It's all on the approach...if you puss out in mid air, you'll mess up, like i did once. if you can get on the rail, your cerebellum will keep balance for you. if you feel like you're going to fall, jump, bail, tuck and roll. it's not that hard to stay on the rail, it's getting on the rail that's hard for me. (because all the rails in my town are really tall) don't do anything you're not sure about, but still, be gutsy.

---Alex

Nice info Alex. ^^
Here's how I do it, I'm come from a slant, you shouldn't go straight at the rail because you'll never lock your grindplates, if you don't lock and land on the front of your shoe, you can either try to ride it out (if the rail is really waxed) or bail, you should usually bail because you'll mess yourself up if you try and ride it out and slip. As far as balance goes, try to land on the top of the rail, if you don't and don't go far enough, or too far, your throw your weight in that direction and probably jump off. Never look at your feet while grinding because you'll lose concentration, and... Make sure you can slide the rail before you do it, because if it's really rough, you'll throw yourself forward and ouch.

Well I don't because I usually know where I'll land, the only time I'd ever look down is if I'm on a stair rail and I didn't want to land and snap my ankle. XD

I'd like to see you soap HE HE

MUAHAHA EMAIL!

JJ, you sk8 don't you?

Try an unsmooth rail, like how most aluminum bike racks are if you want to learn backfoot first, beacause your back foot wont slide out and you wont rack yourself bigtime.

Here's a good technique for back foot first:
When you jump, don't put your back foot on the rail right away. Let it float above the rail while you bring your other foot (your jumping foot) onto the rail, landing with both feet at almost the same time. This is what I've been doing for years and its a pretty safe method.

HAha I'll try that later.

~JJ

Ryan certainly knows what hes talking about.
That "clinkclink" is a sound of pure bliss =P

And if you look at any pro soaping vid, (such as some of UKFSW's) you will see that they ALWAYS get onto waist high rails like that.

i go front foot first, and i would have racked myself but instead i landed on my tailbone and almost broke it...just it's almost more dangerous to go front foot first, trust me. but i still do it, because i'm working on going backfoot first, and until i get it, it'll be the old front foot.

---Alex

I love going back foot first. I love it a lot, just ask Renny.

i think backfoot first looks better. I'm gonna keep trying to get it.