| Everyone who snowboards, at some time or | | | | this maneuver. For the whole ride along the |
| another, will want to make some progress with | | | | ground up to the kicker you should try to |
| their riding skills. No progression tends to | | | | keep the board in a straight line and flat on |
| mean no fun, what's the point in simply doing | | | | the ground, this will make your next set of |
| the same old same old every day eh! It's got | | | | movements easier, your airborne actions not |
| to get boring doing that. | | | | veering off the desired axis. |
| | | | |
| With increased riding diversity comes a | | | | 2.When your board is close to the end of the |
| healthy dose of difficulty. Jumps look | | | | jump try and ollie off the last meter or so |
| exciting and are a great way to improve your | | | | of it. To ollie you need to crouch a little |
| snowboarding. If done properly you may | | | | further, move your weight slightly towards |
| impress, the trick will also look stylish, in | | | | the back of the board, then lift your front |
| you own particular way of course! | | | | leg and spring up off the tail. The degree to |
| | | | which your board's tail is bending before the |
| A great place to start is with an 'ollie' off | | | | pressure is released determines the height |
| a jump. This is a non-rotational | | | | you'll get off the kicker. |
| straight-line it type of jump. Follow the | | | | |
| advice below to lean how it works: | | | | 3.If the board has remained nice and flat of |
| | | | the ground until lift-off you should now be |
| 0.When contemplating this jump remember to | | | | whizzing through the atmosphere in total |
| snowboard past the jump in question a few | | | | control. On the other hand, any slight |
| times to see what shape it is, e.g. a flat | | | | deviation on the take-off will be being felt |
| wedge of snow, or does it have more of a | | | | now and a phenomenon known as 'winding down |
| semicircular increasing gradient for | | | | the windows' (stabilizing your body with arm |
| take-off. If a beginner flatter jumps are | | | | movements) may be your best bet to reverse |
| probably easier since they involve less | | | | the errors. As you glide through the air |
| counteracting movements of the body as you | | | | remember to keep your legs reasonably bent, |
| move over them. Ideally the landing should | | | | out stretching them slightly alongside any |
| involve a gradient of sorts inversely equal | | | | hand movements to increase stability. |
| to that of the take-off. Ensure that when you | | | | |
| do start sessioning the jump that your speed | | | | 4.At this point your focus should be on |
| is not too high that you fly off it out of | | | | finding the landing spot ahead of you. Keep |
| control. On small jumps with this trick too | | | | your arms low and your legs bent. |
| slow is better than too fast. As with all | | | | |
| freestyle tricks, gradual progression is the | | | | 5.Aim to land with both feet hitting the |
| name of the game. Make sure no-one else is | | | | ground at the same time, evenly distributing |
| about to use or positioned in the landing | | | | your body weight so that there is less chance |
| area of the kicker. Approach the jump dead on | | | | the board will slide out from underneath. |
| down the hill, controlling your speed now and | | | | Legs should be partially bent and slightly |
| then with sharp sideways movements. Next | | | | tensed, ready for the impact. As you land |
| thing you'll know you are moving onto the | | | | feel free to absorb everything, your knees |
| jump. | | | | bending heavily. Once safely on the check out |
| | | | what lies ahead. |
| 1.Approach the point of lift-off with your | | | | |
| legs bent hard, your centre of gravity really | | | | So there you have it a great basic jump to |
| low and as close to the centre of your stance | | | | learn, master and eventually move on to other |
| as possible. This is a very stable position, | | | | more ridiculous tricks from. Happy days. |
| the stability continuing into the air part of | | | | |