How to FS Handplant or Frontside Invert on a Snowboard
Introduction
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What up shredder…
One reason I got Oakley to fly me out to Mt. Hood, and pay for me to go snowboarding in the middle of summer, is because the team manager liked my handplants.
Specifically, my frontside inverts, which not a lot of people take the time to learn.
But you’re not like most people. Once you’ve mastered the backside handplant, it’s time to step to the frontside invert.
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The FS Handplant Trick for Beginners
Ok, frontside handplant, also called a frontside invert. We’re taking another note out of skateboarding’s book here.
This trick was originally done as a “miller flip” invented by Darrel Miller where you bring it back to fakie in the vert ramp. In snowboarding, we tend to refer to a backflip over an obstacle with your front hand down in the middle as a miller flip, and a frontside handplant to regular on a quarter pipe or halfpipe as a frontside invert.
Again, like all handplants, The frontside invert is one of the most fun tricks EVER.
And they aren’t that hard, just a little scary at first, so even if you’re not a pro on the snowboard, as long as you can do a frontside air on a quarterpipe, you can try a handplant.
It might also make this trick easier if you learn a backflip, and maybe even a crippler on a quarter pipe before trying this trick. That being said, you don’t have to know how to do those tricks to handplant.
How to do a Frontside Invert While Snowboarding
Step 1 is to find the right feature. This is easiest on a small to medium quarter pipe with some vertical at the top, also called vert.
You can also do this in a halfpipe but it’s a lot harder because you have to stay on an edge, and the wall falls away down the slope, so if possible, try this on a quarter pipe where you can ride straight up the wall.
Now, contrary to popular opinion, the hardest part about this trick is NOT the handplant.
It’s getting the speed and pop right. If you do that, everything else is easy.
Before we start planting, let’s practice frontside airs on the quarter pipe to get comfortable with the speed.
We want the same speed as if we were going to air about 2 feet out of the quarter pipe. This is a little bit faster for this trick than most people would guess.
That’s because, we want to plant on the very top of the lip, and we want our feet to go above our heads, in an almost weightless manner.
If you go too slow, you’re not going to make it up the vert, and your full body weight will come crashing down.
If you go too fast, your hand will miss the plant and you might fly out of the quarter pipe.
If we get our speed JUST right, it’s the right amount to throw our feet over our head, and keep them weightless.
With the right speed, this trick feels weightless. That’s why you don’t need gymnast level strength to pull it off.
Advanced FS Handplants on a Snowboard
Ok, let’s talk about the approach. We’re going to come straight into the quarter pipe, and basically ride straight up the wall.
I like to take a slight toe edge, so I can really dig in to start turning my shoulders. It also makes it easier to get the pop to throw your feet over your head.
Unlike the backside handplant where we don’t want to turn our shoulders until we’re already in the plant, I turn my shoulders before I even pop on this one, as I’m riding up the wall.
To do this trick right, You’re going to pop at the very top of the quarter pipe and throw your feet straight back over your head. Look down over your front shoulder and spot the top of the quarter pipe to plant your front hand. Your eyes should be laser focused on where your hand is going to land.
It’s easiest if you grab indy at the same time your arm reaches the lip. Your feet are going to go more than over your head, almost like 3/4 of a flip. You can actually use your indy grab to pull your feet over your head.
Push off the snow with your front hand and look over your leading shoulder to get your feet to drop back in to the quarter pipe. Again, this is all about getting perfect speed. If you do that, you’ll fall right back to your feet.
When you come back in, you’re going to have to make some effort to lean toward your front foot to regain your balance.
Since your legs are going MORE than over your head, you’re going to pop out a little harder on this one. Just don’t pop out too hard and send it to the flats.
The big mistake people make on this one is not sending their feet far enough over their head. They want to hedge their bets and do 25%, but this is a lot easier if you really flip your feet over the head.
The fs invert is all about confidence and speed. I think I learned this one first or second try too.
Just pick a slushy day so the landing is soft, and go for it.
The worst case scenario is you slide down the QP on your back, which isn’t too bad as long as you land at the top. Don’t pop out super hard or you might fall to the bottom.
The Snowboarding Frontside Invert Trick
That’s it, the frontside invert. Ride straight up the wall of a QP slightly on your toes, with just enough speed to air two feet out. As your tail leaves the lip, throw your feet back over your head, and look down your front shoulder to spot the plant. Put your front hand on the lip, and Grab your toe edge with your back hand and pull to get your feet over your head.
Snap your feet back under you, lean forward and ride away clean. After you’ve got that, flip it the whole way over and take it to fakie next time.
And if you’re really a master, take it to fakie back the other way.
Find a slushy quarter pipe and Go give your first frontside invert a shot today.
That’s it.
Peace out shredder
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