Snowboard Movement Analysis Tips from TheRusty

Snowboard Analyzing Tips

Riders are a little bit different. Analyzing a snowboarders movements is a tough job because there is so much to look at and lots of different styles are equally effective. Here are some tips for doing movement analysis for snowboarders. First you must understand what the riders goals are. Then you need to accurately observe what is happening. Then you can decide if movements are effective or efficient. Then you can suggest alternative movements.

General tips for all kinds of riders

Check out how stance angle helps or hurts the maneuvers being attempted.

Check out fore/aft location of stance relative to snow conditions.

Check out stance width relative to board flex and body weight/pressuring movements.

Look for balance, edging, pressure and twist movements. Watch out for wild upper body movements. Check for smooth edge changes. Measure edge angle in the fall line (coming at the camera). Is the rider pressuring the board effectively to engage the snowboard into the snow? Is the rider twisting the board to assist turn initiation?

Freeriding - Tape from the bottom with riders turns centered on the camera

Relative angles of board, knees, hips, shoulders and hands at the beginning, middle and end of toe side and heel side turns.

Watch for carving versus skidding. Be able to classify the turns being done as basic versus dynamic, skidded versus carved. Compare them to the turns that were intended. Use reference clips to show how to get from basic to dynamic.

Watch for first movement that initiates a turn.

Half Pipe - Tape from the bottom or side of the pipe

Check out the initial entry line. Does it allow speed to be generated? Is the board flying into the pipe versus riding the wall down?

Look for pumping across the flats

Look for upper body low to the board in the transitions.

Look for upper body staying perpendicular to the board through the transitions and up the wall.

Look for takeoff point on the wall. Does it occur before all forward speed is used up?

Measure how high walls are cleared.

Check out landing on flat/uphill or downhill edge.

Watch where the head is focusing during takeoffs and landings.

Look for pushes off the wall.

Terrain Park

Hits - Tape from the far side - try to get takeoff and landing in the shot
Look for upper body low to the board

Spins - Tape from the top of the jump
Look for upper/lower body separation.

Rails - Tape from the bottom of the rail
Check out posture. Look for balancing movements.

Grabs - Tape from the side
Look for counterbalancing moves to keep flight stable