campgottagopee
New member
I haven't chimed in here because I've never tried it and I nver will now more than ever. Sounds like all you do is fall and I'm to much of a wussy for that crap.
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Skier to start Snowboarding
- Thread starter hiroto
- Start date
RENO
Member
Also, like OldsnowboarderME said, get a good ADULT instructor. Hopefully you'll have adults in your class! I had a kid who didn't know a lot about teaching snowboarding and a couple 10-12 year olds in my class along with 1 adult. The kids cried everytime they fell and had their mommy's watching them! :lol:
I mostly learned the basics from a video tape I bought. Watched it a few times before going out that day.
I mostly learned the basics from a video tape I bought. Watched it a few times before going out that day.
ckofer
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Everybody who is a good skier should try IMHO. It gives you an appreciation of being humiliated on the snow and you'll be kinder to beginners forever. And you may add a board to your quiver if you like it.
Warp Daddy
Active member
Camp G I'm with ya --- like my skis , boarding looks PAINFUL -- too many falls , too much hassle on the lifts etc
I ADMIRE a boarder's athleticism and can appreciate the effort it takes to be good at it -- but i like 2 boards under me thank you very much
I ADMIRE a boarder's athleticism and can appreciate the effort it takes to be good at it -- but i like 2 boards under me thank you very much
JasonE
New member
I also have no major desire to try boarding, for two main reasons:
1) I hate to fall ... and even once you get good at boarding, you STILL fall every time you stop (you can't stand at a stop on a snowboard like you can on skis, and there's no graceful way to sit down on the snow other than to just plop there - something I would not enjoy.)
2) I figure that the places I usually ski (WaWa and Crotched) I probably get a good 3 or 4 more runs in (on an average half-day or night session) than an equivalently-skilled snowboarder, simply because I don't have to waste all the time they do strapping in and out of the board at the top and bottom of the hill. I have a friend who boards and we hit the slopes together quite regularly, and I have to tell you that if I didn't stop and wait for him after getting off the lift, I'd easily be halfway down the trail before he even gets his board back on.
Yes, snowboarding looks very enjoyable once you know how, and no, I do not agree with the common misconception that snowboarders don't take their sport as seriously as skiers. But I personally don't have any desire to do it. Of course, maybe a few years from now when I'm looking for more challenge I might change my mind, but right now two planks is where I stay.
1) I hate to fall ... and even once you get good at boarding, you STILL fall every time you stop (you can't stand at a stop on a snowboard like you can on skis, and there's no graceful way to sit down on the snow other than to just plop there - something I would not enjoy.)
2) I figure that the places I usually ski (WaWa and Crotched) I probably get a good 3 or 4 more runs in (on an average half-day or night session) than an equivalently-skilled snowboarder, simply because I don't have to waste all the time they do strapping in and out of the board at the top and bottom of the hill. I have a friend who boards and we hit the slopes together quite regularly, and I have to tell you that if I didn't stop and wait for him after getting off the lift, I'd easily be halfway down the trail before he even gets his board back on.
Yes, snowboarding looks very enjoyable once you know how, and no, I do not agree with the common misconception that snowboarders don't take their sport as seriously as skiers. But I personally don't have any desire to do it. Of course, maybe a few years from now when I'm looking for more challenge I might change my mind, but right now two planks is where I stay.
ckofer
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Me too. But if a person doesn't want to try, so be it. I agree the falling part sucks but some of that can be mitigated by trying during the right conditions. Powder and spring snow can be pretty good for learning since you don't go quite so fast which yields fewer falls. The ones you have in those conditions aren't quite so hard. A good reason to pick up the sport is if you have a spouse/partner who skis much slower. I can enjoy riding at lower speeds than skiing and this way my wife and I have been able to enjoy the mountain better together.
bobbutts
New member
uphill edge only in the snow!
downhill edge will cause the painful wipeout
downhill edge will cause the painful wipeout
ckofer
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Absolutely. Good add. It's hard to replicate that mousetrap effect (crash) on skis. That's why I advocated practicing traversing as a first exercise- it keeps the board on the uphill edge.
RENO
Member
1) Not always true. I can stop and stand. Just have to pick the spot you stop on. A little pile of snow is nice to stop on. Easier if it's not hardpacked. Of course, sometimes I do like to sit and take a break! :lol:
2) I can get in and out of my bindings pretty quick since I have Flow bindings.
hiroto
Member
Thanks for more interesting discussions. I can think of many reason for skier to not like snowboarding but I just got to try it before making any judgement. My reasoning is that we do share mountain with so many of those people and I just wanted to have better understanding of this sport.
