THEME: Shred Manueuvers – The Method
PHOTO: Patrick Armbruster
RIDER: Tommy Brunner
LOCATION: Seegrube, Austria
CAMERA: Canon EOS 1 (analog)
WRITER: Arlie Carstens ©
Like all adventure sports, snowboarding is a high stakes / high reward way of life. There are few tricks in snowboarding as satisfying as the method air. Whether it be sprocking a quick method off of a mogul, dropping a switch method in the pipe, or laying out a lien method on a side hit—this is the defining shred maneuver of our global sport.
Of the many stylish methods out there, the method as practiced by the late, great Tommy Brunner stands out. Wide stance. Legs bowed. Back arched. Lead hand clutching the board behind the front binding. Trailing hand held aloft like the mast of a tall sailing ship. Full-throttle. Maximum power, commitment, and stoke. Simple. Beautiful. Always and forever.
If you ever find yourself wondering mid-hit, what trick should I do? The answer is this—do a method. And when you do, think of this shot of Brunner captured in Seegrube, Austria by Patrick Armbruster way back in 1999.