Wintersports
Skiing
How to safety grab on skis
A complete guide on how to safety grab in skiing, including how to practice this trick and avoid common blunders.
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When alpine skier Lindsey Vonn sets a goal, there’s no stopping her until she makes it happen. She explains her never-give-up mentality in an interview with Red Bull.
“If I set my mind to something, I won’t stop until I achieve it,” Vonn says.
Lindsey Vonn during the Downhill Race at FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in 2019
© Erich Spiess / ASP / Red Bull Content Pool
Vonn’s attitude is a great example you should follow when learning new ski tricks such as the safety grab. Try it out if you’re ready to add something new to your bag of tricks — it’s an essential part of any freestyle repertoire that can be seen at Red Bull Cascade, a freestyle ski competition.
Why should you learn to safety grab?
Ski grabs take your style and skills to the next level, and there are tons of grabs to liven up your freestyle skiing routine. Before you can grasp the flashiest grab tricks, though, you should lay the groundwork with the safety grab. You’ll add finesse to your jumps, improve your overall ski performance, and test your balance, timing, and coordination.
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Types of ski grabs for beginners
There are three basic ski grabs that beginners should learn. Think of them as the ABCs of ski grabs — they’re the building blocks for enhancing your jumps.
Nicolas Vuignier at the Red Bull Linecatcher in Les Arc, France
© Sebastian Marko / Red Bull Content Pool
- Safety grab. This is the easiest grab to learn. While flying through a jump, you’ll bring your knees up and grab your right ski with your right hand near your bindings. This might take some time to grasp, but once you get comfortable with it, there’s no stopping you.
- Mute grab. To pull off a mute grab, reach for your left ski with your right hand. To do this, you’ll need to cross your skis mid-air — this adds a nice mix of difficulty and excitement. Resist the urge to reach between your knees, though, and make sure to grab the outer edge of your ski.
- Tail grabs. Whereas the mute and safety grabs involve gripping your skis near your feet, this grab requires you to reach toward the tail. You don’t have to grab all the way at the end — just within a few inches of it. The precise timing and technique this takes can be quite a challenge compared to the other two beginner ski grabs.
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How to safety grab on skis: a step-by-step guide
Tamas Stiller during the Snowattack Activation in Budapest, Hungary
© Mark Somay / Red Bull Content Pool
- Scout out your location. Select the jump, or platform, where you want to perform your safety grab. High jumps mean you can hold on longer as you spend more time in the air, but it’s understandable if you want to start small.
- Time the grab right. Add a nice strong pop just after you approach the jump, then wait a quick moment before moving into the safety grab position. Getting the timing right can be the hardest part. You don’t want to grab too early, or you’ll throw off your balance.
- Tuck your legs. Just before you bend your knees, extend your legs so they can rebound in for the grab. Then, bring your knees up toward your chest.
- Reach for the win. When your skis are where you want them, grab the outside edge of your right ski with your right hand. It’s important to grab the ski and not your bindings or the toes of your boot. You’ll need to get a firm grip with at least two fingers for your trick to qualify as a proper safety grab. Release before you land, then ride on to your next exhilarating move.
The most common safety grab mistake to avoid
A lot of beginners make the error of reaching down toward their skis during a safety grab, but that’s an easy way to stumble. Instead, let your lower body do the work and bring the skis up to your hands. This will keep your chest in the right position so you don’t lose your balance.
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Practice tips and drills
Birk Irving at the Red Bull Performance camp
© Dom Daher / Red Bull Content Pool
Start on the ground
It’s much easier to develop muscle memory when gravity isn’t working against you. Try practicing safety grab motions on the ground before you start jumping. Lie on your back with your skis on, and practice bringing your knees up toward you and grabbing in the correct location.
Trampoline drills
Ski training trampolines let you practice your grabs and other ski tricks without having to drive to the snow. They’re one of the best training tools for safety grabs since you can see what the grab feels like mid-air in a more controlled environment. You’ll put on specially designed trampoline skis and spring into action.
Start as low as you feel comfortable with. As you jump up and down, practice the tuck and grab motion when you reach maximum height. If you need to warm up first, you can try the ground drills described above while lying upward at the edge of the trampoline.
Get the timing right
You know you don’t want to grab your ski too early, but you might be wondering, just how soon is too soon? This will probably take some trial and error to figure out, so patience and persistence are key.
You can help your progression along with a jumping drill that doesn’t involve any grabbing. To start, approach and pop off a jump. At the highest point, do a quick spready at the exact same moment you would do a safety grab. This involves quickly springing your fully extended legs apart and then back together before descending.
Safety grabs today, no limits tomorrow
Safety grabs take practice, but with perseverance, they’ll seem like a breeze. Before you know it, you’ll be moving on to more complex maneuvers, such as the Japan grab’s underhand reach and the nose grab’s bent-over arch. If anything, learning the safety grab is just the beginning.
