5 snowboarding tricks to master

Yes, it’s a beginner snowboarding trick, but once you’ve mastered the wheelie, you’ve got the foundation for most other snowboarding tricks.

So, what’s a snowboarding wheelie? It’s lifting the front of your snowboard clean up off the slope. First, practice the motion off the slopes. Stand with your feet in position then lean back onto your rear leg. Once you’ve transferred your body weight to your rear leg, gently lift your front leg off the ground.

Once you’re comfortable with that, take to the snow. Start with a flatter, gentle slope, building up over time. Practice both lifting your board and lowering it back into position, staying as balanced as possible.

Now onto the fun stuff…

The next snowboarding trick to get to grips with is the ollie. It’s a move inspired by skateboarders and looks incredibly impressive if done with finesse. Again, it’s recommended you get to grips with the motion off the slopes first.

Like the wheelie, you want to lean back and put your weight on your rear leg. Lift your front leg, and then bring your rear leg up to meet it. This takes some practice, so don’t worry if you can’t do it right away.

To safely land an ollie, you need to be well balanced and therefore able to absorb any impact. You want your snowboard’s nose to make first contact with the slope, but it shouldn’t be at too much of an angle or you risk falling. Land with knees bent to avoid any potential injury!

Popping on a snowboard refers to a method of going into jumps. Mastering popping before attempting any bigger snowboarding jumps is essential – both for safety and to ensure you can actually complete your jumps.

To practice popping, you’ll want a slight drop rather than anything too intense. As you approach the lip, exaggeratedly bend your knees, and slightly lift your toes up while digging your heels in. As you become airborne, keep your body compact. Grabbing the board can help reduce upper-body movement which could throw you off balance. Focus on your landing spot, and land with knees bent to absorb the impact.

Jibbing on a snowboard refers to interactions with rails or boxes. A jib is any slide or ride down a rail – although the trick also includes the initial jump to make contact.

When attempting a jib, you want to keep your board as flat as possible. Any edges can potentially catch and cause a fall or injury. Keep your body weight evenly distributed between your heels and toes to avoid lifting on either edge.

It’s best to practice this trick on a non-steep slope, to avoid building up too much speed and momentum. As you approach your box or rail, jump and turn ninety degrees so your board is horizontally perpendicular to the rail. As you dismount, keep your eyes on your landing spot and make sure to retain your balance. Bend your knees to absorb impact.

To start with, you’ll want to master a 180-degree spin on your board, then build up to the almighty trick in snowboarding: the 360. After all, where did that old phrase “don’t 360 before you can 180” come from?

Find a fairly low slope with a small jump. Approach your jump with your board totally flat. As you approach the lip, slightly shift your weight to your toes to create a small edge to your snowboard. This will help with a cleaner take off.

Lead with the front leg, and follow quickly with your back leg to lift yourself into the air. As soon as you’re airborne, being your spin by throwing your arms in the direction you’re turning. Look over your leading shoulder to see where you’re going. As you spin, keep your body tightly compact and grab the board if you want extra balance.

Try to land with your board as flat as possible – and again, make sure your knees are bent to help absorb the impact.

And once you’ve mastered these 5 snowboarding tricks,