Railgrabbing -- explain this to me

eqKneelo · Post by **eqKneelo** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 5:56 pm

"I wish I could quit you, Albert."

W.G. Facenda · Post by **W.G. Facenda** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 6:09 pm

It's like trying to say which music is better? I totally disagree with you but it doesn't matter.I'm at the polar opposite on what looks good and is progressive and is good surfing too..........so why bother?

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 6:56 pm

W.G. Facenda · Post by **W.G. Facenda** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:13 pm

That would make a good FORD sandwich,Found On Road Dead.Just beat this thread to death! "Not my job!" - is the caption to the pic above.What 's next? The post about"Swimfins or no swimfins? or Quad or thruster? or Is that a thruster??

zorro · Post by **zorro** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:20 pm

Dirk Brandts wrote:

But I like to learn, and I wondered if there was some strong advantage to riding hands free. I ride with my knees pretty close together, so the reasons for grabbing seem self-evident to me; that's why I asked. Sometimes I toss my hands up to unweight, but I usually get that same effect more with my head and chest.

well from the pics you posted you look like you are ripping to me, so I wouldn't worry.

But if you want a specific answer to the question:

"and I wondered if there was some strong advantage to riding hands free"

You can turn a kneeboard in lots of different ways.

One way is to contract and expand your torso and legs with the dominant expanison on your inside rail. This gives you a nice hard drivey turn using your leg muscles and concentrates a lot of power on the rail behind your shins.

Don't matter what anyone says: you can't go from max contraction to max expansion if you keep holding the rail.

Another way of turning is to lean forward, engage the rail and wind up your body using body torque. If you want to do this you need to get your outside sholder over your inside knee - doesn't matter wether you are coming off the top or bottom. )In fact, if your top turns aren't as drivey as your bottom turns, try this.)

If you grab your rail it is almost physically impossible to get that shoulder over the knee.

The best way to turn is to use a combination of the two methods used above.

Simple Rule: The more energy you contribute from your body in a turn the more you will get out of it.

If you grab the rail you are minimising your ability to utilise your body as an energy contributor. If you grab the rail you can still turn without having to learn to use your body properly. People learnt to surf by grabbing the rail cos its nice and safe. Some never grow out of it and develop their style around it. Some guys, because of their rocker and fin position, don't have a choice in wethere they grab the rail or not.

Some who grab the rail are good. Most that I have seen develop a sit on their arse "crippled" style.

As far as close together knee stance: its limiting cos you can't get your weight properly over the rails (see body torque above). Its also the least stable way of surfing -

unless you grab your rail.

Do I grab my rail:?

Hell yes, but not when I'm turning. On my backand on late bumpy drops. On backhand tubes. I wish I could do rail grabs when I renter but I can't cause I'm extended and can't reach the rails... I alos grab it when I have a hangover.

hope this helps

from a man who knows everything and still surfs like a turkey

albert · Post by **albert** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:45 pm

eqKneelo wrote:"I wish I could quit you, Albert."

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:49 pm

Dirk Brandts · Post by **Dirk Brandts** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:52 pm

zorro wrote: hope this helps

Sure does, thanks. The aesthetic opinions come and go, but I'm more interested in the functional explanations.

Our approach, the droogs I used to kneel with, was to become the smallest, tightest possible controlling unit on the board, and to minimize any flailing motions. Quiet and still while hauling asss was the object, so we hunched forward, head down, elbows in, knees together. Inertia was everything. Things are different now.

I looked at several of the vids here on the site. For sure, the whole aerial aspect of kneeboarding (and surfing in general) has advanced tremendously, and I see people tossing their arms up to unweight for a launch, or to make a section. That makes sense.

W.G. Facenda · Post by **W.G. Facenda** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:57 pm

Yeah, Rap is popular now too.Some,say rap is progressive......AHHHHHHH! Jazz is timeless

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:11 pm

album_showpage.php?pic_id=16

check the comment

fincut · Post by **fincut** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:14 pm

I'm guilty of doing something even gayer but it feels so good.

On late drops I've been grabing my rail Behind my ass while puting my inside arm in the wave to stall. Guess we can call that move, the "DP".

Damm Porn corrupting my brain.

Or It could be called the "Cornholeio"

Dirk Brandts · Post by **Dirk Brandts** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:19 pm

Steenos, I could cure that within 60 seconds with Photoshop.

zorro · Post by **zorro** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:22 pm

Hi Steen

I'd say that the guy placing the comment on the pic page doesn't realise that you have only light pressure on your rail with your fingertips.

Its obvious to me that you are gripping the rail mainly with your top teeth.

I think it would have been better style if you'd just used your canines.

How do you remove the wax taste from your tongue when you do this?

Steeno · Post by **Steeno** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 8:27 pm

hey Dirk...so could I

cheers zorro

Beeline2.0 · Post by **Beeline2.0** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 7:10 am