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Help with grabs please. (+K and stickers for useful advice.)

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Montana_Hoodrat
Posts: 1953 - Karma: 1,481
I desperately need some help guys. +K for some advice i havent heard before that actually works. -K for hate for not being able to grab haha.

Here's the deal:

I can now do 360s both ways, and natural 540s, as well as switch 360 both ways. All off 30+ foot park jumps.

However, I can't seem to be able to grab my skis in the air without corking the shit out of my rotation. I land on my face, side or back every time I try to spin more than 180 with a grab. I've tried all sorts of grabs, including mute, critical, safety, and japan, but everytime the result is the same. my rotation slows down, and I go completely horizontal to a gnarly crash.

I'm sick of backslapping and eating shit trying to simply make my tricks look smoother. Please help me guys, I'd really appreciate it, and If anyone has some advice that truly works, I have some sick stickers to send you.
Jan 4 2013 8:15PM
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Bread.
Posts: 769 - Karma: 540
just learn how spin doing safety first, this changes you spin from looking like a boner in the air to you learning to bring your knees up to your body. this should affect your rotation at all and if anything improve it. after ya got your safety down learn to slide your hand up and down the ski to get new grabs. Always make the spin the priority not the grab there is no point if you have a legit grab but with a spin that cant get around.
Jan 4 2013 8:29PM
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skibeest
Posts: 419 - Karma: 103
Well, my good sir, I am somewhat in the same boat as you.
I have found focusing on a few things helps me to land a grabbed spin.
Step 1: On the takeoff, focus on setting the spin. I cannot stress this enough. If you go off the jump thinking *oh shit oh shit gotta grab as soon as possible so I can look steezy* you're going to be screwed. Focus on setting that spin before you do anything.
Step 2: Don't rush the grab. The prime time to grab is at 180° and hold that grab until you spot your landing. If you grab early, you will send yourself flying off axis.
Step 3: Bring the grab to you. Common sense will say to reach down for your skis. If you do this, you might end upside down. Focus on brining the grab to you. Let's start with a safety. As soon as you get to 180°, pull whichever leg you want up to your hand. If you are trying to do a tail grab, press your toes down, bring your knees in, and grab around to the back.
Hope this helps and good luck!
Jan 4 2013 8:29PM
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E__
Posts: 5751 - Karma: 4,633
Scratch getting grabs and practice all those spins while bringing your knees/legs up as high as you can. Get super comfortable with that and then add your grabs (start with safety was my route) and go from there. It helped me a ton, like unbelievably, hopefully it helps you too.

Also like Bread said up there make the spin first and then go for the grab if you go for the grab first you'll most likely have a bad time/do the same thing you've been doing.
Jan 4 2013 8:36PM
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Kebec
Posts: 627 - Karma: 74
i had this problem, and i still do at time. The main thing that got me over it is practicing the grab on and off the hill. All day everyday, when i'm sitting at school, i'm doing mute grabs and rockets under the table. ( a trampoline would really help too.) Jump off your staircase, practice

Next, head over to the hill, send some big jumps and remember the basics. Press your toes in the front of your boot, jump as late as you can (when your feet leave the jump), keep your hands IN FRONT of you, and land stomping in the front of your boot, with your hands out IN FRONT of you and do a 4 point landing.(your skis and poles touch the snow all at the same time)

The main thing when your grabbing is don't look down too much, but don't let your grab make you turn your head too. Remember when grabbing, bend your knees and briefly reach down with your shoulders, but don't un-even your shoulders. If your grabbing with 1 hand, keep the hand in front of you.

Main tips to keep in mind.
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Don't let the basics slip away.

Try without poles if you're struggling too much.

Keep your hands in front of you (when landing).

Go into a tuck when spinning.
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I really hope this helps. I wish i could help more by seeing some footage of your problem.
Jan 4 2013 9:09PM
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JWeinstock
Posts: 3439 - Karma: 1,352
again a video would be helpful but mainly, go a full day of park just doing grabs. get them down adn once u feel comfortable start trying them with 180's. then move up and up until you can do them with every spin. The only other thing i can tell you is practice on a tramp with tramp skis. hope this helps
Jan 4 2013 9:15PM
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Montana_Hoodrat
Posts: 1953 - Karma: 1,481
thanks guys. I'll definitely try bringing my legs up more on spins tomorrow, and focusing more on setting the spin. I think when I think about grabbing, I forget to make a smooth, steady spin as well.

+K to you all. PM me if you want some stickers. I have way to many, and stamps are cheap haha.

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Jan 4 2013 9:15PM
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E-fry
Posts: 601 - Karma: 2,171
Make sure you are in a forward stance coming off the jump. One thing you might be doing is when you try to grab you might be "blocking" with your shoulder. This is what causes rotation to slow down. By blocking I mean your leading shoulder is pushed forward while you spin. To fix it, as you spin, try to think about drive your lead shoulder around to generate the rotation.

