SNOWBOARD TRICKS - EXPLAINED
Surface Tricks are probably your starting point in the world of Snowboarding Tricks. Before you try complicated tricks like the Cab 540 or the Frontside Rodeo 720, you first have to learn the Basic Snowboarding Tricks. Some of the Simple Surface Tricks are spinning on the surface of the slope then five feet above the slope. What follows are some of the Most Common Surface Tricks increasing in difficulty as we progress:

Riding Fakie
Riding Fakie (switch stance) is simply riding with your front foot at the back and your backfoot at the front. Sounds easy? Well it is not! Everything you have been working so hard to master such as edge control and carving turns is suddenly totally new again as everything you do will be the other way around. Riding Fakie is very important however in Learning Tricks since it is often the starting and/or ending stance of a trick. Furthermore, Riding Fakie will help you when you are unable to finish a trick and must land halfway.

Learning how...
It is best simply to dig deep into your Snowboarding History and go back to where it all started: traversing a slope and slowly learning how to make skidded turns while riding fakie. Simply go back to the Snowboarding Beginner Course as mentioned on this site and do everything with a switched stance. Once you are comfortable with Riding Fakie you can mix it up in your normal riding and take turns in riding/turning fakie and regular.

Ground Spins - 360s
Up 'til now, you have made turns that were probably at most 180 degrees. With Ground Spins 360, you continue turning until you have turned completed 360 degrees and keep on boarding in the same direction.

Learning how...
It is actually the same as any regular toe-sided or heel-sided turn. You just need to keep on turning and as your board turns uphill it will stall at a certain point. At that moment you will need to switch edges and keep on turning until you are completely turned around. As your skills improve you can make ground spins at higher speeds and while riding fakie. Try to master spinning both frontside and backside.

Wheelies
A wheelie is riding with one tip of your board facing up, loose from the surface. Building up the power and technique to lift either your Snowboard's Nose or Tail will prepare you for more advanced Tricks.
The most popular Snowboarding events are the Freestyle competitions. These include halfpipe, quarterpipe, slopestyle, and big air competitions. Freestyle riders are not necessarily advanced riders. Their environment, however, is mainly snow parks, halfpipes, and natural obstacles.

Learning how...
Tail wheelies with your nose up on the air are easiest to learn for most snowboarders. On a gentle slope, try to lean backwards and lift your front foot. As you practice you will notice how you are able to pull your nose up higher and keep it from the surface for a longer time. Once you have learned Tail Wheelies you can try to perform them switch stance on your tip.

Variations...
Blunt Nose Slides are wheelies that are performed sideways. Start riding sideways, then put your weight on your front leg and pull your back leg up. You will be sliding sideways on the front third of your snowboard with your backfoot and tail in the air. If you perform this trick on your tail it is called a Switch-stance blunt nose slide.

AERIAL TRICKS - EXPLAINED
Once you think you're ready for Aerial Tricks, you can start trying them out. At one time or another you have probably tried small jumps using small bumps on the sides of the pistes. When you're able to perform these jumps decently and are able to get more and more air, you can now progress to Aerial Tricks. What follows are Common Aerial Tricks, Spins, and Jumps:

Ollies
This Snowboarding Trick Is one of the most regular jumps using the spring of the Tail of your Snowboard to get airborn. Ollies are the basic move for a lot of aerial tricks, and are also useful for jumping over small obstacles. Nollies are similar to Ollies - the only difference is that you use your nose to spring off and lifting your back foot first.

Learning how...
On a gentle slope, crouch slightly on your board. Jump up powerfully with your front foot first and then use the spring in your snowboard to jump up with your backfoot. Level your board in mid-air and raise your knees to your chest. Land with both feet at the same time with your board almost at level. If your nose is pointing down then your nose might dig in causing a crash. If your tail is pointing down too much you might land with too much weight on your backside causing your Snowboard to slip underneath you. Once you have mastered Ollies, try Nollies by putting the weight on your front foot and jumping up with your backfoot first. By spinning 180 degrees you can end up Fakie and ride on.

Nose & Tail Rolls
Rolls are made by either using your nose or tail to spin 180 degrees and thus switching your stance. They are a cool way of starting to ride fakie or go back to regular.

Learning how...
This Snowboard Trick is similar to a Wheelie - only, you put in a 180 turn in the progress. As you ride move your weight to your front leg and straighten it, lift up your backleg and slide your board 180 degrees. Once your Snowboard is turned 180 degrees and is facing your riding direction again, put your board down again and ride on. Practice both nose and tail rolls.

Air to Fakie
This is nothing more than an Aerial Nollie. While riding regular stance, jump up and turn your Snowboard 180 degrees in the air. Land and ride on fakie.

Learning how...
You don't need to jump very high to perform this trick. Just make sure to rotate your Snowboard and keep your balance while rotating in mid air. Also, ensure that you land on both feet again.

360/540/720/900 Airs
Once you have mastered Air to Fakies you can try to turn further and further. You will need to jump higher as you try to complete increasing complex turns.

Learning how...
Once you have mastered a 360, you will need to work on your air time and turning time. Use higher, steeper ramps to get more air. Make sure to choose your landing platform well as your ground impact increases. Always look in the direction that you are spinning in, keep your upper body low, and try to keep your aerial movements smooth. As your skills improve try launching and landing fakie.

