Learning to Catch Air without fear of eating snow

tcharron · Jul 5, 2009

This will be perhaps a silly conversation, but last year I found that after a few falls, I became petrified of catching any sort of air. I'm not talking about bumps going 6 inches, I'm talking about jumping off of something a few feet.

Some of you here who where on the AZ beer league remember the jumps they added for the final races. I noticed it wasn't just me, people going down like no tommorow, and that was just a few feet of ledge.

So, how do you go about teaching your body to catch air? I remember a few years back learning to ski switch, and I'm sure it's just getting your body and brain trained to deal with it, but what's the best way to do that? Seems like it's a pain to learn it in a park, with a beelion rats screaming by you. Are there mountains which have some terrain where you can repeatedly go over stuff that isn't so large, so you can get used to it?

Go ahead, flame away, but I really want to learn the skills, but it just seems harder when you can't go all the way down the hill practicing, if you know what I mean.

Besides, I miss some decent thread talk. :-D

riverc0il · Jul 5, 2009

I think there was a thread about this but I am too lazy to dig it up.

Here is what I would recommend. Do some dry land training. Go find a rock that is two to three feet off the ground, get up on it and jump. Notice the mechanics of the jump. Do take the absorption most efficiently, you probably didn't just step off vertical as a pencil and land with your knees locked. This is how most people flailing at jumps do it on skis. Rather, you probably lowered your center of body, pushed off slightly, extended your legs, and then retracted your legs to absorb the shock of the landing.

The big difference when you are on skis is that you have significant forward momentum entering into the jump. Well, slow down then and take the jump at a reasonable speed. If you are jumping for height and not for distance then you need only have enough speed to clear the ledge and land in a safe zone.

For taking jumps in races when you have a need to go super fast, take the jump on your terms, not the snow's terms. "pre-jump" just as you approach the jump, tuck up, and get ready to absorb the landing. I think most people get off balance going off jumps because they just wait for the snow to run out to get their air. When I hit jumps, regardless of drops, I prefer to launch myself into the air using leg muscles rather than just let gravity do its thing. I get more control that way.

tcharron · Jul 5, 2009

riverc0il said:
I think there was a thread about this but I am too lazy to dig it up.

Figured there was someplace, but I figured we might as well have some fresh conversations for the summer. :-D

riverc0il said:
Here is what I would recommend. Do some dry land training. Go find a rock that is two to three feet off the ground, get up on it and jump. Notice the mechanics of the jump. Do take the absorption most efficiently, you probably didn't just step off vertical as a pencil and land with your knees locked. This is how most people flailing at jumps do it on skis. Rather, you probably lowered your center of body, pushed off slightly, extended your legs, and then retracted your legs to absorb the shock of the landing.

I don't know why, but I never even considered getting used to it without skis on. Seems like common sense now that you mention it. :dunce: Thinking about it, seems like after a bit, actually doing it hopping off with ski boots on might help get the mental feeling into it as well.

riverc0il said:
The big difference when you are on skis is that you have significant forward momentum entering into the jump. Well, slow down then and take the jump at a reasonable speed. If you are jumping for height and not for distance then you need only have enough speed to clear the ledge and land in a safe zone.

For taking jumps in races when you have a need to go super fast, take the jump on your terms, not the snow's terms. "pre-jump" just as you approach the jump, tuck up, and get ready to absorb the landing. I think most people get off balance going off jumps because they just wait for the snow to run out to get their air. When I hit jumps, regardless of drops, I prefer to launch myself into the air using leg muscles rather than just let gravity do its thing. I get more control that way.

And seems like jumping off things without skis on would enforce the behavior even more. Whats even better for me, at least, is we have like 15 acres with a hill the kids sled down. It's for a bunch of rocks I could practice this on, and even better, once snow hits, I could pile up some snow on em and do the same jump with skis on..

mondeo · Jul 6, 2009

Two options: start when you're young, fearless, and stupid, or start small. Hips are probably the best to learn on due to the fact that you don't have to worry about clearing a flat, otherwise go off the side of tables to avoid the top. Tables can be nasty to learn on, as if you don't go big enough to clear you're screwed.

Other thing to do is do runs that have changes in pitch that at slow speeds you stay on the snow but fast you get some air, and work on getting as much air as possible. This is probably closer to the jumps you'll see in races, and the amount you push off has a big impact on how long you stay in the air.

riverc0il said:
For taking jumps in races when you have a need to go super fast, take the jump on your terms, not the snow's terms. "pre-jump" just as you approach the jump, tuck up, and get ready to absorb the landing. I think most people get off balance going off jumps because they just wait for the snow to run out to get their air. When I hit jumps, regardless of drops, I prefer to launch myself into the air using leg muscles rather than just let gravity do its thing. I get more control that way.

Jumping in races is actually the opposite, where you're looking to stay in contact with the snow as much as possible, so you want to absorb the lip and then extend your legs while in the air. But terrain park style jumps, you want a nice four point take off. Lightly planting both poles and popping off the lip gets your weight centered for a nice balanced jump. If your're in the backseat going of the lip, put a fork in yourself, you're done.

hiroto · Jul 6, 2009

tcharron said:
Are there mountains which have some terrain where you can repeatedly go over stuff that isn't so large, so you can get used to it?

