Vice Principal
西西
Vice principal of SnowWind. Lessons run from your first turns to carving, then — once those are solid — into powder and trees within the resort's open areas. No rushing: each skill settles before the next begins.
- JSBA C
- Tech Test 1
- AST L2
- Specialties
- Beginner · Carving · In-bounds powder / trees
- Teaching languages
- Mandarin · English
- Articles
- 16
Articles by 西西
16 SnowWind Journal articles signed by 西西.
Carving Lab
Whole series (12) →- Part 4 How Low Should You Crouch When Carving a Snowboard? Timing Matters More Than Depth Crouching down doesn't pressure the board; pressure comes the instant the crouch stops. KAKU: external force comes first, then internal force works with it.
- Part 5 Falling on the edge change when carving? Let your edge angle grow with the external force Two common ways a carving edge change stalls: maxing the angle at entry, or holding it high at exit. Plus the extra lateral shift heel-to-toe, and when to rise.
- Part 6 Where to look when carving steep slopes on a snowboard: on the toeside, get low first, then follow the nose Edge on a steep slope and speed jumps; the fear is turning at speed. 西西 on gaze, back hand, turn shape and rhythm for a first try. Start on slopes you control.
- Part 7 Upper arc vs lower arc in a snowboard carve: why the hard parts are opposite 西西 on carving turn shape: work in the upper arc, endure the force-heavy lower arc. Where pressure goes changes speed; edging and pressure are results.
- Part 8 Hands flailing in snowboard short turns? Forget the hands; watch your side compress and extend Swinging hands in short turns easily lead to runaway speed. 西西: watch the lateral line down your side compress and extend. Then toeside, heelside and head.
Riding Powder
Whole series (3) →- Part 1 How do you ride powder on a snowboard? No brakes: speed and turn shape In resort powder, swinging the tail to slow down only makes you slower. 西西's view: speed buys float, turn shape controls speed; powder boards share that logic.
- Part 2 What is Hokkaido snow like in November? Early-season ice crust and wet snow Ice crust up top, wet snow below: 西西's first day of the season at Sapporo Kokusai, and JMA's view of this winter. Personal observation, not settled science.
- Part 3 How do you read a Hokkaido snow forecast? 西西's pre-trip routine How 西西 picks a resort: snow depth by resort first, then the snow-depth layer and precipitation forecast, then the resort's own updates. Plus what this misses.
Off-Season Training
Whole series (2) →- Part 1 How should you train before ski season? 西西's off-season conditioning notes In season there's no time for dedicated training. 西西's off-season notes: big cycle, deep core, hips, thoracic spine, balance, set against public guidelines.
- Part 2 How to stretch and breathe between ski days: what 西西's wife teaches Tired? Rest a day for full active stretching, and train the core with lateral breathing at bedtime. 西西's wife's method, kept apart from guidance and research.
More articles
- Backcountry Prep · Part 4 Why do backcountry accidents happen in Hokkaido? Lessons learned Hokkaido Police data: 231 backcountry accidents in five winters to Reiwa 7. 西西 on a storm-day accident, board stalls, post-storm avalanches; KAKU on not riding.
- JSBA Exam Notes · Part 4 What's on the JSBA Tech Test? 西西's pre-exam notes 西西 on JSBA Tech 1 vs the Badge Test (steeper slopes, any snow, high speed, moguls), the first turn, heelside and pressure. Personal notes, not official.
- Choosing an Instructor · Part 3 Why keep learning from the same snowboard instructor? 西西's monthly lessons Every month of the season, 西西 takes lessons from the same experienced instructor. How that teacher teaches and observes, and why 西西 values sticking with one.
- Resort Driving from Sapporo to Rusutsu in winter: notes on Route 230, section by section Winter driving notes from 西西's 200+ trips between Sapporo and Rusutsu — what to watch at Jōzankei, Nakayama Pass and the hairpin descent, plus winter parking.
- Technique How to film snowboard follow-cam shots: three ways for trees, powder and carving 西西's snowboard follow-cam methods: which stance setup suits it, a head strap in trees, riding parallel in powder, staying close for carving, slow-fast editing.
- Choosing a Resort · Part 2 Niseko or Rusutsu? Snow quality, tree riding and who each one suits Of the two, SnowWind teaches at Rusutsu. KAKU on the three kinds of people Niseko suits, plus vice principal 西西 on the snow and trees at both resorts.
SnowWind is a JSBA-certified snowboard school (certified at Asarigawa Onsen).