Surface Tricks are probably your starting point in the world of Snowboarding Tricks. Before you try complicated tricks like the Cab 540 or the Frontside Rodeo 720, you first have to learn the Basic Snowboarding Tricks. Some of the Simple Surface Tricks are spinning on the surface of the slope then five feet above the slope. What follows are some of the Most Common Surface Tricks increasing in difficulty as we progress:
Riding Fakie (switch stance) is simply riding with your front foot at the back and your back foot at the front. Sounds easy? Well, it is not! Everything you have been working so hard to master such as edge control and carving turns is suddenly totally new again as everything you do will be the other way around.
Riding Fakie is very important however in Learning Tricks since it is often the starting and/or ending stance of a trick. Furthermore, Riding Fakie will help you when you are unable to finish a trick and must land halfway.
Ground Spins – 360s
Up ’til now, you have made turns that were probably at most 180 degrees. With Ground Spins 360, you continue turning until you have turned completed 360 degrees and keep onboarding in the same direction.
Learn how to perform sided turn
It is actually the same as any regular toe-sided or heel-sided turn. You just need to keep on turning and as your board turns uphill it will stall at a certain point. At that moment you will need to switch edges and keep on turning until you are completely turned around. As your skills improve you can make ground spins at higher speeds and while riding fakie. Try to master spinning both frontside and backside.
A wheelie is riding with one tip of your board facing up, loose from the surface. Building up the power and technique to lift either your Snowboard’s Nose or Tail will prepare you for more advanced Tricks.
Learn how to perform Tail Wheelies
Tail wheelies with your nose up on the air are the easiest to learn for most snowboarders. On a gentle slope, try to lean backward and lift your front foot. As you practice you will notice how you are able to pull your nose up higher and keep it from the surface for a longer time. Once you have learned Tail Wheelies you can try to perform them switch stance on your tip.
Variations
Blunt Nose Slides are wheelies that are performed sideways. Start riding sideways, then put your weight on your front leg and pull your back leg up. You will be sliding sideways on the front third of your snowboard with your backfoot and tail in the air. If you perform this trick on your tail it is called a Switch-stance blunt nose slide.