I recommend the park at Gunstock. They seems to provide the smallest jump with the real landing. Many small jumps do not provide good landing (thus, lands pretty hard despite their size), and usually, the smallest jump with real landing at most parks are way too big.

mondeo · Jul 6, 2009

hiroto said:
I recommend the park at Gunstock. They seems to provide the smallest jump with the real landing. Many small jumps do not provide good landing (thus, lands pretty hard despite their size), and usually, the smallest jump with real landing at most parks are way too big.

I know Killington, and I'd guess the same to be true with most other big resorts, has a beginner park (Timberline) in their arsenal.

snowmonster · Jul 6, 2009

Best advice that was given to me was to land so that your skis and poles touch down simultaneously (4-point landing). This keeps you out of the back seat.

Grassi21 · Jul 6, 2009

you can also do the adopt-a-parkrat program. i am going to get out a few days with one of the kids i coach lax with and his older bro. the older bro is sponsored and does a ton of slope style comps. i plan on slaying the butternut terrain park with them.

2knees · Jul 6, 2009

I dont have any real advice just remember though, someday, you too can master the ultimate in air gnar.....

dont try this at home kiddies, its best left for the professionals.

RootDKJ · Jul 6, 2009

2knees said:
I dont have any real advice just remember though, someday, you too can master the ultimate in air gnar.....

dont try this at home kiddies, its best left for the professionals.

Is that a golden throne???

bvibert · Jul 6, 2009

RootDKJ said:
Is that a golden throne???

We wouldn't screw around with inferior thrones!

mattchuck2 · Jul 6, 2009

Not being able to do any air at all is rough. Sometimes, catching air is a good tactical move in a tricky situation. You know what a good thing to do is? Run a traverse sideways across the hill in a bump field (make sure there's nobody coming, of course) and see if you can hop from the top of one bump to the back (which would really be the side if you were looking at it from the top of the trail) of the next bump. Do this the whole run, and if you haven't got a feel for where to jump, how to extend off the top, how to put down the landing gear, and how to land, do the same thing on the next run.

Terrain parks are okay for learning how to get air, but it's better to do something more rapid fire so you can develop some muscle memory.

downhill04 · Jul 6, 2009

2knees said:
I dont have any real advice just remember though, someday, you too can master the ultimate in air gnar.....

dont try this at home kiddies, its best left for the professionals.

HAHA LMAO! You gotta love the dumper air!

RootDKJ · Jul 6, 2009

bvibert said:
We wouldn't screw around with inferior thrones!

I should of known better and beg forgiveness for asking :spin:

I <3 AZ!

bvibert · Jul 6, 2009

RootDKJ said:
I should of known better and beg forgiveness for asking

I <3 AZ!

We'll let it go this time.

The real bitch was getting that thing up there. Golden crappers are not light.

eastcoastpowderhound · Jul 6, 2009

some good advice on the "dryland training" when I was learning how to do a 360..okay, it was called a helicopter back then, I'd practice it off every small set of stairs that I could find. Basically you just need to get comfortable in the air...find a rope swing into a river/lake/pond, jump the last 4 steps everytime you walk down stairs...

Johnskiismore · Jul 6, 2009

riverc0il said:
Here is what I would recommend. Do some dry land training. Go find a rock that is two to three feet off the ground, get up on it and jump. Notice the mechanics of the jump. Do take the absorption most efficiently, you probably didn't just step off vertical as a pencil and land with your knees locked. This is how most people flailing at jumps do it on skis. Rather, you probably lowered your center of body, pushed off slightly, extended your legs, and then retracted your legs to absorb the shock of the landing.

The big difference when you are on skis is that you have significant forward momentum entering into the jump. Well, slow down then and take the jump at a reasonable speed. If you are jumping for height and not for distance then you need only have enough speed to clear the ledge and land in a safe zone.

Great advice!!

tcharron · Jul 6, 2009

2knees said:
I dont have any real advice just remember though, someday, you too can master the ultimate in air gnar.....

dont try this at home kiddies, its best left for the professionals.

Hey, I mastered that, it's the landing that kills me. :-D

tcharron · Jul 6, 2009

mattchuck2 said:
Terrain parks are okay for learning how to get air, but it's better to do something more rapid fire so you can develop some muscle memory.

eastcoastpowderhound said:
some good advice on the "dryland training" when I was learning how to do a 360..okay, it was called a helicopter back then, I'd practice it off every small set of stairs that I could find. Basically you just need to get comfortable in the air...find a rope swing into a river/lake/pond, jump the last 4 steps everytime you walk down stairs...

I think this brings up the main point I was thinking about, and riverc0il brought out the solution. Getting the mind and body USED to being off the ground, and get used to it.

Thanks guys, seriously.. Now, if I can only get Stephie from pointing and laughing while I'm jumping off of stuff around the house the rest of the summer. :-D

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