Snowboarding questions

[twinplanx]

Wow gladerider I've heard that the" buttcheeks" may get sore but not internally? Wrong kind of padding?

Seriously though I'd recommend Burtons LTR program. I've skied since the late 80's tried to snowboard for a run or two and just wound up frustrated and looking for my skis. But I gave boarding another go a few years ago on a mid-week day w/ some fresh snow and a Burton LTR. By the end of the day I was confident enough to run the liftline. But as you can tell by my screenname I have no intentions of converting.

 

[gladerider]

no padding :<

couple feet of freshies definitely help....

 

[Birdman829]

I think snowboarding is easier to learn for some people, and skiing is easier for others. My sister skied for almost ten years and never took to it really. Even though she was an intermediate, she lacked confidence on almost any terrain. She started snowboarding when she was 14 and took to it right away without ever taking a lesson. This will be her fourth year (she gets maybe 15-20 days a year) and she pretty much rips as well as friends of mine who've been boarding for 10-15 years. The only terrain she has trouble in is bumps (and flat runouts and crosscuts, silly snowboarders ) but she is getting better at that too.

I think the thing that made her a better snowboarder than skier is just the fact that she enjoyed it more, for whatever reason. Because she liked it more, she wanted to get out more and challenge herself more. I say try it and see what happens.

 

[RISkier]

Wow, I didn't realize this would create such a stir!

I think what it comes down to is that I probably should just rent the equipment and take a lesson before I decide on anything. I've never really been able to edge with my left foot while skiing and that's really hampered me from progressing, but maybe it wouldn't hold me back so much with snowboarding. I guess that remains to be seen.

Leaving the boarding vs skiing debate aside, if you stick with skiing you might consider visiting a good bootfitter (someone like Jeff Bokem) who could assess alignment issues. The never being able to edge with my left foot stuff makes me wonder if there could be some boot alignment issues.

 

[AdironRider]

People can sit on their computer and babble about the intricacies of snowboarding and skiing but everyones different. I skied for ten years, switched to riding, and never looked back. Others dont feel that way. Rent a board for a few days (stick with it, your not going to like it the first couple times when you fall all the time) and make the decision for yourself.

 

[gymnast46]

skiing/boarding/ankles, etc.....

Okay, here's my 3 cents (inflation, you know).

Eleven years ago I resumed skiing at age 50 after a 34 year layoff from the sport. I took up snowboarding the same season. Today I split my time 50/50 between the two endeavors (see avatar) and focus on racing. If I can be allowed a little chest beating, I'm the only competitor to make the podium in both events at the Mt. Dew finals. I've never finished out of the top ten in my age group in ski racing at the NASTAR Nationals and I've won the snowboard title twice. In 2001-2002 I finished the season ranked #1 nationally in snowboard racing for my age group. I stopped competing in the half pipe when I turned 60 but still enjoy the terrain park. Two years ago I earned A.S.I.A certification to teach snowboarding.

The original question was about ankles. On a traditional snowboard the turning movements are initiated with a lot of heel-toe flexion so that there shouldn't be any exacerbation of the injury described. As a side note, I find boarding far easier on my arthritic knee because the feet are anchored a fixed distance apart.

Most of my boarding time is spent on a race deck with hard boots. Because of the extreme forward angulation of the boots, turns do involve more of a "rolled ankle" movement similar to skiing but if you stick with a stance approximating 90 degrees, you should be fine.

Chiming in on the learning curve I have to echo the thoughts of whoever said snowboarding is tough to learn but easier to master. The first few days on a board can be very discouraging. You will learn one turn first (toeside in my case) and then the other maybe a day later. After that linking turns will be second nature. It's like riding a unicycle. You never forget!

 

[dmc]

Rent a board for a few days (stick with it, your not going to like it the first couple times when you fall all the time) and make the decision for yourself.

Indeed...

I personally have never left skiing.... It really wasn't my intention to stop skiing - But there was a long time that I didnt ski... i now have a good pair of skis and I'm probably going to get my bud Keith to set me up with boots...

I just wanted to try something different and give my body a break from ski boot pain, hurt thumbs and back pain from constant bump skiing..

Skiing and snowboard are fun.. I can't see anything bad about doing either...

 

[RIDEr]

Indeed...
i now have a good pair of skis and I'm probably going to get my bud Keith to set me up with boots...

Speaking of Keith... has he reopened his shop yet for the season?

