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Frontside and Backside 50-50s As you start to hit bigger rails and boxes,
you'll find that some require an ollie on from the side, like skateboarding. These are
called street-style features which are usually downhill and have 2 directions to approach
from, frontside or backside. A frontside 50-50 is where the feature is
in front of your body as you approach. A backside 50-50 is where the feature is behind
you as you approach. Practice on a balance bar, bamboo stick or
similar to get a rough idea of how to jump on.
While riding down a gentle slope, ollie from your toe edge and move your body horizontally
as if your jumping onto a rail. Step this up from here and practice ollieing right over
a rail. This exercise will increase your confidence giving you the feeling of how much height
is needed from your ollie. The rail will pass underneath and you'll be able to judge what
it would feel like to connect. Try this also in the backside direction olleing
slightly from your heel edge. On the snow first, then over a rail.
Neither fronstide or backside is harder - however many riders find frontside more comfortable
to try first, as you can easily see the feature in front of you.
Find the speed by watching others who make it look easy.
Approach at a slight angle because of the street-style ollie on. Approximately 20 degrees,
give or take. Instead of popping off 2 feet, ollies work
better for street-style features. The important part of the landing, is how
you land on the feature. While in the air straighten your board parallel
with the rail and gently land with equal weight on both feet. To do this, you'll need to slightly
adjust the angle of your body while in the air so that it matches the angle of the rail.
Keep your head up looking towards the end of the feature.