So I did it! :flag: Unfortunately not with my son since he got grounded due to what he got in his progress report :uzi: I almost didn't go but I just couldn't leave this thread in limbo after making such a big deal.
First, it was definitely not a good day to learn snowboarding. When you fall on ice on bunny hill and actually slide down the hill... When the vast majority of corduroy clearly still visible at the end of the day.... it isn't a good day for beginner snowboarder.
I got there early. Paid up and rented the gear first. Comfortable boots for sure. It was too early yet so went to the bottom of the hill and played around a little. Put forward feet in and play around a little to feel comfortable. Tried skating. I was a little shocked how hard it is. On hard pack snow, the board just slide away for me and do not want to go straight forward. Whew, it is going to be a tough day. Tried switching edges. Ok, this is easy. Did some gliding. This was not too bad either.
After a little fooling around, I went to ski school and checked in for my private lesson. Chatted a little with my son's former ski instructors. "Going to the dark side?" was the one of the comment ;-)
So I took two hours of lesson. I didn't do too well. Start from a little gliding and J turning both ways. That was not too bad. But after that, we did traversing then quickly went to linking turns. First of all, I was finding it was very difficult for me to balance on either heel or toe. It is just so alien to me. Heel was a little better but getting on toes was just not happening. I didn't feel that I was slowing down at all and try very hard and ending up tiptoeing and falling forward. Oh, BTW, I'm pretty sure I fell easily more than 100 times, maybe close to 200. The instructor quickly pointed out that I'm back seating. I knew it is important to have weight on the forward foot to keep pressure on the front edges. Same as skiing. When I read about it, it seems logical. But I was so frustrated that even with all those knowledges, I just couldn't help getting scared and back seating. I was TERRIFIED on the bunny hill (Ollie's Area).
I was able to switch edge a couple times but otherwise, I just ended up skidding out. It really didn't help to have big section of bunny hill covered with sheet of ice either. Without making much of progress, instructor decided to take me to the other bunny hill (Easy Rider). It was amusing how steep it looked to me It also had big icy spot in the middle. Again, I was doing horrible. Instructor keep on telling me that I have to put weight forward but I just couldn't do it. Frustrated, but I had to ask him to take me back to the easier slope. Back to the Ollies Area, I asked to focus back on traversing.
One interesting tidbits I got then was than when I shift left to put my wait forward, my knee was following me forward. Skier's instinct. I was told that I have to bend my knees and have them open. Again, I was able to link turns a few times at the bottom of the hill, but totally out of control at the head wall (go over 1 degree) of the bunny hill.
That was it for the lesson. I was quite disappointed of my progress and totally exhausted, so I went into lodge, eat early lunch, hydrated, took a little break and went back out. I did some falling leaf, and again, I did ok on heel but not on toes. Getting close to noon and I was getting pretty frustrated. I'm also getting exhausted by getting in and out of the board. When you have to sit on your butt to buckle in every time for a few turns on bunny slope, it is pretty time consuming and tiring. I felt I needed longer run to make any progress. So although I was terrified to do so and felt so unready, I got on Monadonack chair. As I going up I was so scared to get to the top. First of all, I have to unload the chair! How am I supposed to do THAT! I fell on my butt big time. I'm such a gaper.
So started going down Sundowner, which is very flat at the top. Look to me like 1 degree grade. Which was good. There are some humps which was annoying to me, but I started to make some turns. Last part of the slope is steeper so I just do falling leaf through this on my heel. I'm such a gaper. I was feeling better on my turns on top part, but still being on toe is very iffy and switching from toe to heel was down right scarily pretty much every time. I just couldn't help being on back seat while on toes. At one point, I was getting out of control traversing on toes, and tried to forcefully switch edge to get under control. WHAM! I caught edge and fell backward so hard and hit the back of my helmet very hard into the snow. I never ever being in situation on my skies that I appreciated having helmet on. I think my helmet paid for itself today.
So, I started to be a little better, but I still couldn't link turns all the way through the steeper part. My forced attempt kept ending up in painful result. I was still falling a lot and some of them were very painful. It was past 2:30 and I started to feel like such a looser. I had to do something so I ventured into Indian Summer. It is more consistent grade top to bottom, but a little narrower. Also it is steeper than the top of Sundowner. Also it is right next to the chairlift I didn't have any confidence that I'll be able to link turns on that slope at all, but I had to try something different. I eased into the trail and made a few turns... it is working!! I'm turning! I had a few wipe outs, but I managed to get down most of them linking turn, although I had a little difficulty. Not much time left but I kept working on this trail. I started to be able to get pretty much all the way down, but it was taking intense level of concentration to do so and I was exhausted after each run.
