Snowboarding Course - Linking Turns
Linking Turns is the final step in our beginner course where you combine all you have learned. At this point, you should be comfortable with traversing and performing Garlands. You also need to get used to rising to a straight position and going down to a bent position while traversing. You can do this by practicing how to rise and fall on a flat surface, and then use the same motion while traversing on both edges and maintaining your speed.
What are you going to learn?
Linking Turns is a sequence of traversing, changing edge, and traversing again. Once you are able to link turns, you can consider yourself a 'real snowboarder' and you will look like one too!
Getting Started
Start by finding a groomed, gradual slope, preferably with as little change in contour as possible. It would be better if the area is not crowded so you will not be distracted or nervous because of people watching you. Visualize the run from the top. Make a mental note of where you might make your turns.
Heelside Turn
 | STEP 1: Start by traversing in the same way you learned while doing Garlands. Turn your head and torso to face the direction where you want to travel. Keep your knees bent and your center of gravity low. Only try your first turn when you are comfortable with traversing. |
 | STEP 2: Start your first turn by shifting your weight forward to point the board downhill. You will accelerate as your board points towards the fall line. At this point, you can always abort your turn by shifting your weight backwards slightly and pushing your board up from the fall line using your rear leg, bringing you back to a heelside traverse. |
 | STEP 3: Halfway in your turn, your board will be pointing straight down and you need to pivot the board from heelside to toeside. Twist your foot to turn the board across the fall line and push the board through the turn using your rear foot. Extend your legs and shift your weight upward as you cross the fall line. Make sure to switch from heelside to toeside swiftly. Without an edge, you will continue to pick up speed and you will likely fall. |
 | STEP 4: Complete your turn by twisting your front foot further and pushing your board away from the fall line using your rear foot. Turn your head and torso in the direction of your turn. At the end of the turn, you should be comfortably traversing on your toe edge. You have completed your toe-side turn! |
 | STEP 5:You have now completed your heelside turn and you are traversing back on your toeside. |
Snowboarding Course - Garlands
After learning how to perform the Falling Leaf, you are now ready to try doing Garlands. These are actually partial or half-turns in which changing edges is not necessary. They are called as such because the tracks that you will leave on the snow are similar to garlands that you see in Christmas trees.
 | STEP 1: You need a wide area for this exercise. Go to the top of the hill and position yourself across the Fall line. Start with a heelside position. Look towards the direction where you want to go. |
 | STEP 2: When you're ready, decrease the edge angle of your Snowboard. Point your board down the Fall Line and then shift your weight forward by applying weight on your leading foot. |
 | STEP 3: Begin a straight glide. Keep going until you pick up some speed. You will notice that you will gain speed as you point the tip of your board closer to the Fall line. Remember to look towards the direction where you want to go. |
 | STEP 4: After gaining the desired speed, slow down by increasing the edge angle of the board and shifting your weight backward. Get ready to turn sideways to decrease your speed. |
 | STEP 5: Move the tip of your board gradually across the Fall line. Take note that as you do this, you will be slowing down. Maintain your balance as you change the position of the board. |
 | STEP 6: You will come to a complete stop when you turn your board uphill or if its position is already across the Fall line. Repeat the process until you are comfortable doing it on your heel edge. After that, try doing Garlands on your toeside. |
To sum it up, these are the important things to keep in mind in doing Garlands: look towards the direction where you want to go, decrease the edge angle of your Snowboard and point the tip down the Fall Line, and turn uphill to slow down or stop. Once you get comfortable in doing Garlands, you will find that doing full turns will be a lot easier.
Snowboarding Course - Falling Leaf
Another movement that you should learn is the Falling Leaf. This is a Snowboarding Exercise wherein the rider skids back and forth on the same edge in an imaginary corridor, almost like a leaf when it falls from the tree. The difference is that unlike the leaf, the rider can control the path that he wants to go to. The trace that the rider will leave on the snow will be a zigzag pattern.
The Falling Leaf is almost similar to Traversing, except that the former incorporates a direction change. This is another good move to help you get down on tricky or steep slopes. When you are able to do the Falling Leaf, you will be able to travel in any direction no matter where your Snowboard is facing. Likewise, it will also help you hone your edge control skills. The Falling Leaf also adds directional control to your sideslip. Just remember that whichever end of the board has the most weight upon, it goes down the hill first.
 | STEP 1: Start in the same way you would when performing a Toeside Traverse. It is very important to look towards the direction where you want to go. Spread your arms a bit to help you maintain your balance. Put your weight on your front foot. |
 | STEP 2: Cut across the slope’s Fall line. Keep your balance on the toe edge. Don’t forget to keep the angle of your traverse in a considerable degree. Stop as soon as you get to the far end of the trail. Do this by bringing the board back to an angle directly across the fall line. |
 | STEP 3: Stay balanced on your toe edge. Do not flip over or begin a Heelside Traverse on the other edge. Turn your head and look over your shoulder. Gently put your weight on your backfoot. Traverse back across the slope. |
 | STEP 4: Keep your angle in a slight form. Also, make sure that you stay in your toe edge. When you reach the opposite end of the slope, shift your weight and direction. Ride the board nose-first and continue with another traverse using your toe edge. |
 | STEP 5: At this point, you have successfully made the first zigzag pattern. Just repeat the process until you reach your desired destination. |
If you want to do the Falling Leaf using your heel edge, just repeat the exercise, but use your Snowboard's heel edge. Just keep practicing this skill because it will be very helpful for you to travel down terrains.
