How To Nose & Tail Spin

In the Buttering Like A Boss series (found in our Snowboard Tutorial Membership), we taught you how to spin 360's on the snow, both Frontside and Backside, while balancing over the centre of your board. Get really good at that spinning technique first and the Basics Of Buttering. At that point, you will then be ready to take it up a notch and spin on your Nose and Tail while holding a buttering position.

(Narrating/Riding: Nev Lapwood. Film/Edit: Adison MacDonald. Filmed At: Whistler Blackcomb)

Starting Out

The easiest position is Frontside, while holding the press position on your Tail. As you move into the Tail Butter position, open up your shoulders to the Frontside position (facing downhill) and start to apply pressure to your heel side edge. You'll see your board slowly start to turn and butter Frontside. 

Don't freak out, feel your board and edges for balance.

The tricky part is that as soon as you reach 180 degrees through the spin, you need to transfer your weight on to your toe edge to prevent it catching in the snow. Butter the next 180 degrees on your toe edge, then transfer back to your heel edge at the 360 mark to complete your spin. 

Switching edge to edge is the key.

Now that you have completed a full spin, continue to transfer back and forth between your edges as you do each 180. This movement will happen slowly at first. Try to remember that imaginary point over the tail of your board. Keep your hips pressed over that position no matter what. If you press correctly over the tail of your board, your nose will always be slightly off the ground.

Lift your nose out of the white stuff.

Switching It Up

Once you've got the tail butter spinning Frontside dialled, don't forget to switch it up and try it in the Backside spinning direction. Then, get on your nose and start spinning Frontside or Backside. It's the exact same technique as described above, so you'll be right!

If you want to spin butters faster, try spinning your first 180 on the ground before transitioning into the pressed position. This will help you to build up a bunch of momentum to put into your Nose or Tail spin. From here you need to maintain a stable pressed position and transfer smoothly between your edges for each 180, in order to keep your board spinning around without catching an edge. 

It was at this moment, he knew he was about to eat $#!T

Practice At Home

With a Jib Board and a Balance Bar, you can practice nose and tail spins. Do this by balancing over one foot and rotating either Frontside or Backside. This is pretty challenging, but great practice! If you can do it here, you'll be well on your way to spinning on your nose and tail while riding.

Like clockwork. 

If you continually practice these techniques, you will be buttering like Scott Stevens in no time. Make sure to dial in these skills, as they are transferable to your snowboard jibbing, and will allow you to add spins to boxes and rails. Try not to get dizzy out there and have fun!   

Want even more great snowboard trick tips? Then join our newsletter:

Jesse-Ray Townsend
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding