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Rails!!!

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Jibbin19
Posts: 25 - Karma: 20
Buy the end of next season I want to be able to do rails smooth as butter. What would be the best way to learn? Do I just go at it? Or is there some sort of ridiculous technique?
May 12 2012 4:57PM
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edai
Posts: 4987 - Karma: 4,653
Yeah they're pretty hard to do. I've been skiing park 6 years and I just learned. You want to start by going pretty fast at it, doesn't matter what direction, but with a slight angle if you're going from the side. Pop with both legs, but only put one leg on, hold that one leg on as long as possible before putting the other one down. This one-legged grind will help your balance. Make sure you have enough speed though, i'd say like 10-20 mph.
May 12 2012 4:59PM
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wellthisisold
Posts: 840 - Karma: 973
^exactly how i learned. Works like a charm.
May 12 2012 5:01PM
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Ruffles
Posts: 1132 - Karma: 29
What the fuck?

If you're hitting a street style rail(jumping on from the side) don't come at an angle. You'll just slide off the other side. Be parallel with the rail on the approach.
May 12 2012 6:14PM
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jibmeisterflex
Posts: 719 - Karma: 63
Yeah man, because he was totally being serious.
May 12 2012 6:15PM
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ForeverYung
Posts: 8385 - Karma: 2,060
You have been skiing park for 6 years and you just learned rails? Jeez
May 12 2012 6:16PM
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Capurnicus
Posts: 9947 - Karma: 1,886
Can you do boxes? I would start with those. Most parks should have some learner boxes that are 6 inches off the ground or so and a good foot and a half wide. Start by going slow and just getting the 90 degree rotation down. You'll probably slip out a couple times and land on your ass, but just keep with it, it'll come. Once you got that dialed and you can slide the box no problem each hit, time to bring it to a short straight flat bar. Same concept, not too slow, but not too fast, concentrating on getting that 90 degree rotation with your feet on the rail about shoulder width apart. Once again, you'll probably fall on your ass a couple times, but stay with it, it's worth it. Eventually, you should be able to clean that and work your way up to bigger rails.

Good luck!
May 12 2012 6:24PM
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Ruffles
Posts: 1132 - Karma: 29
Off topic, but does anyone else think rails are easier than boxes. It's kind of counter intuitive I guess but I've always been way better at spinning on and off rails than boxes.
May 12 2012 6:43PM
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JWeinstock
Posts: 3439 - Karma: 1,352
do this. this was my first year freeskiing and i did this and i can now do basically every rail. if your falling off to one of the sides then look at the end of the rail. it will help
May 12 2012 6:44PM
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JWeinstock
Posts: 3439 - Karma: 1,352
agreed
May 12 2012 6:45PM
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Puzzled
Posts: 4267 - Karma: 4,448
Can't believe how lazy you guys are... Read the whole thing JEEZ
May 12 2012 6:47PM
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Caspaaa
Posts: 4830 - Karma: 1,466
i always thought this was just me hahaha

i can 2 on, front 2 or 4 out, blind 2 out, fs switchup, and do variations of those tricks on rails, yet i've never front 2'ed out of a box.....

its all has to do with the scissoring/gripping the rail.... how the hell do you guys grip the box?

and don't tell me you just spin and jump, cuz the switchups on boxes that consists of a continuous spin and a little hop look soooooo stupid.
May 12 2012 6:48PM
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Milksteak
Posts: 9948 - Karma: 833
Just send it.
May 12 2012 6:53PM
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cheener12
Posts: 2881 - Karma: 5,884
this is my theory: look at :42 in this edit. notice how he uses the side of the box as grip so he can do the switch up.
May 12 2012 6:56PM
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Aiden-P
Posts: 1310 - Karma: 38
this thread is bad, but your post mad it good.
May 12 2012 8:09PM
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CrotchKiller
Posts: 9037 - Karma: 6,943
thats not a theory dude, thats how you switch up
May 12 2012 8:16PM
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edai
Posts: 4987 - Karma: 4,653
I fucking lost it.
May 12 2012 8:18PM
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BaileyB
Posts: 589 - Karma: 160
for down rails try jumping on one foot before the other, then as you get the hang of that you should be able to pop on with both feet, kinda like ollieing on
May 12 2012 8:41PM
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OCM
Posts: 1276 - Karma: 975
you just have to come at a bit of an angle on boxes to make it easier to dig. but i still cant for the life of me back 2 off a box yet i can do it every time on a rail. actually, come to think of it, they only time i can ever back 2 off a box is when i come on switch
May 12 2012 9:25PM
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jibmeisterflex
Posts: 719 - Karma: 63
Try doing a lip on to blind 2 it is mug more natural and easier for me
May 12 2012 10:28PM
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Lapander
Posts: 400 - Karma: 10
You need to spun in to the future and they will teach you there!

