How to learn box slides, rail slides, spins, etc.

For learning rails just find a nice flat rail and send it. You won't get hurt so there is no reason to be afraid.

For learnig spins, find a side hit and just send it. As your confidence grows you can hit faster. Eventually you will feel ready for a proper park jump.

Ski addiction on YouTube has some good tutorials, but it really is about sending it and once it clicks you can replicate it over again. There should always be a low wide box at most resorts that would be perfect to start on for getting the stance down before needing to balance like on rails. There's probably a whole load of threads like this on this site so give that search bar a try

i was in the same position as you, don’t believe me check my old threads. you literally just have to send it and accept the fact that you’re gonna get the shit kicked out of you learning to ski park but if you truly love it, you won’t care. and who cares if you yard sale throw it in an edit and laugh at yourself. oh yeah, and hike rails a fuck ton if you really wanna get good and one day it’ll just click and you’ll be confident hitting them

**This post was edited on Oct 4th 2018 at 9:36:04pm

I guess I can try hiking rails/boxes. You think the resort will be ok with me doing it if it's in the middle of the terrain park?

TheVictatorI guess I can try hiking rails/boxes. You think the resort will be ok with me doing it if it's in the middle of the terrain park?

Hiking is normally allowed anywhere, just hike a safe distance away from the feature

The best way to to get better is to actually start instead of thinking about it. You gotta just send it to get better. Have someone take a video of you and compare it to others like Ski Addiction or Jake Muller's tutorials.

EatbootyHiking is normally allowed anywhere, just hike a safe distance away from the feature

The best way to to get better is to actually start instead of thinking about it. You gotta just send it to get better. Have someone take a video of you and compare it to others like Ski Addiction or Jake Muller's tutorials.

I'm well aware, 80% of the improvement comes from experience/trial and error and the rest comes from knowing how it's done correctly. Grinding it out was how I learned to slide on my longboard a couple months ago and it was the same way, sometimes I just ate it and it took a while to really get it down. Fully prepared to go through the same sort of process learning these tricks.

Friends! You need friends.

Take from someone that began park skiing back in 1998. People were just discovering the potential of newschool style of skiing. No one knew how to spin right or ride rails. Boxes didnt exist yet. Before 2000, you signed up to a freestyle ski team and learned how to ride bumps and jump on those same bumps. Coaches were burned out '80s skiers, but saw potential in the future of the sport. Aerials were the answer to learn how to jump 60ft floaters while doing twisters and spread eagles. No one had the guts to spin a 720 and the off axis rotations havent even been imagined.
That being said; I learned a lot of it on my own. There were no formal instructions, no established technique to rely on. I signed up to a mogul team and was taught how to spin a 360 in moguls. It took me 2 years before finally sending it off a 60ft step down. Rails were prohibited by out team rules due to insurance policy. However, the team taught me the fundamentals of skiing; correct body position, popping, timing ect... I recommend learning the fundamentals of skiing even before hitting the park.
Today, its always about fast tracking to perfection. No one want to learn or take time to appreciate the learning curve. Kids want to 720 before learning the 360. The secret behind the 360 is a proper take off. Learn how to be centered (not leaning back or on the heels). If you cant grab properly and land backseat; you are on your heels...guaranteed.
This is were friends come in handy; especially knowledgeable ones. They will coach you on these points; give you a 3rd person perspective on the mistakes. Film yourself and compare it with other riders videos (this doesnt mean put everything on youtube). Seeing what you did wrong is the only way to correct it. Friends also gives you courage to try, fail and try again until it works.
My friends and I learnt how to ride rails this way. I found out that on boxes, you can do a 50-50, then pivot your skis 90 degrees to emulate the feeling. Then make that pivot earlier and earlier until you are ready to land it in a sliding position. Once that is feeling right, try it on a rail.

Riding park is hard, if it were easy; everyone would be on it. Take your time, get instructors and make a bunch of friends. If tl;dr, you missed my pointers.

freestyler540Friends! You need friends.

Take from someone that began park skiing back in 1998. People were just discovering the potential of newschool style of skiing. No one knew how to spin right or ride rails. Boxes didnt exist yet. Before 2000, you signed up to a freestyle ski team and learned how to ride bumps and jump on those same bumps. Coaches were burned out '80s skiers, but saw potential in the future of the sport. Aerials were the answer to learn how to jump 60ft floaters while doing twisters and spread eagles. No one had the guts to spin a 720 and the off axis rotations havent even been imagined.
That being said; I learned a lot of it on my own. There were no formal instructions, no established technique to rely on. I signed up to a mogul team and was taught how to spin a 360 in moguls. It took me 2 years before finally sending it off a 60ft step down. Rails were prohibited by out team rules due to insurance policy. However, the team taught me the fundamentals of skiing; correct body position, popping, timing ect... I recommend learning the fundamentals of skiing even before hitting the park.
Today, its always about fast tracking to perfection. No one want to learn or take time to appreciate the learning curve. Kids want to 720 before learning the 360. The secret behind the 360 is a proper take off. Learn how to be centered (not leaning back or on the heels). If you cant grab properly and land backseat; you are on your heels...guaranteed.
This is were friends come in handy; especially knowledgeable ones. They will coach you on these points; give you a 3rd person perspective on the mistakes. Film yourself and compare it with other riders videos (this doesnt mean put everything on youtube). Seeing what you did wrong is the only way to correct it. Friends also gives you courage to try, fail and try again until it works.
My friends and I learnt how to ride rails this way. I found out that on boxes, you can do a 50-50, then pivot your skis 90 degrees to emulate the feeling. Then make that pivot earlier and earlier until you are ready to land it in a sliding position. Once that is feeling right, try it on a rail.

