A visual tutorial on how to do a backside 180 on a snowboard off the toe edge.

If you’re come across this by random or just starting out, read the ‘Snowboard trick how to: Intro’ for a solid stance and progression to all other tricks.

Extend upwards with both your lower and upper body in a progressive motion, popping off the entire edge – both feet at the same time. As you pop keep looking towards your tail (opposite to the direction of travel)

How to Backside 180 on a snowboard off the toe edge (regular)
How to do a Backside 180 on a snowboard off the toe edge (goofy)

Stages

  1. Setup: Traverse across the slope on your toe edge, relaxed on the balls of your feet, body weight centred, feeling the edge grip. Flexing your ankles, knees, hips and spine getting low, preparing to ‘pop’ off both feet. – Frame 1. –
  2. Take off: Rotate the lead shoulder towards the toes closing the upper body off to the direction of travel. Hold this position for a split second while still gripping with your entire edge and just before take off rotate your head to look towards your tail (backwards). – Frame 2. –

    Extend upwards with both your lower and upper body in a progressive motion, popping off the entire edge – both feet at the same time. As you pop keep looking towards your tail (opposite to the direction of travel) – Frame 3. –

  3. Trick: In the air, allow your legs and board to follow your upper body rotating the 180°, bring your legs up slightly. Keep rotating your shoulders and looking towards your tail ready to spot your landing.– Frame 4. and onwards-
  4. Landing: Look down and back towards your tail to spot your landing, extend the legs slightly and land in a solid compact stance. Hold this and keep looking behind you towards your tail for a few feet after landing to prevent a revert. When you feel stable, relax back to a normally riding stance looking along your toe edge to bring the head back round.

Tips

  • For 180 spins you don’t really need any ‘pre-rotation’, or very little. What I mean by this is the action of winding your arms in the opposite direction to spin and then throwing them forward as you leave the snow.
  • Use a good range of up and down motion to ensure you get good pop.
  • Avoid breaking at the waist, extend upwards with you entire body letting your legs come right up under you.
  • Bouncing up and down slightly, on the balls of your feet, as you approach will help you relax and prepare you to ‘pop’.
  • Use an edge on landing to help control any excessive rotation. (toe edge here is good)
  • Look along your toe edge after landing into the new direction of travel. This discourages the tendency to over rotate and revert.

To start with practice this trick across the slope – then as you progress and gain more confidence work towards the fall line. Once you are comfortable, try doing this off some small rolling terrain on the mountain. Look out for the ‘How to’ article to learn this trick off a kicker in the park.

Struggling? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best to help you out

Where to go from here

If you like this post, be sure to check out more like this in the Freestyle Tips & Tips category. Or, if more technical riding articles are you thing, then check out the Techincal Riding category.

If you would like to know where and what courses I will be coaching within the UK and Europe this year, please refer to my Calander.

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