Snowboarding Course - Traversing (Toeside)
If Sideslipping is the act of sliding down the fall line using the heel or toe edge to control your descent, Traversing is a skill that takes you from one side of the slope to the other while descending gradually. You can use the toeside or heelside in traverses. In this section, learn how to traverse using the toe edge of your Snowboard:
 | STEP 1: In traversing using the toe edge, it is very important to look towards the direction where you want to go. Spread your arms to help in maintaining your balance. |
 | STEP 2: Then, turn your head and upper body towards the direction you wish to travel to. Shift more weight on your leading foot and move together with your other foot. |
 | STEP 3: Return your Snowboard to its original position across the fall line. Get ready to move to the other side of the slope. Look towards the direction where you want to go. |
 | STEP 4: Just like in Step 2, turn your head and upper body towards the direction you wish to travel to. Shift more weight on your leading foot and move together with your other foot. |
Snowboarding Course - Traversing (Heelside)
Traversing allows you to move across the fall line while descending gradually. It is actually riding diagonally across the slope, taking you slowly from one side of the slope to the other. You can do traverses in two ways, depending on the position you make and the board edge that you use. One of them is Traversing - Heelside. You will make use of your downhill edge in order to control your speed.
 | STEP 1: In traversing using the heel edge, look towards the direction where you want to go. This is one of the most crucial things that you should do when traversing. Spread your arms to help in keeping your balance. |
 | STEP 2: Then, turn your head and upper body towards the direction you wish to travel to. Shift more weight on your leading foot and move together with your other foot. Remember to keep the board angled downhill but only slightly. |
 | STEP 3: Return your Snowboard to its original position across the fall line. Get ready to move to the other side of the slope. Look towards the direction where you want to go. |
 | STEP 4: Just like in Step 2, turn your head and upper body towards the direction you wish to travel to. Shift more weight on your leading foot and move together with your other foot. Remember to keep the board angled downhill but only slightly. |
Snowboarding Course - Sideslipping (Toeside)
Sideslipping is simply sliding along the fall line of the slope. This skill will teach you how to control your Snowboard and make use of your edges when descending.
There are many advantages of learning this skill. First, it will teach you the importance of edge awareness. Sideslipping is one skill that you should learn before you can do traverses. Eventually, you will also be able to perform basic turns. When you decrease the angle of your board’s uphill edge, it will initiate a sliding movement. On the other hand, if you increase the edge angle, the board will slow down and stop.
In this section, know what Sideslipping (toeside) is all about and learn how to use your toe edge in controlling your descent:
 | STEP 1: When starting out, learn on a moderate slope. Your feet should be attached to your Snowboard Bindings. Face uphill with your board directly across the fall line. Bend your knees until they touch the ground. Make sure to keep your balance. |
 | STEP 2: While on your knees, dig your toe edge deeper into the snow. This will give you a firm hold or a stable position before you continue. Plant your hands into the snow to support your upper body. |
 | STEP 3: Then to get up on your toe edge, move your hands toward your body and put them on your sides. Use your hands to balance yourself while you lift your knees gradually from the ground. Next, steadily extend your legs and try to stand. Keep your balance and make sure that your board remains on its toe edge. |
 | STEP 4: Finally, try to stand up. This is quite a difficult position to make but it can be mastered through practice. Just find your balance and hold your upright position while the board is on its toe edge. |
 | STEP 5: At this point, learn how to control your Snowboard and the speed of your descent using your toe edge. Decrease your edge angle. You will notice that your speed in going downhill increases. You will descend faster as you push your Snowboard further down. |
 | STEP 6: Increase the edge angle of your Snowboard. Take note that there is a decrease in your speed. You will keep on slowing down as you continue to increase the angle of the Snowboard toe edge. |
 | STEP 7: This is the last step of the exercise. While keeping the board on its toeside, gradually move down and put your hands on the ground to support your body. At this point, you already know how to use your toe edge in descents. |
Edge awareness is one of the most important things you need to learn in Snowboarding. Practice Sideslipping and take full advantage of your toe edge. Be comfortable in doing this skill so you can move on to the other Snowboard Exercises. Check out our next section and learn Sideslipping on your heel edge.
Snowboarding Course - Sideslipping (Heelside)
As mentioned in our Sideslipping (Toeside) section, Sideslipping is sliding along the fall line of the slope. This exercise will teach you how to use your Snowboard's edges to control your speed in going downhill.