Riding park is hard, if it were easy; everyone would be on it. Take your time, get instructors and make a bunch of friends. If tl;dr, you missed my pointers.

Thanks for the advice bro, but I have no idea where to get ski friends. Facebook doesn't seem to have any freeskiing oriented groups for my city. I don't have any friends in the area who ski often, and out of the ones who have skied, they definitely can't slide a rail or box. Not really sure what to do, maybe look more at the organizations in the area and email a ski shop owner I know?

Btw my skiing fundamentals are absolutely fine. I've been told I'm a strong skier and can do tree runs, powder, and bumps with confidence, as well as doing some basic jumps in the park, but I want to start learning fundamental tricks. It's definitely time for me to learn to ski park properly.

TheVictatorThanks for the advice bro, but I have no idea where to get ski friends. Facebook doesn't seem to have any freeskiing oriented groups for my city. I don't have any friends in the area who ski often, and out of the ones who have skied, they definitely can't slide a rail or box. Not really sure what to do, maybe look more at the organizations in the area and email a ski shop owner I know?

Btw my skiing fundamentals are absolutely fine. I've been told I'm a strong skier and can do tree runs, powder, and bumps with confidence, as well as doing some basic jumps in the park, but I want to start learning fundamental tricks. It's definitely time for me to learn to ski park properly.

You can just hit up people in the park and ask them if they could help or explain something to you. Or you could just ask them if you can ride with them and maybe you'll become friends.

TheVictatorThanks for the advice bro, but I have no idea where to get ski friends. Facebook doesn't seem to have any freeskiing oriented groups for my city. I don't have any friends in the area who ski often, and out of the ones who have skied, they definitely can't slide a rail or box. Not really sure what to do, maybe look more at the organizations in the area and email a ski shop owner I know?

Does anyone rides park well at you ski center? Often, then best icebreaker is "that was sick dude" and find an excuse to hit the lift up with them. If they are chill, ask to ride with them and session the park with them. Most will wait up and dont care about your skill level. As long as your a chill guy that brings stoke, they will ride with you. When you are comfortable, exchange contact info and text them to schedule rides. It sounds easy, but chatting up some locals on the lift is the best way.
Does your mountain put on contests? Sign up to amateur contests and chat with the other riders. Doesnt matter if you dont do well; if you made a ski buddy, everyone wins!
Social Media is the worst place to find people. However, NS.com is an awesome way to meet up with people. Check the regional forums and post a call out with your local ski hill. Thats how I met my best riding partner, it was on NS.com! Where do you ride? Im sure someone might be in your area willing to team up.
Not all hills offer park and pipe courses, nor acrobatic teams...I feel ya. Shops arent really good to find park riders, most are too busy anyway.

I heard you can get a skateboard and then run and jump turning 90 degrees onto it to simulate turning 90 onto a box/rail. I found it to be helpful because my first times on a rail I slid back and fell because I couldn't maintain my balance on the slippery surface. This is super similar to jumping 90 degrees onto a still skateboard. To me, this seems like the consequences are too great but it is accurate.

I want to learn an over the tips 180 like all the new wave kids do now. I don’t need to ski well I just want a couple new magic tricks to pull out of the bag occasionally.

JT9DI heard you can get a skateboard and then run and jump turning 90 degrees onto it to simulate turning 90 onto a box/rail. I found it to be helpful because my first times on a rail I slid back and fell because I couldn't maintain my balance on the slippery surface. This is super similar to jumping 90 degrees onto a still skateboard. To me, this seems like the consequences are too great but it is accurate.

Yeah I'm learning aggressive inline skating and I think it would be a lot more analogous to learn to rail/ledge grind with those. Plus I can grind those out easier in the skatepark, whereas in the terrain park I gotta pop off my skis, hike back up in stiff boots, and try again.
I do have a skateboard though so I could try it on that as well.
I lowsided hella when I tried my first box slide, thought it would be like hockey stopping and boy I was wrong. The next winter or so I tried it again on a low box and was able to get it by consciously spreading my feet and staying on my inside edges.

**This post was edited on Oct 6th 2018 at 2:09:06am

TheVictatorYeah I'm learning aggressive inline skating and I think it would be a lot more analogous to learn to rail/ledge grind with those. Plus I can grind those out easier in the skatepark, whereas in the terrain park I gotta pop off my skis, hike back up in stiff boots, and try again.
I do have a skateboard though so I could try it on that as well.
I lowsided hella when I tried my first box slide, thought it would be like hockey stopping and boy I was wrong. The next winter or so I tried it again on a low box and was able to get it by consciously spreading my feet and staying on my inside edges.

**This post was edited on Oct 6th 2018 at 2:09:06am

Blading on rails will for sure help your balance, got some a long time ago with my buddies and it helped a ton. Other than that just keep on trying