Dry Land Training

Stance

The stance used in board sports such as snowboarding is slightly different than that used in sports such as skiing, because it is a countered position. This means that the athlete's feet will point off to the side, while the body is countered so that the torso is pointing downhill.

The athlete should start in a relaxed athletic stance, with the knees slightly bent and the feet approximately shoulder width apart. With the feet stationary, the athlete will then turn his or her shoulders slightly toward the front of the board (and toward the front foot).

Your athlete can practice this position first on a flat surface, and then on the snowboard with no bindings. Finally, have your athlete put on his or her snowboard and assume the correct stance. It is important to remind athletes that statues are too rigid to snowboard properly, and that they will constantly be moving while in their stance.

Dry Land Skills

While on a flat surface, and practicing stance, your athletes can begin to become familiar with the skills required to snowboard, and with their equipment. This is a good time to quiz athletes on terms like nose, tail, heel-edge, toe-edge, etc. The more familiar your athletes are with equipment, the less confusion will arise as you try to explain movements while on-hill.

Balance

To work on balance, a few simple drills can be used. For example, have your athletes stand on a flat surface (without a board), and practice jumping up and landing in their stance. While in their stance (both with and without the snowboard), have your athletes feel what happens when they lean forward, and to the sides. Have them practice leaning and then returning to a centered stance position. Remember to ask a lot of questions about how they are feeling. As a coach, you may need to be close to prevent falls, especially when practicing balance while strapped into a snowboard. Much of successful snowboard riding depends on how well an athlete can maintain balance, or recover balance when it has been lost.

Rotation

An athlete can feel rotation by standing in a snowboard stance, and tuning the upper body to the left and right. The athlete should try to maintain a good athletic snowboarding position. Have your athletes experiment with rotation of the upper body first on a flat surface, followed by standing on the snowboard without bindings, and finally while clipped into the snowboard.

Edging Movements

Start by showing your athlete the way a board moves when it is on edge. Start with a board lying on a flat surface. This is the position of the board when it is running straight. Tip the board toward the toeside and then the heelside to demonstrate how a board moves when turns are made. Show how a board starts by running flat, then edges on one side, goes back to flat, and then edges to the other side. Next, have your athlete stand on a flat surface in a snowboard stance. Explain that this is the correct stance for running straight ahead. Have the athlete concentrate his or her weight on the toes, while maintaining balance (like pressing on a gas pedal). Follow by having the athlete concentrate his or her weight on the heels (like lifting off of the gas pedal or like digging in with the heels). It should be stressed that an upright position and balance are to be maintained at all times, even when weight is shifted. If the athlete is falling forward or back, he or she is applying too much weight, or leaning. The athlete should follow each of these movements by returning to a centered stance with weight evenly distributed. Finally, have the athlete clip in with one foot while standing on the board. Have the athlete place the free foot in front of the board on the toeside. Have the athlete tip the board onto its toe edge by standing on the ground and lifting and tilting the board with the clipped foot. Reverse this process for the heelside. Have the athlete place the free foot on the floor on the heelside of the board, followed by tipping the board with the clipped foot.

Pressure Movements

The idea of pressure can best be demonstrated rather than explained. Have your athlete sit in a chair. Place one or both of the athlete's feet in your hands with the knees bent. To show downward pressure, have the athlete push his or her feet toward you. To demonstrate the effect that reducing pressure may have, ask the athlete pull his or her feet away. Next have the athlete stand on a flat surface in a snowboard stance. Have the athlete practice lowering (increasing pressure) by bending the knees while in an upright position — not by bending over. Next have the athlete practice rising (reducing pressure) by rising up — without standing up straight). Have the athlete practice these movements on a flat surface, then on a board with no bindings, and finally while clipped into the board.