But then, past 3 o'clock, suddenly all the pieces fit together. Suddenly it became very easy. I was balancing much better on toe, and I was comfortably switching edges, being conscious of keeping constant pressure on my front and maintaining it thought the turns. I even start to enjoy it! Made a few runs like that, and at the end, made two runs in a row, top to bottom linking all the turns without falling once. It was 3:35 and I felt mission accomplished and headed home (in lots of pain)
So I did it! :flag: Unfortunately not with my son since he got grounded due to what he got in his progress report :uzi: I almost didn't go but I just couldn't leave this thread in limbo after making such a big deal.
First, it was definitely not a good day to learn snowboarding. When you fall on ice on bunny hill and actually slide down the hill... When the vast majority of corduroy clearly still visible at the end of the day.... it isn't a good day for beginner snowboarder.
I got there early. Paid up and rented the gear first. Comfortable boots for sure. It was too early yet so went to the bottom of the hill and played around a little. Put forward feet in and play around a little to feel comfortable. Tried skating. I was a little shocked how hard it is. On hard pack snow, the board just slide away for me and do not want to go straight forward. Whew, it is going to be a tough day. Tried switching edges. Ok, this is easy. Did some gliding. This was not too bad either.
After a little fooling around, I went to ski school and checked in for my private lesson. Chatted a little with my son's former ski instructors. "Going to the dark side?" was the one of the comment ;-)
So I took two hours of lesson. I didn't do too well. Start from a little gliding and J turning both ways. That was not too bad. But after that, we did traversing then quickly went to linking turns. First of all, I was finding it was very difficult for me to balance on either heel or toe. It is just so alien to me. Heel was a little better but getting on toes was just not happening. I didn't feel that I was slowing down at all and try very hard and ending up tiptoeing and falling forward. Oh, BTW, I'm pretty sure I fell easily more than 100 times, maybe close to 200. The instructor quickly pointed out that I'm back seating. I knew it is important to have weight on the forward foot to keep pressure on the front edges. Same as skiing. When I read about it, it seems logical. But I was so frustrated that even with all those knowledges, I just couldn't help getting scared and back seating. I was TERRIFIED on the bunny hill (Ollie's Area).
I was able to switch edge a couple times but otherwise, I just ended up skidding out. It really didn't help to have big section of bunny hill covered with sheet of ice either. Without making much of progress, instructor decided to take me to the other bunny hill (Easy Rider). It was amusing how steep it looked to me
It also had big icy spot in the middle. Again, I was doing horrible. Instructor keep on telling me that I have to put weight forward but I just couldn't do it. Frustrated, but I had to ask him to take me back to the easier slope. Back to the Ollies Area, I asked to focus back on traversing. One interesting tidbits I got then was than when I shift left to put my wait forward, my knee was following me forward. Skier's instinct. I was told that I have to bend my knees and have them open. Again, I was able to link turns a few times at the bottom of the hill, but totally out of control at the head wall (go over 1 degree) of the bunny hill.
That was it for the lesson. I was quite disappointed of my progress and totally exhausted, so I went into lodge, eat early lunch, hydrated, took a little break and went back out. I did some falling leaf, and again, I did ok on heel but not on toes. Getting close to noon and I was getting pretty frustrated. I'm also getting exhausted by getting in and out of the board. When you have to sit on your butt to buckle in every time for a few turns on bunny slope, it is pretty time consuming and tiring. I felt I needed longer run to make any progress. So although I was terrified to do so and felt so unready, I got on Monadonack chair. As I going up I was so scared to get to the top. First of all, I have to unload the chair! How am I supposed to do THAT! I fell on my butt big time. I'm such a gaper.
So started going down Sundowner, which is very flat at the top. Look to me like 1 degree grade. Which was good. There are some humps which was annoying to me, but I started to make some turns. Last part of the slope is steeper so I just do falling leaf through this on my heel. I'm such a gaper. I was feeling better on my turns on top part, but still being on toe is very iffy and switching from toe to heel was down right scarily pretty much every time. I just couldn't help being on back seat while on toes. At one point, I was getting out of control traversing on toes, and tried to forcefully switch edge to get under control. WHAM! I caught edge and fell backward so hard and hit the back of my helmet very hard into the snow. I never ever being in situation on my skies that I appreciated having helmet on. I think my helmet paid for itself today.
