How To Hit An Air Bag

Unless you're sponsored by Red Bull, getting the opportunity to hit an Air Bag is rare. Use the tips in this tutorial so that if you do get the chance, you make the most it and take your jumping to a whole new level!

(Narrating/Riding: Nev Lapwood. Riding: Saxon Farnworth, Jesse-Ray Townsend, Geoff Brown. Film/Edit: Vince Emond. Filmed At: The Airhouse Air Bag)

What Is An Air Bag?

An Air Bag in snowboarding is a large inflatable pillow like bag that you land on after a jump. They provide a very safe environment to try something that you've always wanted to try, but never been confident enough to do on a park jump. 

First Things First

The first thing you want to do is asses the jump. See what the shape is like, how far to you have to clear, what is the in run like and what kind of transition is there.

A work of art scultpted by the Airhouse crew.

Once you've taken a look at the jump, you're probably mega hyped and want to try a triple. Don't. For your first hit, just do a straight air to get familiar with the jump. Just remember these snowboard jumping basics when trying the first straight air:

• Concentrate on getting a strong pop off the lip
• Minimize the speed checks you take into the jump to maintain a consistent speed

Dialling It In

Now it's time to do something you are very comfortable with. Pick a trick that you have on lock to build your confidence on this feature.

Some great tricks to try are basics grabs or Shifties.

Spins & Flips

Now it's time to start stepping it up and sending those spins and flips that you came here to work on. For spins, remember those same entry paths that you would be taking on the mountain into a regular park jump. Remember for Frontside spins it's that toe edge set up carve transitioning to a heel edge take off. For Backside spins, it's a heel edge set up carve transitioning to a toe edge take off.

These set up carves are very important as they not only set you up perfectly for the trick, but they mean you will not miss the Air Bag.

Sending It!

Now it's time to try something adventurous, something you have never tried before. Just remember to keep it safe, keep a helmet on, keep good speed, pop off the lip, use a good entry path and have fun!

Dean is a skier and quite frankly, it's annoying how good he is at snowboarding.

Want Even More Training Tips?

Alex McCann
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding