A tailblock is a jib trick you do on any snow feature — a wind lip, a snowbank, the side of a cat track. You ride in, pop a frontside 180, jam the tail into the snow, grab the nose, and use the board's loaded flex to spring yourself back out. It's kind of a very aggressive Tail Press.
The block itself is the trick. Pop a frontside 180 and drive the tail down aggressively into the snow as you come around — not just set it down, but actively dig it in. If the tail is vague or sitting lightly, the board wanders sideways and the whole thing falls apart. The moment the tail bites, grab the nose with your front hand and push all your weight onto your back leg. Your board will flex under the load, nose coming up, tail buried. That's the position you want to hold.
From there, the pop-out is almost passive. A deeply loaded board wants to spring back.
Video by Network A
Key tips
- Ride in on your toe edge at controlled speed
- Drive the tail into the snow aggressively as you come around. A light landing slips; a committed one locks
- Once the tail is buried, grab the nose and stack all your weight on your back leg
- Practice on a forgiving bank with soft snow — the trick is unforgiving on hard-packed ice