While freestyle snowboarding is one of the most exhilarating riding disciplines, it also is one of the most dangerous. Professional freestylers spend countless hours practicing challenging aerial maneuvers that involve flips and rotations. To get good at freestyle snowboarding, you must learn to ride the various obstacles of the terrain park, a specialized training facility for freestyle riders that features kicker ramps, grind rails and fiberglass boxes. To improve your freestyle skills, ABC-of-Snowboarding recommends learning an elementary trick known as the 50-50 grind.
Step 1
Wear a dome-shaped snowboarding helmet to keep your head protected from the sharp edges of the terrain park obstacles. Ride to the beginner section of the terrain park with your non-dominant foot in the lead position. Choose a low snowboarding rail that features an inclined takeoff ramp.
Step 2
Approach the rail with a moderate speed to avoid losing balance on the takeoff. Hold the toe edge of your snowboard parallel to the rail as you ascend the takeoff ramp. Lean onto your back foot as you near the summit.
Step 3
Extend your back leg to spring off the tail of the snowboard. Elevate your feet to prevent the snowboard from smacking against the front of the rail. Lower the underside of the snowboard onto the rail in a parallel position.
Step 4
Hold your arms parallel to the ground throughout the 50-50 grind. Bend your knees to absorb the impact as you slide off the end of the rail. Navigate your way to a small kicker ramp that features a height of 2 to 3 feet.
Step 5
Approach the ramp with a comfortable speed to avoid losing control while airborne. Lift your lead foot slightly while ascending the kicker ramp. Extend your back foot to spring off the tail of the snowboard.
Step 6
Elevate your feet to maximize the air time of your freestyle jump. Lean forward to keep the underside of your board parallel to the ground. Bend your knees as the underside of your snowboard descends onto the terrain park slope.
Step 7
Practice these beginner freestyle tricks until you can land the maneuvers on a consistent basis. Add spins and variations to your grinds and jumps to increase your bag of freestyle tricks. Ride with friends who have a similar skill level to progress your freestyle snowboarding.
Things You'll Need
- Snowboard helmet
Member Comments