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Swaps/unnatty foot forward

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g_lectrolyte
Posts: 197 - Karma: 1,506
Yo so when you learned swaps, fs or bs, did you learn how to approach and slide a feature unnatty before doing one? Or did you just kinda go for it? I wanna learn them this year but I'm not sure what to try first, i can fs hippy jump 180 on a skateboard idk If that will translate at all
Oct 30 2022 6:43PM
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ScootSkiLyfe
Posts: 1055 - Karma: 5,693
g_lectrolyteYo so when you learned swaps, fs or bs, did you learn how to approach and slide a feature unnatty before doing one? Or did you just kinda go for it? I wanna learn them this year but I'm not sure what to try first, i can fs hippy jump 180 on a skateboard idk If that will translate at all


I think most people will say they just sent swaps before doing rails unnatural.

I was one of those people who never learned how to hit rails unnaturally until much later. Just last year I started learning how to hit most rails unnaturally and it really help with my tech tricks.

So I say go out and learn how to hit rails unnaturally. If you can hit rails all 4 ways you will be a much better skier.
Oct 30 2022 6:51PM
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armchair_skier
Posts: 2494 - Karma: 31,969
onetime my buddy eric tried to fs before learning how to slide oppo and both his skis exploded into 20,000 thousand million million pieces. wasnot ideal really

happened to my buddy eric
Oct 30 2022 6:54PM
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weastcoat
Posts: 6489 - Karma: 75,035
Just go for it. Do a 270 out but early. Then work your way up the rail until it turns into a legit swap.
Oct 30 2022 7:03PM
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Fancy_Latte
Posts: 154 - Karma: 905
unat spins on smaller jumps including sw stuff will help loads. My big struggle was just putting myself onto the rail
Oct 30 2022 7:18PM
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Swervo
Posts: 25 - Karma: 192
Try it whichever way you feel more comfortable natural or unnatural and if it isn't working try it the other way. Just be sure not to hit your nuts
Oct 30 2022 8:16PM
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asparagus
Posts: 2497 - Karma: 28,425
Learned unnatural slides on boxes first. Landed the swap on a rail first attempt, having the prerequisite made it way easier.
Oct 30 2022 8:21PM
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WunhungL0
Posts: 287 - Karma: 1,610
asparagusLearned unnatural slides on boxes first. Landed the swap on a rail first attempt, having the prerequisite made it way easier.

Nice tasty tubes helped me but I wish my home hill's boxes weren't super grippy, I'm straight up scared of them after my first full season last winter
Oct 30 2022 8:38PM
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_brrett
Posts: 1722 - Karma: 28,541
Hippie jump 180 on a skate wont translate well but backsurface on a wide box is a good first learn imo. Don't trip out too hard about what to learn first do whatever feels most comfortable for you
Oct 30 2022 8:49PM
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twinkle_toes
Posts: 813 - Karma: 9,704
I learned unnat right out the gate and now I can spin out both ways and was able to learn Ellens pretty easily
Oct 30 2022 10:19PM
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g_lectrolyte
Posts: 197 - Karma: 1,506
SwervoJust be sure not to hit your nuts


Key
Oct 30 2022 10:48PM
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skiP.E.I.
Posts: 7914 - Karma: 22,687
It's easy to do swaps without learning to slide rails with both feet first, but it's better to get good at unnatural rail slides before learning swaps. They will just be that much easier and you will go in with more confidence.
Oct 31 2022 9:31AM
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Dlonetti
Posts: 1947 - Karma: 20,571
I just swapped while riding natural, felt like the most natural progression. I still had never learned to actually get on a rail unnatural until this year, but now that I'm trying its been a lot easier since I already do it when I swap/two on/switch on. The lesson is start sliding rails unnatural early on
Oct 31 2022 10:19AM
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Kyguyy
Posts: 598 - Karma: 6,460
Just hit the rail unnatural, it will make you want to slide normally, so just swap to slide normally. Maths
Oct 31 2022 11:25AM
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lil.Boye
Posts: 2746 - Karma: 12,540
I was learning kfeds when a dude told me that they were easier going on unnat. He was right and i learned to tail unnat, swap unnat and both way kfeds on the same day. Cool story boye
but yeah, jumping on unnat does help a lot, when you jump on unnat you will automatically swap back to natural. It’s weird but true
Oct 31 2022 11:29AM
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Emma_Watson
Posts: 4491 - Karma: 6,796
yooooo hahhha
Oct 31 2022 11:56AM
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Christian_Bale
Posts: 2113 - Karma: 23,828
Learning to slide rails both ways will be super helpful for swaps. But I think most people, myself included, start doing swaps first. Basically start doing early front 2s and you'll start doing front swaps. I wish I had focused more on unnat slides earlier on though. Super helpful if you're doing earlier swaps or trying to do pretz swap combos
Oct 31 2022 1:03PM
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WunhungL0
Posts: 287 - Karma: 1,610
Sometimes the swap just happens but the rest I just sissy out on even when I get a good entry on the feature. I feel like backswaps were nicer to attempt since I try back surface swaps often, giving me some idea of the motion. Front swaps always feel like a fight for some reason
Dec 25 2022 2:36AM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7647 - Karma: 38,396
I feel awkward as hell getting on rails unnatty, but if I swap to unatty I'm fine.
Dec 25 2022 4:58AM
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g_lectrolyte
Posts: 197 - Karma: 1,506
TOAST.I feel awkward as hell getting on rails unnatty, but if I swap to unatty I'm fine.

Thats weird as shit but def what a lotta people say. Maybe it just works?
Dec 27 2022 8:46PM
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