A trick is a term referring to many things: in magic, it is an effect produced by a magician to deceive the spectator's eye. Magicians have this capacity to produce an illusion of reality, and to make believe things one knows are unbelievable.
Surrounded by mystique, magicians usually don't reveal their tricks.

In sports like skiing, skating or snowboarding, tricks are performed by sliding magicians.
The term refers there to aerial freestyles, executed by sliders on natural or artificial obstacles.
We may suggest that it is borrowed from the magic's world, as flabbergasted spectators usually can't believe their eyes in front of such shows.

Tricks executed in snowboarding and skiing are quite similar, and are a three stage process: the slider first propels himself into the air, then executes his trick, and finally lands on his skis or snowboard.
The landing part of the trick is maybe the most important one.
Indeed, any kind of fool can throw himself into the air while executing a more or less artistic figure, the trick worths nothing if the landing is not properly handled.

Landing in one's snowboard or skis implies that the rider has a good knowledge of his body in space, of all parameters of a freestyle _ height of the jump, division of his movement_and of his limits.
Once experienced, he can try these non-exhaustive list of tricks:
a back flip, that is a backward flip executed off a jump, a superman, a squirrel, a backside flip....

By the way, did you know that in 2007, Terje Haakonsen made history in snowboarding when he executed a 360° backside, reaching a height of 9 meters 80, during the “highest air” contest?

Tricks or treat? Come try your best freestyles at TomsGames.com