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| Q&A: Race School (84 Posts)
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Shift to Manual Control
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On 1/11/2009
Joe Lehm
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
Very good question Sam, I'm back from my Holiday break and School is back in session. Sam, the first thing we need to look at is the difference between Hand sliding and Wheel sliding. It's sometimes hard to tell when one ends and the other begins. Work on learning to differentiate between the two and know where your weight is. More on the hand? More on the wheels? More on certain wheels? First we'll discuss drifting, then crowded corners.
For this assignment You will need the following:
A helmet and a pair of slide gloves.
A set of well slid and worn wheels, the more slippery the better. If you don't have a set then designate some now.
The widest, steepest hill you can safely practice on.
If you learned full on shut down slides or pendulums first then it's harder to learn to do controlled drifting because your body is used to swinging around to 90 degrees or more. We're going to work on UN-learning that tendency by backing up and working on HAND sliding, not letting the wheels slide. Yet.
You can start either toe or heel side, it doesn't matter since you'll need to learn both. Swing to the very edge of the road going fairly fast and start to crouch down as you begin your turn. Grab the outside rail of your board and put your other hand on the ground as far out in front of you as you can. This helps to make the back end lighter and to be able to get back onto your board when you need to.
Make sure your hand is sliding fingers first and not side ways. Point with your fingers forward, get it sliding but DON'T transfer any weight to it. Basically for every pound of weight you put on your hand you are taking a pound off of your wheels. Somewhere around 10 to 20 pounds your wheels will start to slide. Resist the urge to let them! Try it both toe and heel side. If you feel them start to slide transfer you weight back onto your board. You'll find that you can make very sharp turns this way just because you are low and pulling on the rail.
If the hill is wide enough you can practice toe side and heel side drifts on the same run, connecting them like snow board turns. If it's steep enough you can keep your speed by only allowing the small drifts and then picking your speed back up and getting in several parctice slides per run.
By practicing this with well worn slid up wheels you'll have to be paying even more attention and be extra careful of where you weight is to keep them from sliding. Sure it would be easier if you are riding sticky new wheels, BUT that won't help you as much in learning to FEEL the relationship of hand to wheel sliding. As you get a feel for sliding ONLY the hand and right where the wheels want to break loose, THEN you can start to let them slide, but only a tiny amount. Bring it back under you by transferring your weight and pulling on the rail to get it back under you.
This skill is much more delicate than a full on shut down or pendy, but it is what you'll need to be able to race side by side through a corner right next to another rider. If you slide out there you're in trouble with the guy you just took out! Remember than in racing the LEAST amount of friction incurred is what wins the race, so not only don't you want to slide your wheels if you don't have to, you don't want to slide your hand either unless you have to. You'll notice that in some pictures racers have their hands just hovering over the pavement, not touching, but right there if they need them.
Time's up for today's lesson, we'll cover crowded corners tomorrow.
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tanning while footbraking
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On 1/6/2009 deep rice
wrote in from
United States
(207.114.nnn.nnn)
i bet he's working on his sock tan.
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JoesFootBrake
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On 1/5/2009 rr
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
I bet joes footbrake is getting a lot better in cancun!
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footbraking
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On 1/5/2009
MP / Speedo
wrote in from
United States
(71.53.nnn.nnn)
Thanks, Joe.
Working on my skills at it.
We ran an 85 cone screamer of a course in Brooksville yesterday that absolutely demands footbraking.
Getting a lot better at it.
No other choice.
Wonder what the road slalom scene is like in ABQ.
Peace.
Michael
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crowded corners
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On 1/3/2009 Sam of NY
wrote in from
United States
(68.193.nnn.nnn)
any tips on how to hold your own where you're going into a turn with at least one other guy right next to you? how do you hold them away without making them or yourself get too off balanced? any tips on finding where to start when trying to learn how to control your drifts or avoid using them ineffectively? how do you avoid letting a pendy you intend to turn into a predrift go too far around?
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Crampons or Skins
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On 12/31/2008 Tele Mark
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
Foot breaking really hurts. That's why I never do it. Wearing bindings is a much better idea so that your foot doesn't come off and break. Besides who wants to slow down anyway?
