carving

Question
Hey r man,

I'm pretty new to snowboarding but I can get down the mountain without eating too much snow.  I'm have trouble carving, though.  When I try to reverse directions I end up doing spectacular cartwheels and tumbling down the mountain.  I think I'm catching an edge.  Any pointers?
thanks, Josh

Answer
For turning, I've got a method called the gun and the holster.
First, shape your forward hand (if you ride goofy, your right hand, if you ride regular, your left hand) into a gun.
When you want to turn on to your heelside, swing your "gun" out and point it in the direction you want to go as you turn.  This swinging helps shift your body weight in the direction you are going.  When you want to turn on to your toe edge, swing your arm around in the opposite direction, so that your "gun" is put in a "holster" on your waist (the part next to your back leg).  Once again, you have to make an effort to turn while you swing.  This worked wonders for me, hope it helps you!