Snowboarding isn’t just about going from the top to the bottom of a slope, it’s about the journey in between. Once you’ve mastered the basics you’ll want to fill that journey full of tricks that show off your skills and give you a real sense of achievement – it’s the main pleasure that sets snowboarding apart from skiing. If you’re fairly new to the sport then here are some of the easier tricks to learn. Just make sure it’s all being recorded on film when you pull them off.
This is one of the most basic ways of gaining some height on your snowboard (‘getting air’ as they say). Bend your knees and push off the ground with your feet. You can practice on the flat first and start using your heels and toes for traction. Then incorporate it every time you hit a jump and you’re well on your way to learning other cool tricks.
This one’s simple but hugely enjoyable. Basically you’re making a turn that sprays snow everywhere which is deeply childish but deeply satisfying. Look out for a place where snow has gathered, for example against a bump, and head towards it, not too fast but definitely not too slow. As you reach your target, start to make a turn but exaggerate everything you would normally do. When you reach your target, punch your back leg down for a big plume of the white stuff. Try not to lean back and keep going after your slashie for maximum bonus points.
This one looks cool. You take a little jump and land on the end of your board followed by a few seconds of balancing. It takes practice but is relatively straightforward. Stretch your back leg, bend your front leg, grab the end of the board with your strongest hand and you’re there.
Here’s a trick that’s simple but will look good on your YouTube channel. Both of your hands and the front of your board are in the snow while the back of the board rises up in the air. It’s as basic as that but will still require a little bit of practice to get right and avoid embarrassing face plants in front of everyone.
These are the staple of your snowboarding trickster and form the basis of many aerial moves. It’s when you come off a slope, tuck your legs up and strike a cool pose before landing with ease. Begin on flat ground before tackling a small slope. Push forward and pop up that incline using the back of the board as leverage to get greater height. And then enjoy the applause in your head as you soar through the air before smoothly hitting the snow again. Build up to bigger and bigger jumps as you get more confident.
They sound like ollies and they’re very similar. What's different is that you’ll be using the front of the board as leverage to get some air. Don't forget to bend your knees when you land to avoid ending up in a crumpled heap.
Manuals are the equivalent of pulling a wheelie on your skateboard. Once again it’s fairly simple to do but makes you look like an expert. Pull your shoulders back and use your hips to do all the hard work. Expect to fall on your posterior a few times before you get it right but once you’ve mastered the technique you can get even better by incorporating spins (buttering) into your moves. We’ll say it one more time: you will most probably fall over regularly, so start somewhere soft.
