One thing that doesn’t get talked about much, but should be, is the importance of committing to a trick. If you don’t fully commit to the execution of a trick, you’ll end up crashing and possibly injuring yourself.
What do I mean by ‘committing’ to a trick?
I mean don’t second guess or pull out mid way through the trick. Assuming you’ve decided you’re ready to try a trick, focus on following through with executing the trick as soon as you drop in.
The last thing you want is to get to the take off point for a trick, suddenly pull out and end up landing on your head. Focus. Clear your head. Drop in. Think about how you’ll need to execute the trick and don’t hold back.
You know those guys you see going towards a jump, doing 500 speed checks as they get scared, then end up not even making it to the landing of the jump as they crash in the flat spot? That’s just one of the things that can happen when you don’t commit to a trick.
The point of no return
You might be scared and you might be worried just before you drop into a new trick or technique, but you still have to commit. There’s a point of no return for whatever trick you’re attempting.
For example, I always decide on what I’m going to do BEFORE I drop into a jump. For me, my point of no return is the drop in. From the moment I drop in for a jump, I’ve already committed to whatever trick I’m trying and I’m going for it.
If I pull out or decide I’m not ready, I do that before I drop into the jump.
You need to be focused. You don’t want to be thinking about whether you should be doing this trick when you’re already riding towards the take off of the jump. Focus on the trick and get out of your head.
You want to be thinking like this:
“Here comes the pre carve… is my speed good… my line is good… okay, here comes the take off ramp… I need to be start winding my body now…”
Not like this:
“Oh crap, should I be doing this? Maybe this was a bad idea…”
If you’re inside your head worrying about whether you should do the trick, you might not notice that you’re going too slow or that you missed an important set up point for a trick.
There’s a lot of things you need to be thinking about during a trick and you don’t want to be drifting off thinking about your worries mid drop in.
Commit to the trick. Focus. Execute.
- Jed
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Awesome post, really resonated with me. I feel the same with this. Also, never halfass it, just do it(right), nike style
Thanks, great to hear Rustin
Yup, I agree. I started following your technique: committing at drop in and it’s up’d my game much more than I would have ever thought. Although a bit late on the response, needed to give you your props. When trying a new trick/spin/bigger kicker I’d often huck it on first couple attempts, always feeling I caught an edge or set up wrong. Now I realize, second guessing landing the trick caused me to mess up. By committing at drop in and having the mentality can’t wimp out now, all I’m focused on is technique. It’s the simple things…
Awesome Joey, that’s great to hear