Skier to start Snowboarding

[hiroto]

My daughter started to be sick again so no family skiing this weekend (now I can stop browsing those snow reports :wink. Weather is not so great, so I decided to go snowboarding for the first time with my son, who has been itching to start snowboarding.

I always wanted to try it but haven't got a good opportunity to pull me away from skiing. This seems like a good weekend to try. I think I'll go to Wawa on Sunday, rent gears and take private lesson with my son.

Any advice for somebody to start snowboarding after decades of skiing (and not young)?

 

[SkiDork]

My daughter started to be sick again so no family skiing this weekend (now I can stop browsing those snow reports :wink. Weather is not so great, so I decided to go snowboarding for the first time with my son, who has been itching to start snowboarding.

I always wanted to try it but haven't got a good opportunity to pull me away from skiing. This seems like a good weekend to try. I think I'll go to Wawa on Sunday, rent gears and take private lesson with my son.

Any advice for somebody to start snowboarding after decades of skiing (and not young)?

1st day out, be prepared to fall like 300 times. After that it's not so bad.

 

[rjc1976]

I wish I had some better advice, but all that I have is to be prepared to fall a lot. The first 2 - 3 days of snowboard can be very frustrating and painful. If you make it over that 4th day hump though, chances are you will enjoy it. It's natural to put your wrists down when you fall backwards, but try to avoid doing that and let your butt take the impact if you can. It's easier said than done while learning, but just keep it in mind. Wrists injuries are common from people breaking their falls.

 

[hiroto]

1st day out, be prepared to fall like 300 times. After that it's not so bad.

I wish I had some better advice, but all that I have is to be prepared to fall a lot. The first 2 - 3 days of snowboard can be very frustrating and painful. If you make it over that 4th day hump though, chances are you will enjoy it. It's natural to put your wrists down when you fall backwards, but try to avoid doing that and let your butt take the impact if you can. It's easier said than done while learning, but just keep it in mind. Wrists injuries are common from people breaking their falls.

I'm seriously considering bringing my rollerblading wrist guards and wear them. I wonder about my butt though. Maybe I'll wear two layers of underwear with a small pillow tucked in between :-D

 

[tcharron]

I'm seriously considering bringing my rollerblading wrist guards and wear them. I wonder about my butt though. Maybe I'll wear two layers of underwear with a small pillow tucked in between :-D

Beeeelion percent recomendation based on something Jerry here on the boards recomended..

ASS PADS.

I think they call em 'But Protectors'. Personally, I recomend the ones that Ski Market sells, they're like 39$ or so, but they have nice thick solid foam inserts in them. There's another model that is different that some people sell, the padding seems solid but looks to be more of a hip protector then ass protection..

Just did a quick search, the ones I use are http://www.triple8.com/main3/pg_9.html the ones on the right hand side.

Only been twice myself so far (and both times, quickly went back onto my skis after needing to escort the 8 year old around the trails), but they worked really well.

 

[Phlogiston]

I'm seriously considering bringing my rollerblading wrist guards and wear them. I wonder about my butt though. Maybe I'll wear two layers of underwear with a small pillow tucked in between :-D

No No NO.

Bubble wrap. A layer of bubble wrap between the layers of underwear will protect you, and make a sound your son will find endlessly amusing when you fall.

 

[hiroto]

Thanks for advises.

ASS PADS.

That looks really nice. Not sure yet I want to make that kind of investment (before even owning a board yet).

No No NO.

Bubble wrap. A layer of bubble wrap between the layers of underwear will protect you, and make a sound your son will find endlessly amusing when you fall.

:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D:-D That's so funny. Thank you for making my day.

 

[jack97]

I'm seriously considering bringing my rollerblading wrist guards and wear them.

I was talking to some who just did that, the wrist guards. Been skiing since a teenager, turned fifty and tried boarding. The day I talked to him, was his fourth day out, he heard from someone that the wrist thing is a common injury especially among older people.


Just reminded me, I had a coworker from long ago, he went out to Co to hang with some friends, he decided to try boarding, came home with a broken wrist.

 

[hiroto]

I was talking to some who just did that, the wrist guards. Been skiing since a teenager, turned fifty and tried boarding. The day I talked to him, was his fourth day out, he heard from someone that the wrist thing is a common injury especially among older people.


Just reminded me, I had a coworker from long ago, he went out to Co to hang with some friends, he decided to try boarding, came home with a broken wrist.

Yeah, now I'll really make sure I'll do that. Cannot afford breaking my wrist in the middle of skiing season.

 

[wasupersoaker]

my first day snowboarding on a real snowboard and not just a plastic black sno i broke my wrist on the final run of the day at killington 15 years later i only go back to the skis once or twice a year

ive learned to cross my arms and hug myself tightly if falling forward. and falling backward sucks try not to smash your head.

knee pads help a lot too. the soft basketball type.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

My daughter started to be sick again so no family skiing this weekend (now I can stop browsing those snow reports :wink. Weather is not so great, so I decided to go snowboarding for the first time with my son, who has been itching to start snowboarding.

