 Forget
about early grabs. You'll never go big, and people might laugh.
Start by trying some backside kickturns up near the coping and
grabbing your board just in front of your front foot. You should
be compressed with your knees bent, so it should not require
much effort to reach your board. Once you get the feel for
grabbing your board, you can start trying airs. Go up the wall
at a very slight angle. Don't carve too much at first because
your board will tend to fly away from you. As you approach the
coping, your front wheels should start coming off of the wall at
the same time as your hand reaches down for your board, which is
the same as the kickturn. As your back wheels hit the coping,
put the slightest pressure on your back foot, almost scooping it
upward. This will help bring your board into your hand, as well
as sending you in the right direction, which is up. You are in
the air now with your body facing the coping. Stay calm. Stay
compressed. Your back foot should steer your board in a nice arc
facing you back into the ramp. As you come back in, tuck your
legs back under you to land nice and smooth on the vert. Go
bigger on the next wall.
P.S. This is definitely a
"less is more" type of trick. Don't try to ollie grab
into it or go huge at first. Land some small, mellow ones, then
work your way up.
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