The Indy is a simple grab using your back hand to grab the toe edge between your feet. You’ll usually end up grabbing a little closer to your left foot. That’s all good. Just be careful though, because if you grab your toe edge behind your back binding it is know as Tindy which can (and will) be frowned upon! This is a fun easy grab and one of the best to take from straight airs into 360s and bigger spins later on. It’s fun off cliffs, hips and in the pipe, and it’s also great with miller flips. Look at it this asa foundation for all your future freestylin’. You should be comfortable doing ollies and hitting small jumps before you start.

1. The Set-Up

Find a nice jump. You might want to hit it a few times so you have your speed dialed. Approach with moderate speed – enough to clear the knuckle to make it to the landing. No one likes landing flat now do they? For indys I always approach with a long S-shaped turn and set myself up pretty centred to the jump. Before I even go up the lip I flatten my board so I am headed dead straight.

2. The Pop

Keep your eyes on the lip ready to ollie (or pop) off the tail of your board. Keeping your weight nice and centred and your board flat, pop as you reach the end of the lip. Pop it, pop it real good! Don’t leave your confidence behind, as this is 95% of the trick here and it’s the main thing that will determine the outcome.

3. Initiating the Grab

Once airborne you will know how the crucial take-off part has gone. If you popped funny or off balance it will be hard to get that grab and most likely you’ll be flailing ‘til the landing. With a strong take off, you should be able to bring your knees up towards your torso. Think about that rear hand coming down to meet your board and grabbing your toe edge. Don’t bend at the waist too much though as this will cause you to stick your ass out – this is known as bad, dirty style. Remember to keep your eyes on where you are going and keep looking at your landing. Don’t look between your feet at what you are grabbing – it will throw you off balance.

4. The Grab

With that hand grabbing the edge of your board you have got it. Indy baby! Now, after a few goes of getting the grab and landing, you should start thinking about style. I feel the indy looks great with just a good grab, but to make it look awesome bone it! That means tweaking it out. The most common tweak is known as the nose bone, and you just extend your frontlead leg as straight as possible out in front of you – kinda like a karate kick. In my sequence I tried nose boneing and got a bit stiff with both legs making it more like a stiffy indy (both legs straightened) but then nose boned it properly after the peak.

5. The Landing

So at about three quarters of the way through the airtime your landing is approaching quickly. It’s time to release that grab and put the landing gear down. Keep your eyes on the landing and your legs slightly bent. You want your board nice and flat and again, as with the take-off, you want your balance your centred. Touch down, absorbing the landing in your knees and riding straight. Be careful not to bend at the waist as you land as this will cause you to overbalance and possibly wipe out. Nice one you got it! Now go work on that style and have fun.