Aerial Movements
While you are in the air there are some movements you can perform to create interesting variations on existing moves. Here are some of the Most Common Aerial Movements:

Shifty's
Shifty's make it seem like you are twisting your body into a 180 degree turn when you are actually not. While you are in mid air twist your upper and lower body in opposite directions. Before you land, twist back to make a normal landing

Late Spins
As the name explains, this Snowboarding Aerial Trick is simply spinning on the last moment. It looks cool and shows great skill. You could for instance do a shifty in mid-air and turn it to an air to fakie by turning at the last moment.

Reverts
Immediately after landing a jump, reverse your stance from normal to fakie or from fakie to normal. It is easiest to land in a wheelie position and then revert.

Pokes
Poking or Boning is straightening one of your legs, thus pushing out your Snowboard from underneath you. If you point out the nose of the Snowboard it is called a Nose Poke if you point out your tail then it is called a Tail Poke.

Grabs
Grabs are performed by literally grabbing a side of your Snowboard while in mid air. Poking can be important part of grabs as it brings one of the sides of your board much closer to your hand. Grabs are performed by grabbing your board with one or both hands while in mid air. Depending on where you grab your Snowboard with your hands, you are performing a nose, tail, toe-sided or heel-sided grab.

Slob Air
Grab the toe edge at the nose of your Snowboard with your front hand

Crail Air
Grab the toe edge at the nose of your Snowboard with your back hand

Indy Air
Grab the toe edge of your Snowboard between the Snowboard Bindings with your back hand

Mute Air
Grab the toe edge at the nose of your Snowboard or between your bindings with your front hand, poke out your back leg and throw your back hand up

Melanchollie Air
Grab the heelside edge of your Snowboard between the bindings with your front hand

Stale Fish
Grab the heelside of your Snowboard between the bindings with your back hand around the back of your back leg

Method Air
Grab the heelside edge of your Snowboard between the bindings with your front hand, pull the board up behind you as high as your head

Fresh Fish
Grab the heelside edge of your Snowboard between the bindings with your back hand, bone out your back
leg, keep your front arm straightened into the sky

Learning how...
For both Boning and Grabbing, it is very important to get more air so you have enough time to practice and perform the tricks. Keeping your body low and balanced is essential. If you're a first timer, it would be wise to practice jumping first until you are able to pull up your legs, knees and Snowboard to your chest as high as possible while keeping your balance. Now while in mid air try to experiment with extending one of your legs either in front of you for a nose poke or backwards for a tail poke. Do this until you are comfortable with it. Try your first grab on a side of the Snowboard where it feels most natural and comfortable. Often this will be a toe-sided grab in the center of your Snowboard between your bindings. Once you are comfortable with performing both, mix and match and then as your skills improve you will be able to do combing turns, pokes and grabs for really cool tricks.

HALFPIPE TRICKS - EXPLAINED
Halfpipes are a real playgound for many Snowboarding enthusiasts. In fact, a lot of FreeStyle Riders spend their hours in Halfpipes coming up with new Tricks or perfecting old ones. To know more about Halfpipes, visit our Snowboarding Halfpipe section. In this section we are going to look at some of these Halfpipe Tricks:

Spins
Most spins have the same technique and rules as those discussed in our Aerial Tricks. However, the vertical lift-off and the vertical-touchdown with Halfpiping make it more difficult. When landing, make sure to spin fast, keep your body compact, and keep the lip in your sights.

The same variations can be performed when Spinning in a Halfpipe: boning, shifties, late turns and grabs are all possible and add to the style. These are some of the Most Popular Spinning Tricks in the Halfpipe:

Alley Oop
When you turn in the air on a Halfpipe you are already performing a 180 spin. An Alley Oop is also a 180 spin, only, you turn your body and board in the other direction. Also, instead of spinning down the pipe you are spinning up the pipe. Spinning up the slope makes a trick an Alley Oop.

360 Air to Fakie
This is the same as the 360 jump as discussed in the Jumps & Aerial tricks section. Because you are jumping up and down the same slope, you will end up riding fakie.

540s, 720s, 900s and even more...
These are similar to the spins made on regular jumps outside the Halfpipe. Depending on how much you spin, you will land either normal or fakie.

Grabs
We already discussed the basics of grabs in our Aerial Tricks section. For grabs it is most important to bring your knees to your chest thus bringing your Snowboard as close as possible to your arms. These are some of the Most Popular Grabs:

Slob Air
Grab the toe edge at the Nose of your Snowboard with your front hand

Crail Air
Grab the toe edge at the nose of your Snowboard with your back hand

Indy Air
Grab the toe edge of your Snowboard between the Snowboard Bindings with your back hand

Mute Air
Grab the toe edge at the nose of your Snowboard or between your bindings with your front hand, poke out your back leg and throw your back hand up

Melanchollie Air
Grab the heelside edge of your Snowboard between the bindings with your front hand

Stale Fish
Grab the heelside of your Snowboard between the bindings with your back hand around the back of your back leg

Method Air
Grab the heelside edge of your Snowboard between the bindings with your front hand, pull the board up
behind you as high as your head

Fresh Fish
Grab the heelside edge of your Snowboard between the bindings with your back hand, bone out your back leg, keep your front arm straightened into the sky