basic jumping

Question
I AM 32 AND HAVE BEEN RIDING ABOUT 4 WEEKS. I HAVE ATTEMPTED JUMPS IN THE TERRAIN PARK BUT HAVE TROUBLE KEEPING MY BOARD AND BODY ALINGED IN THE AIR, RESULTING IN ME LANDING WITH THE BOARD SQUARE ON TO THE SLOPE. AS AT THE MOMENT MY JUMPS ARE VERY SMALL IT'S NOT TO MUCH OF A PROBLEM, BUT IF THEY GET ANY HIGHER I COULD DO MYSELF SERIOUS DAMAGE. PLEASE COULD YOU GIVE ME ANY TIPS.    MANY THANKS WIZZO.  

Answer
Here's what the problem is.  When your jumping, your torquing your body so that you either spin, or rotate off axis( from what you described, that sounds like what your doing)Here's another little tip, You say your 32, stretch before you go out to ride, you could seriously hurt yourself. Im 16, Im still kind of indestructable.  To prevent falling to your toeside or heelside, when you take off, make sure that you jump evenly throughout your feet. for instance, if you push too hard with your toes, your gonna fall flat on your face.  If you push too hard on your heels, your gonna land on your butt and its gonna hurt all day long. When you jump, also jump with both feet evenly, cause you could either loop out and crack  your head open or give yourself the need for a nose job. Another lesson, wear a helmet, I do. I have a helmet by the company RED, Its the skycap. it cost like 100 bucks or 50 in the off season and is paddy as hell, an warm. it saved my life a bunch of times.When you take off, try not to look over your shoulders. It'll cause you to start to spin. NOT A GOOD THING AS A BEGINNER. *I don't know if this is a good idea for you yet because your still a beginner, but this'll save you another  letter to ALLEXPERTS.  If you want to go higher, angle the lip of the jump so it is steeper.  If you want to go farther, make the lip less steep or go faster.*

                      IM OUT O' HERE!
P.S.don't forget the helmet thing. Its worth it.