How to 360 on a Snowboard: Pro Tips

Basic Skills Needed to Perform a 360 on Your Snowboard

As we mentioned earlier, this isn’t one of those slow motion trick tips that you can just perform randomly.

In addition to having a comfortable riding position and being at the intermediate level, you need to also master some basic tricks before you can attempt a 360.

A few of the more important key tricks you need to know by heart include 180 spins, ollie’s, and nollies.

Every snowboard instructor will recommend that you be familiar with these basic tricks because they’re necessary for you to know in order to complete frontside spins, blind landings, and other moves that make up a 360.

Now, let’s get into the basics of how to perform one of the best-feeling tricks snowboarding has to offer!

Guide on How to 360 on a Snowboard

Here’s a simple 5-step guide you can follow to perform a perfect backside 360, even without a snowboard instructor by your side!

Step One: Find Your Normal Riding Position

One key aspect of slow motion trick tips like this is to find your preferred riding stance. As you know, there are two ways you can ride your snowboard properly.

You can either ride regular style or goofy style. The major difference between these two styles is the racing foot that’s put forward. Goofy riders lead with their right foot forward while regular riders move with their left foot forward.

Ultimately, provided you have a secure riding experience with either of these styles, you should be good to go. But, to get this bona fide snowboarding classic trick in the bag, you need to know which style you use exactly.

To figure this out, simply try a few board movement steps and see which leading edge feels more familiar and convenient for you. Once you have this, you can move on to the next step!

Step Two: Know Your Environment

Even advanced riders don’t perform simple, beginner park tricks without first taking quick stock of their environment.

Every professional snowboard instructor will recommend that you know the features and details of your surroundings perfectly before attempting any fun tricks, especially if you’re still learning.

Observing the snow, presence or absence of angles, the type and quality of the foot jump, extension jump, riding boxes, and other details, may greatly influence how you perform this stunt.

This is one of the most efficient ways to minimize the risks inherent in this sport. While staged events, like any Snowsport qualification, would have been vetted for this, it’s easy to miss these details if you’re riding at a random location.

In addition to making sure that you’re not missing any important safety gear like helmets, make sure you know the safety signs of the mountain you’re snowboarding on.

You’ll often find signs indicating the level of difficulty of certain terrain at the lift passes. These signs will often carry the rules that apply to that park. Ensure you keep this in mind and don’t attempt new slow motion tricks in locations that aren’t within your difficulty level.

What’s more, since you’ll be working on your backside 360, you’ll be doing a foot jump takeoff, so keep a special eye out for those. Also, don’t forget that park jumps come in different sizes.

It’s advisable that you start small and then follow the progression of ramp jumps the more you perfect this skill.

Step Three: Make Your Approach

Mastering this kicker trick all begins with your approach. Remember that the movement of your upper body as well as your front and rear foot will be severely restricted, so you won’t be able to move as freely in the air.

For this reason, special care must be taken to plot the best path leading up to your jump.

To get the foot jump right for regular riders, make the first turn slightly rightwards as you lean on your toe. Next, lean on your heelside edge and push it towards the center of the foot jump. You might need to develop extra toe edge grip strength for this.

Lastly, ensure you’re on your toe edge when you make impact with the lip of the foot jump.

Make sure your board level is perpendicular to the lip during your jump takeoff while you build enough speed to clear the landing.

Avoid taking the jump too early as you won’t be able to get the proper position to ensure a successful lift. Otherwise, you might not be able to make it to the landing ramp.

Some common issues people face with this step is that they don’t get their body positioning right during the approach. Another common problem people may encounter is making the precise, minimal movement needed to execute the jump well.

To avoid these common issues, make sure to pay more attention to your upper body as you gain momentum and spin through the air. Also, right before you hit the lip of the foot jump, throw your upper body, letting your lead shoulder angle align with the front of your body.

This is what will initiate a balanced 360 rotation. Then, the direction of your rotation movements will determine whether you execute 360 backside or frontside rotations. As you can see, to learn how to 360 on a snowboard, body control is key.

Step Four: Maintain Balance and Control While in the Air

As we mentioned before, step three takes a considerable amount of work to perfect.

However, when you’ve mastered the angle measure and lip trick to perfectly clear the jump with your board slides, you need to find and maintain control while you’re up in the air. Without this, you might not be able to properly deal with the rotation issues that result from your spin.

To help with this, you need to practice doing a basic or advanced grab while in the air. This helps you find some stability and further helps you fine-tune the direction of your rotation movements.

There are all different kinds of grabs you can try. Depending on the level of control you have over your upper body, these can range from indie grabs to natural grabs and nose grabs. Since you’re just starting out, it might be easier to start with a mute grab or tail grab.

As the name suggests, you perform a tail grab by gripping the tail of your snowboard with your back hand.

Since it requires minimal movement, it won’t be too difficult to execute while you’re in the air. Also, it adds extra spice to this kicker trick!

Step Five: Stick the Landing

Your 360, whether its backside or frontside, will be incomplete if you don’t learn how to land the trick perfectly!

Sticking the landing for this bona fide snowboarding classic trick might be a bit tough at first. This is perfectly understandable, considering all the board movement you have to do in the air before you hit the landing ramp.

That being said, all you need is a little practice to get the hang of it.

The most important thing is to make sure you turn your head around fast enough after the full rotation. That way, you’ll have a clear view of the landing ramp and take the right angle measure to take it smoothly.

Finally, make sure you brace for landing properly by keeping your knees bent. In this position, you can absorb the impact of connecting with the ground without losing your footing.

Conclusion

Now that you know how to 360 on a snowboard, you can have more fun snowboarding without putting yourself at risk!

Do you want to show off on the snow with more classic tricks? If so, feel free to check out our extensive snowboard tutorial library!