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July, 2025

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Hitting rails straight on?

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i.love.jibbs
Posts: 26 - Karma: 140
When I first started hitting rails, I approached them with the rail in between my legs, and then hopped up and turned. But then I re-learned them because I was told that you’re supposed to hit them from the side. I see both techniques in videos, what’s the right form?
2 years ago
16 1
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SchizoSkier
Posts: 2920 - Karma: 31,742
The side
2 years ago
35 2
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Vish-shoe
Posts: 1949 - Karma: 14,604
Depends on the rail
2 years ago
22 1
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KilaTsunami
Posts: 3386 - Karma: 32,621
All the cool kids will say urban on (from side) is the proper way.


But for the most part it’s seen as a beginner approach because it’s typically easier, and the easy way is never cooler than the hard way. But I’ve seen plenty of certified Gs straddle before, not very often.. but sometimes it’s just a better approach given the situation.
2 years ago
16 0
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TOAST.
Posts: 7799 - Karma: 40,421
I hit 99% of rails from the side.
up rails I sometimes hit straight on, all depends on the lip.
2 years ago
25 0
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Ths1009
Posts: 44 - Karma: 220
Any trick will look better if you urban on vs straddle. And it's "harder" so it's "cooler".
2 years ago
9 0
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ogit
Posts: 60 - Karma: 346
If you are a beginner and want to learn and get comfortable on rails i suggest hitting it straight on, and then move to hitting it from the side
2 years ago
8 0
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sindreplassen
Posts: 1180 - Karma: 10,763
pretty cool to ollie on from the middle on tall rails
2 years ago
9 0
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verynormalguy
Posts: 506 - Karma: 8,342
I only line it up straight if I’m 5050ing and it’s low enough to Ollie over the top
2 years ago
9 0
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BradFiAusNzCoCa
Posts: 7567 - Karma: 67,267
I know people who would straddle rails. It’s gotta fuck up your balance. Urban style is the way
2 years ago
2 1
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Christian_Bale
Posts: 2334 - Karma: 26,331
I used to do the same when I was learning. Hitting from the side is definitely the way
2 years ago
3 0
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muffMan.
Posts: 2929 - Karma: 28,077
From the side is cooler but for learning straddling is easier.

First thing is learning to slide the whole rail, for me I found that hitting it straight on was just easier because I was already balanced and one less thing to think about.

I still hit tougher rails straight on cause of the above reason.
2 years ago
5 0
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TOAST.
Posts: 7799 - Karma: 40,421
Ths1009Any trick will look better if you urban on vs straddle. And it's "harder" so it's "cooler".

try straddling a tall urban down rail and tell me that it was easier than hitting it from the side.

My opinion is that when you learn to hit stuff from the side it actually makes things easier and you have more control. Beginners should 100% learn straight on until they are comfortable with balance though.
2 years ago
14 0
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Whackson
Posts: 466 - Karma: 4,030
When I first started learning rails I approached them straight on to commit to the rail instead of sliding off the slide during an urban/lip on
2 years ago
5 0
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freestyler540
Posts: 13239 - Karma: 20,495
Straight on is fine is the set up allows it. Its easier for sure. Once you go past that level, you gonna have to hit it from the side. Most rails now are lipslide arrangements.

If you were doing lip rails as a straight on rail, Im impressed. That trick is terrifying and timing has to be awesome.
2 years ago
4 0
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asparagus
Posts: 2500 - Karma: 28,453
Urban style rails way safer to hit urban. Ride on features I alternate depending how much I need to stay on the rail. Straight on is easier IMO
2 years ago
3 0
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Ths1009
Posts: 44 - Karma: 220
TOAST.try straddling a tall urban down rail and tell me that it was easier than hitting it from the side.

My opinion is that when you learn to hit stuff from the side it actually makes things easier and you have more control. Beginners should 100% learn straight on until they are comfortable with balance though.


Definitely agree with that especially if you're spinning on
2 years ago
1 0
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SamuelForsgren
Posts: 144 - Karma: 1,462
From the side street style. I Go up the middle when i gonna do a wallie or 50/50 on rainbow rail other than that i go from the side.
2 years ago
3 0
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lootlake
Posts: 1074 - Karma: 7,058
Side
2 years ago
3 0
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Liamsasd
Posts: 193 - Karma: 1,036
Whatever feels good who cares which way, just do what feels good learn both and just do both.
2 years ago
2 1
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ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6448 - Karma: 70,211
When going switch, I have to come on urban style. Sw lip and sw tails both mentally easier than straddle style.
2 years ago
1 0
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KilaTsunami
Posts: 3386 - Karma: 32,621
WhacksonWhen I first started learning rails I approached them straight on to commit to the rail instead of sliding off the slide during an urban/lip on


Exactly, a true do or die situation
2 years ago
2 0
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piss.boy
Posts: 1491 - Karma: 10,623
straddle is wrong and looks like shit
2 years ago
5 0
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switchlip2
Posts: 2142 - Karma: 25,182
Lip on imy
2 years ago
2 0
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switchlip2
Posts: 2142 - Karma: 25,182
Only
2 years ago
1 0
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hi_vis360
Posts: 5392 - Karma: 56,042
You would almost never hit a street rail straight on so therefore from the side will always be cooler
2 years ago
3 0
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skierman
Posts: 8619 - Karma: 9,442
Oh great, NS has been taken over by 4chan chads
2 years ago
3 0
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KilaTsunami
Posts: 3386 - Karma: 32,621
skiermanOh great, NS has been taken over by 4chan chads


U fit that mold better than anyone I’ve ever seen on here dude lol
2 years ago
3 0
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GMAN_
Posts: 79 - Karma: 50
Once you get comfortable with straddling (hitting the rail straight on), try going on as urban as possible. Once you get better with rails and want to hit more technical features you need to know how to hit rails urban since more challenging features have much higher lips.
2 years ago
1 0
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christianwearsch
Posts: 214 - Karma: 1,581
Once you start hitting big enough rails, you have to urban on. Like a big dfd that kind of pokes out onto the lip would be really hard to straddle. But it’s a good way to learn to slide a rail consistently.
2 years ago
1 0
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