How To Penguin Walk

No, not to actually walk like a penguin. We're talking about how to Penguin Walk while strapped into your snowboard. You have probably seen snowboards on the hill doing it, because this is the best way to get around on flat spots without having to unstrap. But, the Penguin Walk is very similar to the positions you will use for other buttering tricks, so it can also be used as a technique to build your buttering skills too.

This tutorial is step three in our Basic's of Buttering Series and is straight from the Snowboard Tutorial Membership. For more great snowboard tutorials, check it out now and give yourself the gift of the worlds best tutorials.

(Narrating/Riding: Nev Lapwood. Film/Edit: Adison MacDonald. Filmed At: Whistler Blackcomb)

Basics

On a flat area try hopping from your tail to your nose, back and forth repeatedly.

Do it as many times as Nev does.

Forwards

From this movement, you can start to add a little direction. If you stack your weight over your toe edge and create a little bit of edge angle while doing the back and forth movement, you will find that your board starts to move forwards. This is the Penguin Walk!

The more weight you put over your toe edge and the more edge you create, the more distance you will be able to cover with each step. Woah, slow down there Usain!

Backwards

When your Penguin Walk forwards is easy, try doing it backwards with the heel edge. Stack your weight over your heel edge, create a little bit of edge angle by lifting up your toes and add the back and forth buttering motion.

Using a heel edge will allow you to penguin walk backwards!

Because it's much harder, a backwards Penguin Walk is never used to get around, it's just used as a technique to build your buttering skills.

Arms

When you Penguin Walk, you may notice that one arm is working with the opposite end of the board, this is counter rotation at work. If you get a bit of a swing on while you're Penguin Walking with your opposite arm and opposite side of the board, you'll be able to cover a tonne of distance with each hop.

Counter rotation is the key to a quick penguin walk.

If you find you need more practice, the Penguin Walk is another thing you can practice at home with your Training Board.

So that's how you Penguin Walk! Get this funky little trick dialled to not only get around quickly on those flat spots, but to also progress your buttering skills so you are ready to try tougher butters like the MFM butter!

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Alex McCann
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding