Terrain Park beginner question (snowboarding)?

Question

I have a few questions about doing the terrain park, since I am a beginner at it. Im not a beginner at snowboarding, counting on i've been doing it for about 5 years down black diamonds and all that.

My real problem is terrain parks. I can't get over my fear of rails, jumps, and some boxes because Im always afraid i'll end up in the hospital for breaking somthing. Im going up to a ski resort tomorrow and I decided to give the terrain park a try. I have some questions first:

1) When you go on a box, do you keep your board straight while you ride it, or do you turn it?

2) Any tips for going off jumps, or keeping your balance when you land?

3) When you go on a rail/box, do you slow down before you go on it, or will that loss of speed cause you to fall?

Thanks; just trying to get over my fear of terrain parks.

Answer 1

Age does that... I think twice a lot more these days.

Take a look at the video at the link below, and scroll down to the other videos.

If anyone wants to comment on the videos, I'd appreciate it...

I'm only a beginner myself, but they look useful.

Answer 2

1)    The 1st couple times you ride a box definetly keep your board straight ( its called a 50 50)   Riding a box is really really easy. Its pretty much the same as riding over ice. THe hard part is doing boardslides and b/s boards. But to start you just wanna do the 50 50.   Remember when you went over that icy patch and tried to turn and dumped it really hard.  Thats what is going to happen if you make sudden movements on a box, you want to kinda be a little bit stiff going over the box. Just go at your own pace and WEAR A HELMET!!   DONT lean back.   you can do it.

2.) Going off jumps is easy its the landing part that is hard, but its only hard b/c you get scared in the air and get "squirly". Just make sure you DO NOT LEAN BACK, if you lean back your going to lose your edging and DUMP IT. Keep your weight over that front foot and you will be fine, dont be afraid either. Start small. Are you allready olliing off rollers and little hills and stuff?  If not you want to start there, if you are then the jump will be the same thing.

3.) You definetly dont want to be going super fast when you hit a rail/box. If you watch pros, they always do a couple speed checks before hitting the box ( just dont mess the lip of the take off up, this will p*ss people off).  So yes you can go really really slow when hitting a rail or box, and thats definetly the best way to learn.  NOT so slow that you are getting squirly. REMEMBER no sudden movements on the rails and boxs they are super slick. If you jerk your body one way or the other your dumping it.

REMEMBER YOU ARE GOING TO FALL, BUT THATS HOW YOU LEARN. go at your own pace and dont worry about what other people in the park think. They had to start in the same place you did, and if you take a good digger, GET up and do it again untill you stick it. You will look like a bad*ss and you will learn. GOOD LUCK  HAPPY SHREDDING !!!  After 3 weeks im FINALLY going back to a resort this weekend!!!! Writing this got me pumped THANKS !

Answer 3

1. start by going straight and just get the feel of riding the box (its called a 50/50). then you can tweak it once you feel comfortable.

2. i would start small and work your way up, your park should have a variety of jumps. the most important thing to a jump is your speed. having to much will cause overshooting the landing, having to little will cause you to hit the knuckle (the top of the landing before it starts sloping) and both suck.

do a few speed checks (find the jump your gonna hit and just ride by it so you can see how much speed your gonna need to clear it).

3. dont speed check right before a rail, as it will surely just make things harder.be confident and picture yourself landing and then concentrate on that.

good luck dude.