In this section, know what Sideslipping (heelside) is all about and learn how to use the heel edge of your Snowboard in controlling your descent:
 | STEP 1: When starting out, learn on a moderate slope. Your feet should be attached to your Snowboard Bindings. Then, face downhill and sit on the ground. Your legs should be bent and your snowboard should be on its heel edge. Make sure to keep your balance. |
 | STEP 2: Dig your heel edge deeper into the snow. This will give you a firm hold or a stable position before you continue. Plant your hands into the snow to support your upper body. |
 | STEP 3: Move your hands toward your body. Use them to balance yourself while you lift yourself gradually from the ground. Distribute your weight evenly to your knees to help maintain your balance. |
 | STEP 4: Finally, try to stand up. This is quite a difficult position to make but it can be mastered through practice. Just find your balance and hold your upright position while the board is on its heel edge. |
 | STEP 5: Know how to control your Snowboard and the speed of your descent using your heel edge. Your speed in going downhill increases as you decrease your edge angle. Push your Snowboard further down for more speed. |
 | STEP 6: In the previous step, you learned that you will gain more speed if you decrease your edge angle. This time, increase the edge angle of your Snowboard. You will notice that there is a decrease in your speed. Keep on slowing down by continuously increasing the angle of your Snowboard heel edge. Soon, you will come to a halt. |
 | STEP 7: You have finally reached the last step of the exercise. Keep your board on its heel edge while gradually lowering your body. Put your hands on the ground to support your body. |
At this point, you already know how to control your Snowboard (heelside and toeside). In general, it does not really matter if you learn Sideslipping on the heel edge or toe edge first, since you will learn both as you go on with the Snowboarding Course. Practice Snowboard control and make use of your edges in controlling your speed down the slope.
Snowboarding Course - Moving Up the Slope
After trying to skate/slide down the bunny hill, you will now have to learn how to move up the slope. You can do it by inching your way up while both feet are attached to the board. In this section, learn how to move up the slope with both feet strapped in:
 | STEP 1: Start off by finding a slope with as little human traffic as possible. Face uphill and with both feet strapped in, assume a frog-like position - toe edge on the snow, knees bent, and your hands planted on the ground just like in the illustration. |
 | STEP 2: Begin inch worming by moving your arms forward. Then, gradually extend your legs. Make sure your Snowboard is still on its heel edge. This position is quite difficult to make because of the weight of your body and the inclination of the slope. Just use your arms and your heel edge for support. |
 | STEP 3: This step will require a considerable effort on your part. Without moving your arms, pull your legs toward you just like what a frog's hind legs do when it hops. It helps if you elevate your Snowboard and use your knees to move forward. |
 | STEP 4: Repeat the steps until you have inched your way up the slope. If you can perform this move well, then you won't have a hard time going up the slope with your Snowboard still attached to your feet. |
Moving up the slope in this manner is quite tedious so you can only perform it for short distances only or if you can still endure doing the steps repeatedly.
Snowboarding Course - Gliding
Gliding is one skill that you should be able to do before you progress to other Snowboard Exercises. This basic movement will help you to be comfortable in shifting your weight forward and in gaining Snowboard control.
This will also be helpful when riding a chairlift. You can be able to unload from a chairlift in control if you are able to turn out of a glide. As soon as you are able to stand tall on a board and glide down from an incline, then you are ready for the chairlift.
 | STEP 2: Lean forward so you can start moving downhill. Point your toes down to move forward and shift your weight backward to slow down or stop. Always look at where you want to go and not at your Snowboard. |
Moving on the slope with only one foot attached to the Snowboard can be pretty exhausting but you will find that it will be very useful in many ways. Practice and be comfortable in doing straight glides before trying other Snowboard Exercises.
Snowboarding Course - Switching Edges
If you find yourself on the wrong edge, you need to unfasten your Snowboard Bindings, turn around, and attached the bindings to your feet. However, there is an easier way of switching edges. This is by rolling on your side while your feet are attached to the board. In this section, learn how to switch edges the easy way:
Switching Edges - Toe to Heel
 | STEP 1: This is probably easier to do than switching from heel edge to toe edge. Drop on your knees and plant your hands on the snow. |
 | STEP 2: For additional support, move your elbows down so it will be easier to roll on your side. |
 | STEP 3: Duck your right shoulder and move your upper body towards the direction of the roll. |
 | STEP 4: Get your snowboard up in the air and gradually turn it around. |
 | STEP 5: At this point, you should be lying on your back and your Snowboard is in midair. |
 | STEP 6: Put your Snowboard down. Using your hands, push yourself up to a sitting position. You have already switched from toe to heel edge. |
Switching Edges - Heel to Toe
 | STEP 1: In changing edges from heel to toe, sit on the slope and slightly bend your knees. |
 | STEP 2: Lie down and put your hands on your sides. |
 | STEP 3: Put your hands behind your knees and try to get your Snowboard in the air. |
 | STEP 4: Turn the Snowboard once it gets airborne. Plant the tail or nose of the board into the snow. |
 | STEP 5: Continue to roll on your side until the Snowboard is already is on its toe side and you are facing the uphill. |
 | STEP 6: At this point, you have switched from heel edge to toe edge. Use your hands for support as you stand up. |
This is the basic way of switching edges when you are on the slope. You will soon be able to change sides easily when you find yourself on the wrong edge. Just make sure to keep away from other snowboarders when you need to do this.
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