We actually break a trick down [in our minds beforehand]. For me, if I’m doing a triple cork, which is three flips, I’m fascinated about it in three separate flips. What am I doing within the first flip? What am I doing in the second? What am I doing within the third one? And likewise, what am I alleged to be grabbing? Tail seize, Japan seize, double Japan seize — there’s tons and tons of grabs. It’s about fascinated about the place your physique place goes to be, the place you’re going to be grabbing, the place you’re trying.
Going blind
Air consciousness is the place you understand the place you’re within the air. It’s an enormous a part of our sport. If you happen to don’t know the place you’re, you may’t land in your toes since you don’t know the place the bottom is and the place the sky is.
The primary development of this trick is a switched-up cork 1260 mute. You are taking off backwards, swap 1260, you flip two instances, and also you seize mute. And that trick I discovered once I was 17 years previous. I’ve been doing it for therefore lengthy now. It’s just like the again of my head. I can do it with my eyes closed.
The subsequent [progression] after that may be a swap triple 1620 — it’s the subsequent step up from the 1260. Final 12 months I did it at nearly each occasion. I did it in slopestyle occasions. I did it in huge airs, and it did very well. That’s the subsequent step.
After which I discovered the 19[80] this 12 months in Mammoth [Mountain, in California] in Could. I did it on the airbag once I was 21. The final Olympic 12 months, I did on the airbag. I by no means did it on snow, for some motive. I believe I simply couldn’t actually discover the proper time to do it. However I type of knew I needed to do it this 12 months.
This [trick] is lots scarier, as a result of as a substitute of simply including one other flip to the 1620, you must “go blind” for a second, the place you look over your shoulder and you may’t actually see what’s taking place. … Terrifying. You simply don’t know what’s taking place. You don’t actually know what’s up and what’s down. … You simply need to belief that you just’re going to get round and get that little spin in the course of the trick, since you’re including one other 360[-degree rotation] into it. So you must type of go blind for a second within the air. You don’t actually know what’s taking place. However then when you get that little rotation in the course of the trick, you type of like look previous and let it preserve going, and it simply works.
You see lots much less of what’s taking place [in the air] since you’re spinning a lot. If my takeoff isn’t good, then I can’t do it. If I miss my seize, I can’t do it. If I’m spinning too sluggish however I decide to the trick, I’m gonna land on my face as a result of I’m not spinning quick sufficient. There’s so many variables happening that in case you don’t get it proper, you’re simply going to essentially damage your self.
‘It’s do or die’
[The key to a good takeoff] is getting the proper energy: how a lot spin and flip you’re getting and your positioning of your physique. Your takeoff, generally you may rush it. It’s known as going early. Your skis take off when the leap ends. Or your physique is in a bizarre place earlier than the leap is off. It’s about being affected person and, like, letting it occur but additionally getting sufficient energy to spin sufficient. If you happen to’re too affected person, then you definately’re not gonna have sufficient time to get it round.
