Bigger isn’t necessarily better, and some of the best-feeling tricks you can do on a snowboard happen right down on the ground. Piste tricks are a great way to take your first steps in freestyle, but by no means are they just for beginners; being able to casually chuck some flair into a descent is the mark of a confident rider. They’re also relatively low-impact, so even if things go wrong you’ll most likely be able to dust yourself off and have another go. Given that piste tricks are all about having fun, who better to walk us through some classics than the perennially-stoked Sparrow Knox?
This first appeared in Whitelines issue 117
That name is a mouthful, but the trick itself is actually very simple. Don’t let the mention of switch put you off either; this really doesn’t take much to get right. When you nail it, though, it looks and feels freakin’ cool. Any kind of board will do, but you’ll fare better with a soft-flexing twin model than a stiff directional charger.
This is a great trick to do anywhere on a mountain and in any state; tired or fresh, it still feels amazing! On approach, give your shoulders time to gather some swing. By swinging your arms it helps to commit for both the fakie nosepress as well as the switch backside 180 out.
Pop off your heel edge, swinging your upper bodyweight into the frontside 180
Pop off your heel edge, swinging your upper bodyweight into the frontside 180. As with a lot of tricks in snowboarding, you will be surprised how much your legs are forced to follow your shoulder alignment.
As soon as your nose of your board hits the ground, commit to the press by distributing your weight to the trailing end of the snowboard. Keep your balance by extending your arms as much as you feel necessary.
Once locked in to the press, I feel it helps to go to your toe edge slightly to anticipate the next step. Keep your weight over the trailing end of the board though, keeping it pressed.
For me, the final 180 out is the best part – get it right and you will have enough stoke to last a lifetime! Keep the press going as long as possible, and keep an eye on the ground. When you pop, the 180 comes around really naturally, putting you to your feet easier that you’d think. Digging a little bit of edge into the snow afterwards helps prevent any unnecessary reverts.
