Basic Grabs On A Tramp Board

Using trampolines is an awesome way to learn and dial in all your grabs. Grabs are all about muscle memory and the more times you do them the better they’re gonna be, and on the trampoline you can do hundreds of grabs in just a short session.

Looking to grab like Duncan? Grab our Tramp Board and Bindings today!

(Narrating/Riding: Duncan Mainland. Riding: Nev Lapwood. Film/Edit: Vince Emond. Filmed At: Whistler Bounce & Whistler Blackcomb)

Skateboarding Influences

Grabbing a snowboard comes from skateboarding. Skaters grabbed their boards so that they could keep it attached to their feet while in the air. While we don't have that problem because of our handy little bindings, we continue this tradition because it’s part of our heritage and it looks rad.

#SkaterStyle

Make Sure You Suck

Do a few big jumps on the trampoline concentrating on a balanced pop then sucking your legs up. It’s important to suck your legs up to your chest and bring the board up to your hand instead of bending down to grab the board. Bending down throws all the weight in your head and shoulder forward making it tough to keep balanced.

Nice form.

Indy Grab

We’ll start with the classic Indy or Frontside Grab, where you grab your toe edge between your feet with your back hand. As you bring your board up let your back arm fall between your knees to grasp the approaching board.

Your first few attempts may just be a brief tickle of the board but after a few attempts you should be able to hold it for at least a second or two.

Trick Tip: One common problem is to rush the grab and suck your legs up before you get a decent jump. Grabs are exciting, but you have to be patient! Without a proper jump you wont have the time in the air to get a full finger wrapping grab.

Mute Grab

Once confident with the Indy, try grabbing the same area of the board with the front hand, but just more inside your bindings.

This is a Mute.

Trick Tip: When you learn new grabs it’s natural to look down at board where you want to grab, but as you get confident with grabs try to do them while keeping you head up to get ready for real jumps on snow.  

The Stalefish

For the next two grabs your going to grab your heel edge between the binding but with your backhand for a Stalefish.

Don't get it twisted, there ain't anything fishy about this grab when it's performed correctly.

Melon Grab

Or your front hand for a Melon.

Front hand between the bindings on the heel edge.

These are four of the most common grabs and usually the first ones you learn on snow. Practice them on the trampoline until you can get them without looking at your board then take it to the mountain! Now that you've got the Basics Grabs down, check out How To Nose & Tail Grab.

Alex McCann
Snowboard Addiction
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