subject: Snowboarding Basics For First Timers [print this page] Snowboarding is super-fun, but it takes balance, timing, and quite a lot of guts. Without a healthy disregard for your own personal safety, no one would ever head down the slope. If you're an amateur or irresponsible, it is easy to get hurt. Here are some secrets to make your first experience more pleasant.
First, check the weather. Is it going to be snowing while you're up there? It is? Good! Ideally you want as much snow as possible. You will be falling on your rear a lot, so you want plenty of soft snow to cushion your fall.
You definitely don't want to go too early in the season, before the snow has laid down a layer thick enough. You also don't want to go too late in the season when the snow is mostly ice because that is a whole lot of no fun to fall on.
Do NOT ask a friend, boyfriend, or girlfriend to teach you. This will end up in frustration, because chances are, they are not trained in how to TEACH, no matter how skillful they may personally be at it.
It is not so easy, and you cannot figure it out on your own. You probably will hurt yourself if you attempt it, or run down unsuspecting children on the bunny slopes. Sharing the snow means that if you don't know what you're doing, stay in the lodge!
Try a lesson from a trained professional. The ski resorts have droves of instructors just itching to send you down the slopes on your first snowboarding adventure. You could sign up for a class, but you may find your fellow students are all six years old. If you can, take a private lesson. They're not much more expensive, and you get an instructor all to yourself. The more time you get with an instructor, the more likely you are to have fun and learn some actual skills.
When you take lessons, either on your own, or in a group, LISTEN to your instructor. Assume the teacher knows more than you and pay attention. Also try to put into practice what they tell you.
If following all the instructions to the letter doesn't send you down a few slopes without falling, ask for a refund or a re-do. The ski resort has a lot invested, so they want you to succeed at your lesson and come back again and again for the season. They will try their best to accommodate you if you put your request in a reasonable manner.
People who watched snowboarding on the Winter Olympics may dream of becoming a 'Flying Tomato', if only for a few moments. The temptation of that big a thrill is huge. And it's semi-obtainable, with patience and proper instruction. Just prepare and proceed with caution, then make sure to have a good time!
