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Are you sure ANYONE can learn?

26K views 118 replies 61 participants last post by  Consonantal 
#1 ·
I went up the resort for the 4th time today. I did 3 lessons, then today got my season pass...because it was a special deal and I only had to pay $65.

I have had high hopes. I keep reading about people who took one lesson or no lessons and were carving down the mountain by day 2. This is not me.

I seem to be an uncoordinated clutz. I cant even make it down the kiddie bunny hill. I get up there, I get going down.....and then nothing wants to work. I catch an edge, or I lose my balance, or I start spinning around as I am heading down the hill like a freakish helicopter.

Today I had my first really scary fall. I tweaked my ankle, slammed my head into the ground, and just generally messed up my back. After 4 weeks I am covered in bruises. There is a 12 inch section of each leg that is just black and blue (centered around the knee). I have bruises on my behind, on my arms. I am a mess.

So the questions are.....did you ever think of giving up? Did any of you have this hard of a time learning and then end up actually progressing beyond the point of a mentally disabled circus animal? Are you sure anyone can learn...or should some of us just realize we are hopeless and then cry over the obscene amount of money they have already spent on this?

Ok...so maybe I am just cranky and want to bitch. But I am actually sort of serious with the questions.
 
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#47 ·
Jennifer,
It took me years to learn to snowboard, and I'm still not 100% sure I can say that I snowboard.

I used to go a few times a year, and each day I would come back so sore that it hurt to get out of my car.

I used to go just because I had friends who went, and I really liked being up in the mountains. It was hard on my body, but I wasn't hard on myself, and I had fun.

Then one day, something clicked. I made it down a green run without falling. I felt like, omg, I can do this. I was so hungry to get up to the mountain and practice. I kept on doing greens until I could take them aggressively.

Then I tried a blue run, and I was sloppy and terrified. I fell all the time again. I got really bruised. But I took more lessons, kept trying, and visited this website for tips and encouragement.

Really, it's physically one of the toughest things I've ever done.

But once you make it down a green, you'll feel amazing. Once you shred a blue run, you'll be zipping around all over the mountain, going up to the peaks, looking at the views. Be patient... it's a long, tough road. But it gets much easier later on once you're dialed in, and once you do, your problem will be an addiction to snow.
 
#52 ·
my girlfriend started a similar way..she's been out on the hill about 10 times now, and she's gone from struggling with the bunny hill to just finishing her first blue run this past sunday. she's got bruises on her legs, her knees, her butt, she sprained some ligaments in her shoulder..but she kept kicking. the point is, its really all about how badly you want it. learning to snowboard sucks..it sucks more for some than for others, but it definitely sucks. how badly do you want to learn? what's your motivation? what is it that seems to stop you from progressing? if you've taken 3 lessons and are still struggling with the basics id start to be concerned with who was teaching you.
stick with it, it really is worth it once you get the hang of it..but it is definitely a struggle.
 
#55 ·
I have a friend who can't even get up heelside and has to flip over and get up toeside everytime, she also can only heelslide right now so it makes for a very interesting time. It took her 2 times to finally ride the beginner chairlift because she was afraid. I also have friends I've taught to link turns(not carve) in a single day. The learning spectrum is quite wide in my experience.
 
#57 ·
I cant get up heelside. I have to flip over to front side to get up as well. I think for me part of it is that I still have some weight to lose, I dont yet have the strength to get my weight over the board and get myself up. Is there a reason why I should not be getting up front side and working on getting up heelside? Just curious.
 
#56 ·
It took me three hours to get down a 100 yards hill at my resort the first day I learned to snowboard. Now I can spin off 30ft booters. It takes time. It's one of those sports where it all of the sudden clicks. Now don't get me wrong there is progression after that, but the concept comes all of the sudden.
 
#62 ·
Good luck with everything. If you want some help or someone to ride with for a bit let me know. I'm also in the central coast and I'm looking for a time to go to China Peak. My friend is 30 and she is learning how to snowboard also and is progressing and wants someone to ride with. I also have another friend who is having a hard time getting everything together but is trying to get better. I've been told I'm a pretty good teacher (I seriously don't think I am) but I wouldn't mind hanging around for a little bit and giving pointers if you wouldn't mind. It wouldn't even cost me anything since I got a season pass to mountain high I get free tickets to China Peak.
 
