How To Backside 180 On A Training Board

Backside 180's are one of the most stylish spins in snowboarding. It may seem like a basic trick, but to make it look stylish takes a lot of skill. A stylish Backside 180 is slow, controlled and fluent.

In this tutorial, we're going to test your skills and crank it up a notch on the steeze spectrum, by teaching you how to stomp a badass Backside 180!

(Narrating/Riders: Duncan Mainland & Nev Lapwood. Film/Edit: Vince Emond)

Check out our Streaming Membership for more videos on on spinning, along with a bunch of new tutorials added every month.

Featured in this tutorial:

Backside 180's
Counter-Rotated Backside 180's, check out our tutorial on Rotation Vs. Counter Rotation

Backside 180

To initiate the Backside 180, you’ll need to time 2 movements together:

Jumping while bringing your legs to your chest.
Backside rotation of your body by spinning your shoulders, hips, and head. Spinning backside is when your back faces downhill during the first 90 degrees of your spin.

As You Jump, Let Your Legs Follow Your Shoulders

These movements need to be timed pretty closely together. The better you can time them, the more efficient and stylish your spin is going to be. Unlike Frontside 180's, you need to turn your head to do a Backside 180 properly.

To land the spin, don’t let your shoulders go a full 180 degrees. Try to stop somewhere after 90 degrees and finish the spin with just your board, looking backwards or at your back foot as you land.

Looking Backwards With Your Shoulders Only Rotating 90 Degrees

Not as big of a deal on the Training Board, but if you don’t land looking backwards, or if you rotate your shoulders beyond 90 degrees on snow, it’s really easy to revert after a backside 180 and keep spinning as you land.

Make Sure You Look At Your Back Foot When You Land, Otherwise You Will "Revert" And Wash Around

Trick Tip: When learning how to spin, slow down the movements and concentrate on making them BIG. You'll notice that if you suck your legs up to your chest, it’s easier to stay balanced in the air and it helps bring your board around.

Using Counter Rotation

You can also do Backside 180's by counter rotating your body. It’s not a great way to learn how to spin, but you’ll need it if you want to do 180's off jib features.

Counter Rotated Backside 180 Off Of A Box

Counter rotation occurs when you spin your board one direction and your upper body goes in the opposite direction. To counter rotate the Backside 180, rotate just your upper body backside, then jump up and let your body do the work to counter rotate the 180.

With A Good Wind Up, The Counter Rotation Will Happen Naturally

If you can’t make the full 180, you may need to rotate more towards the tail of your board before you jump, to allow movement through your core.

This Is The Baddass Backside 180 That You're Working Towards

Practice both techniques with the Tramp Training Board on a trampoline until you have it nailed and then take it to the snow. Who knows, maybe one day you'll be throwing down hammers across road gaps!

Want even more great snowboard trick tips? Then join our newsletter:

Jordan Harrington
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding

Currency