Fun and Easy Snowboarding Tricks for Beginners
Spinning
This is the first trick anybody learns. Spinning basically means making very quick frontside or backside turns, regular and goofy, after one another, until you are spinning in place. To do this, initiate a turn, but instead of leaning into the other direction to make another normal turn, you turn your head into the direction you’re spinning in. Now put your weight the on foot that will spin downwards and angle your bord upwards to avoid catching an edge. Now repeat.
Waltzing With a Partner
Waltzing is basically spinning with a partner. Instead of spinning around your own axis, take your partners hands and make tiny turns around them. This will drag the other person to make a turn with you. When coordinated properly with your partner this will make both of you seem like you’re dancing!
Take a Seat
This trick requires a snowboarder and a skier. The skier should slowly drive down straight a medium steep slope. The snowboarder comes from behind with a bit more momentum. Now, fling yourself onto the ground belly first and knees bend to slide between the skiers’ legs. By putting your hands on the skis and holding your knees in a 90-degree angle, you create a seat for the skier to take while sliding down the hill. The first time I did that I couldn’t stop laughing!
Jumping in the Park
Getting off the slope, here are some tricks for the Snow Park. There are two types of features in the park: jumps and jibbing features. Right now, we are talking about the jumps. As a complete beginner, I recommend finding the smallest jump available to get used to the feeling of being in the air.
The way you approach a jump is the most important thing. Keep your weight above the centre of your board and bend your knees while riding straight towards the jump. If you feel like you’re going too fast, add a few speed checks by going on your toeside or heelside edge. When you are on the take-off, follow the form of the jump with your board and jump. In the air, your knees should be bent, to stabilize you. Land by absorbing the shock with your knees. Now you’ve done a perfect jump in the park!
50/50
Now we get to the Jibbing Features in the park. Those are all the boxes, rails and tubes you see everywhere. For this trick, choose the broadest box around and make sure you don’t have to jump to get on it. A 50/50 is just riding straight across the box, without doing anything else. To do this, bend your knees and keep your weight centred. Make sure you have enough speed, or you will get stuck on the box. On a jibbing feature, you absolutely cannot go onto the edge. Doing so will make your feet slide out under you immediately and you will fall hard. Practice these enough times and you will be able to take it to rails and tubes as well!
I hope you will have as much fun as I did, doing those tricks! 😊
