Thursday, April 13, 2006

Tips For Learning How To Snowboard by Danielle Rose

Learning to snowboard is difficult just like any new thing that you may try. It will take time to learn, but by doing simple things and learning simple techniques, you will be snowboarding soon!

Learning how to snowboard can be difficult and certainly can be painful if you don’t learn how to fall correctly. Before ever setting foot on a snowboard, you need to be aware that you are going to fall, and learn how to do it properly.

Taking beginning lessons is a good idea, because it will teach you the basic concept of falling. It may sound simple, but it will also teach you that the snowboard slides down the hill, and teach you to keep your balance on it. Once this is achieved, you can begin learning how to control the snowboard, and how to turn it. Shifting weight from the toe-side to the heal-side edges of the board is what is going to allow you to steer the snowboard. http://www.mountainsnowboarding.com/learntosnowboard/

One thing you might want to do before you ever go out to the hill is practice on the carpet first. If you set up your board and do some “carpet riding” in order to get used to standing on the board, it may help you be more comfortable out on the hill when you get started. Setting yourself up on the carpet will help you get used to your stance and practice with bending your knees before you are going down the hill.

It is easier on the carpet to change your stance to see if you are more comfortable riding goofy or regular (right foot forward = goofy, left foot forward = regular). It also gives you a chance to see which muscles you will be using and practice with pivoting and shifting your weight before the board is going to slide too much on you. Practicing on the carpet first will allow you to be comfortable with the board before you start your lessons up on the hill.

It’s difficult to learn because one concept you need to be comfortable with is leaning down the hill. By nature, when we are being pulled down the hill, we want to lean back, but in snowboarding that isn’t how it works. When snowboarding, you need to control the board with your front foot, putting your weight going down the hill.

Keys to learning the basics are remembering to keep you knees bent, and to look where you are going. Keeping your knees bent is going to help you relax and keep your balance going down the hill. Looking where you are going is the same as with a lot of things. If you look down, you are going to fall. Looking at your feet is not going to help your balance, but if you look to where you want to go, your feet can follow your eyes.

Getting out on the hill for the first time can be very scary, but also can be a lot of fun. Remember to wear the right clothing equipment used for snowboarding for the weather, so that you are warm and comfortable. If you are cold and wet, your snowboarding experience isn’t going to be fun. Dressing in layers is recommended. Experienced riders can be fine out on the slopes in snowboarding pants and a sweatshirt, but for a beginning rider who may spend a lot of their time in the snow, layers are a good idea.

Also, remember to warm up your muscles and stretch before going out onto the hill. The experience can be ruined by pulling a muscle while going down the hill. Snowboarding is a physical activity, so it should be treated as one. Warming up and stretching before going out, but also not overdoing it on the first day. Snowboarding takes time, and trying to learn when you are exhausted will only make you more frustrated.

After the first day, it may seem as though you are never going to learn, but don’t give up. Falling can be frustrating, but it happens to everyone. Given time and practice, you’ll be fine. Once you have the basics, you’ll be able to go wherever. Don’t give up! It may take time to learn, but it’s worth it in the end. Snowboarding is a fun recreational sport that can be done by everyone. It can be a family event, or and event with friends.

Remember, time and practice is what it takes for you to become a good snowboarder. You are not going to be an expert right away. Snowboarding is more difficult to learn than skiing because balance is easier with speed. A person who is uncomfortable with snowboarding is typically uncomfortable with speed. However, once you overcome this fear, and learn the basics, snowboarding is easy to master. You will feel comfortable because you have learned to control the snowboard, and can feel free to explore the mountain or back country as you please.

Danielle Rose is a featured writer for MountainSnowboarding.com. For more help on learning to snowboard, and how to choose a snowboard, visit our site.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com

Equipment Used For Snowboarding