Last Updated25 October 2024

Advanced Freestyle takes a wider look at freestyle both in and out of the park, with a view to develop versatility and creative riding. This chapter shows a selection of tricks that are commonly performed at an advanced level and can be categorised into all-mountain, jumps, boxes/rails and halfpipe riding.

All-Mountain: Hardways Spins

What, Why, How

Spinning frontside off the toe edge and backside off the heel edge.

To increase your bag of tricks and options at takeoff, and work towards spinning in the pipe.

VIDEO: Hardways Spins with Richie Johnston

Use the frontside and backside 180 progressions for ideas on how to introduce these spins. For hardways frontside 180s, ensure that the toe edge is used on approach and takeoff. For hardways backside 180s, ensure that the heel edge is used on approach and takeoff.

To begin with, it will help to utilise a larger range of pre-wind, focus on pop from both legs together and retraction of the legs in the air.

Once comfortable performing hardways 180s in traverses, progress into toe-to-toe and heel-to-heel turns, where the rider takes off and lands on the same edge.

When comfortable with 180s and when students can time a smooth release of pop and spin at the takeoff, progress onto hardways 360s by adding more power for the release of the trick at takeoff. They can also be progressed to side hits and park features.

Hot Tip

Use visual markers to help students know where to look, or where the nose of their board needs to point towards. This helps with the range of rotation needed for 360s and is particularly useful when leading the first 270 degrees of rotation with the upper body, but rotating the lower body for the last 90.

Movements & Board Performance

Vertical with Pressuring

Flexion and extension movements should be kept as equal as possible to ensure that stability is kept at takeoff and the board is kept level when moving into the trick zone. To create an appropriate amount of pop on the heel edge, focus on the amount of power that can be used through the knees and hips when extending.

Lateral with Edging

Use of the ankles in hardways spins is key for efficient takeoffs to ensure a platform can be maintained to pop from. Over time, edge awareness will develop and the ankles will continue to be used to make adjustments to the edge angle when needed.

Longitudinal

A centred stance is beneficial for stability throughout the trick. When spinning backside off the heels, using a nollie may help with pop initially but it can lead to negative riding habits later on.

Rotational with Spinning (Pop)

Rotational movements with the upper body should be used for pre-wind and to generate momentum for the spin. The lower body will often rotate past the upper body when committing to a full toe-to-toe or heel-to-heel spin.

Terrain & Group Management

Take advantage of terrain that is comfortable for your students when introducing the hardways rotations. The same side hits, cut-outs and natural features can be used to develop hardways rotations. Consistent snow conditions should be utilised when first attempting this. Particularly soft snow will make it challenging to pop and icy snow will make landings much harder.

Hot Tip

When linking toe-to-toes or heel-to-heels together, draw an obvious line in the snow, directly down the fall line in the middle of the trail. Try timing the pop and retraction to jump over the line and avoid touching it with the board. Repeat this, but turn the line into a small ridge of snow to build on the retraction in the air.

Corrective Teaching

Student loses edge grip and slips at takeoff (common in a hardways backside spin):

Review use of the side-cut to create grip and practise hops building bodily awareness of using the ankles, knees and hips to create edge grip.

Practise a hardways pre-wound body position in a traverse to ensure grip can be maintained.

Focus on maintaining tilt when releasing rotational pre-wind so the board does not flatten and slip.

Student under-rotates the spin:

Remain longitudinally centred and focus on even use of flexion and extension in both legs throughout the complete trick.

Focus on the timing of the release of vertical and rotational movements together.

Use a larger range of pre-wind with a more powerful release to create more rotational momentum.

Self Reflection

“Does my student understand clearly which way to spin from each edge?”

“Is my student creating enough of a platform with the side-cut to jump from?”