Today’s reader question:
Any tips for avoiding getting dizzy when you spin 360s and beyond?
Honestly, I never get dizzy when I spin off jumps and I’m someone who gets dizzy and motion sickness really easily.
However, you asked the question, so I did some research into why people get dizzy spinning to get a proper answer and solution for you.
What I’m working with:
Just to clarify, when I say I get motion sickness really easily, I really do mean REALLY easily.
I get motion sickness from just your average 15-20 min bus ride. Any long trip in a car, where I’m not the driver, requires either somehow distracting me for the entire ride or keeping a window open the entire way.
My housemate even refuses to drive me places because I once threw up out the window of his car on the way home from the airport.
So you can definitely say I’m prone to getting dizzy and motion sick.
Why you get dizzy when you spin 360s and beyond:
You get dizzy right now because you’re focusing on the spinning.
For example:
If you’re sitting in a swivel chair and your friend spins the chair in circles, your head is usually focused on the room that’s spinning in circles and you eventually get dizzy.
How to stop getting dizzy when you spin snowboard tricks:
When I researched into why people like ballerinas don’t get dizzy while spinning, I found the answer.
Ballerinas don’t get dizzy because they focus on a non moving area while they spin. This means their head rotates less and it also gives them a focal point to concentrate on, which stops them getting disorientated.
This makes sense when you compare it to how I and many others focus our eyes when we spin.
Most freestyle snowboarders look for certain key areas of the slope while we spin, which is why we don’t get dizzy and is also how we know where we are in the air while we spin a 360, 540 or even a double cork 1080.
To compare this to how someone just starting off with spinning might execute a 360 or 540, they’ll tend to just throw the spin and not lock their view on any specific place while they spin.
Where should you focus while spinning to stop dizziness:
In our case, the place you’ll be trying to focus on depends on the trick… but in most cases you’ll be focusing on the landing slope.
For example:
Let’s say we wanted to do a trick such as a backside 360. So I ride towards the jump, pop into my spin, and as soon as I’m in the air my head is already turning and looking for the landing slope.
While I might not be able to see the slope right away, I’ll be turning my head and looking for it. Once the landing comes into view, my head stops spinning and is focused on keeping my eyes on the landing for the rest of the spin.
You can take this technique and apply it to every trick. All that changes is the areas that you’re focusing on and maybe adding 2-3 more areas that you’re trying to focus on during more advanced tricks.
So if you were spinning a big rotation trick like a double cork backside 1080:
You’d start by looking at the sky (since you’re likely upside down) and waiting for the first 360 to complete before the landing comes into view.
Your focus is then on the landing for a short period of time before you dip into the second 540 spin where once again you’re starting to look for the landing one more time.
The key to remember while spinning:
The key is you’re always focusing on a non moving area of the slope to stop yourself from getting dizzy and to stop yourself from getting lost within the spin.
Hope that answers your question.
- Jed
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I also get dizzy extremely easy, even after passing few floors downstairs, and focusing on something non-moving really helps while spinning!
There is another solution: training. A very unpleasant thing for first couple of times, but very effective too. On trampoline, start doing 180s (or more, it works better) continuously, every jump, and try not to fall down as long as you can, even when completely disoriented. If you dont have access to trampolines, just do any kind of continuous spinning while standing or walking (not on a hard surface!). Do it two-three times a week. After few weeks you’ll notice that you can spin much longer, and you dont get as dizzy as ater first time.
Hi, I also used to get dizzy extremely easy, even after passing few floors downstairs), but found another solution: training. Very unpleasant for first couple of times (eat much before not recommended
, but very effective too. On trampoline, strart doing 180s (or more, works better) continuously, every jump, and try not to fall down as long as you can, even when completely disoriented. Some fun can be added competing with friends. If you dont have access to trampolines, just do any kind of continuous spinning while standing or walking (not on a hard surface, you can get seriously injured because your body won’t be able to react properly when falling). Do this 2-3 times a week, and after few weeks you’ll notice that you can spin much longer, get less disoriented and dizzy.
Sorry for double-post, unstable connection. Jed, please, delete one
No worries, deleted the double post