Alley-oop

The alley-oop in

snowboarding is a base trick that is essential in halfpipe riding. The first

step will be to ensure that you are creating enough air to pull off the trick.

You are going to want to build up some speed to accomplish this.

As you approach the edge of the halfpipe, keep your board flat. As you exit the

halfpipe and enter the air you can grab the side of your board for support and

to help begin the turn.

Once airborne, begin twisting towards your front shoulder with your upper body

and let your feet follow. Rotate 180 degrees, release the board with your hand

and begin to level out the board in comparison to the halfpipe. Ride back down

the face of the halfpipe.

The alley-oop is commonly combined with many other tricks and it should be the

first trick added to the repertoire when learning how to ride a halfpipe.

Backcountry

Backcountry riding

requires riders to travel off of the beaten path. To ride backcountry, all you

need is untouched snow. This typically means that riders will be forced to find

places that are not maintained or patrolled, which always increases the danger.

It also creates the challenge of getting there. Unless you have access to a

helicopter this means prepare for some hiking.

Backcountry riding is ideal for snowboarder. Snowboards are much more adept at

staying atop the fresh powder than skis. A larger board with the bindings more

set towards the back of the board is better suited for staying on top of the

fresh powder.

Work your way into backcountry riding. Make sure you are comfortable with your

snowboarding skills before attempting to ride backcountry. The first

backcountry runs should be small and close to civilization in case any injuries

occur. Be prepared to get stuck and have a good knowledge of mountain survival

skills. Understand and prepare for the dangers inherent in this style and then

enjoy the freedom of it.

Backside 180

The backside 180 is

a hefty snowboarding maneuver that's guaranteed to impress. It's a good idea to

be familiar with the terrain, so take a practice run or two down the slope, to

familiarize yourself with how the jumps there feel. Once you're comfortable,

make your final approach towards a jump you feel good about, and flatten the

board down to build speed.

An ollie right around the end of the jump can get you that little bit of extra

air, and then start to twist. Ideally, you'll want to twist 180 degrees around

your backside. Keeping your knees bent, and eyes centered between them to watch

your landing point, you can come down softly in the snow after the jump. Voila!

That's how you serve up a fresh backside!

A "backside" spin just means that you turned your backside downhill

first, so a frontside 180 just goes the opposite way. Now you've just doubled

your arsenal of learned snowboard tricks, get out there and tear it up!

big air

In snowboarding Big

Air is a type of competition in which the athlete uses a long slope to achieve

the highest possible speed in order to launch themselves from the end of a

ramp. In this competition the entrant attempts to attain the highest possible

arc combined with the longest distance.

While airborne, sometimes, the boarder will attempt to boost his or her score

by doing tricks. The tricks can range from twists, flips, back flips, or any

combination of a large assortment of maneuvers that are still being developed

by competing pro's. The judges usually score the events on a 0-100 point basis.

Most events require that the skier do tricks, but some don't, almost always

though, the competitor must land safely to complete the run.

With the growing popularity there has been an upsurge in the world class

events, recent scheduling has even managed to get an event in Seoul, South

Korea, marking a huge stride for the sport in the world community. Smaller

local events though, are always being added to the circuits, with the promise

of smaller prizes, but still are very popular events.