5 Tricks You Can Learn This Weekend

Heading out this weekend? Coach Oscar Blyth shows five easy tricks you can learn in and around the terrain park at your local hill, perfect for your first freestyle days of the season: the tail press, the tail tap, a 90 to switch on a hip, ollies and nollies, and the tripod butter.

1. Tail Press

Over a knuckle or roller, get a slight bit of air, then extend your legs so your tails press into the snow. Control your speed: too big and you cannot reach the snow, too small and it is hard to extend into the press. Step it up by popping a nollie off your noses first, then bringing your tails down to drag.

2. Tail Tap

Air over something, extend your legs so your tails drop and tap whatever is underneath you. It is a great way to get comfortable riding up to a rail before you actually hit it.

3. Hip 90 to Switch

A great progression before your first 180, because you only do half and still land switch. Come in slow, look up the landing of the hip after the corner and rotate your skis slightly to match it, which brings you around to switch.

4. Ollie, Nollie and Switch Ollie

Start an ollie on flat ground, standing still: lean back, bend your skis and pop off your tails, like rocking a banana back on a table and snapping it up. Then add a little speed. A nollie is the same off your noses, so keep your core tight as you bend over your tips. For a switch ollie, ride switch, lean forward onto your noses and pop, keeping weight even on both skis so you do not catch an edge.

5. Tripod Butter

On a gentle slope with a bit of speed, reach over your tips and plant your hands in the snow so your tails lift. It is easier without poles. Keep your hamstrings, glutes and core engaged so you do not collapse, then pop out 180 to forwards or ride away switch.

Keep Building Into The Season

No park at your local hill? Try 5 Tricks You Can Do Anywhere On The Mountain, and go deeper on the nollie with How To Nollie On Skis.

Coach: Oscar Blyth
@oscarblyth