#63 ·
Today up on Seymour, there were a couple of young guys, one was teaching the other to snowboard. At this point in the day there were 4 or 5 people on Lodge, cycling through the run and the lift (woohooo!) including me and these two. Anyway, it was obviously the guy's first day. He fell partway down the slope and did the dance where he tries to get up, the board slips downhill, he buttplants, tries to get up...

Anyway, even though his friend was not obeying ANY CASI system that I could see -- pretty sure Snowolf's head would have exploded watching them :laugh: -- the beginner guy was getting visibly better over the course of the morning. Not going-down-the-blacks good, but he learned to get up, he learned to get off his heel edge, he started doing some basic turns, etc. By the time I left the mountain (they were still at it) he was no longer a source of comedy, and maybe even no longer a danger to himself and everyone around him.

The point is, you DO learn. You DO get better. You may not recognize it because you're too busy rubbing the sore spots, but chances are that the reason you're still falling is because you're now trying to do things that you weren't able to attempt before.
 
#65 ·
On that subject, when the guy was trying to get up heelside on the slope, I yelled down from the lift that he should dig a small trench with his heelside edge then brace the snowboard in the trench when getting up. This helps a lot, not only to keep the snowboard from slipping downhill, but also gets the snowboard a little lower relative to your body, making it easier to get your body over the board.
 
#66 ·
If you can run, jump and your not too fat you can snowboard. It's easy but not so easy to the point where your gonna figure it out whether you want to or not. You have to want to learn to snowboard cause you think it's a fun way to exercise. The more you want it the quicker you learn. I desperately wanted to learn fast so I could keep up with my friends. Ended up taking me less than half the day to be linking turns down the steep grooms. Good patient fun attitude is the key...GOOD LUCK and ENJOY, ITS SUPPOSE TO BE FUN
 
#67 · (Edited)
I weigh 215, down from 315!! I'm 52 years old, been a smoker for 41 years! I can't run, jumping is too high impact for my bad knees and ankles! I Never skied, started snowboarding at 50 with arthritis, pernicious anemia, ADD, a bad back & a shitty attitude!! And at least three other members of this forum can attest to the fact that I CAN ride! and I'll go from first chair @ 9 am. to last @ 9:30/10 pm without spending any time in the bar!!! WTF do you know??? :eusa_clap:

...and snowboarding is the most fun I've had with my clothes on!!! ( It's a close second to anything I've done nekkid!!) ;)
 
#69 ·
not sure if anyone has thought about this.. but I had a buddy of mine in the same situation last season. we both started at the same time and I progressed 100% faster than him... he took multiple lessons before he realized riding goofy was what was keeping him from getting the hang of it. try switching stance??
 
#71 ·
I have a frozen shoulder on my lead side at the moment so cant push up out of a heelside sit. I have forgotten what a pain toeside launches were. Keep working on the heelside launch. It is really a matter of core strength and balance. Yoga or pilates are probably your best conditioning for off the mountain. It is also a lot easier to get up heelside when you are on a slope so try dropping your legs over the lip when you strap in.
 
#72 ·
I second the Martial Arts suggestion. Today was my first day out and I fell........many times. I fell forward.....I fell backwards......I even manage to twist and fall. I had the similar experience you are describing. I could stand on the board a get great speed on the bunny hill, but when it came time to stop....look out! I feel fine right now, because MA teaches you how to fall, when being thrown (well at least Aikido & Judo). I had people come up and ask if I was ok because it looked horrible. But I was fine.

I am a big supplement person and I learned years ago Shark Cartilage will be your friend. SC increases blood flow to the vascular tissues. Shark Cartilage will take away the bruising and if used regularly you probably will never bruise or if you do it will be small and quick to leave. Make sure it is freeze dried. I have been punched and kicked in the face so many times over the past 24 years in training & competition and only have had 2 to 3 black eyes because of this.

Don't give up. I had the same experience you did and will be out again this week.
 
#73 ·
Ok, had a good news/bad news kind of day. Went out again. Figured out my problem. My natural instinct is to put weight into my back foot when I get scared or start feeling out of control....which as most of you know only makes things worse. So now I finally SEE the problem. Now I just need to figure out how to turn off that natural instinct and fix the problem. On another bad note....I decided to get stupid drunk before my last few bunny hill runs of the day. Ended up doing an epic fall that included at least 3 tumbles. It would have been funny....had I not sprained my wrist and messed up my entire hand.
Going back on monday...with wrist guards (and the brace given to me by urgent care for my injured wrist). The helmet was a wise investment. lol At least I can laugh at myself.
Something really did click today. I can see where the problems are, next step is to fix them.

