Blue Pressure Exercises

Snow Board

Carved Hop Travers

Terrain

Green/Blue with Single Pitch Fall Line

Activity

Green - While traversing the hill rider will do a series of hops landing on the same edge with the tail following the same path as nose of the board without skidding.

Blue/Black - While traversing the hill the rider will do a series of hops landing the same edge as nose of the board without skidding also hoping vertically up or down the hill.

Emphasis

Rider needs to focus an aligned stacked stance. When leaving the ground, the rider needs to hope with pressure equal off both feet to stay centered.

Notes

This is for a high green rider.

Tags

green pressure, green tilt, blue pressure, blue tilt, black pressure, black tilt

Sidecut Traverses

Terrain

Green/Blue with single fall line

Activity

Traverses letting sidecut of the board create a natural arc. Toe side and heal side.

Emphasis

Maintain a distinct track in the snow.

Notes

When ever doing a travers, be aware of oncoming traffic and use safe class handling.

Tags

green pressure, green tilt, blue pressure, blue tilt

Flat ground 180s/360s

Terrain

Green - Consistent pitch with a single fall line, (top of explorer)

Activity

Series of unlinked 180s or linked 360s slips completed in both directions.

Emphasis

Staying close to the fall line, maintain a consistent speed, using twist as the primary fundamental with the secondary focus being pivot.

Notes

Catching an edge is a real concern when first attempting this drill. Breaking it into 2 separate 180s with a reset period in between is important so the student can find their balance.

Tags

green pressure, green twist, blue pressure, blue twist, black pressure, black twist

Tactical Garlands

Terrain

Wide groomed green or blue

Activity

Using the Garland to help travers multiple fall lines.

Emphasis

Using the garlands as a tactic to generate enough momentum to get across the trail.

Notes

Instructor needs to be able to communicate the fall lines to the rider. Lead follow often works to show how much speed is needed to get across the trail.

Tags

green twist, green tilt, green pressure, blue twist, blue tilt, blue pressure

I Turns- Intro to flat based riding

Terrain

Very mellow pitch with a single fall line.

Activity

Rider will, with the help of an instructor, point the nose of the board into the fall line, then the rider will slide down the fall line keeping the board flat until they start to feel some speed, (using short counts such as 3, 5, and 7 seconds to help build confidence). Finally the rider will apply breaks until they come to safe stop. Isolated skill- 3 points of contact under each foot. (one point under the heal and two on the balls of the foot.)

Have rider take off the board. Standing on flat ground have rider find the heal and the balls of their feet under themselves. Shift the body from heal, to the arch of the foot, and threw to the balls of the foot. This will help the rider understand the sensations under their feet as they are sliding.

Highlighted skill- gliding down the fall line 2 feet strapped in, feeling the 3 points of contact under each foot as the board slides. Applied- using the new skill on short sections of flat surfaces until the rider feels comfortable.

Emphasis

Centered and allined stance, flexed knees and ankles, three points of contact on the bottom of the foot.

Notes

Rider must be able to stop and stay balanced before attempting this drill. Help rider find proper alignment. Shoulders Knees and ankles flexed and aligned. This is a pressure exercise focusing on pressure across the with of the board.

Tags

Green Pressure, Blue Pressure, Black Pressure

Edge Change on Flexion

Terrain

Blue groomed

Activity

While doing turns edge change happens with a flexion rather than extension.

Emphasis

Rider should be smallest at transition tallest at apex.

Notes

Should feel like the board crosses under you instead of you crossing over the board.

Tags

blue tilt, blue pressure, black pressure, black tilt

Tunnel Ollie's

Terrain

Light green on very mild slope

Activity

Doing a series of Ollie's while keeping a stacked upper body, the goal is to explore ranges of motion fore and aft along the board while staying in balance.

Emphasis

Basic - while off of the board, find your riding stance. Once acquired and balance try to shift your legs fore and aft as if on a board keeping head relatively level

Highlighted- Now strap the board on, using this shifting motion along the lanth of board feel the pressure move from center to fore back threw center then to aft of the board. Keep this shifting motion up until you feel the boards nose ready to pop off snow. This is your Ollie motion in action. Find a light pitch and repeat the process until comfortable.

Applied- now we put it all together. We are going to do a set of continuous Ollie's with an emphasis on keeping a level head. Pick terrain that is very light green to start with (speed is a factor to take note of) once you got the Ollie's it's time to add one last thing. We will be doing Ollie's like a dolphin in the tunnel. Instead of landing flat based the nose of the board lands first, builds energy and helps build into the next pop!

Notes

This exercise can be used to build upper lower body separation as well as foot to foot skills. Each level of the exercise can be a focus in of them selfs and or be used to build into the next level. Have fun and be safe!

Tags

Green Pressure, Blue Pressure, Black Pressure

Squiggly Wiggly Turns

Terrain

Green with a consistent fall line.

Activity

While keeping the board in the fall line have the rider use independent foot steering to twist the board very rapidly from edge to edge.

Emphasis

The focus is on moving the lead and rear foot independently and keeping center of mass over the base of support while apply twist on the board as it moves down the fall-line.

Notes

Instructor should go first so riders have a line to follow. Remind riders to look in the direction of travel because there is a tendency to look down. Pump the feet and use the knees to drive the movement.

Tags

Blue Twist, Black Twist, Blue Pressure, Black Pressure

Popcorn Turns

Terrain

Green, Blue

Activity

Through the shaping and finishing of a turn, the rider is doing micro hops on the board. Body centered on board with equal weight on each leg. Legs flexing and extending together.

Emphasis

This exercise works on keeping the center of mass over the base of support and on the riding edge.

Notes

Exercise suited for intermittent riders who tend to overload the lead leg and have some edge chatter in the rear during the apex of the turn.

Tags

Blue Balance, Blue Pressure

Funnel Turns

Terrain

Green, Blue or Black

Activity

Have student follow your tracks while varying the radius and rhythm of turns

Emphasis

Experiencing a range of Duration, Intensity and Timing (DIT) in body movement patterns to make varying turns with consistent speed.

Notes

For intermediate and advance level, Do talk about how board construction will impact DIT. Very stiff all-mountain board will respond differently than a flexible park board.

Tags

Green Twist, Blue Twist, Black Twist, Green Tilt, Blue Tilt, Black Tilt, Green Pivot, Blue Pivot, Black Pivot