Snowboarding For The First Time
One of my personal goals this year is to learn skiing or snowboarding. But if you're new to both sports how do you decide which one? Well, I decided to ask a number of people about the differences between the two... which one's easier to learn, less likely to get injured seriously and which is more fun. It wasn't an easy answer as I hoped it would be. Most people I asked only knew one or the other, not both. Although a few people have told me that skiing is easier to learn at first, but harder to master, while snowboarding is the opposite. One person I spoke with said some of her friends were skiers and tried snowboarding. They had so much fun with it that they haven't looked back and now want to sell their ski equipment. I guess that was enough to tip me over the edge towards snowboarding. Not to mention that it looks way cool. I can just imagine it... I'll still be shredding it at the age of 50.
But I was prepared knowing full well the pain I'd experience from the constant falls as a newbie rider. Friends warned me, but told me not to give up. The rewards are great if you persevere they said. So I heeded their advice and headed up Seymour mountain on Saturday to sign up for a two hour drop-in lesson. The weather was foggy and rainy, but I was determined. Nothing can stop me now I thought (later I learned except for my butt when I didn't know how to stop.)
In a group with two other ladies who were also first-timers, our instructor gave us a quick introduction to the parts of the snowboard. The bindings are attached to the board and are what attaches our boots to the board. It consists of a toe strap and heel strap that have metal ratchets that help secure your boots. The side your toes face is called the toe side of the board and the side your heels face is called the heel side.
The first step was to determine what our dominant foot is and strap that one into the binding, while leaving the other one unstrapped. We lead with the foot strapped in and using the other foot we push off either behind or in front of the board kind of like skateboarding. Skating allows you to move on flat ground near lifts. It was awkward at first and I had trouble controlling where my board was going, but later as time went on I got more comfortable doing it.
Next, our instructor had us glide down a gentle slope with one foot strapped in and the loose foot placed next to its binding with the heel over the edge. Putting pressure on the heel allows you to stop. Of course I fell. We all did.
When we reached the bunny hill, she had us strap in both feet and attempt to go down the hill heel side with our bodies facing forward. Operating the board like a gas pedal, the concept is pointing your toes down the mountain accelerates you forward and the more you point your toes down the faster you go, while lifting your toes and putting pressure on your heel slows you down and if you press hard enough with your heels you eventually stop. My first attempts at this ended up me being on my butt. I'd start out ok, but then my board would start turning sideways like I was ready to ride the wave except that I wasn't. Then before I knew it I was accelerating too fast and I'd get scared, then I'd fall just to stop before hitting some poor little kid. Once I realized I had to lean on the opposite leg to counter my board from moving sideways, I was able to control my speed and direction without having to fall in order to stop. Believe me, it's a great feeling.
After going down heel side, the next step was to learn going down the hill toe side. This means going down the hill backwards, while you face the top of the mountain. In this case, you dig in your toes to slow down or stop and you bring down your heels to accelerate. It's a little tricky since you can't really see where you're going and I'm always afraid to run over little kids.
The most frustrating thing for me is the rope tow. Basically you grab onto a moving rope that brings you back up the hill. I wiped out every time on the way up then tried to move out of the way as quickly as possible to avoid getting hit by people from behind. Usually I'd end up hiking up from where I fell, which sucked while little kids whizzed past me on the rope tow in their skis.
Next weekend I hope to learn how to do turns. Hopefully by then I'll be back to feeling 100%. After spending about four hours snowboarding, I was completely exhausted. My body aches all over as well as my bum. I was so sore this morning I could barely get out of bed. But I will persevere because I can already see that the rewards will be great.
But I was prepared knowing full well the pain I'd experience from the constant falls as a newbie rider. Friends warned me, but told me not to give up. The rewards are great if you persevere they said. So I heeded their advice and headed up Seymour mountain on Saturday to sign up for a two hour drop-in lesson. The weather was foggy and rainy, but I was determined. Nothing can stop me now I thought (later I learned except for my butt when I didn't know how to stop.)
In a group with two other ladies who were also first-timers, our instructor gave us a quick introduction to the parts of the snowboard. The bindings are attached to the board and are what attaches our boots to the board. It consists of a toe strap and heel strap that have metal ratchets that help secure your boots. The side your toes face is called the toe side of the board and the side your heels face is called the heel side.
The first step was to determine what our dominant foot is and strap that one into the binding, while leaving the other one unstrapped. We lead with the foot strapped in and using the other foot we push off either behind or in front of the board kind of like skateboarding. Skating allows you to move on flat ground near lifts. It was awkward at first and I had trouble controlling where my board was going, but later as time went on I got more comfortable doing it.
Next, our instructor had us glide down a gentle slope with one foot strapped in and the loose foot placed next to its binding with the heel over the edge. Putting pressure on the heel allows you to stop. Of course I fell. We all did.
When we reached the bunny hill, she had us strap in both feet and attempt to go down the hill heel side with our bodies facing forward. Operating the board like a gas pedal, the concept is pointing your toes down the mountain accelerates you forward and the more you point your toes down the faster you go, while lifting your toes and putting pressure on your heel slows you down and if you press hard enough with your heels you eventually stop. My first attempts at this ended up me being on my butt. I'd start out ok, but then my board would start turning sideways like I was ready to ride the wave except that I wasn't. Then before I knew it I was accelerating too fast and I'd get scared, then I'd fall just to stop before hitting some poor little kid. Once I realized I had to lean on the opposite leg to counter my board from moving sideways, I was able to control my speed and direction without having to fall in order to stop. Believe me, it's a great feeling.
After going down heel side, the next step was to learn going down the hill toe side. This means going down the hill backwards, while you face the top of the mountain. In this case, you dig in your toes to slow down or stop and you bring down your heels to accelerate. It's a little tricky since you can't really see where you're going and I'm always afraid to run over little kids.
The most frustrating thing for me is the rope tow. Basically you grab onto a moving rope that brings you back up the hill. I wiped out every time on the way up then tried to move out of the way as quickly as possible to avoid getting hit by people from behind. Usually I'd end up hiking up from where I fell, which sucked while little kids whizzed past me on the rope tow in their skis.
Next weekend I hope to learn how to do turns. Hopefully by then I'll be back to feeling 100%. After spending about four hours snowboarding, I was completely exhausted. My body aches all over as well as my bum. I was so sore this morning I could barely get out of bed. But I will persevere because I can already see that the rewards will be great.
