Terrain virgin

Yuki

Yuki

Member
OK so I've never done the terrain park thing, I have jumped, dropped, banked etc, even instructed for many seasons but have never ventured near the park. I've decided it's time to change that - starting next week, and would really like some advice. I have watched footage of rails over and over again and it seems pretty easy but maybe I'm missing something.

So what can you tell me?

 
You may want to start on a plain jump before a rail, just to get some confidence. But when you first start you are going to fall and it is going to hurt (I've been doing this for about half the time i've been skiing which is 14 years and I still fall and it still hurts). Just don't get discouraged, it happens to the best of us...

 
Thanks. I figured on the falling thing, which will be really annoying as it's not something I usually engage in. Main thing I want to know is weight distribution on a rail. Thanks for the encouragement.

 
Don't lean too far back on a rail. You'll fall. It might seem scary at first but just keep your weight centered and you will be ok

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1 , 2 , 2 1/2 , 7 ,14teen , 21 , 27/2 , 27 , 37 ,___

Fill in the blank message me the answer for a little prize
 
ok, i suck at rails. but, over the summer, i've been able to think about why i suck at rails. I always lean back, as if i was trying to hockey stop. THIS is NOT what you want to do. You will fall every time.

What you really need to be doing is staying with your skis flat on the rail. It's harder than it sounds. The first time you do it, almost think about leaning forward, as you normally lean too far back by reflex.

Good Luck

____________

*Official Skiier*

*Official Creator of the 1st Power Outage thread*

'I'm an accomplished, certified shitter.' - Jooky
 
you should at least get experience before trying rails, be able to confidently jump, and know a 180 because u need half of that to even get on the rail

ski the springs
 
yeh i fall back when i do rails to, you just have to take control and keep your weight centered, maybe even lean a bit forward just to be safe, it worked for me a couple times

proud member of *CWDM*

motoXer198: chicks love to do neal

'You only live once. If you live it right, once is enough' -Micah Black

 
What they mean by don't lean back is that you shouldn't try to edge with your skis...

Not only will that destroy your skis but it would probably also destroy your legs...

 
keep ur legs spread when u hit the jump onto the rail and keep ur knees bent well when ur on the rail and keep it a distance of about shoulder length

Crazy midget productions

Dynastar

UP-IN-Arms
 
I cant slide metal rails whenever I jump on them I catch an edge and fall forward even if I land flat. Even after I detuned my edges in the middle of the ski. But my neighbor in the trailpark I lived in last winter made a 15 foot Pvc rail and I could stomp anything on it easily I just dont get it.

Crashin' with Passion'

More Ovaltine PLEEEEEAASSEEE!
 
i accually think the best way to learn rails is by looking at tanner. Your best balance point on your skis will be in the middle. watch tanners legs and see how far apart his legs are. i try to keep my feet wider then my sholders for more balance. Im not saying anything in regards to gorilla steeze because i am not a fan of it at all (but not arguing over it) its a lot easier to balance if your feet are wide enough apart

-jason-

freedom, tolerance, love and peace
 
the trick is being committed to the rail or the jump. If you attemp anything half assed and try and beil mid way etc.. you are always going to crash and burn!!! You're an instructor its similar to how you have to totaly open up your body down the fallline and commit to the turn (when on the steeps). Go hard or go home

___________________________

NH_Line:ya oakleys skis are no rumor!!!!!!!!! offffff the hook, the are coming out with the Osama Pros, and t-hall is leaving Armada to ride them, they also will come with a free bling bling necklace

ArmadaFreerider8:Where can you get a pic of the new oakley skis?

