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May, 2025

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How long does it take to get "good" at jibs/rails?

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Slick.Rick
Posts: 183 - Karma: 19
I have never hit a box or rail or jib in my life. I have always skied big mountain, but this year i want to focus in on my jibbing skills. I will be skiing at a resort with a park that has only rails and jibs. How long do you guys think before i will be able to be "good" at rails/jibs?
15 years ago
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skiierman
Posts: 28699 - Karma: -5,563
as long as it takes you to not be a pussy and learn a bunch of tricks... no but honestly, if you read that question what kind of answer would you give?
15 years ago
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broto
Posts: 9040 - Karma: 25,673
rails take time. do next expect to be doing stylie k-feds and bbuttered 450's by the end of 1 season, unless you are a super fast learner or live somewhere with a gigantic season or perfect park.

basically, a long time.
15 years ago
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
Depends on how dedicated you are. If you have a mountain that has nothing but jibs (*cough* mine *cough*) and injury doesn't absolutely take you down everytime you fall, you could do it in 2-3 years. I literally will not stop skiing for a little sprain or such, unless it really gets me (knee or such). In my first year I learned all 4 270 outs, all four switchups, 2 450 outs, and a couple other rail tricks. Hope this helps a bit.
15 years ago
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Slick.Rick
Posts: 183 - Karma: 19
What would be a realistic goal for the end of the season?
15 years ago
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Midwestjibski
Posts: 1676 - Karma: 77
check this 2 page thread i made last year on the same topic.

https://newschoolers.com/ns/forums/readthread/thread_id/494739/
15 years ago
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
All four 270's, depending on how comfortable you are on sliding both ways. If you get that, try switchups. How old are you btw, age CAN, but not necessarily will be a factor in how fast you learn.
15 years ago
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Uncle.Badness
Posts: 2563 - Karma: 245
It really depends, I mean I went from doing sketch kfeds to doing pretzles and 360 swaps in one day, but then it took me months to learn any more tricks so it's really just depends what you want to work on.
15 years ago
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
Also this. Just work and build on what you're most comfortable doing and build on it.
15 years ago
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
typo, sorry. It's pretty obvious.
15 years ago
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zerospinskier
Posts: 4867 - Karma: 350
If you push it, get scared, try hard things, fall a ton, and get hurt all the time, you will progress really fast.

If you are timid and afraid, you won't progress very fast, but you will have less bruises I guess?

It's your choice.
15 years ago
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JahJahBinks
Posts: 3567 - Karma: 461
66 and a half days, approximately.
15 years ago
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joshua
Posts: 5046 - Karma: 1,280
It depends how much natural talent you have to start with, how ballsy you are, and how much you are willing to work at it. Could take 6 months or it could never happen.
15 years ago
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titsLOL
Posts: 7485 - Karma: 396
"good" is pretty impossible to define, and depends a lot on who you're skiing with. If you can master most or all 270s out and switch ups I would say that's a good first year. Since you already know how to ski you could definitely learn a lot more if you're motivated.
15 years ago
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GayWolf420
Posts: 38091 - Karma: 129,672
If you sack up and commit to things, It will come pretty easy.
15 years ago
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kootenayklaus
Posts: 3914 - Karma: 2,179
If this was directed towards me, I have never stepped on skis before that. A mix of snowboarding, ice hockey, and good balance was enough to teach myself.
15 years ago
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Jpurd
Posts: 3196 - Karma: 3,555
just work hard and i mean your first day u could be sliding all the rails and getting 270ss it depends on the person
15 years ago
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Moo
Posts: 608 - Karma: 19
70% of tricks are mental
15 years ago
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Caleb.E
Posts: 3556 - Karma: 1,015

if u were to spend 70-80% of your tiem just hitting rails,

1. you'll probely going to get most rails down and probely most fo the easy tricks.

2.u might start to get some style but if your all ready just a super steezy mother fucker ull be fine.

3. ull destroy your skis , so i would recomend getting some skis that are going to hold up a couple skis that i would go forare

-k2 disordlys

-line invaders/a bangs/anthoms

-armada ar6

all going to be fun park skis and are usuly going to hold up on alot of rails!

hope that helped a little bit!

15 years ago
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Jpurd
Posts: 3196 - Karma: 3,555
this
15 years ago
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chardi
Posts: 5040 - Karma: 59
heres all the basic rail tricks. i just got into rails pretty recently and this is the order of the tricks i learned.

nat fr 2
nat fr swup
nat blind 2
nat blind swup
unnat fr 2
unnat fr swup
unnat blind 2
unnat blind swup

work on those until you get them. and practice sliding in both directions. by natural i mean spinning (not really spinning, but you know) to my left and unnatural spinning to my right, so you can tell which way i was going, its good to learn both. and i learned 2s on in like the middle of all that and i'm still kinda getting the last ones down. then when you start getting comfortable with them start putting them together, thats where its starts getting really fun
15 years ago
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D.Hatch
Posts: 593 - Karma: 43
depending on hpw many time to lift stops :P

