Expect to be on your bum a lot!! i work down at snozone in castleford so regularly get to see people on boarding lessons. For the majority of your boarding lessons before your at a recreational standard you will fall over quite frequently so dont let that put you off. Practice makes perfect and all that...
Snowboarders in here please!
- Thread starter [SKR]Phoenix
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Like other people have said, just get used to the idea that you will be in agony for two/three days, and you'll never have known your coccyx to hurt so much! The first time you nail a perfect bit of powder perfectly is probably the best thing you'll ever experience though, boarding in good conditions is utterly euphoric .
Make sure your arse is padded too. You will fall on that a lot, as well as your wrists (as someone mentioned above). Biggest most common accident is broken/fractured wrists with new boarders. Also, keep this in mind, where your head moves so does your feet/body... otherwise have fun with it!! Once your good at it, snowboarding is a dream..
This man speaks wisdom, I'm an avid skier, and thought that snowboarding would be a breeze, lo and behold 4 days of lessons later i couldn't sit down properly for a good 2 weeks, got laughed at so bad when i tried to play tennis
Snowboarding is great fun, one thing i would say is when you go to make a turn commit your self to it, you wont get anywhere only trying to half turn you will just endup going straight so you have to think im wanting to turn left so im bloody going left! Dont wimp out as your turning, it will feel really strange at first but you will get used to it.
And be ready for pain i broke my arm last year snowboarding but it was still bloody fun, i had just ground my first rail and fell over about 10ft after it and snap
And be ready for pain i broke my arm last year snowboarding but it was still bloody fun, i had just ground my first rail and fell over about 10ft after it and snap
[SKR]Phoenix;11778118 said:
Thats normal - it means you are 'regular' - if it was the other way you would be 'goofy'
The sense of achievement when you do your first linked turns will keep you addicted for years. Its great fun and you will have a great time - enjoy..
Soldato
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Go skiing instead 
I literally couldnt move for days after my first day boarding, every muscle in my body hurt, couldnt even lift my head off the pillow the next day, worth every bit of pain though.
Remember last year when I was in St. Moritz boarding on my own, did a 5k run down a huge mountain and then on through a small forest, was probably one of the most fantastic experiences of my life, didnt fall over once, was going at a good rate of knots, everything just came together, just a shame it was just me there to enjoy it.
Once you get the bug it wont let you go.
Have fun
Remember last year when I was in St. Moritz boarding on my own, did a 5k run down a huge mountain and then on through a small forest, was probably one of the most fantastic experiences of my life, didnt fall over once, was going at a good rate of knots, everything just came together, just a shame it was just me there to enjoy it.
Once you get the bug it wont let you go.
Have fun
Soldato
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I would assume in your first few hours you will learn to use a button lift (a rope u hold onto that drags you up the hill) stand up (not as easy as it sounds with a plank of wood attached to your feet),
stand up while on a slope without moving, this will involve digging in an edge of the board, probably your heel edge, basically this is done by raising your toes up. Once you have your balance and aren't moving you will lower the angle at which your board is dug into the snow, the closer it is to being flat with the snow the more you will move and the faster you will go. After sliding forward a couple of feet you will be asked to go back on your edge to practice stopping while in motion. Getting used to this will take a fair amount of practice and will involve a lot of time on your bum when you did in too much and fall backwards, or accidentally dig in with your toe and fall forwards
From here you could learn to do the same thing on your toe edge (with you facing back up the hill) or you could learn to turn
as people have said the best way and the simpliest way to turn is to look where you want to go you turn your head, your body follows your head, your board follows your body.
Once you have gotten the hang of your edges and basic turning you will probably find you prefer one of your edges, from here you can do what is called the falling leaf technique which as the name suggests involves going down the slope in a zig zag motion on the same edge.
This is good for you to start off with and work on your turns and balance, when you can do this well enough though you will want to push yourself and try and link your turns together (use both edges)
Thats pretty much snowboarding in a nutshell, after you can do this its just practice
stand up while on a slope without moving, this will involve digging in an edge of the board, probably your heel edge, basically this is done by raising your toes up. Once you have your balance and aren't moving you will lower the angle at which your board is dug into the snow, the closer it is to being flat with the snow the more you will move and the faster you will go. After sliding forward a couple of feet you will be asked to go back on your edge to practice stopping while in motion. Getting used to this will take a fair amount of practice and will involve a lot of time on your bum when you did in too much and fall backwards, or accidentally dig in with your toe and fall forwards
From here you could learn to do the same thing on your toe edge (with you facing back up the hill) or you could learn to turn
as people have said the best way and the simpliest way to turn is to look where you want to go you turn your head, your body follows your head, your board follows your body.
Once you have gotten the hang of your edges and basic turning you will probably find you prefer one of your edges, from here you can do what is called the falling leaf technique which as the name suggests involves going down the slope in a zig zag motion on the same edge.
This is good for you to start off with and work on your turns and balance, when you can do this well enough though you will want to push yourself and try and link your turns together (use both edges)
Thats pretty much snowboarding in a nutshell, after you can do this its just practice
Soldato
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Point the board downhill and stand up, you'll learn pretty quick.
Better than those pricks with sticks...
Search youtube for 'snowboard lesson' - a friend of mine who came snowboarding last time we went watched these on his ipod, on lifts, and taught himself. He had a never-say-die mentality and was completely fearless. At the end of the week he was doing it fine, only occasionally catching an edge.
I didn't read all this thread but if you have an enthusiastic, not giving up personality and you're fairly sporty+active already, you can teach yourself.
I taught myself to ride (albeit more than 15 years ago) and wish i hadn't! Quicker progress and no bad habits if you get lessons. Stay loose, remember to have fun!
Once you get the hang of it there is no better feeling (particular on a powder day!) Smiling just thinking about being in the mountains..Enjoy
Once you get the hang of it there is no better feeling (particular on a powder day!) Smiling just thinking about being in the mountains..Enjoy
If you fall flat on your face, don't worry. It will serve as practice for all the faceplants you'll inevitably do.
Man of Honour
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These are perhaps the most important tips that you can give although the rest is sound as well. It might feel slightly counter-intuitive you are much safer and much more in control if your weight is place near to the front of the board (obvious exception of powder but no beginner is likely to need worry about that initially). Although it might feel odd it really requires an awful lot of effort to actually fall over the front of a snowboard, you've got somewhere between 1-2' of board in front of your front foot and it isn't easy to overbalance from there.
As a small tip for getting up, if you are as close to the edge of the board as possible it helps i.e. shuffle your bum forwards so that it is almost touching the tail edge and it is easier to get upright and to keep your balance initially, you can also use a hand holding onto the front edge to pull yourself up.
I prefer the phrase "***** on planks".
Keep your hands over the tail and front ends of the board.
Pretend you've got your hands and the board linked up like a puppet.
And always keep your head up and look where you want to go. your body should naturally follow.
Pretend you've got your hands and the board linked up like a puppet.
And always keep your head up and look where you want to go. your body should naturally follow.