Ds91260: i already got my osama pros, i stole them from a cave in afganistan

ArmadaFreerider8: Why would tanner hall leave armada after he just helped start it
 
somone probably said most of this, but one important thing is not to look down at your skis look ahead at a fixed point like the end of the rail, and again make sure to use speed when your beginning, even though its scary your less likely to get hurt and more likely to make it, kepp your feet apart and make sure to ome on to the rail with them almost 2 feet apart, and once again lean forward, leaning back and falling is very common, but u dont see people falling forward, because u tend to lean bak on rails, hope maybe some of this helps

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'what the bloody fuck was that?'-Some english guy on seeing my friend do a 720

Pat

Cannon Mafia Productions
 
i learned rails fast. i think its because i started dreaming about skiing a lot. it was wierd

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i sure would like to rest ... but the energy gets the best of me. its been a wild ride i wouldnt change a minute i cant slow down inside guess thats why i live it

-311-

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On your first rail, you will probably fall back. They're sliprier than they look, so throw your weight forward, get your legs spread out, and look to the end of the rail. Good Luck, and don't forget jumps.

'I won't be able to vote for like...four more years.' (18 year old Tanner Hall)

'My knee hurts' (Jeff Merat after grinding a lunch table for an hour instead of sitting in the ski patrol shack for his torm mcl and acl which he got earlier that day.)

'It's too bad one piece suits are gay because they're really warm, and when you fall, they keep the snow out.' (Dean Cummings)

'I'm not asking for any help, just mabe for you to get off your ass.'(my dad)
 
man its great to see people aren't bashing on him...but like some people have said build up your confidence on jumps and try and get that 180 so you can try rails and have fun with it

 
try dreaming about rails. no joke i started thinking about them then started dreaming then it clicked.

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i sure would like to rest ... but the energy gets the best of me. its been a wild ride i wouldnt change a minute i cant slow down inside guess thats why i live it

-311-

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^ same...

But, can you skateboard? if u can great, it's like runnning really fast then jumping on it...the same weight distribution...if u don't, find someone who has one and try it.

2 Inchers Club

www.kg-archives.com
 
^ That's a good idea, I tried it and it does kinda feel like landing on a rail, just remember that on a skateboard if you lean back or forwards you turnn but on a rail you fall...

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'What the hell do you need four pairs of skis for?!'

~ My dad

'Dude, if I were you I'd ski a lot but like on snow and shit cause you'd go faster...'

~This really drunk kid at Vail

'I wish I skied...'

~Girlfriend that I almost had for 5 minutes before she said that!
 
has anyone else dreamed rails...coolest dreams ive ever had by far.

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i sure would like to rest ... but the energy gets the best of me. its been a wild ride i wouldnt change a minute i cant slow down inside guess thats why i live it

-311-

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just go as slow as you can. take it easy. never hit jumps with a lot of speed or you'll get hurt. it is also a really good idea to stand on the middle of a table and scope the landing. from the top of a kicker you can get a good view of the rest of the park. if you hear some kid yell 'dropping' that means that he wants you to ski in front of him. thats about it.

*$* *$* *$* *$* *$* *$*

Official NS Pirate!

sms.session.four
 
Yeah, remember the dropping oart, kids get pissed at you if you don't...

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'What the hell do you need four pairs of skis for?!'

~ My dad

'Dude, if I were you I'd ski a lot but like on snow and shit cause you'd go faster...'

~This really drunk kid at Vail

'I wish I skied...'

~Girlfriend that I almost had for 5 minutes before she said that!
 
im gonna say the dreams when u splooge the bed r the best, then rail dreams i guess can be 2nd

....................

'what the bloody fuck was that?'-Some english guy on seeing my friend do a 720

Pat

Cannon Mafia Productions
 
Dude, I do 'splooge' all over the bed when I dream of rails...

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'What the hell do you need four pairs of skis for?!'

~ My dad

'Dude, if I were you I'd ski a lot but like on snow and shit cause you'd go faster...'

~This really drunk kid at Vail

'I wish I skied...'

~Girlfriend that I almost had for 5 minutes before she said that!
 
i had one where me and dorion were sessioning huge ass rails (well..in the dream i called him dorion.but it looked nothing like vinnie) and we just busted out on 100 foot long rainbows etc. In my dream i did all the rails left foot forward. First time i hopped on the rail, left foot forward and i greased it

2 Inchers Club

www.kg-archives.com
 
dont be a puss, all this shit is easy except u think its hard

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'thats when you smack them upside the head and say 'yo bitch,i know this aint tennis but im a use my backhand!'' - Lateralis

Member of the 'lets help Sam loose some weight so he can possibly get a girl' Club.

