How To Frontside Shifty On A Snowboard

The Frontside Shifty isn't just a snowboard drill aimed at improving your freestyle skills, it's a stylish jumping trick that when combined with certain grabs, makes your riding stand out. To check out the Goofy version of this trick, plus many other awesome snowboard tutorials, sign up to our Snowboard Tutorial Membership and improve your riding today!

Once you've got this one locked in, make sure you check out our Backside Shifty tutorial to become the shiftiest of them all.

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

What Is A Shifty?

A Shifty is where you rotate your board 90 degrees while in the air, then counter rotate back to a straight direction for landing. This is a Frontside Shifty, because your board initially rotates in the Frontside direction. 

The Frontside Shifty in all its glory.

And How Do You Learn Them?

The easiest way to learn Shifties is on a trampoline.

1. Bounce in a neutral position
2. Jump 90 degrees Frontside
3. Then on the next bounce, back to an imaginary riding position

Do this a number of times so you begin to feel your upper and lower body counter rotating against each other, twisting yourself up and then unwinding.

Get that counter rotation going!

Now it's time to do it all in one jump. Just like your first kiss, don't rush it! Make sure you get in the air before doing the Shifty movement, it's the twist in the air that makes this trick possible.

On The Hill

Now it's time to practice Frontside Shifties while riding down the slope. 

1. Ride in a straight direction
2. Frontside Shifty for a couple of seconds (keeping that toe edge up!)
3. Then shift back to a normal riding position

It's the same movement as slowing down quickly on your heel edge.

Remember to use your upper body to counter rotate the movement, both into and out of the slide.

Let's Jump!

For your first Frontside Shifty, come into the jump with a flat base just like you would for a straight air. Keep those knees bent to get a solid pop into the air before trying the Shifty.

No edges, just flat.

While in the air, use that counter rotated movement practiced earlier to perform the Frontside Shifty. Don't rush it and don't worry if your first Shifties are only small, they'll get bigger as you become more efficient at the movements. 

The Perfect Shifty

The perfect Shifty is when your board is rotated 90 degrees mid jump. The best way to achieve this is to get your front hand over the tail of your board.

Already facing forwards as you take off the lip will make a banger Shifty easier as you will be using more counter rotation.

Remember, don't worry if your first few Shifties feel difficult and messy. They'll become far easier with practice both on and off the hill. From all this practice, you'll be cranking out stylish Frontside Shifties over all sorts of jumps and side hits, with all sorts of different grabs.

Want Even More Training Tips?

Alex McCann 
Snowboard Addiction
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