How To Flat 540

Once you have your Flat 360's dialled, learning a Flat 540 is not much different. The same way you can add a Shifty at the end of a regular spin for more rotation, you can add them to off axis tricks as well. It is the Shifty that is going to give you the 540 degrees of rotation required for the Flat 5.

(Narrating/Skiing: Dean Bercovitch. Film/Edit: Adison MacDonald. Filmed At: Whistler Water Ramps)

Skills To Have Before Trying Flat 540

• Make sure you have Flat 360s locked in so you have the correct axis dialled in. A lot of skiers change the axis to an Underflip or Misty like rotation.
• Also have a Shifty locked in. This is because, while the Flat 5 has the same take off as a Flat 3 we change the last part of the trick to add spin.
• Also, make sure you have a solid back drop on the tramp, where your skis don’t touch the tramp at any point.

Progression From Flat 3

Because the Flat 540 uses a Shifty at the end of the airtime, head to our Flat 3 progression to work on those skills. This is where you 90 Backdrop travelling backwards, to pullover to feet. Keep the progression rolling by adding a 180 to the end of that trick to make a total of a Flat 5.

This is the Backdrop at 90 degrees.

Dialling In That Shifty Progression

To get the Shifty to be obvious and more effective, Try the Flat 540 in two bounces:

1. Put your arms forward to the tramp at the end of the Flat 360.
2. While flipping over your left shoulder, move your arms quickly to the left.
3. They drive into your direction of spin leaving your knees and feet behind for a split second.
4. Counter rotate your arms back to the right and snap your knees to the left to bring your feet around at 180 with a Shifty.

Notice how Deans arms are counter rotating to his left. This gives him the wind up needed to snap the extra 180.

Time To Send It!

Now let’s bring that Shifty method to a Flat 3 instead of off your back.

1. Start by throwing a Flat 3.
2. At the end of it, get your hands and arms in front of you so you're prepared to add some spin.
3. Remember, you need a bit of air time at the end of it to squeak in the last 180.
4. Once you're bouncing high enough and you can feel some time at the end, move your hands quickly to the left while you’re looking at the tramp.
5. This will leave your legs where they are.
6. Immediately after, shift your arms and shoulders to the right, while counter rotating your legs back to the left.

It’s really important to see the trampoline after your flip before initiating the Shifty, if it’s done too soon it can change the axis.

Grabbing

Different grabs will affect the rotation differently. The most common grabs for this Flat axis are the Safety, Japan and Mute grabs.

This is a Safety Flat 540.

Now you know how to Flat 540! Remember, it's all about that Shifty 180 to snap around to 540 degrees of rotation. Get the locked in on the trampoline now, then take them to the hill and watch the heads turn!

Alex McCann
Ski Addiction
Helping You Ski Better