Don't reach down or bring your legs up for the grab, try to do both. Like an accordion.

If you are trying grabs behind your centre of balance(Blunt, Japan, etc...), make sure you are in an aggressive forward stance coming off the jump(aka not backseat.).

Hope this helps!
Jan 4 2013 9:16PM
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E-fry
Posts: 601 - Karma: 2,171
I really think this might be your problem. You said the rotation slows down and that is a sign on blocking with the shoulders. One thing you could try is to grab lead tail. That grab forces your shoulder to open and you'll grab.

Also try to keep your eyes up as you spin, don't look down at your grab.
Jan 4 2013 9:24PM
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Nacho+
Posts: 3748 - Karma: 7,791
This is great. I think that the most important part of this is to not reach down because that is what will get you inverted. Just bring your knees up if you are starting with safteys. I also think that tails or blunts are realatively easy to start with. Just starting out with those grabs, see if you can just tilt your skis up, but not grab them and once comfortable with that, try to reach out and actually grab the skis.

oh yes...stickers?
Jan 4 2013 9:47PM
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Nate.Dog
Posts: 1672 - Karma: 2,098
do you work at second wind by chance?
Jan 4 2013 10:29PM
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Blynch2
Posts: 480 - Karma: 1,006
I just really focus on bringing my knees up to my body

Jan 4 2013 10:35PM
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Montana_Hoodrat
Posts: 1953 - Karma: 1,481
yessir. my name is Levi. you may have met me.
Jan 4 2013 10:52PM
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Montana_Hoodrat
Posts: 1953 - Karma: 1,481
yeah guys please dont ask for stickers if you havent posted useful advice in this thread.

I'd be down to trade stickers, but c'mon free shit is for homies who help out.
Jan 4 2013 10:58PM
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PattyC
Posts: 1047 - Karma: 35
for tails (lead) practice them on the lift behind the chair, helped me find were they are, then to incorporate it try a three and look over your shoulder for a quick second right as you come off the jump,this should take you to 180 and you also should get a quick glimpse of your tail. as you turn pull your heels up thithen you grab which should help it come around as well. its all about getting comfortable with rotations and knowing it will come around while reaching for the grab.
this is how i do blunt 3s hope it helps!
Jan 4 2013 11:04PM
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Nate.Dog
Posts: 1672 - Karma: 2,098
I probably have, I go to second wind for pretty much everything skiing related. Unfortunately I'm horrible with names, I would probably recognize you if I saw you though!
Jan 4 2013 11:45PM
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caspie
Posts: 221 - Karma: 7
I had these same exact problems. I fixed it by trying to put my hand near the grab I was going to do. (Safety, Japan, Tail) After not going all out, I felt better and was not throwing the spin off as much. I kept going closer and closer to the actual grab. I did this more and more until my hand was touching the skis and I wasn't messing up. After that I grabbed it and it felt great. Just a slow progression to the grab. It helped me, I hope it can help you.

Caspar
Jan 4 2013 11:57PM
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Montana_Hoodrat
Posts: 1953 - Karma: 1,481
haha I'm not an alcoholic. This sounds so deep...

Thanks for the advice though. I like the idea of slowly working towards grabbing. I was probably just rushing the process too much.
Jan 5 2013 1:45AM
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TheUngroomed
Posts: 1251 - Karma: 335
Always bring your skis to your body when you grab, that way your center of gravity doesn't get messed up. So for like a mute, dont reach down towards the skis, bend your knees and bring your skis to your hand
Jan 5 2013 2:28AM
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suup
Posts: 1485 - Karma: 4,366
....
Jan 5 2013 2:54AM
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iffe
Posts: 984 - Karma: 120
That happens to me when I try to grab too soon. Set the spin, pop, then grab. Don't try to do it all at once, especially when you're still learning.
Jan 5 2013 6:52AM
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gudelo.
Posts: 487 - Karma: 669
Haven't read the other posts, but what helped me is doing the 3's so many times that it feels like you can do it wihout seeing. Then start taking your foot up to your body (i think japan is the easiest one), try to take your foot up and just reach your hand after the ski. After a couple of hits when you feel safe about spinning with your foot a little tucked, set the spin like normal and you will get the grab easy.
Jan 5 2013 1:16PM
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Nacho+
Posts: 3748 - Karma: 7,791
I wish japan was easiest for me, I am so bad at getting them whilst i spin
Jan 5 2013 1:38PM
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Montana_Hoodrat
Posts: 1953 - Karma: 1,481
.
Jan 5 2013 8:29PM
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