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CRAMPONS
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On 12/29/2008 RR
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
how bout atalya with cramp ons? try footbraking with them on. Yeah.
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holiday break
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On 12/27/2008 price
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
does skating home in san francisco in the rain drunk on christmas eve count as cross-training?
does hiking Atalya in old foot-braked skateshoes count?
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Safety Dance
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On 12/26/2008 Cat
wrote in from
United States
(98.210.nnn.nnn)
At :53 there's a guy dressed like Kludy!
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skate school training lesson1
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On 12/26/2008 wax
wrote in from
United States
(24.9.nnn.nnn)
I keep loosing my train of thought after the safety meeting
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Foot Braking 101.
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On 12/26/2008 Cat
wrote in from
United States
(67.117.nnn.nnn)
I'm working on mine!
Happy Holidays Joe!
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Holiday Break
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On 12/26/2008
TSR Headquarters
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
Now Class, just because it's the holiday break doesn't mean that you can't be working on your race skills. Cross training is an important part of becoming a well rounded skater, so you will get credit towards your grade for any of the following activities: Skiing, Snowboarding, Snow Skating, Ice Skating, Snow Biking, Indo Board, crossing icy parking lots in skate shoes, Skating indoor ramps, mall walking with your girlfriend.
Your foot braking test (below) is due before the first big race of the Spring which is either Ditch Slap or Danger Bay depending on your location.
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New Forum
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On 12/12/2008 DT
wrote in from
United States
(68.96.nnn.nnn)
I like the new color, it reminds me to be safe. See you guys this weekend. Aloha.
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First homework assignment
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On 12/11/2008
Joe Lehm
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
OK Class, settle down now. Your first homework will be to work on your stopping distances for foot braking at speed. For this assignment you'll need the following supplies:
A disposable foot braking shoe.
A tape measure or a foot that is 12 inches long.
A GPS device or accurate sense of your own speed in miles per hour.
Find a nearby hill that has a flat run out also known as a shut down area. It needs to be flat for this test to be accurate. Uphill is cheating and downhill is worth extra points! After completing one speed move up to the next. You may need to find a bigger hill. Distances will also vary depending on how much sole is left on your shoe. Try to stop using the following guideline:
20mph in 30 ft.___ 30mph in 50 ft.___ 40mph in 70 ft.___ 50mph in 100 ft.___
Do not attempt to foot brake over 50 mph until you have this test mastered.
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right on
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On 12/11/2008 mckendry
wrote in from
United States
(67.174.nnn.nnn)
We have lost sight of the safety meeting. It was mandatory and things went down like rule changes, finish line movement, and when and where you could hold private safety meetings. I get just as bored hearing what the flags mean and thanx for coming and this is my sister so don't hit on her...BUT we need to make sure we are all on the same page for safety. The last event I was at the organizer said everybody know what the flags mean??? and moved on. I had a crash in front of me and just slid to a stop because of a yellow flag and was criticized for not making a pass. I'm old and like to make sure everybody is ok, unlike some young punks who don't even know we use flags. (by young punks I mean all of you! cause I'm old) With more riders and more languages we should go back to meeting before anyone takes a run and you miss it you miss the first bus. That's not harsh enough for people who don't need to take a run but we will discuss that as Joe gets settled. Way to go Joe and thanx for try teach this dog toeside. Looking forward to the heated discussions about thread count and chinstraps. You can never be too safe...well yeh you can but then you lose the race.
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State of Mind
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On 12/10/2008
Joe Lehm
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
Thanks Geo, just the question I would expect to get on the very first day that School is in session! The mind set for racing is totally different and even contrary to the mind set for other kinds of skating. The single focus of trying to get the best time or finish ahead of the next guy is NOT creative or inspired or elegant or even gnarly. Skating in general has all of these qualities and that's what makes it fun, and in some riders minds what makes racing NOT fun. No room for expression, though flow does sometimes play a role.
Most skater do NOT like to be told where and when and how they can skate, or especially that they need to be 'safe' when doing it.
Safety meetings before races are intended to give the race organizer a chance to inform the riders of what is expected of them and of the staff, EMT's and spectators to run a smooth event. There are bound to be crashes and injuries and it's up to the organizer to set a minimum safety requirement like helmets, or leathers based on the kind of race.
