im only 5′0 and 110 if that matters when gettin a board
Posts Tagged ‘Learning’
im just learning how to snowboard, what should i know and should i start w/a shortboard? where should i shop 2
Tuesday, November 15th, 2011Learning How to Snowboard
Wednesday, October 27th, 2010Snowboarding is a winter sport that has seen a remarkable increase in popularity over the years. Learning to snowboard can seem difficult to the novice, but with a little motivation and patience, one will soon discover the fun and excitement of snowboarding down a hill.
If you are a first time snowboarder, you need to be aware of the equipment and clothing required for snowboarding. Equipment you will need include a snowboard, snowboard boots, goggles or sunglasses, helmet, comfortable clothing, gloves, winter hat, sunscreen, and lip balm. You can even purchase snowboard pants and a jacket. Long underwear underneath relaxing pants is preferred choice. A turtleneck or sweatshirt is a good choice. You should also have a cloth to wipe goggles.
Before you purchase a snowboard and boots, rent the equipment to make sure that it is a sport you will be participating in often. When you are walking on the slope, watch out for other people or objects that you might hit with your snowboard.
How well you snowboard depends on how well you learn and use the various snowboard stances. Stances consist of a mix of footing, width of a stance, centering, angles, and the offset.
The following are general basic tips for a snowboard stance:
Positioning: Choose the foot that you will place in the front. This will be the foot that is the easiest to control.
Width of your Stance: The ‘Stance Width’ is the distance between the center of your front and back binding. The width of the stance usually depends on your height. As well, the most comfortable width is typically equal to the width of the snowboard rider’s shoulders.
To help you get the best stance, the following is a height guide for setting one’s width stance:
Height (feet) Width (inch)
Less than 5′1″: 17-18
5′2″ – 5′4″: 18-19
5′5″ – 5′8″: 19-20
5′9″ – 6′0″: 20-21
Greater than 6′: 22-23
Set your Binding Angles: For the novice, a ‘forward stance’ is recommended as the easiest stance. Angles for this type of stance are +20 degrees / +6 degrees. Binding stance angles are the angles that the bindings are mounted in relation to the snowboard.
Set your Stance Offset: ‘Stance Offset’ is the distance between the middle of the bindings and the middle of the snowboard. One has to select their stance offset such as in the middle or set back towards the tail of the snowboard.
Stance Centering: ‘Centering the Stance’ is when the feet are centered across the width of the snowboard. This is achieved by shifting the binding disks.
The above snowboarding tips are met as an introduction to snowboarding. If you are new to the sport, you should enlist the services of a qualified snowboard instructor. A snowboard instructor will teach you such snowboarding techniques as Switching Edges, Gliding, Moving up the Slope, Sideslipping (Heelside), Sideslipping (Toeside), Traversing (Heelside), Traversing (Toeside), Falling Leaf, and Garlands.
With an understanding of the snowboarding basics, it won’t be long before you are soaring down the slopes.
Spend some time relaxing up north at one of the beautiful Blue Mountain chalets. Try to book Blue Mountain rentals early because fill up quickly.
Learning to Snowboard – The Basics Explained
Tuesday, July 20th, 2010You can learn the basics of snowboarding within a couple of days, but there are enough challenges, techniques, and styles to keep you interested for years.
The main snowboarding styles are alpine, freestyle and freeride. Freeride snowboarding involves riding down the face of a mountain, whilst taking in its natural bumps and curves. Freestyle focuses on tricks, such as spins, jumps and grabbing the board in mid-air. Snowboarding alpine style is not unlike skiing, as it emphasizes building up speed and making sharp turns. For those unsure of which style is best for them, starting withe freeride is advisable, as it is the easiest to pick up the basics of the sport with.
There are two different stances snowboarding stances that can be adopted. In the regular stance, which is most popular, your left foot goes first. In the goofy stance, the right foot goes in front of the left. Your instructor will show you both early on whilst showing you how to snowboard and it is totally up to you as to which one you make your primary stance.
Unlike skiers, who shift their weight from side to side, snowboarders must shift their weight between their heel and their toe. The technique is more like surfing or skateboarding than skiing. When you shift your weight forward, you will go downhill and pick up more speed. When you shift your weight backward, you will slow down. By digging your heels down, the edge of the snowboard drags in the snow and causes you to stop.
There are three different types of snowboards available: freeride, freestyle, and alpine boards. Each is manufactured uniquely in relation to size, shape and materials. The best board for you is dependent on your favored style of snowboarding, your height (when standing on end, the board should reach between your nose and chin), your shoe size and your weight.
Snowboard boots and bindings are necessary to connect yourself safely, securely and comfortably to your snowboard. The higher the quality of the ones you get, and the more they fit your personal specifications, the easier it will be to control your board.
You should dress in layers, with a three-layer system generally seen as the best: an outer later, a middle layer, and a base layer. Warmth, weight and moisture management being considered for each of those layers.
Your head and ears can be protected from extremely low temperatures with a comfortable hat or beanie and, over that, wear a snowboard helmet. Wear goggles to protect your eyes from UV rays, snow, wind, ice, and tree branches. Opt for gloves which are waterproof, durable, and have a fleece or other synthetic-based insulated lining.
You should borrow or rent clothing and equipment prior to buying any to ensure that not only do you like the sport, but that you also get items tailored towards the style of snowboarding that you will mostly be participating in. Equipment and clothing is not cheap, so making the right choices first time around is important.
If you liked this, try : Learn To Snowboard