# Backflip or frontflip?



## fredericp64

Just hesitating on which one is easiest to learn first?

I can already do a backflip standing still on the ground (no snowboard)

What do you say?


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## seant46

backflip. I got my backflip around the whole way my first time(you spin less that a frontflip off of the jump take-off)
I tried a frontflip this year and landed on my head, gotta learn it next year with a helmet:laugh:


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## Guest

i personally am getting pretty solid on my backflips, and i find them pretty easy to do once you get the commitment issue down. but i have heard from others that frontflips are actually easier to do, i have only tried one, and it didnt go over well, but i am wanting to try it again. but personally, i think that backflips are easier. just pop good off the jump and spot your landing. best of luck!


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## seant46

jdaripper said:


> i personally am getting pretty solid on my backflips, and i find them pretty easy to do once you get the commitment issue down. but i have heard from others that frontflips are actually easier to do, i have only tried one, and it didnt go over well, but i am wanting to try it again. but personally, i think that backflips are easier. just pop good off the jump and spot your landing. best of luck!


hmm that weird i have never heard someone say frontflips are easier, except maybe on a trampoline or something.


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## Guest

The guy i heard that from was pretty dang good at them, and had only tried to backflip once. i guess its more just how comfortable you are popping off the front of your board.


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## fredericp64

Have you guys learned in the snowpark? with an airbag/foam pit? in your backyard?

Did you take small steps or you just went for the gold?


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## Adam C

seant46 said:


> hmm that weird i have never heard someone say frontflips are easier, except maybe on a trampoline or something.


Front flips are easier to get your head around but landing them is a different issue. Backflips are way easier to land but the whole issue of throwing your feet over your head becomes a problem it's a real mind game that one. I can land backflip after backflip but when it comes to front flips getting the spin right is hard. I'm speaking of trampoline experience only...



fredericp64 said:


> Have you guys learned in the snowpark? with an airbag/foam pit? in your backyard?
> 
> Did you take small steps or you just went for the gold?


Learn the flips on a trampoline and when you can comfortably land then back to back strap on the snowboard and give it a shot...my friends would never allow me to strap my snowboard on and use their trampoline though so when I "go for the gold" I'll have to pull my balls out of my ass and go for it...or end up in a stretcher :laugh:

Also remember to spot your landing when you take the flip to the hill. If you can backflip on a trampoline and when your in mid rotation look where you want to land and perfect that, I'm assuming it will be very similar to doing it on the snow.

Hopefully my rambling on will help some.


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## fredericp64

Yeah it did, thx man!!

Do you find it easier to do it on the bigger kickers since you have more time to think and act? Or would you start on the smaller/medium-like kickers because they're big enough anyways?. 

thx.


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## Jon T

I would start on a jump that you are completly comfortable on! When I first did a backflip it was on a steaper jump, with a very very soft landing. I was super comfortable with the jump, and then it was all commitment from there. As far as front or back, I think it is a comfort thing. Which one can you see yourself doing when you are on a snowboard? If you can do backflips standing, you should have no problem on the snow. Wear a helmet, and go for it if you are ready! Let us know when you stomp it!


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## Guest

fredericp64 said:


> Have you guys learned in the snowpark? with an airbag/foam pit? in your backyard?
> 
> Did you take small steps or you just went for the gold?



I never tried it anywhere before i tried it in the snow, and that may be why my first attempt ended in my head making first contact. but my second attempt right after that one i got the board all the way around and just washed out the landing. you really just need to commit and not get scared while upside down. just know that over rotating is much better than under rotating in this case.


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## fredericp64

Do you have to press the shit out of the tail? Or just kinda lean into it at the last second? 

Cause when you do a normal backflip off the ground you have to swing your arms real hard.. can't really do that going sideways..:dunno:


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## Guest

what i do is i just bend my knees and pop at the top of the kicker, then you just throw your head back and pray lol


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## Guest

They are both novelty tricks.

IE , You get someone who is confident on tramps and the second trick right after an indy they'll learn is a backflip. 

The tamedog is easier (nollie frontflip) than the back flip as its a more of a natural rotation. Backflip is just commitment. The main point where everyone fucks up on them is not moving your body as whole - attempting to backflip by whipping the top half of your body isn't going to work and will give you mad whiplash. Off the heels is the easiest way to learn them especially of a spine , then just get confident and work of your back foot.


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## Guest

this is what i looked like on one of my most recent attempts out of a natural halfpipe at timberline.


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## seant46

jdaripper said:


> this is what i looked like on one of my most recent attempts out of a natural halfpipe at timberline.


holy that is a small jump Looks like you almost hit your head on the ground.


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## Guest

this is later in the flip. initially it looks like i was really close to hitting my head but i was a good couple feet above the ground. still cutting it close tho


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## Adam C

fredericp64 said:


> Yeah it did, thx man!!
> 
> Do you find it easier to do it on the bigger kickers since you have more time to think and act? Or would you start on the smaller/medium-like kickers because they're big enough anyways?.
> 
> thx.


