As a skier who only took a beginning level instructor and then learned by myself for multiple seasons - take as many instructor hours as you can, even if can already ride down black slopes. Seriously, last year I took an advanced instructor and it was a revelation. Take instructor even when you think you don't need him and don't listen to your friends joking about it.
Snowboarding for Geeks
51–60 of 219 posts
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#52Wear a helmet! I had some nasty falls learning!
I was going recommend also wearing a mouthguard, because I've always felt like they reduced the head trauma I experience if I fell, but a quick literature search indicates that their efficacy for that purpose may not be well-validated. :/
I'll need to try that next time. I've had some really hard spills, and the sound/feeling of teeth clacking together as my head (always in a helmet) hit the ground was definitely the most disconcerting aspect of the fall.
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#53Snowboarding absolutely is as fun as it looks, but don't underestimate how much it's going to hurt the day after. I've gone nearly a dozen times and I still end up bruised by the end of the day. Admittedly, I'm a bit clumsier than most, but I've never collided with another human being at least. Also, I was surprised that the article didn't mention the one aspect that I actually found way harder than anything else to…
The trick to sanding up on your heel edge is to throw one hand out in front of you for balance, and "walk" your other hand closer to the board as you stand up, keeping some weight on it as you go.
Kind of this: https://youtu.be/PRyQXSZfO0A?t=32
It takes practice, and it's about building muscles you have never used before!
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#54Snowboarding absolutely is as fun as it looks, but don't underestimate how much it's going to hurt the day after. I've gone nearly a dozen times and I still end up bruised by the end of the day. Admittedly, I'm a bit clumsier than most, but I've never collided with another human being at least. Also, I was surprised that the article didn't mention the one aspect that I actually found way harder than anything else to…
Its "easier" when you bring your hips real low, isn't it? The downside is you need more balance to not tip over entirely.
It's also easier on a steeper slope. Kind of counter intuitive but similar it's easier weight a bit of speed,... until you find yourself floating and catch an edge
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#55Riding hardboots since the 90's. Lots of gear tweakers in that scene. People treating their clothing with certain kinds of stuff they treat sails with to not rip them to shreds when doing continuous laid down linked turns, boots modifications for extra flexibility , experimenting with all kinds of shapes and materials and hours and hours of talk about edge pressure. I tried Driver X boots for example. Way to rigid co…
I'm a softbooter who has thought about switching over because I love carving more than any other aspect. This guy [1] is basically my hero, and I'm slowly working towards it. My brother just got a custom board with 290mm waist width, I'm going to get a 320 or 330mm for my size 12 feet. [1] https://youtu.be/cBo9bB1cXOo?t=111
Come on over; the water is fine.
head over to http://forums.alpinesnowboarder.com/
Ryan is a rider for Donek snowboard and he sometime post there.
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#56Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've been snowboarding for 12 years, done many 120+ day seasons, and I'm a certified Level 2 instructor in Canada, have done the course for Level 3, need to take the exam. (There are only 4 levels). I don't love all your advice. 1. Sure, marketing gimmicks are great, and you're right, it will help a little. Learning good technique will help a lot more. Learn how to control the edge and how to turn the board when you…
> If you go too steep, your students will be terrified of the "dead zone" when they are between edges and pointing down the fall line, because they will accelerate and be afraid. That's how you teach people to go top to bottom on one edge, which is not what we want. 100% correct on this one (obviously, you're an instructor). I find the hardest/scariest part of people learning snowboarding OR skiing is the point in th…
Absolutely, the beginner linked turns are some of the hardest in snowboarding.
Usually the trick is to get them to point and look across the hill (not down the fall line) so a) they won't get scared and b) they'll go across and make the turn, rather than rocketing down!
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#57My 2 cents for beginners, most of these are covered in the article: 1. Get a flying-v or CamRock - makes turning easier and will hold an edge better until you figure out how to carve. 2. Don't put your feet perpendicular to the board, you want some angle, 30° Front, 15° Back. It will make it easier to square your shoulders down the hill and get your weight on the front of your edge. 3. Start on a Blue slope. Seriousl…
I've been snowboarding for 12 years, done many 120+ day seasons, and I'm a certified Level 2 instructor in Canada, have done the course for Level 3, need to take the exam. (There are only 4 levels). I don't love all your advice. 1. Sure, marketing gimmicks are great, and you're right, it will help a little. Learning good technique will help a lot more. Learn how to control the edge and how to turn the board when you…
Thanks for this detailed post. I'm stuck at advanced beginner/intermediate forever, and find it frustrating to be able to get down groomed runs just fine, but as soon as the terrain gets a little bumpy it all goes to pieces. Been looking into snowboard camps or private coaching, but love the idea of an instructor course so thanks a million for that!
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#58Earlier quoted context omitted.
I also had them, include a nasty shoulder one. So not only helmet but other stuff as well, like those spine protection jackets.
So basically motorcycle gear?
When you crash with your body against someone else or the nature going at 60+ KM/H there is hardly any difference.
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#59Snowboarding absolutely is as fun as it looks, but don't underestimate how much it's going to hurt the day after. I've gone nearly a dozen times and I still end up bruised by the end of the day. Admittedly, I'm a bit clumsier than most, but I've never collided with another human being at least. Also, I was surprised that the article didn't mention the one aspect that I actually found way harder than anything else to…
The trick to sanding up on your heel edge is to throw one hand out in front of you for balance, and "walk" your other hand closer to the board as you stand up, keeping some weight on it as you go. Kind of this: https://youtu.be/PRyQXSZfO0A?t=32 It takes practice, and it's about building muscles you have never used before!
I use two tricks to stand up on my board. I started with the hand out but that wasn't working too well for me because I still couldn't compress my hips. Now on heelside I grab with my front hand in the middle of my board like a mute-grab, then I use that as leverage to pull my hips in close to the board, then I stand up.
Alternatively I go toe-side and stand up super easily because its just like getting up off of your knees if you fell to your knees on the ground. I stand up on my toe-side about 95% of the time now.
Re: Snowboarding for Geeks
#60As a skier who only took a beginning level instructor and then learned by myself for multiple seasons - take as many instructor hours as you can, even if can already ride down black slopes. Seriously, last year I took an advanced instructor and it was a revelation. Take instructor even when you think you don't need him and don't listen to your friends joking about it.
Interesting. Been skiing since I was 3 (so my father tells me), and learnt to snowboard 20 years ago when I was 30. I went into a shop in the Austrian Alps (St. Johann am Pongau), hired a board and boots, found myself an instructor and had an hours' 1:1 lesson. Never had another instructor since but got to teach three people to 'board on Mount Baker, WA.
But for about 2 years now I've been wondering what I don't yet know that an instructor night teach me. So I'm going to get me an instructor when I next go in Jan.