Whether it’s bigger pop, a backflip, or a switch 540, there’s always something for skiers and snowboarders to work on in the park. For insight, we tapped into the knowledge of Skogen Sprang, X Games medalist and sport director for the US Freeski Team, and JJ Thomas, Olympic medalist and former head coach of the US Snowboard Halfpipe Team.
Starting Out
“Easing into things is the key to safely progressing in park skiing. Fundamentals are super important. The bigger the base you can build, the farther you can go. There’s no real advantage to skipping steps or racing ahead.” — Skogen
“Having a solid foundation is useful before you hit the park, so make sure you feel comfortable stopping, turning, and maintaining control before thinking about jumps or tricks. Many resorts offer progression parks for starting out. Once you’re a confident skier, they’re a great way to start building your park skills.” — Skogen
“Take your time. Don’t pull up to the park for the first time and start hitting the jumps. On your first run, you should approach them like you’re going to catch air, then veer left or right. Check every jump first, every takeoff and every pitch. Ride every landing before you hit anything.” — JJ
“If you want to hit a jump, get someone better than you to hit it first. Watch their speed, and don’t be afraid to ask questions, like ‘How many check turns?’ or ‘Should I go straight from here?’ Don’t be shy. Everyone likes helping kids.” — JJ
“Take the same techniques from the small jumps and apply them to the bigger jumps. Now you just have to adjust your speed. Ride the landing, watch some people, and then follow someone off. That’s what Shaun White did as a kid. He would pull up to a park and ask the best guy if he could follow them, then he would stay on them and match their speed.” — JJ
Dialing in Your Mental Game
“You want to make sure you’re training your mental game too, so you can overcome setbacks and face bigger challenges as you progress. The more you’re exposing yourself to situations where you’re pushing the envelope, the more you learn to break through the fear.” — Skogen
“In the park, so many of the features look intimidating. You’ve got to be able to draw on your confidence and simplify the goal to make it less scary.” — Skogen
“Breaking tricks down into component parts and building a strong foundation is a great way to face the fear that often comes with trying something new and to build up your confidence.” — Skogen
“You’ll know when the time is right to push it. So will your coach and your friends. You’re going to have to overcome some doubt and fear. There’s not one of us who hasn’t been scared when learning a new trick.” — JJ
“You have to see the fearful thought, recognize it, and overcome it with positive self-talk. It can be the simplest statements, like ‘I know I can do this,’ or ‘I love this jump.’ Then let the negative go and just drop in.” — JJ
Progressing
“It’s important to build a really solid foundation of skills in the park before leveling up. We like to push the idea of mastery. You really want to feel comfortable before moving on.” — Skogen
“Only when you’re bored is it time to take the next step. That means you’ve spun every way and landed it, that it’s almost as easy as making a turn. You should be that comfortable—like you can hit the thing blindfolded.” — JJ
“If you’re not feeling confident about trying the next thing, it’s always OK to go back to the basics.” — Skogen
“Learn how to go off a jump and straight-air and do a bunch of grabs—tail grab, method, shifty, backside shifty, Japan. Some people never master straight-air grabs off a jump, and they wonder why they have bad style. Take your time and learn grabs. Apply them to a 180 all four ways. Then do a 360 and do a grab. We all have grabs that come easier to us. Find your own unique style.” — JJ