180

Today I went to a clinic in doing ground 180 turns. Another step in snowboard progression.

Briefly put, in a flatland 180, you spin around, without (much) leaving the ground.

We first took off the boards, and flipped while just standing in one place. Stand facing downhill, and then spin to face uphill Stand facing uphill, and spin to face downhill.

Oh yes, and do it with proper balance: when you are facing downhill, more weight should be on your heels; when you are facing uphill, more weight should be on your toes. If you don’t do this when you’re jumping just with your boots on, it’s no biggie. But if you’re on a board and don’t do this, you’re going to have an awful crash. For example, if you start out facing uphill, have your weight on your toes, spin around so that you face downhill–and your weight is still on your toes–you’re doing to do a face plant. Ouch!

After jumping without the board, we got into our bindings, we worked on the 180s while traversing a green trail. Start riding (say) from right to left on one edge. Then compress your legs, and swing your arms and the rest of the body, and do the twist. You’ll end up, if all goes right, on the other edge–and also keep going right to left across the trail. As a result, you’ll end up starting with your usual stance (whether that is goofy or regular), and ride out the rest of the traverse in a switch stance.

I wasn’t successful at first, of course–few things in snowboarding come off on the first try. I crashed, but nothing serious. But after a while, I was able to start out riding heelside, jump, and finish off the traverse riding toeside (and switch).

Doing the toeside to heelside 180 was more difficult–just as I’ve always found doing toe to heel turns easier than heel to toeside turns.

Eventually I was able to do a toeside to heelside turn. Woo!