# Judging jump speeds



## xxfinnellxx (Aug 30, 2009)

So if your the first one to hit a larger kicker or something, and you had no body else to base your speed checks with. What would be an effective technique to judge your correct speed? I have always had a problem with this...(I always overshoot to three quarters of the way down the landing)


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## yrew (Nov 9, 2009)

I don't have any experience with this, but thinking about it logically if you always overshoot it, do what u always do but than with a little less speed .

I guess u have to build up some experience and memory, with that your judgement will get better. Their will prolly be a very technical solution with that solution and a pocket calculator you should be able to calculate the right velocity depending on the angle and distance...but hey that wouldn't be fun now would it.


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## Suburban Blend (Feb 23, 2008)

even when you watch how someone else hits it, you have a different board, wax and weight. I'd hit smaller jumps till you get the feel for the day's snow conditions are, and how fast you're sliding . Then on a big jump, get it in 5 gear and pull in the clutch. It seams that more riders get hurt over shooting it than decking.


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## Guest (Nov 21, 2009)

Being new to jumps i started off on the small jumps until i was comfortable with the way i landed and such. Then I progressed onto bigger jumps and from the experience i learned from the smaller jumps i just increased my speed from there. And if i eat snow i just try again until i get it. What i learned is not to hesitate cause that just throws everything off, i payed for that plenty of times haha


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## xxfinnellxx (Aug 30, 2009)

Banda1d said:


> Being new to jumps i started off on the small jumps until i was comfortable with the way i landed and such. Then I progressed onto bigger jumps and from the experience i learned from the smaller jumps i just increased my speed from there. And if i eat snow i just try again until i get it. What i learned is not to hesitate cause that just throws everything off, i payed for that plenty of times haha


Yea, i know what you mean. Im a big kicker guy. And i went up today and it was great! There were a lot of people bitching out about the only jump that they had open today (it was a 15 foot kick up with a 20 foot table) and i thought it was amazing, others thought it was slow. Idk, i think my habbit for just booking it is a good thing, but idk. I ate major shit a coupple times from failing some horribly ollied 540 attempts. But it was still allright.


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2009)

If you've got a friend who's clearing the jump, ask if you can "ghost" them. Follow right behind them - then veer off before the jump - to get an idea of speed. If you leave a safe distance, you can even follow them off the jump (although try to go off opposite sides of the take-off and leave a little space). 

Not only does it help you feel the right speed, but following someone can give you just the right amount of confidence to progress. Something about focusing on the person in front -- makes me feel better about my riding and less fearful. I follow either my brother (SnowProRick) or my husband off most new jumps and it works for me.


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## Flick Montana (Jul 9, 2007)

Tough question. Personally, when I started doing kickers and tabletops, I had no idea how to judge my speed and I crashed pretty hard a few times.

After about a year, you could just feel it in your gut when you were doing it right. I think it's just something you need to do often enough that your brain intuitively knows how to gauge things. :dunno:


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## Cr0_Reps_Smit (Jun 27, 2009)

really i ride at my mtn about 5-7 times a week all winter so judging the speeds for the jumps their is pretty much 2nd nature for by the time the season gets going. if im hitting a bigger jump(60+) i usually tend to go as fast as i can unless its particularly fast that day or something.


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## Sam I Am (Sep 9, 2009)

trail and error


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## Guest (Nov 26, 2009)

i love big jumps and ik when i go into them even if i know i dont need that much steep il overshoot to about 3/4 of the way down just because thats usually where the landing is the smoothest.
i usually just roll up to it once and check the lip then if its really lippy i hit it once to warm up and judge and if its smooth start throwin down on it, if you fail pretty hard try to get the speed right again then start thrownin down


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