Thoughts on stance? I am perfectly comfy where my bindings are set. Feet are about shoulder length apart. Maybe too comfy? Wondering if I set them out just a tad bit farther if it will force me into a more squated stance. Worth a try?

You guys are so awesome. And for those who have offered to come spend some time at China peak with me, I am always down for company! That is such a huge and generous offer. If you are serious about coming and helping me out for an hour I am more than happy to take you up on the offer, just let me know when. I will by the first round of drinks. :)
 
#75 ·
Thoughts on stance? I am perfectly comfy where my bindings are set. Feet are about shoulder length apart. Maybe too comfy? Wondering if I set them out just a tad bit farther if it will force me into a more squated stance. Worth a try?
I wouldn't mess with you stance too much while still learning as long as it's comfortable. Once you get more comfortable on the hill, then start tweaking things like that having more knowledge of what you are looking to get out of it.
 
#76 ·
There's no need to feel down. I remember when I first started, it was really hard at first but persistence is the key to success. It took me at least 1 season to become relatively good. Also I recommend you to watch people snowboard down the slopes, and mimic their movements. Ride behind them and follow their trail.
 
#77 ·
It took me 3 full days of riding, 8am to 4pm each day, and then on the 4th day I went out with some friends and told them not to wait up on me, because I had literally been busting my ass for 3 days straight and was nowhere near being capable enough to keep up with them, but on that 4th day, I strapped in, and it happened, S turns, toe to heel, heel to toe, I made it through that day bombing the mountain and fell probably 3 times. I don't know what it was, but before that 4th day, I had thought about quitting, I told myself if it didn't come before the end of that season then there was no reason to keep going. I had only spent about $200 on all of my gear so it didn't hurt the wallet too much. Luckily it just clicked, and I think that's how it is for most people. My wife took a little longer, but she doesn't do anything 'athletic' outside of running ... she's very uncoordinated and clumsy, but rides fine now. It took her almost a full season, before she got it down, because she got hurt once and was pretty discouraged. Finally she stopped being a little biatch and got out there again ... now you can't stop her from going to the hill ...
 
#80 ·
lol....it REALLY was not intentional. I lost 120 pounds in the last 5 months. My tolerance is NOT what it used to be. I have not really had drinks since I started losing weight. I drank what would normally have just given me a nice buzz...and ended up completely shit faced. I dont plan on doing any drinking again. It does not help with the coordination, and it will only hinder the rest of my weight loss. :)
 
#81 ·
I wish someone was sitting here with me when I read the OP. I think I said out loud that you probably need to get (and keep) your weight forward. What I tell people I see struggling with that is to just keep that front knee bent. Over do it in fact. Then you'll start to see what pressing the edge into the snow really feels like. You'll also start to see what the board is designed to do and that's turn. I think the hardest things for me when I first learned was getting my weight forward and trusting the equipment.

At least now you know the problem and that's a huge thing. Eventually you'll overcome it and then the world will open up.

fwiw, I went out riding after a heavy stint at the bar and had some of the best riding of my life. Granted, I wasn't just learning, but I was having trouble on jumps because of my fear. The nice thing about boozing it up is that its easier to make bad decisions you wouldn't make sober. I didn't come up short on that jump the rest of the season. :D but if you're still learning, I wouldn't recommend it.
 
#82 ·
First day snowboarding

I just had my first-ever snowboarding experience yesterday, at Wintergreen in VA. My husband is a very good skier and he was telling me that it was one of the worst snow conditions he's ever seen..very icy. I feel very discouraged and it may not have anything to do with the ice, maybe I just suck!

I had a one hour private lesson and by the end of the lesson, I still had not strapped in both feet into the bindings. This, coupled with my husband who doesn't know how to snowboard, he was on skis trying to "teach" me for the rest of the day and I'm just so confused.

While sitting on my butt in the middle of the hill, I've heard some instructors tell their class to face the board perpendicular to the slope and face down the mountain, get up off your butt and try to go down that way and try to stop doing a heel side J turn. I heard someone else say always get up from your knees facing up the mountain and do a toe side turn to stop. I don't know what to do!

My issue is whenever I start going down, no matter which way I get up, I try to make my body lean over to the slope of the mountain and when I try to slightly raise my toes to turn and stop, nothing happens, I slide, get scared and default fall on my back, butt, wrists etc. I tried it with varying degrees from toes slightly up to way up and it all ends the same, slipping, me scared of picking up speed, not being able to stop/turn, and just falling on purpose.

