How To Hit A Frontside Hip On A Snowboard

On a normal park jump, the takeoff and landing are in the same direction with a knuckle to clear. Simple right? A Hip however, is a jump where the landing is at a different angle (either to the left or right) to the takeoff and requires you to adjust your board and body while in the air to match the new landing. This means hitting Hips require some skill, and in this tutorial, we are teaching you how to hit a Frontside Hip. 

This tutorial and the Goofy version have been added to the Snowboard Tutorial Membership. If you want to learn How To Hit A Backside Hip, that one is also there.

(Narrating/Riding: Nev Lapwood. Riding: Chase Baines. Film/Edit: Vince Emond)

The Frontside Hip

This is a Frontside Hip because you rotate slightly Frontside while in the air, to match the landing. 

Snowboard Addiction Coach Mr. Chase Baines, styling it out on a Frontside Hip.

Hip jumps don't have a knuckle to clear which means you can hit Hips very slowly to start, then increase your speed with each attempt as you get more comfortable.

The Hip.

Your First Hip

Many beginner park riders takeoff the Hip at an angle, but this is the incorrect way to hit a Hip jump. Hitting a Hip at an angle shoots you away from the landing towards the flat area where the impact will be much harder. It's best to take off straight from the lip, then adjust the angle of your board while in the air. 

Hit those Hips straight on!

When first hitting the Hip, you don't need to go from the peak of the Hip. Hit the Hip lower down but still straight. Then, while you're in the air, turn your board into the new direction of the landing. Using this method, you're learning to execute the feature correctly which will help as you go faster and higher.

The Coping

If you look past the lip, you should see a line formed by the top of the landing, this is called the coping. The best way to take off the jump and line up the landing is to look directly at the coping and ride straight towards it.

Aiming for the coping will help you land at the top landing each time.

Air Time

While in the air, try pointing your front hand down towards the landing when you see it, as this will help with the small amount of Frontside rotation you need to use. 

Point that front hand down towards the landing.

Taking off on your heel edge also helps with Frontside rotation, which works if you're just learning, but be very carful when using your edge too much as this technique can shoot you deep into the landing. As you go bigger, you need to takeoff with a very flat base and leave the lip in a straight direction.

Wait until you're in the air to adjust your board for the landing.

The Landing

Land with a flat base as this will help you absorb with the maximum surface area. Then ride away on your heel edge. 

Riding away on that heel edge to great success!

You definitely don't want to land on your toe edge for a Frontside Hip because it doesn't put you in the right direction to ride away. If you're landing on your toe edge, then rotate Frontside slightly more while in the air.

Progress Your Skills

As you become more comfortable on the Frontside hip, experiment with different grabs to style it out. Some grabs that work great for a Frontside Hip are the Stalefish, Indy, Nose and Tail grabs. 

Mr. Chase Baines styling it out, again, on a Frontside Hip.

Now that you know how to hit a Frontside Hip, get out there and give it a go next time you're on the hill and tweak it out with a Stalefish.

Want Even More Training Tips?

Alex McCann
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding