Linked Traverses

[Snowolf]

Got a question about AASI policy on this. I have been having a discussion with a fellow instructor who informed that recently AASI has eliminated and now discourages teaching the linked traverse or "falling leaf" in beginner classes. I have recieved nothing official from AASI about this nor from the resort I work at. Has anyone else heard of this and if so, what is the reasoning behind it? I feel that the linked traverse and garland turns really helps prep student to begin to make completed turns and I don`t understand why (if true) AASI would reverse their position on this riding task.

[DragonUSMC]

I heard that too from a fellow instructor.

Last season I sat in a level one again because i heard there were "SOOOO MANY CHANGES!!" and really, there wasnt. Garlands, linked traverses and falling leafs were all emphasised on how to be transcribed into your lessons and what to movements you should be looking for.

The ONLY thing I really noticed about the change is the movement to the "little bubble" concept or "small goals" which i will use depending on the students i have, and also towards the end of the level one lessons setting up for a level two lesson the torsional flex initiations into skidded turns.

I mean i did that before kinda, with the 1-2 3-4 turning process they switched to a few years ago but they went more into physically flexing the boards and showing the students why.

After I shadowed the other level 3 instructor i decided later that night i was going to stop some random couple on their slow area hill. I gave this couple (40's) a free 30 min lesson. They were having trouble getting the turns around and controling thier speed. I use garlands, falling leafs and then the torsional flex and they were fine.

So yeah, sorry long winded answer but Yes I heard that too, and I have no idea where that nasty rumor is comming from.

[snwbrder3384]

yea i have heard that one too. the only reason i can think would be instructors who spend way too much time on it. iv been trying for the last few years to get my instructors to use it less. but not ever mountain has nice long flat terrain to learn on, we sure as hell dont our platter lift is as steep as some areas blue runs. so we have to teach at a slower pace unless we want the body count to pile up.

[Cr0_Reps_Smit]

when i started instructing last year i was taught NOT to do falling leaf because it teaches the kids bad habits by not making real turns but they still taught me to do garlands, etc.

[DragonUSMC]

strange, because falling leafs are the foundation of weight distribution and edge control. Hell i even incorperate some torsional board flex into my falling leafs to get them ready for more dynamic turns.

[Cr0_Reps_Smit]

yea i don't know much about it seeing as i just started last year, just figured i'd share what i was told.

[snwbrder3384]

strange, because falling leafs are the foundation of weight distribution and edge control. Hell i even incorperate some torsional board flex into my falling leafs to get them ready for more dynamic turns.

^^ditto. and yes cro i see where your trainers were coming from. if you have a really long flat beginner area you can teach without it. but even if you dont need it you should be showing your students it just incase they find themselves on something steeper then they are comfortable on.

[Cr0_Reps_Smit]

yes i actually did do that when i started coming across steeper terrain and a few of my kids were a little scared to go down it while others loved it. i just the hell to what they said. i figured by that point the kids i had were good enough to know to turn properly unless they NEEDED to use falling leaf to get down something they aren't comfortable with yet.

[Snowolf]

Yeah, I agree. The thing that I find usefull about falling leaf, is it is an excellent excercise to get the student to learn to steer using torsional flex. I have them aim for an object on the side of the run and steer towards it. It is good for teaching balance and edge hold as well.

It is also a good technique to safely manage situations where a failed attmempt at complete turn could cause an uncontrolled slide such as getting down an icy steep with rocks and other hazards. I think it should be taught but instructors should always have the goal of getting their students completing turns in mind.

[Spin240]

I personally despise the falling leaf and refuse to ever use it again. I find it causes more problems in the long run than it benefits an early lesson. 90% of the time it confuses the student into never knowing what foot is their front foot no matter how many times you explain it. Maybe in theory the falling leaf is a great idea but when it comes to real world mechanics it just doesnt work out. People are too stupid to know how to bend their knees when you say knees and you start having them go with a different foot forward.. oh lord help me.

With a full 8 man level 1 lesson... I probably average about 65-75% of the class will always be linking turns down our bunny hill at the end of one of my lessons. All of this while never using the falling leaf.

Garlands I use for sure. Those help a ton. I've just spent so many level 2/3/4 lessons unteaching the falling leaf so I can get people off their heelside edge and initiating turns that I find it very detrimental for the long term.

[DragonUSMC]

^maybe you should think about the falling leaf differently.

You see i set up cones that my students need to go though, I tell them the area's around the cones are simulated train wrecks and the only safe passage is through the cones. I have big fake boulders which i like to use too =)

but I stagger them across the hill and use this technique as something to use when you are in trouble. Not as permenent way for moving down the hill. But i know what you mean... there are those people that just would rather side slip down the hill a billion times then actually make a turn.

[snowboarding_bear]

you kno what helped me learn,having friends throw snowballs at me if u dont turn...ur fukked

hahaha jay throw the freakin fake boulders!!! that would be HILARIOUS

[DragonUSMC]

I dont throw them... i set them out there...


although... throwing them does sound kinda fun too...

[Spin240]

^ The falling leaf just doesn't work at killington. Its much too crowded. I cant set up cones because they are a lawsuit waiting to happen. Its just not a feasible option where I teach. Killington has taught the most skiers/snowboarders in the last 50 years I believe... they have like 300 instructors on staff or some BS... just think of how many students roll through.

[DragonUSMC]

true... i forget i'm pretty special and have a completely seperate teaching hill away from our other runs. But hell i didnt even think about the cones being a hazard! =(

Guess my big boulders are out too...

[snowboarding_bear]

hire a homeless person to stand there..that way if they are about to get ran into..they can just jump outta the way!

[Chello0o]

Some one want to explain what a garland is?

[Cr0_Reps_Smit]

its when you start going across the hill on either your toe or heel edge, then begin to initiate the turn so you start to point your nose down the fall line of the hill then pull out about halfway through the turn and go back on the edge you were on in the beginning.

[Burton Doom]

i like the falling leaf it's saved me a few times in some super tough situations. i try to teach people how to do toe and heel turns first before i explain the falling leaf let them do that to get some confidance then try to get them to do it toeside then i get them to try to do falling leaf and really slowly work them into doing a quick toe turn. it usually works pretty damn well.

[luv2b0ard]

When I took lessons years ago this terminology definitely was not used. Fawk.