Sliding skis, in the context of park skiing or jibbing, refers to gliding along a surface other than snow, typically features like rails, boxes, or logs. It's a fundamental technique for park progression and involves balancing on your skis' bases or edges on the feature itself.
Mastering the Slide
The process of sliding skis on features involves several key steps and focuses on balance, control, and technique.
Approach and Pop
- Approach: Ski towards the feature with moderate speed, enough to carry you across but not so fast you lose control.
- Align: Line yourself up so your skis will land on the feature correctly, depending on the type of slide you intend to do.
- Pop: Use a small ollie or hop to get your skis onto the feature. The timing and height depend on the feature and your technique.
Balancing on the Feature
Once on the rail or box, the primary challenge is maintaining balance. This requires:
- Knee Flex: Keep your knees bent and athletic. This allows you to absorb bumps and make small adjustments.
- Core Engagement: Use your core muscles to stay stable over your skis.
- Arm Position: Use your arms for balance, holding them out slightly to the sides.
- Looking Ahead: Focus your eyes on the end of the feature, not directly down at your skis.
Sliding Along
The actual "slide" involves gliding your skis along the surface of the feature. Your weight distribution and edge angle (or lack thereof) are crucial depending on the type of slide. For a basic straight slide on a box, your skis are flat on the surface. For rail slides, you might be balanced on your edges or bases depending on the trick.
Control and Steering
Maintaining control while sliding is essential for completing the trick and setting up for the dismount.
- Subtle body adjustments are key to staying balanced and centered over the feature.
- The reference highlights that when learning to slide rails, especially working towards tricks like switch outs or 270s out (rotating off the end of the rail), riders focus on using that front ski to kind of like steer. This indicates that manipulating the leading ski can help initiate or control the rotation needed to get off the feature cleanly and stylishly.
Dismounting
Getting off the feature safely is as important as getting on.
- Ride to the End: Often, you simply ride smoothly off the end.
- Pop Off: On some features or for certain tricks, you might need to pop off the end.
- Controlled Landing: Land in a balanced skiing stance, ready to ride away smoothly.
Common Slide Types (Examples)
| Slide Type | Description | Ski/Board Position on Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Straight Slide | Sliding directly forward on a flat surface. | Both skis flat, parallel to feature. |
| Rail Slide | Sliding on the rail using the ski edges/bases. | One ski or both skis engaged on the rail. |
| Box Slide | Sliding on the wider surface of a box. | Skis often flat, perpendicular or parallel to box. |
Learning to slide takes practice, starting with small, low features and gradually working up to higher rails and more complex tricks. Focusing on balance, control, and understanding how small movements, like using your front ski to steer for rotations off the feature, can make a big difference in your progression.
