Professional snowboarding has been around for many years, with the halfpipe competition being one of the most popular events. Several factors determine your score in professional snowboarding, one of which is amplitude. But what is amplitude in snowboarding? Â
Amplitude in snowboarding is the amount of height you reach in the air. It is most commonly associated with riding halfpipe and is measured from the top of the halfpipe. But amplitude is measured in other snowboarding events as well.Â
Read on to learn more about amplitude and how to boost yours!
How Is Amplitude Used in Judging Snowboard Events?
Judges look at amplitude in snowboarding events as one of the main categories for determining how someone did in an event. The competitions in which they will judge you on your amplitude include:Â
- Halfpipe
- Slopestyle
- Big Air
While halfpipe is the most famous event that judges amplitude, it is also important in these other events. Judges will look at how much air you get in addition to other factors, but the amplitude holds a lot of weight, especially in the halfpipe event.
Amplitude is a fun category to track. Watch your favorite riders soar in the air and potentially reach new heights.
Check out this great video from the Olympics that shows riders catching huge amplitude:Â
Is Higher Amplitude Always Best?
Higher amplitude might seem like the goal, and it often is. But you need to be in control as well. Judges will deduct points for amplitude that is deemed unsafe or takes away from the overall appearance of a trick.Â
You want to improve your overall height when snowboarding, but you also have to consider other factors that make up your performance as well. Some things that you need to keep in mind that may take away from the effectiveness of higher amplitudes include:
- You always need to have control over your body and board.Â
- Make sure you are still performing technical tricks and not just jumping as high as possible.
- You need to stick the landing, so if you go too big, you may have trouble landing smoothly.
How Is Amplitude Measured in Snowboarding
Amplitude is measured by calculating the amount of height a snowboarder is getting in the air. In an event like a halfpipe, they will place a tall measuring device on the top of the halfpipe that helps the judges and spectators determine how much amplitude a snowboarder gets.Â
Does Amplitude Matter In Amateur Snowboarding
As you’ve seen, amplitude is an important criterion when watching competitive snowboarding. But what about if you are an amateur?Â
In this case, amplitude only matters if you want it to. It is a lot of fun to catch big air, but if your main goal is riding down the mountain, the amplitude may not matter to you. If you plan to compete, then it is something that you’ll need to improve to win competitions.
To work on your own amplitude you might want to consider building your own halfpipe.Â
ConclusionÂ
Amplitude is one of my all time favorite features of competitive snowboarding.Â
In my eyes, bigger is nearly always better!Â
If you’re ready to work on your own amplitude then get yourself over to one of these incredible ski resorts.Â