So, I started to be a little better, but I still couldn't link turns all the way through the steeper part. My forced attempt kept ending up in painful result. I was still falling a lot and some of them were very painful. It was past 2:30 and I started to feel like such a looser. I had to do something so I ventured into Indian Summer. It is more consistent grade top to bottom, but a little narrower. Also it is steeper than the top of Sundowner. Also it is right next to the chairlift
I didn't have any confidence that I'll be able to link turns on that slope at all, but I had to try something different. I eased into the trail and made a few turns... it is working!! I'm turning! I had a few wipe outs, but I managed to get down most of them linking turn, although I had a little difficulty. Not much time left but I kept working on this trail. I started to be able to get pretty much all the way down, but it was taking intense level of concentration to do so and I was exhausted after each run. But then, past 3 o'clock, suddenly all the pieces fit together. Suddenly it became very easy. I was balancing much better on toe, and I was comfortably switching edges, being conscious of keeping constant pressure on my front and maintaining it thought the turns. I even start to enjoy it! Made a few runs like that, and at the end, made two runs in a row, top to bottom linking all the turns without falling once. It was 3:35 and I felt mission accomplished and headed home (in lots of pain)
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ckofer
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NIce report. Good job sticking it out for the whole day. Ibuprofin.
skiboarder
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Excellent! You were very persistent and it paid off. The learning curve for riding is so steep. From the point of linking a few turns, one improves much faster than on skis. Pick a slushy 2-3 day weekend and you will be doing Killington blues.
hiroto
Member
Thanks. One thing notable to me is that for snowboarding, there is no equivalent for wedge turning of skiing. There is no easier way to turn. Another thing is, getting both feet bound together is a pretty scary thing to do.
On one ride up the chair, I saw a boy on a board kneeling down next to his mom on skies and screaming "I CAN'T DO THIS!!!!". I really wanted to yell from the chair "I KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL!!!"
dmc
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Good job... Welcome to yet another cool way to use gravity...
SIKSKIER
New member
Hats off for fighting through the temptation of just hanging it up for the day.It's nice to see your determination finally start to pay off at the end of the day.Your a better man than me for sticking it out.I lasted about 2 hours and wondered why the hell am I putting myself through this learning curve again?Good for you!
hiroto
Member
Thanks, guys. But I couldn't have done it without this thread. I just didn't feel like coming back here and publicly admit my failure.
Paul
New member
That's an awesome report, hiroto. Kudos!
RENO
Member
Congrats hiroto! :grin: Once you make a few of those linked turns it's such a rush! I still remember how great it was the first time I linked a couple turns. Sucks that it was hard as a rock, but you did it in the worst possible conditions so when you do hit some soft snow you'll really rip it up. At least you stuck with it after all the falls and things finally kicked in.
The 'both feet attached' thing freaks everybody out at first, but I feel soooooo much more comfortable approaching a steep run now than I ever did on skis...
The 'both feet attached' thing freaks everybody out at first, but I feel soooooo much more comfortable approaching a steep run now than I ever did on skis...
RENO
Member
Mannnnnn there's no better feeling than surfing the POW! Was doing that in Colorado last week. Hopefully will see some POW days rest of March/April in VT...
hiroto
Member
Day two
I didn't know when I'll be able to board again but things worked out this Sunday so went to Wawa again. Started a little late at 11 am, nice and warm and perfect spring condition. Heaven comparing to the week before.
I did quite well, moved off the beginner chair after 6,7 runs since I couldn't stand the slow chair anymore and ventured up to HSQ. After a three hours or so, I got good enough to come down all the three easy blue trails off Minuteman without wiping out. Good progress, but still it will be long way before I can call myself a snowboarder.
I'm still not sure how I'll mix snowboarding with my skiing. It would be quite a challenge to make that work with family skiing. Totally different logistics I'm not familiar with. Oh well, I first have to buy a board for myself and then start worrying about.
I didn't know when I'll be able to board again but things worked out this Sunday so went to Wawa again. Started a little late at 11 am, nice and warm and perfect spring condition. Heaven comparing to the week before.
I did quite well, moved off the beginner chair after 6,7 runs since I couldn't stand the slow chair anymore and ventured up to HSQ. After a three hours or so, I got good enough to come down all the three easy blue trails off Minuteman without wiping out. Good progress, but still it will be long way before I can call myself a snowboarder.
I'm still not sure how I'll mix snowboarding with my skiing. It would be quite a challenge to make that work with family skiing. Totally different logistics I'm not familiar with. Oh well, I first have to buy a board for myself and then start worrying about.
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