15 years ago
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titsLOL
Posts: 7485 - Karma: 396
My whole post was about what to try to learn in your first year... why would you think that was to you?
15 years ago
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chardi
Posts: 5040 - Karma: 59
you gotta hike.

the truth in learning rails, unfortunately, is that if you really want to get good at them your gonna have to pick up your skis and walk, a lot. A LOT.
15 years ago
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chardi
Posts: 5040 - Karma: 59
it will be much easier to learn rails if you buy this equipment
15 years ago
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i.ski.troll.
Posts: 4692 - Karma: 248
Depends on the motivation you have.  I myself do not have that much motivation so it has taken a couple years to actually learn some legit shit.  Almost can do all 8.
15 years ago
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Yung_Gnarley
Posts: 9096 - Karma: 3,071
Please listen to my advice.

Don't progress too fast. That's how someone develops sketchy style. Doing a trick is no good unless it's smooth. Tons of people can do blind 270's out but few look good doing it. Strive to be one of the few who looks good when doing rail tricks. Nobody likes to look at ugly tricks.
15 years ago
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Twig
Posts: 6469 - Karma: 62,221
agreed. I'd rather watch a blind surface swup to 270, than 9 switch ups with arms all flailing.
15 years ago
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tall_t
Posts: 1036 - Karma: 15
start with boxes, i would wear a cup when starting with rails. and a goal for this season would be 90 on maybe a switch up and 90 or 270 out
15 years ago
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E.FARR
Posts: 1297 - Karma: 25
how many different ways can you spin 270 off a rail lol?
unless im missing somethin..
15 years ago
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broto
Posts: 9040 - Karma: 25,673
left ski forward frontside and blindside

right ski forward frontside and blindside
15 years ago
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E.FARR
Posts: 1297 - Karma: 25
ahh i see..that makes sense haha
15 years ago
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hanksy
Posts: 659 - Karma: 265
May be too late this year to get into it, but a basic small rail and some rollerblades works wonders.
15 years ago
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Jibberino
Posts: 2089 - Karma: 1,346
What? What's 90, do you mean sliding a rail? And how do you not do a 90 out?
15 years ago
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Holte
Posts: 10751 - Karma: 7,996
I would worry most about not landing in those giant unmaintained bomb holes.
15 years ago
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hauser
Posts: 1131 - Karma: 470
You can leave the get hurt part out but this. You will get fucked up good in no time. Just dont dress all steezy and not do tricks. Get out there and try shit. Doesnt matter what people think just do it for you
15 years ago
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chicken
Posts: 6844 - Karma: 2,122
It took me 4 years to get good at park, and then about 2 to get bad again.

Mostly because "good" was relative to the average park rat.
15 years ago
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the_king
Posts: 55 - Karma: 25
wait, whatt!? Please tell me people don't do this !
15 years ago
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majora
Posts: 860 - Karma: 157
i'm struggling switch 270's on, and backside out, but can switchup fine...
15 years ago
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Heart
Posts: 6156 - Karma: 3,464
definitely depends. If you sack up and commit every tome you ski, you can improve quickly. Personally, i set a goal for myself everytime i ski, and try to reach it no matter how tough it might seem.

also it helps if your park is soft and well groomed, as crashing wont be too bad, as apposed to a sheet of ice with bomb holes everywhere.
15 years ago
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SKIU4EA
Posts: 2388 - Karma: 2,086

I know this thread is about jibs, but damn, does any1 like jumps any more?   seems like every year booters become more and more the minority.  

I'll gladly go around rails to get enough speed to huck off a sick booter.

15 years ago
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Brayzee
Posts: 19 - Karma: 52
Last year I was timid and didn't try much but my first day this season I just started trying stuff and not worrying about falling and I got so much better in just one day. So it really does depend on commitment.
15 years ago
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t-roy
Posts: 4041 - Karma: 52
i'm sure you could be pretty solid after one season.
15 years ago
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.squirrely.
Posts: 7563 - Karma: 7,546
if you get snow and have a hill in your backyard just set up a low risk rail and ski on it every day.  thats wat i did and i learned so many tricks really quick. then once your comfortable on low rails take it to the park.  if your rail is like 10- 15 feet long all you need is like a 3-5 foot hill .

just my $0.02
15 years ago
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Kale
Posts: 839 - Karma: 671
four hours and twenty minutes exactly
15 years ago
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WVskiing
Posts: 3007 - Karma: 1,949
my first year 3 270 off
4 swaps
270 on
sw 270 on
just do it
15 years ago
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RDem
Posts: 646 - Karma: 183
as long as you know how to do it you can "get good" instantly. all you need to do is know how to use your edges
15 years ago
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summersover
Posts: 5777 - Karma: 233
DEM SHUFFLES
YAAAA YUHHH
15 years ago
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Backyard.Skier
Posts: 5397 - Karma: 1,498
270's, switchups, maybe backside on certain rails/boxes, and maybe so steezy looking tricks
15 years ago
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Gknow
Posts: 627 - Karma: 358
rails stoned is legit
15 years ago
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