Any advice for a first time snowboarder?

Question

I'm going to go skiing in about 3 months or so...
And yeah, I'm going snowboarding for the first time. Can you give me some advice that will keep me more on my feet and less on my butt?

And anything else will be appreciated too!

Answer 1

I suggest renting equipment and taking lessons. however go to a bigger mountain. this is because there will be less people in each lesson and the bunny hill will be bigger to learn on.

Answer 2

Take a lesson from the instructor at the ski hill. I don't care if you're in there with a bunch of 6 year old kids. I did it, and they will give you valuable tips that you'll never figure out for yourself. Don't have your boyfriend or best buddy teach you, they'll screw you up. Get the lesson from someone who knows how to teach. Oh, and wear a helmet.

Get used to falling down. You'll do it a lot the first day.

Go slow, work on balance, and don't worry if there are 6 year old kids doing better than you.

When you do fall, try to not stretch your arm out stiff to catch yourself. Falling like this transmits all the force into your shoulders, and it's a classic way to separate your shoulder. I did this to my left shoulder by falling off a skate board 30 years ago, and it's never been 100% the same since. I can use the shoulder, and it's strong, but it's not quite ever the same. I injured the right shoulder about 8-9 years ago falling while skiing, and it's not perfect, either.

If you want to practice balance ahead of time, get a skateboard. But the same rules apply - go slow, and stay on flat ground until you're really comfortable with it. Also, wear a helmet, and elbow, knee, and wrist pads.

Answer 3

Do a half a day lesson or something like that. I find the weekly ones can be good, but if you are stuck in a group with one really slow person you can only go as fast as they do. That's why I think half days are good, it gives you a few hours to get the hang of things.

Once you have the basics it is often easier to just try and go from there on your own, an instructor cant tell you if you feel insecure or anything like that.

The other thing is week lessons cost a whole heap here(Australia), don't know what they are like else where. It just depends on how much money you are willing to throw at it. The best way I have found to improve and/or learn is a private lesson(just you and the instructor) that way you only go how fast/slow you want to go, once again, it can cost a bundle.

It all comes down to how much money you want to spend and how much confidence you have piece of metal and you legs.

Oh, and I would defiantly use wrist guards, the amount of times I have seen broken wrists/arms and dislocated shoulders from first timers is kinda scary.

Answer 4

I am proud of the other responses that advise you to wear a helmet, but they forgot the second most important thing that will keep you off of your butt.
Stretch.
I highly recommend spending an hour stretching before and after your time on the slopes. It will help your body be able to perform the maneuvers that your instructor will give you in a lesson, and it will help your body not to get that "hit by a semi-truck" feeling that most people get after their first time on a snowboard.

Answer 5

GET AN INSTRUCTOR or take lessons...I have seen so many people try to learn themselves, and they end up flying into a tree or something, and I don't think you want that, and I see a lot of people that try to get help from their friends, and that is usually a disaster too. I've been snowboarding for 6 years now, and I've taken 48 lessons (8 lessons a season), so don't think lessons are for ppl and can't to crap, b/c they are probably the fastest and best way to learn.

tips: use this site
http://www.abc-of-snowboarding.com/info/
...this site is like a snowboarding god...it tells you everything you need to know

...it will teach you a lot about what you need to know

Answer 6

Wear a helmet. They also make butt pads, shin guards, kidney guards, wristguards, and you could wear a mouthpiece, but there really isn't any use for that. For your first time, you only really need a helmet. You could buy wrist guards if your afraid of falling hard on them.


Go slow, and the first thing you should know is how to stop...as soon as you get stopping on your heel down, work on your turns. Then try stopping on your toe sides. I remeber when I started, I would always find myself suddenly in the middle of a toe turn and not able to stop or transition out. Um...take a lesson, have confidence. Most people give up pretty fast because they can't get the hang of it.

Uh...don't wear jeans? Wear goggles? You should know these things if you ski. Um...aha, when you get off the lift, it is probably one of the most frusterating things for a beginner. Here you are, barely able to turn with your back foot in, and now you need to learn to turn and stop with it out! Yea, so most beginners fall when they need to get off, so if you do, quickly move out of the way to avoid a pileup.

Most people find heel turns easier than toe turns which is understandable. I was one of those people. But don't forget about your toe turns. Learn to turn using both your heel and toe sides before you try riding switch. I used to switch from regular to goofy everytime I needed to turn because I wasn't comfortable with toe turns. Try not to be like my old self.

Just have confidence, be safe, have fun, and challenge yourself.

Answer 7

God how I desire i ought to ***** slap that cheerleader Gabby. thank you to pass to sell the stereotype of the retarded cheerleader. besides for the beginner snowboarder. From adventure enable me enable you be attentive to, you will possibly no longer even savor the 1st or 2nd day of skiing. you will fall, you will injury, get drained and pissed off in any respect the different persons zooming previous you. yet by utilising the third day that's going to be organic bliss. you will get completely hooked and that's going to be the perfect element you have ever accomplished. confirm you place on a helmet, suitable outfits, take classes on the 1st day. stay on the bunny slopes and you will possibly have a pastime for existence.

Answer 8

impossible for the 1st time to not fall on your butt.......you will fall a lot.............wear knee high socks.......take lessons....it'll help....don't give up!!!!! you can't be scared or lazy.....
don't go snowboarding when you have the flu....b/c i wanted to go snowboarding soo badly...and i was really sick..but i didn't care...my parents let me go snowboarding...but i was soo weak when i had the flu..so i didn't do so great for the 1st time of snowboarding.......and when i got home...my fever rose to like 102.5........have fun!

Answer 9

Purchase a quality brand name crash helmet.

Answer 10

just have fun.