How To Backside 180 Melon
Classic and classy, the Backside 180 Melon is a stylish trick every intermediate Snowboard should have in their back pocket. If you're not ready to put this down, check out our tutorial on Basic Grabs.
(Narating/Riding: Gabe Sequeira, Filmer: Vince Emond, Filmed at: Whistler Blackcomb)
We've broken down the "Back 1 Melon" into three simple steps:
- Straight Air with a Melon Grab
- The Backside 180
- The Switch Landing
1: Straight Air With A Melon Grab
By training beforehand with the Tramp Board, you will be able to build your muscle memory much faster when reaching for the grab. Getting the motions on lock prior to hitting the park will save you countless hours of practice! Once you're ready to take it to the snow, start with the Melon grab on straight airs. Much like any other grab, nailing your pop off the jump is crucial to pulling off the trick cleanly.
Getting a feel for grabbing Melon on the Tramp Board
2: The Backside 180
Once you have your Melon Grabs dialled, it's time to lock in the second half of the trick, the Backside 180. When heading in for a Back 1, drop into the jump with a little bit more speed than you usually would for a straight air. A good tip is to watch other riders and observe where they're dropping in from and how much speed they're taking in to the jump. Next, drop in with a backside set up carve, pop off your toes to rotate 180 degrees, spot the knuckle and stomp it clean.
3: The Switch Landing
Go back to straight airs for the last piece of the puzzle! The key to landing a Switch Straight Air is to master the blind landing.
Focussing on the knuckle in a blind landing
A blind landing is where you look at the knuckle of the jump as you land, helping to halt your rotation from going past 180. If you don't spot the knuckle and use the blind landing technique, you will over rotate and crash.
There you have it, the "Back 1 Melon". Now that we've broken it down for you, go out and stomp it!
Ready to spin more than just 180s?
Hannah Paquette
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding