How to Carve the Backside on a Snowboard

Gliding gracefully down the slopes is the dream of every beginner snowboarder.Most novices make the mistake of pointing the noses of their boards straight ahead and picking up too much speed, which usually results in a painful tumble. Carving, or the act of making long, sweeping turns down a hill, is the best way to shave off excess speed and maintain control while riding. A backside carve, also called a toe-side carve, involves tucking inward to make the turn.

Instructions

    • 1

      Locate a flat, densely packed area at the bottom of the hill. If you are still not comfortable with balancing on your board, find a nearby handrail or tree trunk to use for assistance.

    • 2

      Clip into your board's bindings or strap your feet into your boots to secure yourself on the board. Stand up over your board with your knees slightly bent.

    • 3

      Shift your weight to the toe-side edge of the board so the heel-side edge raises slightly off the snow. As you shift your weight, rotate your leading shoulder and hip slightly inward. These two motions begin the backside carve.

    • 4

      Attempt to carve on a small, novice hill. As you begin to pick up speed, perform Step 3 to start carving backside. While carving, your back will be at an angle to the hill. Look over your shoulder slightly to maintain balance and sense of direction.

    • 5

      Come out of the carve by shifting your weight toward the heel-side edge of the board and straightening your shoulders and hips.

    • 6

      Practice the backside carve regularly until you can perform it flawlessly. Once you are comfortable with backside carves, try joining them with frontside carves to slalom gracefully down the slopes.