 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey all, I've been boarding for a couple of years now and am improving no end, am happy on most slopes now and want to progress to take advantage of the park.
As I have spent my entire snowboarding 'career' actually on the ground, this is going to be somewhat new to me, so before I go up to Cairngorm over christmas, can anyone offer me any tips/technique. Or am I going to need more lessons?
Thanks 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Search you tube for beginners park tips - there's some decent (and some really bad) vids on there.
Look before you leap - make sure you know what you're going to be hitting and what is on the other side.
Wear a helmet.
Good luck 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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crispyste, my 2p:
- start small;
- take off and land with a flat base (most beginner errors in parks occur cos you've trained yourself/been taught to always be on an edge);
- remember to absorb the landing before riding away (again the dreaded edge catch will occur if you go onto an edge too quickly);
- remember to keep your legs bent to suck up the landings, even if they're ride on/ride off
- oh, and wear protection (helmet, impact shorts, wrist guards, knee pads).
- most importantly, SMILE!
- and have lots of fun. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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yea watch the dreaded edge catch as sherlock235 mentioned...especially heel edge, a mate of mine recently did a jump caught his heel catch and twated his head and back on the slope...he was out for the night! all so get a decent back protector along with the gear mentioned above, then you'll soon have the balls to hit any kicker/rail you want! i recently bought the forcefield L2 pro, back protector and once its fitted right its great, dont bother with the shell type ones, they arent that good or that flexible, and feel quite awkward whilst wearing them!
have fun dude!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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First time in a park... tips please?
Try not to bleed in the landing zone . . . it makes the snow sticky 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| sherlock235 wrote: |
- take off and land with a flat base (most beginner errors in parks occur cos you've trained yourself/been taught to always be on an edge); |
This. Ditto on rails/boxes. Keep it flat, even though your instinct says to maintain an edge.
Also, wrap your toes in sponge in something. After two days doing a freestyle course at a fridge, both my big toenails got smashed to bits and eventually came off entirely. They're still not right. That was back in June.
If you search these forums, you might be lucky enough to find a photo gallery of me tearing them off whilst drunk and wincing. Have you seen The Fly? A bit like that.
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Ditto re protection, I wear helmet, wrist guards, impact shorts, knee pads, shin pads and elbow pads (d3o ones built in to my thermal top).
For boxes and rails find ones that you don't need to jump on to first, 50-50 them (straight on, straight off). Keep your shoulders square to the line (turning your shoulders turns your board), board flat, knees bent back straight with low COG, keep your eyes on the end of the box/rails, don't look down at your feet, arms out at about 45 degrees. Don't go too slow or you'll get hung up, pop a little ollie at the end to get off, knees bent on landing to absorb the impact.
Next one to learn after 50-50 is a boardslide, turn your shoulders as you get on so you're facing down the box/rail. Pop an ollie at the end and jump back to land regular, then look at landing fakie either by popping an ollie or keeping your shoulders turned so you go through 90 to 180 and pop a little nollie to get off. The next one is turning 90 so you're facing up the hill as you go along it, I tend to raise my arms and peek under my right armpit (I ride regular) but you can look over a shoulder too (I find looking under my arm forces me to keep low). Then mix it up by approaching fakie and doing those same tricks, popping ollies as you get on, riding rails/boxes with gaps on to them, pressing on the nose/tail, boning out a leg when on it etc. After than you're gonna have to ask someone else coz that's pretty much my whole bag 'o' tricks on boxes/rails 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Mr Technique, I had a similar experience but found that I'd screwed up the setup of my toestraps which created pressure points on both my big toes. Both nails went black and came off, since adjusting my toestraps I've not had the same problem.
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Cheers guys for the tips, I'm off tomorrow to Cairngorm (or maybe Lecht looking at the weather forecast) for a few days. I'll pop back in afterwards and let you know how I get on.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Oh, one more thing... where can I hire a helmet from? I don't usually wear one but think it'd be sensible for this little adventure!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Whats all this about protection?
If your a young 20 something just go and impress your mates by slamming spectacularly and getting up and finally nailing that trick on the last run of the day!
If your 30 something...grow up! Seriously, you might want some wrist gaurds!
Genuine tip, if your going for a straight jump always try a grab. It looks cool and helps stablize you. Indy (trailing hand between your legs, toe edge) and stalefish (leading hand on the nose, heel edge) are both easy grabs!
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manicpb, Good advice.
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You know it makes sense.
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dont break your leg in 3 places when drunk like my mate
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