First Snowboarding Weekend of 2006

So it's not a secret... I love snowboarding! From flying down the mountain to launching off jumps to hanging out with friends afterwards, I just can't seem to get enough it. This past weekend I went with some friends to Heavenly (my favorite resort along with Northstar) for the first time this season. The snow and weather were wonderful! I took a terrain park lesson the second day which totally helped to improve my jumping. The instructor gave me pointers on how to better take off and land. After some practice I was able to lose my fear and get much more air off the jump by maintaining a faster speed at takeoff.

Here are the basic steps for snowboarding off a jump:

1. While approaching the jump, don't make any speed adjustments within the last 15-20 feet. Make sure you're sliding straight-on towards the jump.
2. Bend your knees slightly and keep your eyes on the jump.
3. Line up one shoulder directly behind the other. Otherwise you could become off-balance after taking off.
4. When going off the lip of the jump there's no need to push off in order to get more air. The jumps are shaped to give you air by just going off them at a good speed.
5. After takeoff, pull the board up slightly towards your body. In order to practice this my instructor had me grab the board with my lead hand, which is called an indy grab in snowboarding & skateboarding terms.
6. While in the air, tilt your head down in the direction you're going to land. This will cause your body and board to rotate down to match the angle of backside of the jump.
7. Extend your legs right before landing.
8. When landing, bend your legs to absorb the shock.
9. A proper jump with enough speed will clear the table on the jump and land you on the backside of the jump. A good landing will be smooth and fun!

I can't wait to go back. I have another weekend trip planned in a couple of weeks with my good friends Adam & Laura and others.