VIVID SNOWBOARDING TRICK TIP : SWITCH BACKSIDE 180
Key ingredients : Be comfortable riding both regular and switch, with this trick you will be taking off switch and landing regular. It’s the last part to a front side 360, so if you have those dialled this will come naturally. The beauty of this trick is that it can be learnt on the piste reducing the danger factor and keeping the confidence high. Once mastered on the slopes it can then be taken to the park or backcountry.
Here we are going to focus on the trick being played around with on a nice gentle, open slope.
PHASE1 – RUN IN
A good starting place for this trick would be to ride along an easy traverse switch, gently pressuring and gripping on the toe edge. While in the traverse practise a few centred exercises of popping off both feet at the same time and landing centred. Once this skill has been mastered and the timing of the movements is slick then we can add the rotation.
Feel focused and relaxed and again visualise yourself performing the trick before you attempt the manoeuvre.
PHASE 2- POP AND ROTATE
Here we want to pop off both feet. We don’t want a huge amount of throw as we only want to be rotating 180 degrees. To begin the rotation you will want to turn your head, shoulders and upper body switch backside towards the switch tail of your board. Use your eyes to look at your switch tail, add the pop and the board will come around underneath you.
PHASE 3 – AIR TIME
The air time on the slope will be fairly small but try and bring your knees up towards your body and stay compacted. Knees out over your feet ,triangle shape beneath for that all important solid feel.
PHASE 4 – LANDING
The focus here is to land centred in the middle of the board. Landing flat base and then rolling onto a working edge or landing directly on the toe edge which will be a slightly more precise ninja like movement. Don’t open up the eye line too early as you don’t want to over rotate the trick. When you land you want to be using your eyeline to look at the tail of your board which will help block the rotation.
Once all these phases are coming together, KEEP PRACTISING and working hard to make the trick as smooth and effortless as possible.
REMEMBER IF IT FEELS GOOD IT LOOKS GOOD
Top Tip: Dry land practising without being strapped in can really help you master the rotation. Try this at the start of the day as part of your warm up routine.
For freestyle coaching in Verbier please get in contact with us here at Vivid Snowboarding.
A NEW BREED OF SNOWBOARD SCHOOL IN VERBIER.