Sadly, many instructors teach only what they feel to be the preferred movement patterns. Or, students come to lessons looking for an instructor to tell them what they are doing wrong, instead of looking for an instructor who can expand their abilities. The fundamental movements of snowboarding are flexion and extension in multiple planes and task-specific twisting. These movements, in different combinations and applications, create the multitude of options used by expert riders. This article provides an overview of the different options that versatile snowboarders can choose from in pursuit of the perfect run.
Vertical movements move the head closer to or farther from the feet.
Riders usually perform movement on the lateral plane by moving the weight of the body over the toes or the heels. This is done by tilting the body to either side of the board or flexing the joints to produce pressure on an edge. Movement around the vertical axis is achieved through rotary movements in which the body is twisted to control the amount of torque on the board. As the stance angles get higher with the rider's toes pointing more to the front of the board, as in a racing stance, the roles are somewhat reversed. As the body twists about the vertical axis, movements on these two planes are blended to control both the edge angle and leverage.