It is up to each individual rider to decide if they feel safe enough. If not, then they are encouraged to do whatever they need to help them feel safer. Sometimes that means more pads, full face, slide gloves, wrist guards etc.
Sometimes it's more of a state of mind, and for this many racers turn to each other and hold their own meetings. At festival type events this can go on throughout the day and into the night, which definitely does affect a riders performance the next day. See the Rob McKendry on Speed forum.
I believe that the organizer should only be responsible for the first safety meeting of the day.
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Safety Meetings
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On 12/10/2008
Rick F.
wrote in from
United States
(65.183.nnn.nnn)
Me thinks there is more bait being tossed to the fish.
While there are certainly REAL safety meetings like the one PSR mentions, I believe the safety meetings Geo asks about are different. Many things are discussed at these meetings, but nobody can remember what they are.
I go to safety meetings in Quebec where I don't know what anybody is saying anyway, and yet I still find it hard to recall what happened.
-RF
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Safety 1st
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On 12/9/2008 PSR
wrote in from
United States
(75.68.nnn.nnn)
Geo, I can't say what other's have witnessed, but I do recall that at Ascutney, someone noted that 'crowding' would be a bad idea (that, and tossing in a slide instead of footbraking well before a turn), as on a 20% gradient, going off the road in an unplanned manner might mean a trip to the hospital. Oh, and helmets were required, too. Too bad they didn't mention picking up racer's shoe-soles between runs, as I found two (at least I knew who owned one of them). Luckily, no Deer in the way that day...
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Safety meetings
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On 12/9/2008
Geo
wrote in from
United States
(72.42.nnn.nnn)
I always hear about these "Safety meetings" that occur before races, what exactly is discussed at these "Safety meetings"?
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WHATS THAT?????
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On 12/9/2008 OLIVER
wrote in from
United States
(67.164.nnn.nnn)
THIS FORUM SMELLS LIKE HOT DOGS. LETS GO SKATE..OH WAIT ITS SNOWING.
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HOW DO I GO SUPER DUPER FAST WITH MY ULTRA FINE MOTOR SKILLS
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On 12/9/2008 DEEEP RICE
wrote in from
United States
(67.164.nnn.nnn)
HOW DO I FOOTBRAKE?
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draft bait
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On 12/9/2008
Joe Lehm
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
Miller, I know that's you!! You're just trying to bait me with a trick question that has only one answer. If the 4 man heat is me, you, Skip and Jim West, then the answer is get out front and stay out front. If it's 4 guys you don't know, then the answer is get out front and stay out front. If it's 4 guys that you do know, then get out front and stay out front.
Yes you could become draft bait, but if you don't kick off the line as hard as you can then you run the risk of missing the "train" and not ever catching up.
Better to learn evasive tactics to avoid letting them draft you than to count on someone making a mistake so you can catch up. The shorter the race the more important this is, the longer it is then the more time you have to get passed and pass them back. Never miss the train.
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Sucker's Move
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On 12/9/2008 CM
wrote in from
United States
(64.128.nnn.nnn)
Joe, I've heard it said that pushing out front in a DH race is a "sucker's Move". In a 4 man heat, where do you want to start out?
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Race School is now in session
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On 12/9/2008
Joe Lehm
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
Thanks Adam, I hope that this forum can be helpful for skaters that are new to racing in all of it's forms and I will do my best to answer questions and facilitate discussions. Racing is any kind of skating in which you are trying to go faster than someomne else. I hope to be able to give training tips and drills, tactics, tuning your gear, finding appropriate places to practice based on your skill level, safety skills and of course choosing which races to attend.
Since 2001 TSR has been organizing and attending Cross Town, Skate Park, Slalom, Banked Slalom, and Downhill races. The TimeShip Race School is located in Santa Fe, NM and now thanks to NCDSA we'll be bringing it to you where ever you are!
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New Forum: Race School with Joe Lehm of Timeship Racing
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On 12/9/2008
Adam
wrote in from
United States
(198.144.nnn.nnn)
From the webmaster..
Please welcome Joe Lehm of Timeship Racing as Ncdsa.com's newest Q&A moderator.
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