No seriously, just pop and turn, but make sure you have enough speed.
May 13 2012 4:39AM
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Tikayt
Posts: 1031 - Karma: 1,543
No secrets, just repeat and repeat the process. It's been 3/ 4 years since i've started freestyle and I still sometimes feel i'm not "smooth as butter" (well depends on the trick). Just sayin', there isn't a secret technique.
May 13 2012 5:07AM
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kingskier
Posts: 1045 - Karma: 11
if the box is like a foot wide or less its pretty easy to do tricks on cause you can scissor the edges but on a butter box or wide box i agree its basically impossible to stop your rotation.
May 13 2012 6:49AM
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Pizzajeans22
Posts: 141 - Karma: 10
Start wih boxes. First go on strait and then try sideways. Once you master boxes sideways you can try small rails. Once you learn to do small rails move onto the bigger ones
May 13 2012 7:29AM
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NinetyFour
Posts: 8650 - Karma: 13,409
Yeah this. But honestly if there is a large pvc pipe/tube go to that thing after your done sliding boxes. After I slid a plastic pipe forever at a buds yard, I was pretty much forced into having to hit the metal handrails at his house for a game of skate. I just had to slide the feature, that's it. I was trying to talk my way out of it but that didn't happen. So finally once I nutted up and dropped into the rail, it was actually not bad at all, just felt like it had more drag. Thats really how I learned to slide rails.
May 13 2012 12:57PM
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.Tom
Posts: 32 - Karma: 10
Your gonna wanna go fast at it. get a slight angle at the rail, etiher push off with one foot or pop on to the rail make sure you find your balance point first. that will help.
May 14 2012 4:33PM
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Puzzled
Posts: 4267 - Karma: 4,448
I feel like this thread is full of kids who can barely slide a rail/box and are trying to give advice.

1)The approach... Street-style rail ? Approach from the side where the leading foot is the one farther from the rail.. Normal rail ? Approach dead center as if the rail was between your legs.

2)The hop on... JUMP WITH YOUR TWO LEGS, at this point you can look at the beginning of the rail but this will change once you are actually sliding it.

3)Sliding stance... The back foot is ALWAYS flat while the front foot is at a slight angle. Get that cowboy stance to maintain proper balance between front and back leg.
Click for larger image

Not as exaggerated as this but you get the idea. Now that you are on the rail and properly sliding it, you want to get to the end and clear it. ALWAYS look at the end of it. Just looking at it will let your brain know what to do to maintain the appropriate balance to reach the end you are desperately looking at.

This is for real beginners who don't have a single clue. Once you get more comfortable, lowering yourself on the rail will help you reach a lower center of gravity thus giving you more balance. Also, to any rotations in, on, off a rail,

Click for larger image

is the key to success, even for the slightest rotation.
May 14 2012 6:57PM
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k-fred
Posts: 5363 - Karma: 1,598
this soo fucking much, haha if you dont know how to lock on a box then please dont give any tips at doing rails.(I'm not pointing that at you puzzled)
May 14 2012 7:30PM
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Ruffles
Posts: 1132 - Karma: 29
I never said boxes were hard or that I didn't know how to slide them, just that rails are a bit easier and feel more natural to me.
May 14 2012 7:46PM
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Bread_Fish
Posts: 760 - Karma: 71
WTF, that is not how i do it. If you go on at an angle, you wont even get half the rail. Be next to it and just pop and twist. If you grow a pair youll be able two get a handrail in a couple hours or so. Also it took you 6 years to balls up and hit one???
May 14 2012 7:59PM
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k-fred
Posts: 5363 - Karma: 1,598
I wasnt talking to you lol, more to the guy who said that he never front 2ed out a box -.- lol
May 14 2012 8:20PM
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The_Beekeeper
Posts: 843 - Karma: 302
I'm sure.
May 14 2012 8:28PM
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edai
Posts: 4987 - Karma: 4,653
I disagree. I've found that coming at the rail from a 85 degree angle is usually the best approach. My friends make fun of me, but I think it's way better.
May 14 2012 8:37PM
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TimRiley
Posts: 1873 - Karma: 1,327
Make sure to hit it with enough speed. If you go to slow it makes it harder to balance. You can get a feel for it by watching other peoples speed when they  hit it. Once your on, it always helped me to point my ski pole at the end of the rail.
May 14 2012 8:48PM
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NotGhood
Posts: 2809 - Karma: 1,255
pop
turn sideways
look at end of rail
slide
pop off
afterbang
repeat
????
profit
May 14 2012 8:54PM
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