Jumping is one of a most difficult action In snowboarding. How can I do it better?
I started jumping this winter so I'm a beginner, I don't know where should I press more to jump, my back foot?
2 Answers
The first level of the pagoda:
The primary key to jumping is balance.
You should start off by exactly NOT putting more weight on your back foot. You should find (or make) a kicker that you can glide off of, and that has an appropriate landing transition [angle], whereby your balance is centered from beginning to end. Groove on the same jump until you master it.
Don't “jump” with your legs at the lip, as that disturbs your balance. Lean how to modulate your entry speed to do that work for you.
Once you learn how to: start, fly, and land balanced – what speed and body position enables that – THEN you can start to learn to tweak those things for more stylish results.
Pagoda - second level:
Like contact football, or mountain biking, or many-many sports – the hidden unspoken key to success is simply not getting hurt. Learning how to fall is key – like Judo – and any snowboarder past the bunny slopes develops a sixth sense of this too.
You can do flips and all the crazy stuff as long as, A.) you have a proper landing transition such that you're not landing “to flat” - which is very dangerous, and B.) you reposition your body in the air, like a cat, such that when you do land badly, you don't hurt yourself. C.) lots of powder helps too - which is a "green light" to try bigger hits.
Finally, understanding in your head before the jump what is about to happen is everything. When you really hurt yourself, in almost every case, you can trace it back to that decision you made beforehand to take the jump, when you knew deep down it was a ridiculously risky proposition to begin with. Cultivate that inner “voice” as much or more than your balance.
Above all, have fun grasshopper. May the schnee be with you.
As a general bit of advice, go to youtube and do a search for learning how to jump on a snowboard and you will find a wealth of information. Some really good videos with great advice and knowledge.
As an opinion from someone who snowboards every chance he can :) first do as ipso referenced and do not try jumps so much as get comfortable gliding off an edge/lip so that you get used to the feeling of the approach, the transition, and the landing and ride-away point. Aside from working on that aspect you should start to practice to Ollie. This can (and should when learning) be done on a gentle slope to get the timing down. If you are not familiar with the move, you are essentially shifting your weight back over the tail, lifting your front foot and then jumping with your back foot while allowing the built up spring from your tail to help you jump. In the air you then stabilize your board again to prepare for the landing.
The reason to learn how to Ollie is that for small kickers, such as the ones leading to rails, it is helpful to either Ollie or hop as you reach the end to ensure you get enough pop off of them to land safely.
Again check out some videos to at least understand the techniques, other than that, go out and ride as often as possible :)