Bonnnnnnnnnnnnnggggg
 
on a rail....keep ur weight more forward then u think u need 2 at first. and watch the end of the rail. commit 2 it. pretend ur jumping onto a skateboard. try putting a ball of snow at the end of the rail and watching it. but u have 2 commit and turn 90. and lean forward.

 
rails just intimidated me cause i think well i dont really know why. probably because it for awhile was just something skiers didnt do.?

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i sure would like to rest ... but the energy gets the best of me. its been a wild ride i wouldnt change a minute i cant slow down inside guess thats why i live it

-311-

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you guys are all spitting out a bunch of crap. just have fun. parks are fun and learning to do things is half the fun. most of the things people tell u prolly wont help, u have to find your own way of learning some times.

 
Thanks guys ('cept Killy, you forgot to mention to always snowplough into a jump).

Well I've been away for a while and hadn't checked this thread until today. Unfortunate really as yesterday I had my first attempt and discovered a few things by myself - very much the HARD way.

The jumping on was no problem, the first half of the slide was fine but as I had no commitment really at the begining halfway through I decide this was a very different feeling and instinctually threw in an edge to control my slide. Yeah really dumb I know, seems my edges just don't cut into steel that well. So as you can all well imagine...I came crashing with full weight onto the outside of my left knee/leg and now sport a wicked bruise to remind me of my cowardice. Very much OW!

Anyway, back tomorrow to try again. Now with your comments and my own observations. Does seem the main key is confidence and a bit more speed. Havn't done anything so different and new for a while so it's a good challenge.

Thanks again for the advice. I'll let you know next week how it went (hopefully with both legs still intact).

 
heres my .02...

go straight into the rail... have it downhill between your legs and focus hard on the end of the rail... dont take your eyes off of it. pop up and turn ninety degrees but dont take your eyes off the end of the rail... you'll just kind of slide off... the key to rails is just focus.

 
the best advice i've ever recieved when trying to learn rails was to LOOK AT THE END OF IT. Start on a smaller rail then work your way up, and dont be scared of it... it's fun. Then soon enough you'll be doing S rails and shit.

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the end
 
I made it along the little one!!!

Didn't try the next one as was doing this by myself and needed a bit more moral support, especially after watching the only 2 other skiers in the park crashing really hard on it. Next weekend?

lebbo: Buller the last few days, NZ before that, before that Thredbo a few times and Hotham a few times and a bit more Buller. Hotham this coming weekend. U?

GRAVITY
 
^^where are you doing these rails?

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i sure would like to rest ... but the energy gets the best of me. its been a wild ride i wouldnt change a minute i cant slow down inside guess thats why i live it

-311-

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Been to most the 'major' places in Australia but now basically stick to Victoria's mountains becuase of the driving distance from Adelaide. Haven't been up since the good snow arrived because of Uni commitments and the travel distance but I heard that (since the snow arrived) Falls Creek now have a pretty good terrain park there. Althugh I find Falls' overall skiable terrain a little limited compared to Buller and Hotham.

 
The rail was at Buller, they have heaps of them now.

Falls is ok when there is heaps of snow, enough to open up the whole summit bowl and down international. Buller is good when there's lots of snow too (like last weekend) but I worked there for 6 seasons and get a bit bored of it. Hotham's my fav Vic resort b/c of all the off-piste.

 
where in NZ were you yuki?

'If you've got neon light's your just basically saying, im a fuckwhit!'- friend
 
Craigieburn. F***ng awesome. Grass roots skiing. No mobile, tv, newspaper, electricity for only a few hours a day (generator), max 60 people on the hill. Nutcracker rope tows suck the first day. Lots of hiking, walking back from the road. Warm up on a black then there's the doubles, triples and suicidals (not open due to lack of snow). The chutes were awesome. It was just great to go to a 'real' mountain. Can't wait to go back.

Cardrona's nice but not enough challenging terrain. Don't know about the park b/c I wasn't into it then.

 
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