People say it's one of the easiest tricks that you can do on a snowboard. So I researched on youtube some how-to videos. Low and behold a 15 year old boy named Brandon nails these awesome backflips over and over, explaining step by step how to flip. Nice. I read all 23 pages of his youtube video comments trying to extract all the wisdom that he gives his commenters.  Then I downloaded the video onto my iTouch and I must have watched that video over 50 times.  I even went as far as emailing the guy! He was so helpful. 4 emails later I get all the info I need... Stuff like lean back,  start with 3 foot jump, tuck your knees, don't think too much etc. Then I started my 3 day "training program" at school which was just practicing back flipping on a giant mattress at school to get used to spotting the landing.

And then this past weekend I went to Hakuba Happo-one to try my first backflip. The result?

Like a full laid out gainer straight onto my face. All that stuff I thought so much about all week just went out the door once I took off from the jump. It's actually not as easy at people say. Reason being it really depends on the jump you do it on.  With a 360 you can pretty much do it on any just any kicker right off the bat, and you'll at least land on your feet if you spin flat. With a back flip you'll have no idea how much to rotate unless you just go for broke and try it the first time. It sure is fun as hell though.

I landed 2 out of about 10 that day, getting my first clean landing in 4 tries. Check out my other two videos that I was able to get. I didn't want to force my friends to video me all day so the second jump and another one some time later in the day is all I got. I can get the rotation. But I think I'm flipping a little off axis so I land off balance. Backflips man.. So FUN!

>> See my 2nd jump

>> See another jump