5 skiing tricks to master

The first step in taking your skiing from rudimentary to freestyle is to master the basic box grind.

The basic box grind refers to a jump and movement along a box or rail. Mastering this skiing trick requires various slopestyle skills and, once finessed, will serve as a great foundation for further tricks.

To practice this trick, you’ll either need to find a specific rail or box designed for grinding. Start with a lower box and approach with your skies perpendicular to it. Then, onto the scary part: jump and turn ninety degrees so you’re facing away from the box.

Balance is key – you want your feet to be shoulder width apart, and your shoulders and body straight. As you approach the end of the box, you’ll need to turn again to realign your skies with the box. You can use the edge of the box to give you leverage as you dismount.

Typically, the 180 is a build up to the trickier 360, so when it gets frustrating, just think of what you’ll soon be pulling off. We recommend practicing on a soft surface (such as grass) before you take it to the slopes.

To make the jump, crouch down slightly then ‘lift’ your body. You want to keep your skis flat and in line with the ground. This will prevent them catching, meaning you’re less likely to fall, but it will also help you stay balanced throughout the jump. Keep your legs shoulder-width apart, with your skis staying completely parallel to one another.

The spinning momentum comes primarily from your shoulders. You want to be looking over your shoulder in the direction of your turn. After you’ve landed, if you aren’t comfortable skiing backwards, you’ll need to quickly perform another 180 in order to get yourself facing forwards again!

Popping refers to taking off on skis, and is an essential element to many ski tricks. Popping utilises the nose of the ski at the beginning of a jump to give you maximum lift. Getting it right is a matter of timing – you need your feet to be about five inches from the lip of your jump.

You want to push yourself up while remaining well balanced and centred. The key to sticking your landing is control through the jump – your body should be locked in a square position with your arms out in front.

Once you’re confident with the 180, you can up your game by completing a full rotation in one fluid movement. The basic method of the 360 is essentially the same as the 180, except with a longer turn!

After you’ve mastered the grounded 360, there are many extra ways you can boost this ski trick. An aerial 360 can look really impressive, but uses the same skills you’ve learned with the grounded 180.

You’ll need a slope with a ramp for a jump – as you approach, twist your body in the opposite direction of the spin, creating the spring action. As you jump, release your body’s twist quickly. As soon as you release the spin, look for your landing spot. Try to land bending slightly forwards to soften your landing.

An ollie is a trick inspired by skateboarders: it’s a straight jump on a flat surface – simple, right?

It should be attempted on flatter ground and is done by pushing off from the noses of your skis. To do this, you must lean forward and allow the bend of your skis to lift you off the ground.

Once you’re up on the noses of your skis, turn your body slightly to the right into order to push the noses to the side, creating the motion. You then want to realign your skis while still in the air, in order to be able to land and continue skiing.