Some secrets to learning snowboarding that I wish I knew when I was a beginner - Snowboarding Forum

SnowMotion · 07-06-2012, 11:45 AM

1) First off snowboarding is ridiculously simple. I know it doesn't look it and there are things that can be done on a snowboard that are very difficult. But the act of linking turns and riding comfortable is very easy. That being said most beginners do not have to work on what needs to be done to snowboard. They need to work on not doing all the unneeded motions that are screwing it up.

2) Body position! It surprises me still how many beginner lessons don't go over proper body position. So here it is, you want your whole body to be facing your toe edge. Only your head looks where you are going (not your shoulders). Your knees should be bent and loose. They work like shocks absorbing the terrain. Arms down by your side nice and comfy like. When you are riding your shoulders should follow your knees not the other way around. We drive from our feet not pointing with an arm.

3) You want to always travel toward the nose of your board! Not the toe or heel edge. Meaning if you are on your toe side you should be traversing the hill not sliding downhill. Yes we skid on our edges to slow down or stop but you don't want to do it constantly. If you are traveling toward your nose it reduces your chance to catch an edge.

4)Take lessons (yes i'm a coach and bias but)Its worth it. I was a self taught rider and it took me 6 years to pick up what I can teach someone in a day or two. So it is worth it! Here is a few tips on getting your moneys worth. Ask about the instructors when you sign up. Find out who has been teaching there the longest or who has the most experience with your level riders. When you understand how something is done and how it feels when you are doing it right or wrong. Ask the instructor to move on and you will practice on your own time. They are trained to get you back for more lessons not give you as much info as possible and you practice for free. Last thing if anyone teaches you something called "the falling leaf" get your money back.

Well, there is just a few things to help you get started. If you have other question feel free to ask. GL

backstop13 · 07-06-2012, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnowMotion

3) You want to always travel toward the nose of your board! Not the toe or heel edge. Meaning if you are on your toe side you should be traversing the hill not sliding downhill. Yes we skid on our edges to slow down or stop but you don't want to do it constantly. If you are traveling toward your nose it reduces your chance to catch an edge.

I just started last year and progressed pretty quickly, but after reading this tip I know I need to work on that. I can link turns and have learned to control my speed decently, but I find my self trying to control my speed too much. I'll stay perpendicular to the mountain and bleed almost all my speed off, and a lot of times, I'm on my heel edge so hard that when my forward momentum stops I'll end up just sitting straight down on my ass.

Thanks for the tips.

**Donutz** · 07-06-2012, 01:07 PM

I took a lesson after 2 years of boarding, and although I didn't learn anything monumental from the lesson, I did learn a number of things that I wasn't doing right. I spent quality time correcting those deficiencies and it has made a large difference to my riding.

My advice would be that you take a lesson when you start, and at least one lesson per year for the next couple of years, at the beginning of each season.

2hipp4u · 07-06-2012, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Last thing if anyone teaches you something called "the falling leaf" get your money back.

I would agree with that, I tried it quite a bit and got nothing out of it. What worked for me was getting on a really flat bunny hill and traversing the hill keeping my board almost flat until I wanted to turn then engaging a toe or heel turn. I took up a lot of the hill doing this but it gave me the basic mechanics of turning and now I take up very litte of the hill.

I am still a newb but have progressed quite well with a lesson and plan a few more this coming season.

dkzach · 07-06-2012, 08:34 PM

I say, to learn the art of snowboarding quickly all you have to do is watch a insane amount of snowboard movies. like 3 hours everyday. and boom you know how to snowboard

**HoboMaster** · 07-06-2012, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkzach

I say, to learn the art of snowboarding quickly all you have to do is watch a insane amount of snowboard movies. like 3 hours everyday. and boom you know how to snowboard

Good luck with that, I'd say it's spending countless hours riding in order to create and alter muscle-memory. It's funny how you ride for a season and maybe feel like you didn't progress that much, and then think back to a year ago and you realize that just by riding all the time you do get a lot better.

ToyStory · 07-07-2012, 04:46 AM

Hey,

Am a bit confused when you say travel towards your nose? So when your on toe or heel you should still be going straight down the mountain and not leafing ???

dreampow · 07-07-2012, 05:07 AM

Falling leaf has a place, not in a lesson, but its not always a bad thing. I started doing falling leaf toeside and heelside.

By lunch on day 1 I was linking turns on green runs without hardly falling. Day 2 I was negotiating blues and some ungroomed blue pistes with 2 feet of powder

.

