How To 180 Into Boxes & Rails On A Training Board

Pump up your snowboarding style on boxes and rails by jumping a 180 into them - this tutorial teaches you how to do it. For even more Jibbing tutorials, check out our updated tutorial series, starting with the How To 50-50 On A Training Board tutorial.

(Narrating/Riding: Nev Lapwood)

Prerequisites

Once you can do the 50-50 on boxes and rails, you can style it up by jumping a 180 into the feature. Jumping a 180 means that you will be landing switch, so there are certain techniques you will have to learn first on boxes and rails:

Frontside and Backside 50-50
Frontside and Backside 180s
Switch Frontside and Switch Backside 50-50

Rotation vs. Counter Rotation

There are two different approaches to jumping a 180 into a box or rail. You can either do it with rotation or counter rotation.

Rotation is when your upper and lower body rotate together in the same direction
Counter rotation is when your upper and lower body twist against each other in opposite directions

Doing jibbing tricks on your snowboard you will have to know how to do both of these techniques depending on the different tricks you want to do.

Rotation

In spins with rotation on a snowboard, like a 180, you need to wind up before jumping, thereby loading your spin. It is natural that your body will keep on rotating throughout the trick - either sliding around on the box/rail or make you do a 180 off. This is completely fine, but try to land switch on the feature, slide all the way through before rotating a 180 off again.

Nev approaching the feature using rotation.

Counter Rotation

If you want to stop your rotation on the box/rail, you need to use counter rotation. With this approach you will be able to land on the box/rail and lock you body movements and ride out switch. Use this method:

Place your hands in front of you
Imagine you are holding on to something
Jump a 180 twisting your upper and lower body against each other

The most advanced trick you can do with 180's is to:

Jump a counter rotated 180 into the box/rail
Stop the motion
Slide the feature in a switch 50-50
Jump out of the feature in the opposite direction of what you jumped into the box, again using counter-rotation.

Nev approaching the feature using counter rotation.

Practice

Find a box or rail that matches your skill level and practice jumping 180's into the feature.
Practice both Frontside, Backside as well as Switch 180's.
Learn how to do them with both rotation and counter rotation - plus how to come out to fakie, as well as with a 180 out.

Products Used

In this tutorial we used our Jib Board, Bindings and Balance Bar. Click the links below to learn more, or purchase your own.

Alex McCann
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding

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