# Getting Bigger air as a big guy??



## that1guy (Jan 2, 2011)

I am a bigger guy, and I want to do big air like everyone else. I am athletic, strong and very motivated. I just don't get air like everyone else. Should I hit the jump faster? Should I go anorexic? Maybe I should just get super drunk and go warp speed at the jumps?



Needz Teh Helpz.


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## Chaos Theory (Sep 17, 2010)

that1guy said:


> I am a bigger guy, and I want to do big air like everyone else. I am athletic, strong and very motivated. I just don't get air like everyone else. Should I hit the jump faster? Should I go anorexic? Maybe I should just get super drunk and go warp speed at the jumps?
> 
> 
> 
> Needz Teh Helpz.


Define your body type? I would urge caution going 'warp speed' lol, but it's really difficult to offer any real advice without seeing you/riding with you in person.

Maybe you just need to step it up a notch with respect to kickers? I know that I felt the same way as you did years ago but one day decided to step it up and hit some huge kickers and honestly, they just naturally put you in the air. Don't charge 'em like a bat out of hell because you run the risk of missing the transition all together on the landing, but don't speed check like the po po on the interstate either because you risk landing on the table.

Just wear a helmet, ok.


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## SAddiction (Feb 21, 2009)

I wouldn't recommend getting smashed then hucking some jumps, save that for apres after you stomp a trick. Speed will definitely help you go far and bigger, but you need to get more comfortable in the air first, as speed can also be scary. I would suggest learning how to "pop" off jumps instead of just coasting. Popping helps you get a lot more air when changing nothing else (size of jump and speed). Crouch down, bending your knees when going up the jump and just as you're about to clear the lip, "pop" by pushing off the lip, extending your legs. When you're in the air, be sure to stay compact (centered and knees bent).

Ollieing will also help you get more air, but I would suggest trying this off of cat tracks and side hits first.

Good luck!


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## Phenom (Dec 15, 2007)

Difference in weight has no effect on trajectory between two riders hitting the same jump with the same velocity.


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## that1guy (Jan 2, 2011)

Phenom said:


> Difference in weight has no effect on trajectory between two riders hitting the same jump with the same velocity.


I was a physics major.....This statement is completely wrong . It is called inertia. Thanks


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## LvdT (Jan 13, 2011)

Because you weight is higher than those other guys, you can go faster as resistance has less effect on your speed, and because you're stronger (as you said you were atletic) you just need to pop really hard, so bend your knees and JUMP of the lip, with both feet or with an ollie, but ollie'ing might be difficult as it's hard to stay balanced at big kickers.

Those two things will do the job, but do it with care. You don't want to go too fast, being off-balance and land totally wrong, so take small steps up every time!


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## baldylox (Dec 27, 2007)

that1guy said:


> I was a physics major.....This statement is completely wrong . It is called inertia. Thanks


You'll need to explain yourself if you're going to correct someone. Unless you're talking about wind resistance, gravity acts the same regardless of mass.


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## Qball (Jun 22, 2010)

Do not get drunk and just go warp speed off jumps, you will end up in the hospital. What is your skill level when it comes to jumps? Big jumps are not something you just decide to do one day, you need to work your way up to them.


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## SnoRidr (Jan 7, 2009)

that1guy said:


> I am a bigger guy, and I want to do big air like everyone else. I am athletic, strong and very motivated. I just don't get air like everyone else. Should I hit the jump faster? Should I go anorexic? Maybe I should just get super drunk and go warp speed at the jumps?
> 
> 
> 
> Needz Teh Helpz.


Being 6' 200lbs I am by no means the smallest guy out there. I've been riding for 4 years now, and this year was my first attempt at a 8-10' tabletop. I've been working on jumping for the last two seasons. All I can say is take baby steps when it comes to jumping. You have to remember that those boys/gals hitting 25+ kickers did not wake up one day and just decide to go for it. They put time into learning on the small stuff and transitioning to the larger stuff. I may start working on the 20 footer at my local hill later this year, but I guran-damn-tee ya that I am not going to hit it at the proper speed. I will probably hit it slow and land on the table-top a few times, and get used to the feel of the jump. Granted there comes to a point where you have to build a little courage and self confidence to move on to the next step. But take it slow.


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## thetraveler (Feb 24, 2010)

cifex said:


> You'll need to explain yourself if you're going to correct someone. Unless you're talking about wind resistance, gravity acts the same regardless of mass.


lmfao! you physics guys crack me up. on a not-so-much more serious note, it would be great if this forum would allow side-threads - like a side room to the thread in question - where all the people who want to debate any side issues could thrash it out and come back into the main room/thread with a winner - the definitive answer as decided by the Head of MIT's Physics Faculty. If we got that shit figured out i think most of the time i'm online you'd find me in the physics side-room laughing my ass off!


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## Phenom (Dec 15, 2007)

that1guy said:


> I was a physics major.....This statement is completely wrong . It is called inertia. Thanks


You should have hit the books harder then. What does this "in-err-shuh" thing you speak of have anything to do with an airborne object?


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## Phenom (Dec 15, 2007)

cifex said:


> You'll need to explain yourself if you're going to correct someone. Unless you're talking about wind resistance, gravity acts the same regardless of mass.


I'm sure this is what he's going to be talking about like it's not completely negligible. As if we're talking about a 400kg difference and the OP is flying at mach 1 with his flaps in the upright position.


