# Halfpipe: Confidence that I can re-enter the pipe



## eddiewould (Mar 19, 2012)

Hey guys,

Been snowboarding a bit over 13 years. Will ride pretty much most things on the mountain, except massive park features. 

I haven't done that much pipe riding, but started recently. I can ride up the walls, push off with a 180 (thus getting "air") and land back down fine. I'm riding basically to the lip of the pipe. 

My issue is that I'm too scared to leave the pipe (to do straight air), mostly cause I'm paranoid I won't re-enter it correctly (and will land on the deck or something like that, which I reckon would hurt). How should I progress? 

PS I'm almost 30, falling hurts a lot more than it used to. :dizzy:


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

Just do it like 2-3" at a time. Decking out doesn't hurt too bad since your not 10' out, falling down to the bottom hurts pretty bad if you push off too hard and end up down the tranny somewhere. it's like anything else, progress to just beyond your comfort level if you wanna get better.... I'm 36 and hate pipe too.

My 13y/o hated it also until last season he got to ride around with ayumu and kazu for a while..... Now he likes it enough to air out and do tricks over the lip. Follow someone better than you to push you. Most of the kids just make me wanna shit myself most the time.... I ride alone ALOT and ride with them when I feel like pushing further.


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Im 46 and dying to try a 1/2 pipe. Much like you I'm sure I will only straight air at *most* 1 foot out. Doesn't change the fact I'm dying to give it a go.

Like Argo said take some runs, and get closer to the lip each time then maybe on one run wait to get close to the end of your run when you have built up a little confidence, then the last run up the wall try to get a little air. Just don't push off to much as stated. 

Keep us posted when you give'er a try :thumbsup:


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## Krato (Apr 29, 2013)

have you tried aderol and beer?

other wise just keep carvin it, youll get the feel


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## binarypie (Nov 29, 2009)

Try to ollie into the pipe if you aren't doing that already. it'll help you get that feeling of landing down the transition a little bit and be comfortable with that.


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## eddiewould (Mar 19, 2012)

Thanks for the replies guys. Landing down the transition isn't the problem so much - I'm much more worried that my body weight won't do the right thing and I'll end up outside the pipe. 

Will just keep trying at it next time I'm at a pipe I guess. My "local" resort doesn't have a pipe though, which is a huge bummer.


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

The great thing about halfpipes is you have control over how high you go. You can go 1 inch out of the pipe or 20 feet, just start at with a tiny air and work your way up.

If you're already riding up to the lip and pushing off into small airs/180, you're already doing the basic technique. Do the exact same thing, but take a mini air out of the top of the pipe.

Sounds to me like it's all in your head and you just need to get past that mental block.

ps - if you end up outside the pipe doing a mini air it doesn't matter anyhow. It won't hurt since you won't be falling more than a foot to the deck. Just don't stick any hands out if you fall (so they don't get caught awkwardly) and you'll be just fine.


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## Littlebigdreams (Jan 27, 2011)

I just want to ask a related question because I've been dying to try out half pipe myself. 

Should I be approaching the lip of the pipe in a near perpendicular angle or around 45 degrees or something else? It seems like I'm carving too much when trying to ride up to the lip, because I'm always several inches short of having my nose touch the lip before I start losing momentum. :dunno:


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

Littlebigdreams said:


> I just want to ask a related question because I've been dying to try out half pipe myself.
> 
> Should I be approaching the lip of the pipe in a near perpendicular angle or around 45 degrees or something else? It seems like I'm carving too much when trying to ride up to the lip, because I'm always several inches short of having my nose touch the lip before I start losing momentum. :dunno:


It's up to you, but if you turn too sharply and end up making tons of turns down the pipe you'll have issues with getting enough speed to get above the lip.

Basically, the angle you take affects how much speed you pick up and how many hits you make down the pipe.

Coincidentally I wrote a blog about about this topic earlier this week. There's a diagram there that might explain this clearer:

How To Learn Snowboard Halfpipe The Easy Way


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## Littlebigdreams (Jan 27, 2011)

Thanks Jed! Helpful read as always.


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

No probs, happy to help.


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## AndrewSixxTRC (Aug 3, 2013)

Well balance when go thru straight air is the most important thing to focus on for starters. once you're able to go a few feet off the lip, the rest will become very easy.
Tip Of Advice: Don't think about it, just do it. This is how i managed to go high booters again after an accident I had 4 years ago while snowboarding. Had half of my body casted.


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