How To Frontside 50-50, 180 Out On A Training Board
No doubt you have seen park riders spinning every which way out of rail tricks, and it looks sick! Today, learn how to frontside 50-50, 180 out on a Balance Bar. This way, the next time your up on that hill, you will stomp trick after trick, first time, errrrry time.
General Technique
You may find that on a Balance Bar, you are able to jump into a 50-50, then huck a 180 off and it is super easy. But this does not work well or look clean while snowboarding! You will need to combine these two key concepts: 50-50's and counter-rotated frontisde 180's.
Step 1: Unstrapped
Before you start trying 180's out on the Balance Bar, dial in the technique unstrapped.
- Stand in your snowboard stance, looking straight ahead.
- When your entire body is aligned, tweak your upper body forward and pretend to grab a bar in front of you. We are going to call this "opening up".
- Now try a 180 from this position without moving your hands.
Step 2: On The Bar
Now strap in to your training board and jump up into a 50-50 from the frontside position. Once steady on the bar, open up your upper body around the nose of your board like we just did. Your board should still be in line with the bar, while your upper body is now open and facing down the rail. That is where you want to be to get the 180 out.
Open up, just like this.
Open up, just like this.Step 3: Take It To The Mountain
The real key to doing this on the mountain, is the timing of your 180 out. You want to get to that max open position, right at the end of the feature. The best way to do this is as you jump into the 50-50 and begin sliding down the feature, gradually open your body in preparation for the 180 out.
See how the rider already has his upper body in the open position, facing downhill.
See how the rider already has his upper body in the open position, facing downhill.As you get right to the end of the feature, and in a max wound up position, you will be able to snap a frontside 180 out.
The rider has hit the end of the feature, snapping the 180 out.
Trick Tip: Don't get into the max wound position straight away. It takes away from your momentum and it doesn't make it as easy to do.
That's all there is to it folks! Remember, get the technique of a counter rotated frontside 180 and think about your timing. If you are able to nail those 2 components, you will be stomping the frontside 50-50, 180 out on every box or rail you ever hit.