I always wanted to try it but haven't got a good opportunity to pull me away from skiing. This seems like a good weekend to try. I think I'll go to Wawa on Sunday, rent gears and take private lesson with my son.

Any advice for somebody to start snowboarding after decades of skiing (and not young)?

I'd stick with skiing..it's way cooler..:uzi:
16 more posts to 3,000

 

[hiroto]

I'd stick with skiing..it's way cooler..:uzi:
16 more posts to 3,000

BACK OFF there ... butt boy :smash:

I knew something like this was coming :lol:

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I knew something like this was coming :lol:

Yikes..

12 more posts to 3,000

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Post Whore you be ..

No I only post quality...

8 more posts to 3,000

 

[ckofer]

Okay, real advice:

Put more weight on your front foot than you think you should. It will lighten up the tail of the board to make it swing easily. When you get better you will find a the balance point.

In order to help accomplish this and protect your wrists, get in a boxer position with your fists over/near the front of the board. If you tumble, pull in your arms to your chest.

Practice traversing on a mild hill. Avoid the temptation to point the board closer to the fall line than you need to, Do this both toe-side and heel-side.

Take advil about an hour before.

Take your skis along too and only snowboard a half-day.

Take a lesson from someone who has graduated from puberty. A young punk instructor who just says follow me is worthless.

Good way to guess at regular (left foot forward) vs goofy (right foot): pretend you're kicking a ball on the ground. The one that kicks goes in back as you will need to put pressure on your front foot. This is not water skiing.

One more thing about the arms-great piece of advice in one phrase: you're not delivering pizza!

Bend with your legs and keep your back upright. Takes strength but this is the right way. I see beginners trying to crouch with their backs and straight legged. Doesn't work but ensures pain later.

Avoid icy hills and sneering skiers.

And: when in doubt sit in the middle of the hill for a while. You are supposed to do this.

 

[twinplanx]

My daughter started to be sick again so no family skiing this weekend (now I can stop browsing those snow reports :wink. Weather is not so great, so I decided to go snowboarding for the first time with my son, who has been itching to start snowboarding.

I always wanted to try it but haven't got a good opportunity to pull me away from skiing. This seems like a good weekend to try. I think I'll go to Wawa on Sunday, rent gears and take private lesson with my son.

Any advice for somebody to start snowboarding after decades of skiing (and not young)?

Yeah this may not be the weekend 2 start....wait for a powder day or at least some

 

[gladerider]

Yeah this may not be the weekend 2 start....wait for a powder day or at least some

i second that.

here is my 2 cents. WEAR YOUR HELMET !!
when you catch a heel side edge, not only do you fall on your butt, it's near concusion pain without helmets.

here is another one. you may forget and fall without crossing your arms. make fists and hold on to them at all times. first thing you should learn is HOW TO FALL. a good instructor will teach you how to fall first.

once you are ready to take a chair up. use your ski knowledge. don't put yourself on a trail where you know there are a lots of flat areas. you want consistant pitch. you will be unbuckling more than you want.
and there are double fall lines. i don't think i need to explain.

here is a great site: http://www.abc-of-snowboarding.com/learn-snowboarding/

i have switched to snowboarding after 20 years of skiing. this is my second season. it's fun.

have fun...

 

[hiroto]

ckofer, twinplanx, gladerider

Thanks for helpful advises. I'll definitely wear my helmet and looking forward to learning about falling. I just have to go out there and learn with my body. I know it will likely be worst possible day for start snow boarding, but I'll go for it anyway. If I postpone, I'm afraid we'll have to wait for next season. Thanks for the great site for reference. That gives me quite a bit of perspective. I'm really looking foward to this!

 

[ckofer]

Certainly athletic abilities don't hurt here. I have found that my friends who work on ladders, especially those who are steady on roofs of houses, tend to pick up snowboarding quickly. I think it is a similar muscle group that helps with this.

I still remember some sympathetic kid saying to me as I was learning: "don't worry about it, you're not strong yet"

 

[RENO]

Wear wrist guards, knee and elbow pads and stuff a hat or 2 in your pants for your butt which you will fall on the first day. A helmet is good too. I always wear one. The first couple days aren't as bad as some people say. My first day I fell many times the first 2-3 hours. By lunch I linked a couple turns and I was off to the easy Blues and greens. Coming from skiing makes it a little quicker to learn how to get the board on edge than someone who never skied...

Also, stay away from beginner areas that have a rope tow. They're murder on a snowboard. A deep trench develops under the rope and they kill your upper body. My first day was at Blue Mountain PA and I had more pain and soreness from the stupid rope tow than I did snowboarding. It was very hard trying to get myself up a few times later in the first day because my upper body was dead from trying to hang on to that stupid thing. After I linked a couple turns I was outta that area and off to where the regular lifts are! :lol: