Sun’s out and the powder is perfect—it’s time to hit the slopes! But skiing doesn’t have to be all about the downhill runs. If you want to take it to the next level, try grinding on some boxes, rails, or pipes. If you’re relatively new to skiing, try mastering the box slide first. If you’re ready to take on a full rail, go for it. Just make sure you use the right technique and you have enough speed. Now get out there and get after it.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:
Box Slides
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Find a flat box feature with a ride-on style jump. A feature is a fixed object used for skiing such as a box, pipe, or rail. Look around on the slopes for a wide, flat box you can use to practice your box slides. Choose one that has a gentle slope at the beginning so you’re able to ride onto it without having to jump. [1] X Research source
- Flat boxes may be located in a practice area with other features, but they can be placed all around the slopes for people to use.
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Ride up to the feature with enough speed to get across. Learn to gauge and control your speed as you ski toward the box. Practice riding up to the box a little bit faster each time to get a feel for how quickly you need to be skiing in order to make it all the way across. [2] X Research source
- Going too slow can cause you to come to a stop while you’re on the box. Too fast and you may lose control and fall.
- You may be surprised at how fast you need to go in order to get across if you’re new to skiing.
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Slide onto the box and all the way across it. As you approach the box, ski onto it and continue riding all the way down it with your skis parallel with each other. Work on improving your speed so you’re able to make it all the way across the box. Keep your skis about shoulder-width apart and facing downhill so you’re nice and stable. [3] X Research source
- Practice sliding across the box over and over until you feel comfortable.
- Play around with different speeds so you can get better at gauging how fast you need to go.
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Add a shifty once you feel confident skiing across the box. A shifty is when you shift your feet 90 degrees to the side and then back to facing downhill. Once you master sliding across the box, try adding a shifty into your movement. As you slide across the top of the box, turn your feet to the side while you keep your upper body facing forward, then bring your feet back to their original position. [4] X Research source
- Keeping your upper body facing downhill will help you balance.
- Try practicing your slide with a shifty until you feel confident performing it.
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Jump into a shifty once you’re comfortable skiing across the box. Slide up to the box with enough speed to get across. Just before you get to the box, bend your knees and jump up onto it. Turn your skis 90 degrees so they’re facing sideways when you land on the box, but make sure to keep your skis parallel as you do this. [5] X Research source
- The jump doesn’t need to be big. A small pop up onto the box is ideal.
- Keep your weight forward when you jump. If you lean backwards while you're jumping, your skis will likely come out from under you. [6]
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Expert Source
Kent Bry
Certified Ski & Snowboarding Instructor Expert Interview. 14 July 2020. - Be sure you're comfortable controlling your feet while you're on the ground before you attempt to jump on skis. [7]
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Expert Source
Kent Bry
Certified Ski & Snowboarding Instructor Expert Interview. 14 July 2020.
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Slide across the box and shift your skis back to facing downhill. Keep your skis facing 90 degrees to the side and your upper body facing downhill to help you balance. Continue sliding down the box with your skis parallel to each other. When you’re about to get off the box, shift your skis back to facing downhill so you continue skiing when you get off the feature. [8] X Research source
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Practice on thinner boxes to get better. Try sliding on different features to work your way up to rails. Look for thinner boxes and wide pipes you can practice on. The more you do it, the better and more confident you’ll get so you can take on those rails. [9] X Research sourceAdvertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:
Grinding Rails
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Ride up to a rail feature with enough speed to get across. Look for a rail feature in the area you can use to grind on. Build up enough speed in your approach to slide all the way across the rail so you’re less likely to fall off or lose control. [10] X Research source
- Try to stay calm and cool. The more relaxed you are, the better you’ll be able to react and transition in your approach.
- You’ll usually find rails next to other features. They can be in a practice area or placed around the slopes.
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Jump onto the rail and rotate your skis 90 degrees. Just before the beginning of the rail feature, pop up onto it and shift your skis so they’re parallel to each other and facing 90 degrees to the rail. Keep your chest and head facing downhill as a counterbalance as you slide down the rail. [11] X Research source
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Switch your skis back to facing downhill when you get off the rail. Stay calm and relaxed as you grind down the rail. When you’re getting off, shift your skis back to their original position so you continue skiing once you’re back in the snow. Allow your knees to flex when you land so it’s smoother. [12] X Research source
- If you’re too tense or stiff, you could slip off the rail.
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Try to rock on the rail or landing backward to add some style. As you grind down the rail, try leaning back and forth to rock your skis and look super cool and controlled. Another trick you can do is land facing backward when you come off the rail. Instead of doing a shifty to face downhill, turn so you land with your skis parallel and your back facing downhill. [13] X Research source
- As you get better, you’ll be able to add even more movement and style to your grind.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you jump if you're a beginner?Kent Bry is a certified ski and snowboarding instructor and the director of Adventure Ski & Snowboard, a school based in the San Diego, California metro area. With over 50 years of skiing and snowboarding performance and instruction experience, Kent is certified by the Professional Ski Instructors of America (PSIA). Adventure Ski & Snowboard is a member of the PSIA and the American Association of Snowboard Instructors (AASI). Kent holds a BS in Recreational Therapy from San Diego State University and is also a California-registered recreational therapist.It's best to spend plenty of time learning how to control your speed on the ground. Once you can handle most of a green circle trail comfortably, you can start practicing quick jumps—just a few inches at first. Be sure to keep your weight centered and forward, with your shins pressing in front of your ski boots. If your weight is back, your skis will come out from under you and you'll fall.
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Tips
- Try not to take on bigger features before you’re ready. Take your time and master the boxes first if you’re new to skiing.Thanks
- You can work with a ski instructor who can help you learn to hit boxes and rails.Thanks
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Warnings
- Skiing can be dangerous if you’re brand new to it. Work with an experienced instructor or partner if you’ve never done it before.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NJoTLErpTuo?t=42
- ↑ https://youtu.be/NJoTLErpTuo?t=66
- ↑ https://youtu.be/QbGdXn-Hg3s?t=29
- ↑ https://youtu.be/QbGdXn-Hg3s?t=58
- ↑ https://www.ridestore.com/mag/how-to-hit-boxes-and-rails-on-skis/
- ↑ Kent Bry. Certified Ski & Snowboarding Instructor. Expert Interview. 14 July 2020.
- ↑ Kent Bry. Certified Ski & Snowboarding Instructor. Expert Interview. 14 July 2020.
- ↑ https://www.ridestore.com/mag/how-to-hit-boxes-and-rails-on-skis/
- ↑ https://youtu.be/QbGdXn-Hg3s?t=101
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