around a few times as well to get it nice and limber.
Jan 29 2013 10:25PM
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RRaDD
Posts: 128 - Karma: 139
Yeah, I forgot it in the car for a while but luckily I went back and grabbed it an hour or so before I crashed.
Jan 29 2013 10:29PM
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milk_man
Posts: 5214 - Karma: 6,494
I sucked at it too and i still kinda do! you just need to go switch, then go back to regular when you're going down the hill. Just keep doing that over and over when you're not hitting the park. Then you'll eventually figure out how to carve backwards, I'm still working on that!
Jan 29 2013 10:36PM
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PatReilly
Posts: 30 - Karma: 12
dang
Jan 29 2013 11:54PM
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MottsGetsYouTots
Posts: 268 - Karma: 34
Just start on a slow hill, go switch for as long as you feel comfortable, then just get out of it again. Keep doing this until you start feel better about it, start to practice to stagger your feet, and switch this back and forth each time you switch edges and turn. Just keep practicing
Jan 30 2013 12:18AM
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Z-PAULY.
Posts: 559 - Karma: 284
Oh I can help sucken them dicks...
Jan 30 2013 12:19AM
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Aftleet
Posts: 135 - Karma: 16
Powder and just try and pop into at 40 mp/h if you have the right skis ofcourse that is probably the best way
Jan 30 2013 12:29AM
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wasatch_rat
Posts: 1771 - Karma: 2,937
ski switch everywhere there is groomed snow. start in a wedge in the places that you need to, then work your way into parallel turns by staggering your stance. alternate which shoulder you are looking over on every turn at first, then play around with turning both ways looking over one shoulder. if your a good skier it probably won't take you too many days before you start to feel confident. when you do take it into a switch spin, remember to be really really patient off the lip before you start spinning.
Jan 30 2013 12:35AM
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