Switch refers to a change in the rider’s stance direction – the direction in which the rider is travelling. If your normal stance has your left foot forward (regular), then switch is riding with your right foot forward. It’s the same for goofy riders (right foot forward): they’re riding “switch” when their left foot is forward.

As you can see, you don’t need to be doing a trick to be “riding switch”. You can do that just fine on the piste/trail.

A switch trick is exactly the same as the normal version of the trick, except that you start off riding switch. So a switch backside 180, is a backside 180, starting in your switch direction.

Cab spins. A cab spin is a switch, frontside rotation. Therefore a switch frontside 360 can also be called a “cab 360″. As mentioned above, you may hear abbreviations such as “cab 3″ or “cab 5″. A “half cab” is simply a “cab 1″ – a switch frontside 180.

Riding switch is very important for your freestyle snowboarding. Not only for doing switch tricks, but many normal tricks have you landing switch. For example, all of your early 180s will have you landing switch, and you need to be able to ride them out. Likewise, some butters and boardslides will have you popping out switch. It’s important to get comfortable riding switch.

If you’re interested in learning to ride switch, or already on that path, consider this article: 7 practical approaches to learning switch.

Snowboard Tricks Guide

This article is part of the afterbang Guide to Snowboard Tricks.