This was my first real season but I only got my board at the very end so I haven't been able to really try anything so I can't help you there, but I personally would start with a small/medium jump and see where it goes from there.



jdaripper said:


> this is later in the flip. initially it looks like i was really close to hitting my head but i was a good couple feet above the ground. still cutting it close tho


^^This is the kind of jump I'd try it on first, maybe a bit bigger.

Did you land it or did the nose catch?


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## Guest

i landed this one. caught the nose pretty good on the first try, but this one i landed really cleanly.


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## Adam C

jdaripper said:


> i landed this one. caught the nose pretty good on the first try, but this one i landed really cleanly.


Awesome is this one of your first flips or have you been doing them for a while?


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## seant46

^^ I would suggest for your first time trying it on a bigger jump. Usually you don't really get your flip around as fast as you'd like your first time so that tiny half pipe thing would scare the shit out of me. I think a jump where the landing is lower than the lip or the jump would be best because you wont come close to hitting your head on the ground, and i would say a minimum of a 5 foot jump. When i tried my first backflip it was about a 5 foot jump and i made sure to over-clear the landing just a little for that added air time. It comes down to preference i guess but this is what i found worked well for me.


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## Guest

Adam C said:


> Awesome is this one of your first flips or have you been doing them for a while?


I have been doing them since like jan of last year. so for quite a bit. i am getting fairly consistent too.


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## Adam C

seant46 said:


> ^^ I would suggest for your first time trying it on a bigger jump. Usually you don't really get your flip around as fast as you'd like your first time so that tiny half pipe thing would scare the shit out of me. I think a jump where the landing is lower than the lip or the jump would be best because you wont come close to hitting your head on the ground, and i would say a minimum of a 5 foot jump. When i tried my first backflip it was about a 5 foot jump and i made sure to over-clear the landing just a little for that added air time. It comes down to preference i guess but this is what i found worked well for me.


I hope to be able to try my first into pow but we'll have to wait and see until next season.



jdaripper said:


> I have been doing them since like jan of last year. so for quite a bit. i am getting fairly consistent too.


Nice, are they actually a fun trick or more just a show off thing?


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## seant46

Adam C said:


> Nice, are they actually a fun trick or more just a show off thing?


I think its both. No question its fun, and you can show off if you want. Once you get it down you can just bust it out cruising around with little effort, while tricks like corked spins or rodeos actually take quite a bit of effort, for me at least.


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## Adam C

seant46 said:


> I think its both. No question its fun, and you can show off if you want. Once you get it down you can just bust it out cruising around with little effort, while tricks like corked spins or rodeos actually take quite a bit of effort, for me at least.


Haha well then I must learn them as soon as possible. I love doing backflips on trampolines, so doing them on snow will be that much better and people will think I'm good:laugh:


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## Guest

Heres mine, i learned on a good powder day on a jump probably about 3-4 feet tall on a decent down slope. I find it easier to learn on a down slope because its little less rotation. It may not make too huge of a difference physically but mentally i found it to be easier. This is at the same spot as jdaripper, i just tuck a little harder and find it to be a little safer as well and much more comfortable haha. But this was actually our first try on just a regular spring ish day, we before had only done them on solid powder days.


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## fredericp64

haha I thought that spot looked familiar. 

Where I live we've had 1 powder day this season and I missed it lol FACK!

I can't wait to post my backflip pics!!

Thx for the help so far everyone!!


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## lareaper

Last season my friend dared me to try a backflip off this jump that came up to my belly button and was pretty steep and it shot you right in the air, and he didn't believe I would try. So I rode down the hill, hit the jump, started flipping, and landed upside down on my shoulder and head. Atleast it wasn't right on my head because I don't have a helmet haha. I wish we would have got it on film. Nest season I want to try it on a bigger jump so I might actually be able to land it haha.


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## Jon T

lareaper, I know how you feel, that is exactly what I did when I did my first backflip. I would not suggest doing this unless there is a ton of snow, but I am glad you came out fine as I did. It is a pretty scary feeling to do this, but I bet that a lot of other people do the same thing. I would suggest to the rest of the people to at least commit to landing on your belly, I don't want to hear of any broken necks because of the backflip!! Keep us posted if you land it next year, and find some powder to try it in!! Good Luck.


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## Xaustin

I learned frontflips first... but when learning backflips I learned to do a backroll first, its a bit more natural, but honestly...like others have said, backflips are easier to do but much harder to get over the fear. Frontflips are harder (IMO), but take less courage to do.


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## EzaDragon

fredericp64 said:


> Yeah it did, thx man!!
> 
> Do you find it easier to do it on the bigger kickers since you have more time to think and act? Or would you start on the smaller/medium-like kickers because they're big enough anyways?.
> 
> thx.


Personally I wouldn't do it on an actual jump created by the resort because they generally have the other end of the jump packed down to where If you fail you could get pretty hurt, even if you did have a helmet. If I were you I would go off a cat track and build your own jump with powder on the other side of the jump, so just in case you don't get all the way around, you can just land in the soft snow. I did this with a couple of friends. After 3 or 4 tries we were ready for actual jumps like the big kickers that you were talking about.


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