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## justdust (Jan 27, 2009)

I'm not a physics major, but I do have mass. More, probably, than most members in this forum. The way I look at it, it must take more force to hurl my pasty 225 lb ass into the air than it does some scrawny beanpole. Since what goes up must come down, presumably with approximately the same force as it started with, I crash harder than my 13 year-old son. That is why my collarbone looks like an up-box at the moment.

It is easy enough to swallow fear and hit the lip with speed...but if you don't concentrate on body position...it's time to make friends with ski patrol.:laugh:


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

justdust said:


> I'm not a physics major, but I do have mass. More, probably, than most members in this forum. The way I look at it, it must take more force to hurl my pasty 225 lb ass into the air than it does some scrawny beanpole. Since what goes up must come down, presumably with approximately the same force as it started with, I crash harder than my 13 year-old son. That is why my collarbone looks like an up-box at the moment.
> 
> It is easy enough to swallow fear and hit the lip with speed...but if you don't concentrate on body position...it's time to make friends with ski patrol.:laugh:


I"m sorry but :laugh: love this response :thumbsup:
This is also why when I follow my son of some of the smaller side hits and he lands with a gentle puuuddaaa and I land with this thundering, KABAMMMMMMM


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## Phenom (Dec 15, 2007)

justdust said:


> I'm not a physics major, but I do have mass. More, probably, than most members in this forum. The way I look at it, it must take more force to hurl my pasty 225 lb ass into the air than it does some scrawny beanpole. Since what goes up must come down, presumably with approximately the same force as it started with, I crash harder than my 13 year-old son. That is why my collarbone looks like an up-box at the moment.
> 
> It is easy enough to swallow fear and hit the lip with speed...but if you don't concentrate on body position...it's time to make friends with ski patrol.:laugh:


This would be true if we were talking about a sling shot or cannon launching us up, but it's not really an external force that's hurling your pasty ass into the air. All a jump does is redirect the velocity you've already attained at an angle. You gain the velocity in the first place by accelerating due to gravity. And by now I think it's a fairly widely accepted fact in the scientific community that the force of gravity on any object is proportional to it's mass. This is why it doesn't matter how much a person weighs coming off a jump. A heavier person isn't going to land any closer to the jump than the lighter person, assuming their velocity and angle at the take off are the same. Your assumption about you hitting the ground with a larger force is true though. "The bigger they are, the harder (not faster) they fall" does apply here.

There's some friction during the acceleration prior to the ramp that comes into effect, but at least for this discussion we are only concerned with the moment the rider takes off. That one guy who tried calling me out several posts back was probably (I'm guessing here) trying to bring up resistance in the air due to drag. This is hardly a concern.


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## veazer (Mar 4, 2010)

Phenom said:


> This would be true if we were talking about a sling shot or cannon launching us up, but it's not really an external force that's hurling your pasty ass into the air. All a jump does is redirect the velocity you've already attained at an angle. You gain the velocity in the first place by accelerating due to gravity. And by now I think it's a fairly widely accepted fact in the scientific community that the force of gravity on any object is proportional to it's mass. This is why it doesn't matter how much a person weighs coming off a jump. A heavier person isn't going to land any closer to the jump than the lighter person, assuming their velocity and angle at the take off are the same. Your assumption about you hitting the ground with a larger force is true though. "The bigger they are, the harder (not faster) they fall" does apply here.
> 
> There's some friction during the acceleration prior to the ramp that comes into effect, but at least for this discussion we are only concerned with the moment the rider takes off. That one guy who tried calling me out several posts back was probably (I'm guessing here) trying to bring up resistance in the air due to drag. This is hardly a concern.


Air resistance is lowered by an increase in mass though... 
Only thing being heavy will do is make landings hurt more, and possibly make you lose a tiny bit more speed in the transitions, but once you learn to use that to your advantage (pumping your legs i believe?) your jumps will be like anyone elses. Once in the air, everyone'll have the same flight path if they took off the same way.


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## baldylox (Dec 27, 2007)

You just repeated the same thing he said. :laugh:


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## rasmasyean (Jan 26, 2008)

Being "heavy" should actually give you more speed as wind does not affect you as much. 

One of the common things about large and tall ppl is that they fall a lot harder. I mean, every body part in simple free fall will hit the ground faster because it starts off higher. Add ot that the extra mass. I'm not a physiologist, but I might guess that your flesh and bone density is almost the same as a small person, but you just have more of it. So it's easier to break things. So maybe it's a fear factor since everytime you fall hard, your mind usually becomes more hesitant the next time.


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

Couple of beers and just go faster...........it's that easy! What's the worst that could happen?:dunno:


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## SnoRidr (Jan 7, 2009)

mojo maestro said:


> Couple of beers and just go faster...........it's that easy! What's the worst that could happen?:dunno:


I keep a 5th of Hot100 in my jacket for times like this. I call it my loose juice. Some may call it liquid courage.


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## Phenom (Dec 15, 2007)

mojo maestro said:


> Couple of beers and just go faster...........it's that easy! What's the worst that could happen?:dunno:


You fall down and the intimidating park kids laugh at you and call you a noob


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## rasmasyean (Jan 26, 2008)

Phenom said:


> You fall down and the intimidating park kids laugh at you and call you a noob


Well, that's OK. One of the advantages of being a big dude means you can let out a big roar and then run over and start grabbing the kids and throwing on the floor and rails to show them what it feels like. :laugh:


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