How To Switch Butter 180

Switch Butter 180's are a super stylish way to go from switch back to forwards so needless to say, this is a trick that you need to get locked in! Start by leaning into the tails of your skis and buttering around, these can be thrown anywhere on the mountain, from knuckles and rollers to jib features.

While your Tramp Skis aren’t essential in learning the motions of this trick, these will boost your progression for finding the balance point on your noses and buttering onto your Jib Bar.

(Narrating/Riding: Dean Bercovitch Filming/Editing: Vince Emond. Filmed At: Whistler Blackcomb)

Prerequisites

Before we dive straight into the Switch Tail Butter 1, there are some more basic skills that you should probably have on autopilot first. Being comfortable with spinning 180’s over jumps and skiing switch is essential to learning this trick. Begin by finding a park jump that you’re very comfortable with and practice these entry skills.

Step 1:

Much like how nose manuals were the first thing to practice before you learned How To Nose Butter 180, Wheelie's will be the key to unlocking Switch Butter 180's. A 'Wheelie' is where you shift all your weight over the tails of your skis and hold it with your noses lifted off the ground. 

Wheelies are not only stylish, but also hella useful!

To Wheelie properly, you should ensure that your back isn't arching and being weak. To combat this, stick your hips low and shifted back, over the tails of your skis. Then, use your core to bring your shoulders forwards so that they're balanced over your hips and keep your feet together for balance. 

Great form, Dean!

Step 2:

So you've got your weight shift sorted, what's next? While skiing switch, practice just buttering around to 180 without trying to lean over your tails. Start with a wide staggered stance and ensure that you keep your skis on the uphill edges to avoid catching them! This can also be helped through using a pole plant on the same side as the direction that you are wanting to spin.

Start with your basic Butter 180

Step 3:

This is the part that you've all been waiting for! It's time to bring both elements together. Start by initiating a Switch 180 butter like before, but this time you'll add the motions of the tail press at 90°. Lean your hips back over the tails as though you're going to do a wheelie and allow your butter continue to rotate around. 

Start leaning back, over your tails once you spin around half-way.

To begin with, you may find that your noses aren't lifting off the snow very high however you should feel right away that your pivot point has shifted back, over the tails. As you come back around to be skiing forwards, make sure you pull your feet back in and under you, to avoid skiing away in a backseat position.

Lean further over the tails by dropping your hips back to butter more and get the noses off the ground.

Step It Up:

To increase your style factor when throwing Switch Butter 180's, add in an Ollie to the end of your rotation! Or, one step further yet, integrate in a 180 Ollie as you're coming back around to forward in order to progress onto Switch Butter 3's!  

So there you have it, another trick in the bag! Now go out and see how creative you can get with it.  

Pop out to maximize your style points!

Mastered this already? Maybe it's time to perfect another playful and versatile skill to throw all over the mountain; The Slash. 

Ollie Barbour
Ski Addiction
Helping You Ski Better

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