Turns and tricks

Question
I'm fairly new at snowboarding, and I'm having a little trouble getting the toe side turns down.  Its when I coming off a heel side turn and trying to go into a toe side turn (carving) that messes me up.  My board seems to catch somewhere in transition....and it discourages me to try it when I'm going fast.......could you offer any help.  Also....could you describe to me what you do when you hit a jump.  I've tried, but as soon as i hit it....I get discombobulated in the air and crash and burn.....any tips on that?
Thanks
Eric

Answer
Eric,

The first thing is to be very confident, because when you only half turn because you are affraid of turning you do a face plant.  When I go from heel side to toe side I usually almost jump.  I jump just a little bit so that my board is barely off the ground and then I do like a 90 degree turn.  When you are going really fast though you are not turned so much so you don't have to really jump, but you kind of lift up with your back foot and put more weight on your front foot.  Then with your back foot you push the board back behind you as you start to rock the board to your toe side.  At all times you should be on an edge when you snowboard.  When your board is flat you will catch an edge and fall.

  When I go off jumps I jump as I get to the end off the ramp.  When you jump you want to be level with the area that you are landing on.  If you don't jump when you get to the end of the ramp the ramp with slew you off in any direction that it wants you to go.  Don't forget to keep your knees bent when you go off and when you land.

Dave H.