Riding the terrain park is arguably the most intimidating aspect of snowboarding and that intimidation is one the biggest reasons why most snowboarders won't get into it. Once you're in there though, it is the best! Progressing your skills and working on tricks is super rewarding. Then when you do get that trick you've been working on, the stoke is high!
In this blog, we're going to be going through our top 5 tips to help you get into the park and start stomping tricks!
Tip 1. Understand That You'll Fall
Our first tip comes from our How To Get Over A Mental Block tutorial with Natalie. Accept the inevitable, you will fall but that's part of progression.
Falling is going to happen, especially when learning something new. Know that falling is normal and happens to everyone. Every time you fall, you will learn something new and know what not to do next time. Repetition and practice is the only way to progress in snowboarding.
Tip 2. Ride With Friends
Our next tip to help start shredding the park is to ride with friends! If you can enter the terrain park as a crew, you'll all feed off each other, be there for each other and have a rad time together!
Riding with friends is also the best source for encouragement when you're struggling with a trick. When having a mental block it also helps to have a friend give you encouragement as it can act as a safety net to know you are not alone. A mental block can also be caused by nerves of people watching you.
Tip 3. Progress Slowly
This one is all about taking your time with tricks. Never huck it! You may luckily get a trick, but if you keep hucking yourself off jumps and rails you will eventually hurt yourself. Instead, take the time on each feature and each trick to build your confidence and progress at your speed.
Now we're not saying don't progress! We're saying push yourself within your means and when you feel confident you can do a trick on that feature and see yourself landing the trick in your head...Go for it!
Tip 4. Warm Up
Warming up is super under-rated but it drastically helps your performance! Spend a few minutes at the start of your day stretching and getting the blood flowing. Then when you hit the park, take a lap or two to roll through the park and warm up on the features - straight airing and 50-50ing features.
Check out full How To Warm Up tutorial below so you're all limbered up and ready to Triple Cork.
Tip 5. Know The Etiquette In The Park
Our final tip is about getting into the habit of checking features and comes from our Terrain Park Etiquette tutorial.
Just because you may have hit the features in the past, doesn't mean they'll be the same size or condition today. It is so important to do a quick test lap. If it's your first time riding park, take a few laps to look at all the features and get idea of how you'll hit them.
Now that you've got our 5 tips, get out there and enjoy some park laps!
Alex McCann
Snowboard Addiction
Our Goal Is To Improve Your Riding!