Certainly doing falling leaf for too long is counter productive, but I think it helped me to grasp the feel and balance of being on either edge before linking turns.

SnowMotion · 07-07-2012, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ToyStory

Hey,

Am a bit confused when you say travel towards your nose? So when your on toe or heel you should still be going straight down the mountain and not leafing ???

If you are on your toe or heel edge your nose will be pointing across the hill not downhill.You will still be crossing the trail between each turn. Leafing is when you stay on one edge crossing back and forth never letting your nose point down.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreampow

Falling leaf has a place, not in a lesson, but its not always a bad thing. I started doing falling leaf toeside and heelside.

By lunch on day 1 I was linking turns on green runs without hardly falling. Day 2 I was negotiating blues and some ungroomed blue pistes with 2 feet of powder

.

Certainly doing falling leaf for too long is counter productive, but I think it helped me to grasp the feel and balance of being on either edge before linking turns.

You are a lucky one to move past the leaf so quickly and not pick up bad habits. Leafing becomes a crutch to many riders.

SnowMotion · 07-07-2012, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkzach

I say, to learn the art of snowboarding quickly all you have to do is watch a insane amount of snowboard movies. like 3 hours everyday. and boom you know how to snowboard

I'm A Snowboarder Now - YouTube

07-06-2012, 11:45 AM	#1 (permalink)
SnowMotion Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 224	Some secrets to learning snowboarding that I wish I knew when I was a beginner 1) First off snowboarding is ridiculously simple. I know it doesn't look it and there are things that can be done on a snowboard that are very difficult. But the act of linking turns and riding comfortable is very easy. That being said most beginners do not have to work on what needs to be done to snowboard. They need to work on not doing all the unneeded motions that are screwing it up. 2) Body position! It surprises me still how many beginner lessons don't go over proper body position. So here it is, you want your whole body to be facing your toe edge. Only your head looks where you are going (not your shoulders). Your knees should be bent and loose. They work like shocks absorbing the terrain. Arms down by your side nice and comfy like. When you are riding your shoulders should follow your knees not the other way around. We drive from our feet not pointing with an arm. 3) You want to always travel toward the nose of your board! Not the toe or heel edge. Meaning if you are on your toe side you should be traversing the hill not sliding downhill. Yes we skid on our edges to slow down or stop but you don't want to do it constantly. If you are traveling toward your nose it reduces your chance to catch an edge. 4)Take lessons (yes i'm a coach and bias but)Its worth it. I was a self taught rider and it took me 6 years to pick up what I can teach someone in a day or two. So it is worth it! Here is a few tips on getting your moneys worth. Ask about the instructors when you sign up. Find out who has been teaching there the longest or who has the most experience with your level riders. When you understand how something is done and how it feels when you are doing it right or wrong. Ask the instructor to move on and you will practice on your own time. They are trained to get you back for more lessons not give you as much info as possible and you practice for free. Last thing if anyone teaches you something called "the falling leaf" get your money back. Well, there is just a few things to help you get started. If you have other question feel free to ask. GL

07-06-2012, 01:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
Donutz Drunk with power...er beer. Join Date: May 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 3,660 Blog Entries: 176	I took a lesson after 2 years of boarding, and although I didn't learn anything monumental from the lesson, I did learn a number of things that I wasn't doing right. I spent quality time correcting those deficiencies and it has made a large difference to my riding. My advice would be that you take a lesson when you start, and at least one lesson per year for the next couple of years, at the beginning of each season. __________________ Illegitimi non carborundum Mountain Days: 30

07-07-2012, 05:07 AM	#8 (permalink)
dreampow Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Kyoto Japan Posts: 1,055	Falling leaf has a place, not in a lesson, but its not always a bad thing. I started doing falling leaf toeside and heelside. By lunch on day 1 I was linking turns on green runs without hardly falling. Day 2 I was negotiating blues and some ungroomed blue pistes with 2 feet of powder. Certainly doing falling leaf for too long is counter productive, but I think it helped me to grasp the feel and balance of being on either edge before linking turns.

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07-06-2012, 08:34 PM	#5 (permalink)
dkzach Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 122	I say, to learn the art of snowboarding quickly all you have to do is watch a insane amount of snowboard movies. like 3 hours everyday. and boom you know how to snowboard

07-07-2012, 04:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
ToyStory Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 4	Hey, Am a bit confused when you say travel towards your nose? So when your on toe or heel you should still be going straight down the mountain and not leafing ???