In a way I'm glad my husband bought me a snowboard, because if it were a rental, I would just say forget this and give up. My upper body is sore today, with my quads just a little sore, but I'm for sure bruised and banged up. I'm glad I had wrist guards as I'm sure they would have been a lot worse. We are going to Snowshoe, WV this Friday which should be better conditions but my fear is, no matter what the snow conditions, I just can't learn to snowboard. I am new here and I'm not sure the etiquette whether this post should be on this thread or a new one so please forgive me if I'm not doing this correctly.
 
#83 ·
In a way I'm glad my husband bought me a snowboard, because if it were a rental, I would just say forget this and give up. My upper body is sore today, with my quads just a little sore, but I'm for sure bruised and banged up. I'm glad I had wrist guards as I'm sure they would have been a lot worse. We are going to Snowshoe, WV this Friday which should be better conditions but my fear is, no matter what the snow conditions, I just can't learn to snowboard. I am new here and I'm not sure the etiquette whether this post should be on this thread or a new one so please forgive me if I'm not doing this correctly.
Sounds like a combination of poor conditions, and the typical first day blues (make that black and blues!)... Hopefully next time you head out there's better snow, because that'll make all the difference in the world for somebody trying to learn. Ice/hardpack is not fun to be constantly falling on!

Also, I'm sure he has good intentions but the best thing I did for my GF when she learned was left her alone! She took lessons every few days out, and then she'd just go off on her own and work at her own pace. She felt I was rushing/pushing her when in my eyes I was trying to guide her down the slope the easiest way without any long traverses.

I hope you stick with it and have fun, it does get better!

There's no right or wrong way to stand up. Some (most?) people sit on their buts, stand up on their heel edge, and learn to control that edge first. Others do the same on their toe edge.

If you didn't get much from that lesson it may be worth doing a lesson at another hill. We found large differences in instructors at different hills.

Have fun!
 
#89 ·
^^^truth

Sometimes it also depends on the board design. My park board is good enough in icy conditions. My all mountain board is terrible in icy conditions.

learning in softer snow conditions is way better. the board does what you tell it to (with body positioning, talking to it never helps ;)) and crashing doesn't hurt...as bad.

-joel
 
#90 ·
A few words of encouragement to fellow newbie boarders.... If you truly want to learn please do not give up! I started boarding two years ago face planted hard and broke my tailbone on one of my first times out all in the same day. Determined to learn I stuck it out 3 different boards and two years later this last weekend was my fifth time out on my newest board (NS Infinity) and it finally clicked! It's the best feeling in the world!! I never tried lessons as my husband is a great teacher and has great patience as long as I was willing to try and have fun with it. So please please please understand it takes time and many people have said it just clicks one day and they are so very right!


Sent from my iPhone using Verticalsports.com App
 
#92 ·
Well a lot of it had to do to the fact that I was a little scared to push myself after my falls and the fact that two years meaning maybe only like 12 times out due to work and lack of snow where we live. Also finding a board was a bit of a challenge as I'm short and tiny and not very muscular to toss a board around plus I found that a camber alone board for me made it harder. We did a lot of research and it definitely paid off.


Sent from my iPhone using Verticalsports.com App
 
#94 ·
Super late to the thread and I haven't read any of the comments but I can tell you that I had a moment where I was just over this whole snowboarding thing. I'd been to the resort a few times, taken a lesson, practiced at home a lot on local sledding hills and then tried the resort again and fell my way down the green (later found out it was technically a blue but still..) so I sat on a snowpile sulking and wanting to quit as I watched everyone else do it with ease.

Then I looked down at my newly purchased board, bindings and boots and decided I wasn't going to give up. I was already invested in this and that was a turning point for me.
 
#97 ·
Here is a little tidbit to help you deal with your new body after losing so much weight. I went from 220lbs. post ACL reconstruction to 175lbs.ll

Since you are having trouble with catching edges, it sounds like you are reluctant to actually put your board onto an edge while you are progressing down the hill or across it. I'm sure your muscles aren't used to the new pressures you are exerting and you just aren't using the right muscles.

I'm no instructor, but after a long time away from my board, I usually put the boots on, then strap into my bindings and board in my bedroom with my bed behind me in case I fall backwards, and start to do some squats with weights and practice putting the board on each edge while in a pretty athletic stance. This is just a suggestion, but it should help you get used to using the muscles a bit more than you are used to. Try doing this for ten minutes a day for a few days the first week, then 20 minutes a day and so on.
 
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