How To Backslide with Magnus Granér
We caught up with our favourite Swede and Real Ski X-Games Gold medalist, Magnus Granér to bring you more of the goods! In this tutorial, Magnus is going to boost your rail game and help you to stomp the Backslide / "Back foot Slide".
(Narrating/Riding: @SkiManGuy - Magnus Granér. Filming/Editing: @SkiManGuy - Magnus Granér.)
Finding That Balance
This advanced to expert jib trick is a sure fire way to up your steeze in the park! The Backslide is where you slide only on your back foot on the rail or box while your front foot is lifted up. This can be quite tricky to begin with as you need to find a new balance point to what you're usually used to.
To achieve this new balance, practice this move while stationary on snow. Lifting one leg up beside you, you'll need to find the point in which your torso counter weighs the leg that you are pushing out.
'Crank that Soulja Boy'
Hitting backslides onto snow straight off the bat can be daunting though! With Backslides being an intermediate to advanced jib trick, catching an edge and flipping forward or sliding out can happen to the best of us when getting a new trick down.
Dialling in your muscle memory with the Tramp Skis and Jib Bar is a sure fire way to get to grips with the balance required and will help you avoid the kind of face-shots that you don't normally expect when skiing.
The cycle of losing balance during the backslide.
The Two Schools Of Thought
When getting used to the balance needed for the backslide, Magnus throws two great but opposing tips for you. On one hand, speed can be your friend with this one! Going into the feature with a little more momentum is going to help you to maintain your balance, coupled with the fact that you don't need to hold the balance for as long.
On the flip side, slowing the pace down will force you into to finding that balance point and holding it. Using your body to counteract any losses of balance during the slide will be the key to stomping this trick.
That much pop? You crazy.
Pro-Tips From @Skimanguy
Tip 1: Landing straight into the Backslide and going full ham while learning may not work for everyone. To begin with, it can be helpful to practice and learn this jib trick by starting the slide on both feet and lifting your front foot up once you're on the rail. Once you've been able to smash this, you'll get to the point where you can land into a backslide before you know it!
Tip 2: Don't pop! If you pop and air onto the rail for a backslide, you'll find the pressure of landing will make it far harder to stick it and far easier to slide out or catch an edge. The best way to get this trick down is to skim onto the rail and land on the back foot a smoothly as possible.
The Perfect Backslide
Once you've mastered the Backslide, take a minute to throw down a celebratory swerve! Now it's time to start switching it up by adding in spins, pops and combo's that are so sick, they'll make Tekken look weak.
Want to see more of Magnus?
Follow him on Instagram here: @SkiManGuy. Check out Magnus in his 2017 XGames Real Ski Edit:
Ski Off The Snow
Feeling inspired? Check out our Tramp Skis and Jib Bar and learn the Backslide at home before taking the trick to the mountain.
With more great tutorials from Magnus Granér coming up! Be sure to sign up to our newsletter to hear about them first!
Ollie Barbour
Ski Addiction
Helping You Ski Better