Sincraft

Just started boarding recently, on my 10th time out I finally got the hang of turns decently comfortably. I can line up, follow narrow tracks and have been hitting very small jumps...
I still have alot of work to do to look like I'm comfortably doing this I think, and I'm sure my first few runs Thursday are going to be ugly looking until I get it back in my head how to do this, but I really want to traverse into hitting jumps.

I see these big jumps with landing hills below them, and REALLY want to go for it, but as I get older, I'm rather afraid that I'm going to snap my neck, back, leg , arm, wrist , etc.

Im just ok at crash landings, but at my size and height and age it's kinda hard...

Anyone just say screw it and go for it? What was the result?

The problem with our resorts:
TINY TINY jumps in between trees/snowmaking equipment, or BIG jumps with BIG gaps in between takeoff and landing. Nothing in between.


Should I abandon these thoughts?!?!?

Toecutter

What's the age cutoff for "old?"

Sincraft

Well , I'm probably the worst person to decide this.

I'd say around age 30 you have to start thinking, hey, I heal half as fast and hurt twice as bad when I smash my body than when I was a young adult.

At age 40 you start to say, hey - I'm pretty lucky to have made it out of the 30's acting like I was...

And at 50, well, I'll let you know if I make it.

So - 40

Lifprasir

I'd say if you get impulsive and hit those big jumps, make sure u watch a lot of videos on Youtube or something. Cause the first few airs are very scary if you don't know what you're doing.

Sincraft

my first tiny jumps that were just edges of cat trails pop ups, my first issue was leaning back (even after watching snowolfs video) and I landed on my arse and bruised my tailbone (is that possible?)

after that I fly over them, dont get the same air but carry further. In a split second, I know what edge Im going to land on and was able to shift my weight enough to make that happen more or less.

As I didnt have turns down, what happened afterwards was a lack of experience and confidence, usually I glide for a few feet and almost or do fall after the jump. But lately, it's been all clean..

just wish they had some bigger jumps to transition to first!

Toecutter

Okay, you put me in the "old" category. Asshole! Har.

I will hit small jumps (10' table) when there's soft snow on the ground, but that's about it for a terrain park. On natural terrain I will hit windlips, drops, cornices, etc. whenever the opportunity presents itself but there's usually a soft landing.

A few years ago while mountain biking I broke a collarbone coming up short on a big double and between the cost of two surgeries, physical therapy, helmet replacement, and bike part replacement the total cost was about $9000 out of my pocket (and that was without missing a single day of work). If I had missed any work the total would have been well into the five-figure range, so financial threat keeps me low to the ground more than anything else. I feel I'm in good enough physical shape and still have enough coordination to go bigger, but I'm afraid of landing in the poor house.

DC5R

Go for the smaller ones between the trees first. Make sure you're going at a REASONABLE speed (ie slow) for the first little bit until you're comfortable with the jump and that you're not going to hit a tree. Continue to pick up speed and try again.

I personally would not hit up too big a jump, but don't mind a jump here and there.

smooth

Me and 2 of my best buds started boarding 5 years ago...I'm 33, and the other 2 are 33, and 40. We started riding park last year, and by the end we were hitting jumps, and have progressed beyond our belief from what our expectations were a few years ago.

Yeah we may not recover as well when we were kids, but I laugh when an early 30 something friend says they are too old for certain physical activities.

The way I see it, when you're 60-70 years old you'll kicking yourself for thinking you were too old or brittle in your 30's for physically demanding activities.

We definitely are the grey beards of the Park though.....

Just keep going to the mountain with progression in mind. Every time I go, there is a new something I set out to learn or practice. Watching video and seeking out tips before you go is key so you have an idea of what is successful and try and duplicate that success.

Example...started little side jumps off the trail. Decided that maybe mastering the ollie was a good idea and worked on that till I was comfy doing those, and then started to try and go bigger on those side jumps and then once I felt comfy in the air and landing I went to the park jumps.

Lives2fly

I'm 37 and this is my second season boarding. I just started hitting small jumps in the park and find they are no problem but i am certainly a bit nervous to hit the bigger stuff which seems a LOT bigger!

I would give it a go into soft snow!

uh oh a virus

go for it. my mom is 40 and she boards and at our terrain park she tries the jumps. not the kickers, just the jumps. the other day she came down the main park with the kickers with me and i made her do it. she said it was terrifying at first but once she landed it, she felt great. just go for it! your not gonna break anything.