How to snowboard for beginners

How To Snowboard

You’re standing at the edge of the slope. You look down at the endless road of snow & a sense of concern overwhelms you. Freezing & fearful, u wish u had taken a lesson. It is essential to learn the basics of snowboarding, before attempting to master the sport.
First, u must decide of the time of day. An early start is recommended since it gets very crowded. Most lifts open at nine o’clock. Also, consider the weather condition. Check weather forecasts before arrival. Wear many removable layers of clothing, & always be sure the outermost layer is 100% waterproof. Also, always wear goggles. Visibility & eye protection is very important.
Second, before hopping on the lift, u should become familiar with the parts of the snowboard. Always wear the right size boots, & make sure they support on ur ankles. Wearing boots that r too tight can leave u with sore ankles or chin splints. After choosing the perfect boot, consider ur choice of binding. The bindings r what clip ur boots to the board. There r two different types of bindings. The clipping binding has a calf support in the back, & has two clips that snap around ur boot. This type of binding is the safest. The other type of binding, the step-in, is made to just step directly on the board. This one has no safely clip or back support. It is less of a hassle, but most people do not feel as safe in them. l suggest the clipping binding, because l feel the extra support on my calves gives me more control. Once u have decided on the binding, choose ur board. Snowboards r made customized. They vary in length &

weight depending on the size & height of the rider. The snowboard is measured in inches. Children ride between a 38”-43”. Women usually ride between 45”-53. For men, the sizes can run from 55”-65”.
After choosing all the proper equipment, it is now time to approach the lift. The lift assistant will line u into the path of the chair. Lean back as u feel the chair picking u up. Grasp the handlebars of the chair as it lifts you. Failure to do this will cause u to fall off & u could get ran over by the chair (This knowledge comes from a very humiliating personal experience). The ride on the lift takes about five to ten minutes, but this depends on which run u choose. As u approach the end of the lift, it is advised to signal the assistant to slow the lift down. Most beginners find the lift runs too fast to exit safely. Sit on the edge of the chair & ski off to the start of the run.
Okay, now that you’re safely off the lift, & strapped in, let’s go! The key is to stay parallel with the hill. Keep u knees soft & slightly bent. This will enable u to turn. Since the hill can be very steep, it is important to have control to slow down & also came to a complete stop. To do either, take ur back foot & pull it forward while digging into the snow. This will bring u perpendicular with the hill. Slowing down takes a lot of practice. Do keep in mind; however, that u will definitely takes a few plunges. Try not to get discouraged & remember that it is very normal to spend most of the time on ur behind than actually skiing. This brings us to the next step.
Safety is the most important factor in snowboarding. Snowboarding can be a very fast & dangerous sport, so knowing snowboard safety is vital. Basically, the faster u ride, the harder u fall. It is depending on how u fall that makes all the difference. If u find yourself loosing control & fall, do not ever catch yourself with ur wrists. It is a natural reaction to catch a fall by bracing yourself with ur wrists, but this can cause a lot of damage. It can possibly lead to sprained or broken wrists. Furthermore, if u land on ur wrists, ur elbows r likely to lockout, leaving u with dislocated elbows. To avoid these painful outcomes, always catch yourself on ur elbows. Your elbows will not get hurt because they r cushioned in the snow. So always remember, it is critical to absorb the fall with the elbows.
As u approach the end of the trail, gradually slow down. The hill becomes flat, so to continue movement, unbuckle or clip out of one binding, & skate to ur next destination. After a few hours, l would suggest taking a break & heading to the lodge. There, u can enjoy some warm coffee or hot cocoa, & sit in front of the fireplace.

One mighty good idea would be: take lessons. If possible in an indoor hall in the neighbourhood. And then just hire a snowboard at the place you go snowboarding and get off that hill. Otherwise take lessons where you are going to snowboard. If you want to learn quick and have enough money hire a private teacher.

Woah, OK. Snowboarding is pretty simple, but it can be hard to master.

First u need to know thine board. Two most important features right now r bindings & edge. Bindings r what keep ur feet on the board, so always make sure that ur strapped in tight. The edge is basically what u ride.

So u strap into ur board, ur front foot should be in its binding with a leash clipped onto ur boot. You use ur back foot to push the board, like a skate board, so u can move around when ur not riding. You can push with ur foot in front or behind the board, whatever is more comfortable. Thats called skating.

When ur going downhill, u should know that u use ur edge, not the flat of ur board, to move. Stand with the board flat, & lift ur toes so that ur heel digs into the snow. That edge is the heelside edge, & if u turn around & lift ur heel up, youll be digging in ur toeside edge.

So u start at the top of the hill, with ur heelside, or toeside edge dug into the snow, & u gently point ur nose, ur front foot, downhill in the direction u want to go. You should start sliding, so keep ur edge in the snow to maintain ur direction.

Now to make a turn:

Start moving downhill, now begin to dig ur edge in & point ur nose in the direction u want to turn, left or right, until u have stopped. You should have ur board parallel to the mountian, so that u r completly facing down the slope, or away from it. The turn is called a J turn, & should look like a big letter J.

C turns r like J turns. You start going downhill again, lets say going right riding heelside. Slowly shift the pressure from ur heelside to ur toeside edge while ou gently point u nose left, making a full turn. Again its supposed to look like a C.

To make a quick stop, slam ur back foot forward so that u r once again parallel to the slope. Thats called the hock-n-stop.

Remember to stay centered on the board, bend ur knees a little, not a lot, & try not to wave ur arms around a lot.

Have fun, & remember, it can be hard to get down the basics, but once u do youll be a pro at it. l fell a lot & looked like a total dork when l learned, l even cried, so keep ur chin up, u can do it. Lol.