Jumps
Perhaps one of the first tricks that comes to mind when
doing anything is jumping things or off things. For many of
us the thrill of jumps started when we where kids riding our
BMX bikes. We would ride as fast as we could before launching
off a small ramp made of a piece of wood resting on top of
whatever we had on hand to raise the edge up off the ground.
For some of us this was a passing phase and quickly out grown
but for the rest of us moved on to things such as skateboarding
ramps and the ultimate rush, snowboarding ramps, jumps and
chutes.
When it comes to snowboarding, many of the same rules and
lessons that we learnt on our bikes is true for jumping on
snow. Of course the first rule that many of us learnt is that
practice makes perfect. The more we attempted jumps, the easier
it became. This is very true for snowboarding as well. The
more you practice jumping off anything the easier it will
become to the point that we don't even think about it.
Generally speaking there are two ways to jump, the Ollie
method and the speed method. Each method is slightly different
and should be used in different situation, but each method
also compliments the other and can be used at the same time.
To explain further lets look at each method a little closer.
The Ollie method of jumping is derived from skateboarding
and thus the technique is very much the same. A properly performed
Ollie makes it look like you are leaping straight up of the
ground or what ever you happen to be on top off. While this
is an optical illusion the Ollie does help you to raise you
up higher off the ground than you could by simply jumping.
When looked at critically, an Ollie is simply the act of raising
the nose of your snowboard high up in to the air and then
bringing the tail to the same height. To do this put your
weight on your back foot as you jump or come off a jump. As
you reach the lip of the jump you must launch yourself hard
by jumping from your back foot and using the tail of your
snowboard as a springboard. As you raise into the air pull
your back foot up to gain even more clearance.
The funny thing about an Ollie, or at least for me, is that
while it seems obvious how to do it and the physics make perfect
sense, the actual execution of it is much harder than expected.
The best answer to this problem is to seek the help of someone
who knows what they are doing. Taking the time to work with
an instructor or a friend will greatly increase your ability
to Ollie and make it much easier for you to grab more air
than you had imagined possible.
The second method of jumping is the brute force method of
jumping. The brute force method of jumping relies upon the
speed you have built up to launch you both up in to the air
and further down the hill. This style of jumping can be accentuated
by combining it with an Ollie. Brute force jumping is exactly
like riding over a jump on your BMX bike.
While the idea of brute force jumping many be familiar with
us, the actions required for landing a jump may be new to
you. Due to the speed, heights and distances possible when
brute force jumping, the form you use is very important.
The first thing to bear in mind is your landing surface.
Always be sure of where you are going to land and keep your
snowboard flat and level. If you catch an edge when landing
you will bail. When in the air keep your body upright, slightly
lean back and bend your knees slightly. You want to ensure
that you can give a little in your legs when you land to absorb
the shock of touching down.
Before you touch down center your weight on the snowboard
and make sure you are parallel with the steepness of the slope
you are landing on. As you touch down crouch down to absorb
the shock and lower your center of gravity thus making it
easier to control your landing.
Just as when we where kids, it is easy to become unsettled
about the jump we are about to take. The key to completing
any jump is to be confident, aware of your surroundings and
practice as much as possible. If you do this you will be grabbing
huge airs in no time. |
