revhi

Not sure if that is the right term, but I have trouble with any jump that does not have a perfectly flat take off. For example, off the side of some trails, there are usually little paths to ride down and than right back up on a little jump. Those natural jumps always seem to have an angled take off. Everytime I hit a jump like that I loose my balance in the air. Is it because im trying to pop of the top of them? Should I just be riding over them and use my speed to get air? I have no problem doing any other man made jumps and am comfortable doing some grabs and 180's.

BC-Rider

Well I find those angled jumps you're talking about make it way easier to do 180s and 360s. So I don't really know how you're having trouble with the, maybe just keep on practing and you'll eventually get it.

Snowolf

With natural features like this, it becomes ever more important to be able to pick a line and be a good judge of terrain. Basically, you need to go off the takeoff compensating for the angle by leaning a bit uphill so that when you are airborne, you level out with regard to the surrounding terrain. As I ride up to a windlip to catch some air, I will do a couple of things; I will alter my approach direction to hit the ridge at the best angle to land and if there is an angle to the ridge, I will lean a little on the uphill edge as I ride off. Learning to eyeball the terrain and alter your course is the key to making this work for you. Practice is the best way to get good at doing this.

If a takeoff is angled, I would avoid the Ollie off the lip as this will tend to really get you corked favoring the downhill side. I also find it easier to pop off toeside on an angled takeoff.

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tonysimoni

I have the same problem. What ppl told me is that in order to learn 180s (/360s) one should perform these at first more perpendicular to slope off the hill (sort of say when your board is like the fallen leaf stance) then to the slope off the hill itself (Hopefully I make myself clear here).
But I have difficulty too with it, that`s why I`m learning now todo 180s directly on the slope off the hill itself instead of sideways. 180s are possible but 360s are a pain in the ass.

Maybe i`m doing something wrong too, but I really can`t jump off my toe- or heelside. I can`t get any pop when jumping off from the side off my board?

Snowolf

Try popping off the edge of the board with both feet. As you ride up to the edge of the little ridge or bump that you are going to launch off of, remain somewhat flexed, then spring off either the toes or heels depending on your situation with both feet. If you have a little bit of upper body pre-winding, you should be able to spin 360 with verly little effort. Carving across the slope a little bit just prior to the launch will really help you get the added energy in the rotation as well. When jumping across the fall line, just be sure to land on your uphill edge.

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revhi

Well I guess Im just going to practice more next year. I also have the same problem on flat jumps. If I take off on my toe edge I land on my knees, if heel edge I land on my butt. The only time I dont is when I 180 either driection coming off the edge. Spinning gives me more control on how I land for some reason. Most the time when I 180 I actually take off flat and intiate the turn in the air.

Im going to try to take a Burton freestyle course next year. Maybe they can point out what I do wrong. Im probably the most advanced of the people that I ride with so when I crash, no one knows what I did wrong.

thelowerclass

I'm sure you are winding, but when are you unwinding. You should be just finishing unwinding as your coming off the lip or as your popping, as this gets you spinning right away. If you don't unwind until the air you don't start your spin full force until you reach your unwinded state.

Snowolf

What this sounds like to me is you are not using flexion of the ankles, knees and hips properly. By riding too stiff legged, you may be leaning your entire body to ride on edge. On toeside you may be bending at the waist and leaning over and on heelside, you may be leaning your entire body. All this is a guess because I can`t see you ride. If you go off a jump and you have your upper body leaning at all, you will get off balance quickly. Try riding as close to flat based as you can as you launch and flex the ankles and knees to edge the board but keep you upper body straight and over the top of your board. What you describe sounds like the classic problem caused by leaning the upper body.

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