Jargon Buster

For tricks on obstacles such as jumps and kickers, in snowboarding, frontside and backside is the direction in which the rider rotates.

Frontside is when the rider turns their chest down the slope first, in comparison to backside when the snowboarder turns their back down the slope first.

‘Switch’ refers to any trick that a snowboarder performs while moving backwards, or the reverse of his/her normal stance (left leg or right leg forward). Alternatively, known as fakie, which is a term that comes from skateboarding.

A simple trick in which the snowboarder springs off the tail of the board and into the air.

A simple trick in which the snowboarder springs off the nose of the board and into the air.

An Indy Grab is where the snowboard grabs the front (toe edge) of the board with there back hand, in comparison to a Melon Grab which is when a snowboarder grabs the back (heel edge) of the board between the bindings with the leading hand.

A fundamental snowboard trick to get down! Performed by bending the knees to lift the board behind the rider's back, and grabbing the heel edge of the snowboard with the leading hand.

When the snowboarders front hand grabs the nose of the board, a basic trick, great for trying on jumps!

When a snowboarder’s trailing hand grabs the tail of the board. Variations include straightening, or 'boning' the front leg, or 'tweaking' the board slightly frontside or backside.

A spin itself is simply the rotation of a snowboard from the moment of take off until landing, normally performed on jumps or onto or off rails. Spins are typically named in 180° increments. Even in cases where spins are performed on unusual obstacles, the rotation is considered as the nearest increment of 180°. A spin attempted on a rail is the only time a spin can be referred to in a 90 degree increment, examples: 270 (between a 180 and 360 degree spin) or 450 (between a 360 and 540 degree spin). These spins can be frontside, backside, or switch-backside just like any other spins.

When a snowboarder rides straight along a rail or other obstacle. This trick originated in skateboarding, but is a starting point for anyone hitting their first rail or box on a snowboard!

When a snowboarder slides down a rail with the rail passing beneath the centre of the snowboard, between the bindings for both a lipside and boardslide the rider will end up in the same position on the feature, but there is a significant difference between these two types of tricks. 

When you Boardlside, you pop the nose of your board over the feature to then land but when you Lipslide, you pop the tail of your board over the feature to land on he feature.

These tricks can be performed frontside or backside. When performing a frontside boardslide, the snowboarder is facing uphill. When performing a backside boardslide, the snowboarder is facing downhill. This is often confusing, because during a frontside boardslide you are actually moving backwards down the rail.

A simply stylish trick performed by traveling straight along an obstacle, with pressure being put on the nose of the board, so that the tail of the board is raised in the air.

A trick performed in the air, where a snowboarder twists their body, rotating his/her board 90° and then returning it to its original position before landing. This trick can be done frontside or backside, and also in variation with other tricks and spins.

Any grab where both the legs are boned-out (straightened as much as possible). Typically performed as a variation of a frontside grab.

When ‘switching up’ or spinning off rails on skis, frontside is when your front faces downhill first and backside your back faces downhill first.

A spin itself normally refers to the rotation of the skis from the moment of take-off from the snow, until landing, usually performed on jumps or onto or off rails. Spins are typically named in 180° increments. Even in cases where spins are performed on unusual obstacles, the rotation is considered as the nearest increment of 180°. A spin attempted on a rail is the only time a spin can be referred to in a 90 degree increment, examples: 270 (between a 180 and 360 degree spin) or 450 (between a 360 and 540 degree spin). These spins can be frontside, backside, or switch-backside just like any other spins.

To spin off the end of a rail in the opposite direction to which you spun on. (The same for both skiing and snowboarding).

Does what it says on the tin, the safest grab! An excellent go to for beginner freeskiers as it's easy, but still looks good. Simply grab under your foot, left hand to left foot or right hand to right foot.

A mute grab is performed in the air by grabbing just in front of the boot on one ski with the opposite hand, whilst at the same time pulling the toe across to cross the skis. A japan grab is where the skier grabs the inside edge of the ski with the opposite hand from behind.

To perform a butter when spinning onto a rail or off of a jump, leave the noses or tails of your skis in contact with the snow (noses when spinning forward and tails when spinning switch) for the first 180.

Is the act of styling out a trick on landing, often making landings look heavy. Think about leaning back a bit on your skis, stiff legs and a heavy head.

A switch up on your skis is when you jump onto the feature and then perform a 180 spin half way down the feature to land with the other foot forward. This can be done in either direction.

A K -fed is when the skier will jump onto the feature complete a 180 spin (also known as a Switch Up) and then keep spinning 270 off the end of the rail in the same direction. K-fed is frontside and B-fed is backside.

A truck driver is when you grab both skis with both hand infront over a jump or kicker, a Tail Grab is when the skier grabs the tail (end) of the skis from behind.

When a skier is riding backwards, this is called riding Switch.