Learning all of the basic snowboarding techniques can take some time and effort. Some people pick things up really quickly, while others need a little help along the way. Riding toe side is an essential skill that isn’t always as easy as heel side.
I’ve been a snowboarder for most of my life and am a certified snowboarding instructor. I’ve helped many people learn how to ride over the years, and I know how to ride toe side effectively.
This post will show how to ride toe side on your snowboard. I’ll give you some tips and tricks to keep in mind while learning to help move the process along quickly and effectively.
Let’s jump in.
Contents
What is Toe Side Snowboarding?
Toe side snowboarding is when you use the edge of your board that is closest to your toes. When you ride, you need to make turns in both directions, which means you need to learn how to ride toe side and heel side.
Getting a good feel for both sides of your board is essential to becoming a good snowboarder. You need to have good balance and control on both sides, and it can take some time to get the hang of both.
Is Toe Side or Heel Side Harder?
Most snowboarders find toe side turns to be harder than heel side turns. It’s not always as intuitive to turn leaning forward as it is leaning backward. It can feel somewhat out of balance as you learn to turn with your toe side.
That said, it varies from person to person. Some people don’t have any issues with toe side or heel side, while others struggle with both. But most of the time, toe side is at least somewhat harder to figure out than heel side.
How to Ride Toe Side Snowboarding
If you are learning how to snowboard, keep the tips below in mind to help you with toe side snowboarding.
Step 1: Strap In
The first step to toe side riding is to strap into your bindings just like you would at any other time. Make sure your bindings are fully secure and that your boots are firmly in place. Make sure to get any snow or debris out of the way before stepping into your bindings.
Step 2: Roll Over to Your Toe Side
Now instead of just standing up once you strap in (which would stand you up heel side), you want to roll over onto your knees before you stand up. This will put you into a toe side stance before you start sliding anywhere.
Step 3: Stand Up Toe Side
Once you are on your knees, it’s time to stand up. You can use your hands to push yourself up off the snow, and with the front of your body positioned uphill, you will naturally end up in a toe side stance.
Step 4: Lean Into Your Toes and Find Balance
As you stand up, you might feel a little squirrely. Bend your knees to help find your balance, and do your best to lean into your toes. Don’t worry about going downhill just yet. You want to spend a bit of time figuring out this balance.
You might fall back onto your knees as you start to get the hang of it, which is totally fine. Just keep trying your best to lean into your toes, and once that feels good, you can continue to the next step.
Step 5: Drop Your Heels and Lower Your Leading Foot Downhill
Now it’s time to start riding toe side. With your balance on your toes, you can drop your heels slightly while pointing your front foot downhill. This will give you momentum and force your body and board to start riding.
Don’t point your board too far downhill at first, or else you might get too much speed and lose control. Instead, just go a little bit at first and see how it feels. Then once you are comfortable, you can build up a bit of speed.
Step 6: Try a Toe Side Turn
Once you feel comfortable riding on your toe side edge, it’s time to start making some toe side turns. You want to lean into your toes while swinging your leading foot in the direction you want to make the turn.
Go slow at first and stop if you need to. You don’t need to pair toe side and heel side turns together right away, but go for it if you feel comfortable doing that!
How Do I Make My Toe Side Turn Better?
Practice makes perfect when it comes to making your toe side turns better. I always recommend taking a lesson because an instructor will give you tips and tricks that will directly improve your technique.
But just spend time focusing on your turns if you don’t want to take a lesson. Go slow and steady until you really start to get a feel for it.
How Do I Stop My Toes Edge Snowboard?
Stopping toe side can be challenging, but learning how to toe slide will give you the feel for knowing how to stop. You need to get a feel for your front edge before you will be comfortable with putting enough weight on it to stop fully.
Check out the video below for some tips on toe sliding and stopping.
Final Thoughts
Toe side riding can be tricky at first, but if you put in the time and effort, you can master the skill pretty quickly. Remember to take things slowly at first until you really get a feel for what leaning into your toe side edge feels like.
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