Snow Skills

Edging your snowboard on the heel side mostly uses the ankle to tip the board. For riders who drive, one concept you can use to improve this movement is to apply the familiar feeling that you’re stepping on the gas!

Edging a snowboard on the heel side can be a challenge to flex the boot along the instep. In order to get the most range of motion, your ankle needs to “close” and “open” as much as possible. An open ankle is one where the ankle joint is bent as little as possible; a closed ankle is one where the ankle joint is bent as much as possible. The sensation of this closing and opening is very similar to stepping on or easing up the gas pedal or clutch.

Another way to focus on improving heel side edging is to think about moving your toes towards or away from your knee as much as possible. To make this move, you can think of lifting the toes when increasing the edging and pressing down the toes when decreasing the edging.  The resulting effect on the snowboard will be the ability to control its tipping with more precision.
With a combination of feeling and thinking, you’ll be more able to work both ankles in a similar manner and improve your heel side edging.