How to lay a flat table

Hey Lee,
I’ve been doing freeride type riding for years now, and am fairly competent at jumping. I hit 35′ gaps and launch doubles like it’s nothing, but I cannot table to save my life! I have your book, but something just doesn’t feel right. I’ve tried them on straight out gaps, hips and a lot more, but no matter what I do, it seems to want to either stay level and just turn the bars or flatten out but my body does too!

Is there something I’m missing?

Trevor

Hi Trevor,

I have good “book knowledge” of how to do a tabletop, but I must admit I’m not great at doing them.

Meet Zach Lewis. He’s a pro freestyle snowboarder and dirt jump/trick rider. He does shows with the Yellow Designs Stunt Team. He’s a good man and a great rider, and here he is:

From Zach:

Table tops are one of the coolest and most stylish tricks in the world, and once you have them on lock down you will be having your friends over for lunch. Here are some helpful hints and a how-to on laying those things over flat enough to host a picnic. I have found it very helpful to start off in the half pipe or on the quarter pipe, take it to the hips and then head to the straight jumps using this simple formula.

[Say you want to lay your bike to the left, as on a left hip. -Lee]

Step one – the approach: When approaching the lip make sure you are very relaxed on the bike, knees and elbows bent.

Step two – arm tuck: As soon as your front tire leaves the lip, you begin the trick. Pull your dominant hand [the one that will be on top, in this case your left] toward the opposite side of your body. Push with your other arm. Make sure you pull with your dominant arm and not push; otherwise the bike will stay vertical and just go to the other side of your body. Pulling your top hand toward you leads the rest of your body through the trick.

Step three – knee tuck: As your rear tire leaves the lip you will want to suck your dominate knee [the left one] up toward your elbow. Your other leg will naturally follow the process. The more you suck up that dominant knee, the flatter the bike will get.

Step four – exiting the trick: Pull your dominate hand and knee back to an upright position lock your seat belt and get ready for the landing.

Step five – landing: This is the same as the approach make sure you are very relaxed knees and elbows bent and centered over the bike.

Helpful hints: When learning this trick it is helpful lower your seat so it is not pushing against your leg. Also narrower bars are easier to suck up without becoming a body contortionist.

Good luck,

Zach Lewis

Here’s Zach last Sunday at a The Fix Jr. Team training sesh.

Zach’s sponsors
Snowboard corner: Revolution mfg., Dopamine clothing, Optic Nerve, Airwalk,
Eskimo Ski & Board shop,

Bike corner: Addict cycles, Yellow Design stunt team, Dopamine clothing,
Optic Nerve, Airwalk, Mojo Wheels.