How To Switch 180 On A Snowboard

Learning Switch 180s are so important for your snowboard progression! Other than sliced bread, being able to ride the park effortlessly linking tricks from your regular stance to switch stance is pretty much the best thing ever!

If you're looking to get your normal stance 180s locked in before progressing to the switch variation, check out these great tutorials on How To Do Your First Frontside 180 and How To Do Your First Backside 180.

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

No Reverts!

If you do a trick, land switch and then slide back to your normal stance, that’s called reverting. You will never see any competition riders revert in their runs as they actually get points deducted for reverts! That's why Switch 180s are the first step to linking your tricks.

Nev demonstrating a revert just after landing.

The Switch Frontside 180

Switch Frontside 180s are a whole lot easier than you would expect. You have to take off switch, but you get to land going forwards in your normal direction. Like a normal Frontside 180, you can see your landing throughout the whole trick.

Trick Tip: Many people call a Switch Front 1 a "Cab 1", but that naming is incorrect. It’s only a Cab 1 if you pop from the nose of your board.

Switch Backside 180

Switch Backside is the most difficult spin direction for most riders so instead of skipping it, spend more time practicing this. The technique is exactly the same as a Back 1. 

Mid Switch Back 1. This trick is so sick!

1. Set up with a smooth carve on your heel edge.
2. Then transition onto a light toe edge carve as you ride up the lip of the jump.
3. Flex and extend with your legs, timing with the jump shape to add pop.
4. Look at your landing throughout the Switch Backside 180 and touch down blind using your toe edge to stop your rotation. The perk here is that you're landing regular now so it should be an easy ride out!
5. As you regain control, you can look forwards into your regular stance.

How Switch 1s Help Your 3s

If you can learn Switch 180s in both directions, it will make learning your normal 360s a lot easier! A Backside 360 is a combination of a Backside 180 with a Switch Frontside 180 on the end. A Frontside 360 is a Frontside 180 with a Switch Backside 180 on the end. If you can do all four 180s on small park jumps with smooth control and some grabs, then you’ll be well on your way to stomping your 360s with style.

Dial in all 180s. Frontside, Backside, Regular and Switch.

There you have it, all the tips you need on how to start doing Switch 180s and how they can help you progress through the world of snowboard trickery faster!

Want Even More Training Tips?

Alex McCann
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding