# Tail Press and Going Straight



## Jed (May 11, 2011)

flysolo. said:


> I keep having this problem while holding a tail press and going straight. The board always wants to turn. Sometimes, I can hold it straight, but most times, the board wants to turn. That means that my upper body isn't properly aligned but I just can't seem to figure it out. On flat ground, I can do it easily but soon as I take it to a mellow slope, it's either a hit or miss. Anyone had this problem while starting to tail press?


Need video to know what you're doing wrong, but here's a question, are you riding down the fall line of the slope? Typically if you're doing tail presses you want to be going straight downhill, in the same direction as the slope is slanting otherwise your board will want to turn and move towards the slant of the slope.

Also, the other big place people go wrong with their tailpresses is they try to lean back and lift their front foot up instead of shifting their bodyweight backwards and staying centered and balanced over their tail.

Kind of hard to help you without seeing video though, could be a million things you're doing wrong, but most likely you're drifting left/right because you aren't keeping your body centered over the tail of your board.


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## flysolo. (Feb 1, 2014)

Ya the slope is sorta slanted. It's hard to find a good mellow flat slope at my local mountain. Yes my weight is tilted back good, maybe I can just post a simple tail press position at home to see if my body position is weird


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

flysolo. said:


> Ya the slope is sorta slanted. It's hard to find a good mellow flat slope at my local mountain. Yes my weight is tilted back good, maybe I can just post a simple tail press position at home to see if my body position is weird


Well the slope will always be slanted downhill, but are you riding WITH the direction of the slant instead of against the slant when you try to press? That's one of the keys, otherwise it makes it harder to keep your tailpress straight (can still be done, but I wouldn't recommend learning tailpresses that way).


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## flysolo. (Feb 1, 2014)

So I should hold the tail press in line with the slope right? Not against it? For example, tail press going downhill but the hill is sorta slanted, should I follow that line?


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

flysolo. said:


> So I should hold the tail press in line with the slope right? Not against it?


Yeah. You can do them against the slope later as you get better, but I definitely wouldn't be learning to do tailpresses riding against the slant of the slope.


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## flysolo. (Feb 1, 2014)

Thanks buddy I will try this and hopefully ill get it clicking. Big fan of snomie!!


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## Jed (May 11, 2011)

No probs, happy to help, let us know how it goes.


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## twowheeled (Jan 1, 2014)

relax when you are pressing as well. If you are really tensed up your upper body will pull the board to one side. As you practice more you will be able to steer the board while pressing so going a little off course is not a big deal.


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## wrathfuldeity (Oct 5, 2007)

Its basically leaning back, being centered and aligned...and if u got some speed it doesn't matter as much about the slope because you got momentum in the direction of travel and you continue in that direction. But defer to Jed...I just like doing them in the fluff even though my form is bad...its a geezerly thing to do.


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## flysolo. (Feb 1, 2014)

I kinda locked this down, and now I'm trying to nollie into a tail press. Thanks guys.


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## Littlebigdreams (Jan 27, 2011)

flysolo. said:


> I kinda locked this down, and now I'm trying to nollie into a tail press. Thanks guys.


after that try to nollie into a tail press then 180 out =)

or nollie into a tailpress then nollie tap again into a 180 out


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## linvillegorge (Jul 6, 2009)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Its basically leaning back, being centered and aligned...and if u got some speed it doesn't matter as much about the slope because you got momentum in the direction of travel and you continue in that direction. But defer to Jed...I just like doing them in the fluff even though my form is bad...its a geezerly thing to do.


This! :thumbsup:

I love me some pow butters. Not much into buttering around on groomers, gotta work too damn hard with the stiffer boards I tend to ride.


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## snowman55 (Feb 17, 2012)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Its basically leaning back, being centered and aligned...and if u got some speed it doesn't matter as much about the slope because you got momentum in the direction of travel and you continue in that direction. But defer to Jed...I just like doing them in the fluff even though my form is bad...its a geezerly thing to do.


Show off...

j/k. That's pretty f'n rad for an old geezer.:thumbsup:


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## ridinbend (Aug 2, 2012)

wrathfuldeity said:


> Its basically leaning back, being centered and aligned...and if u got some speed it doesn't matter as much about the slope because you got momentum in the direction of travel and you continue in that direction. But defer to Jed...I just like doing them in the fluff even though my form is bad...its a geezerly thing to do.


Fuck no it's not, wheelies are the shit.


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## flysolo. (Feb 1, 2014)

Littlebigdreams said:


> after that try to nollie into a tail press then 180 out =)
> 
> or nollie into a tailpress then nollie tap again into a 180 out


On flat ground when I'm not moving, I can do this easily. But as soon as I take it to a slope it throws me off balance everytime and I end up doing some weird ass rotation that looks terrible and faceplant on the snow


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## Slush Puppie (Aug 15, 2011)

I think this is probably exposing posture issues that are already there. Be sure to keep your shoulders and hips inline with the board and really get the hip aft rather than bend at the waist as your basic press position. Make sure you keep the read knee outside of your foot (not tucked in pointing forward).

To pop the 180 out from the tail press, you need to use counter rotation not rotation. So practice some counter rotation 180s first then take them to your press. but its really pretty easy once you break down the steps and looks fairly rad IMO. Have fun!


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## CassMT (Mar 14, 2013)

forward momentum helps you stay straight, more speed helps you go more straiter


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## flysolo. (Feb 1, 2014)

I should have phrased it better, I mean that when I initiate the counter-rotation off the tail press I end up rotating 90 instead of 180 (Not all the time but still). But on flat ground this is easy.


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## Slush Puppie (Aug 15, 2011)

hmm, if you are getting your arms fully counter wound and decent pop you should be able to sna the board around fairly easy. Are you winding up as you pop the nollie into the tail press, or are you pressing then winding up? And do you think you are getting to the full position?


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## flysolo. (Feb 1, 2014)

Slush Puppie said:


> hmm, if you are getting your arms fully counter wound and decent pop you should be able to sna the board around fairly easy. Are you winding up as you pop the nollie into the tail press, or are you pressing then winding up? And do you think you are getting to the full position?


Shouldn't I be able to do it either way?


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## Slush Puppie (Aug 15, 2011)

yes but for whatever reason you might not be getting to the full counter wound position. would be great if you could get a vid..


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