 

[tjf67]

That generally is what's said about the difference between learning to ski and snowboard .. Snowboarding is more difficult to learn but easier to master once you get the fundamentals down. I enjoy hearing the stories of people who were linking turns or carving after only a few runs when trying it for the very first time. Sorry but I am just not buying it. I have never seen it happen. I also believe the more angle of the front/rear bindings toward the front .. the more the edge pressuring becomes like skiing.

Boarder hate to burst your bubble but the first time I went snoboarding I was taking the six pack up to the top of jimney and linking turns all the way down.

The second time I went snoboarding which was three years later so you might as well say the first time i went down Rumors at gore.

Snoboarding is easier to pick up.


Snoboarding if you can indure the pain is easier to pick up.

 

[RIDEr]

Boarder hate to burst your bubble but the first time I went snoboarding I was taking the six pack up to the top of jimney and linking turns all the way down.

The second time I went snoboarding which was three years later so you might as well say the first time i went down Rumors at gore.

Snoboarding is easier to pick up.


Snoboarding if you can indure the pain is easier to pick up.

Two thing... Snowboarding, not snoboarding.

Second, you are contradicting yourself... it is easier to pick up if you can indure the pain... WTF!

 

[dmc]

Boarder hate to burst your bubble but the first time I went snoboarding I was taking the six pack up to the top of jimney and linking turns all the way down.

The second time I went snoboarding which was three years later so you might as well say the first time i went down Rumors at gore.

Snoboarding is easier to pick up.


Snoboarding if you can indure the pain is easier to pick up.

For you maybe - for most... no... Skiing is WAY easier to get up and running... I can state dozens of first hand experience...

I learned to ride in the late 80's on a trip to JH... Like you - I picked it up in a day...
i can endure pain... You may be right there...

 

[dmc]

Second, you are contradicting yourself... it is easier to pick up if you can indure the pain... WTF!

It's true.. It hurts to learn... ass and hands...

 

[hammer]

I'd like to try it out just for grins...maybe if I get enough days in at Pats Peak this season I can get a lesson and rental there.

Question 1: Is there a correlation between your dominant hand and how you ride (regular or goofy)?

Question 2: Is it easier to learn on hardpack? Not that I usually count on a lot of powder days in southern NH...

 

[dmc]

Question 1: Is there a correlation between your dominant hand and how you ride (regular or goofy)?

Question 2: Is it easier to learn on hardpack? Not that I usually count on a lot of powder days in southern NH...

Slide across the floor in your socks... Thats your stance... whatever foot goes forward is the forward foot on the deck.

It's easier to learn in snow...

 

[RIDEr]

Another method other than sliding across a floor is try to remember which foot was put forward when tripping or getting pushed...

An alternate to snowboarding when there isn't any snow is skateboarding, surfing or wakeboarding... More enjoyable with snow though...

 

[gladerider]

Question 2: Is it easier to learn on hardpack? Not that I usually count on a lot of powder days in southern NH...[/QUOTE]


it maybe easier to learn how to turn on hardpack, but it will hurt. get prepared to beg forgiveness to your ass....

i personally thought that fresh natural bumps created just after a good dumping helped me learn how to shift my weight for connecting turns.

 

[severine]

It's easier to learn in snow...

:lol:

I picked up skiing very quickly. I took a lesson the first time and only bought a pass for the learning side of Sundown. The next time, signed up for another lesson and made the mistake of again getting a Sunnyside pass. Even the instructor felt that was a mistake as I was doing great by the end of that. Then again, I have waterskied before and I do think that helps. But I feel like there is only so far I can go with skiing because of the weak/tight ankle (dozens of sprains have affected the flexibility in that ankle, in spite of physical therapy, and it occasional gives out without warning).

Yeah, I need to see a boot fitter. My ski boots don't even fit anymore anyway after 2 pregnancies. But I don't think that's the only problem. There definitely is an issue with the injured ankle adding difficulty. And now that I have the break on that foot, too, which still hurts 2 months after the orthopedic discharged me with a clean bill of health (with only a warning that my foot may still be a bit swollen by the time ski season comes around), I'm not exactly relishing the idea of getting up on the outside of my foot any time soon. Oh yeah, I have flat feet, too. I'm full of problems. :lol:

 

[RIDEr]

Yeah, I need to see a boot fitter. My ski boots don't even fit anymore anyway after 2 pregnancies. But I don't think that's the only problem. There definitely is an issue with the injured ankle adding difficulty. And now that I have the break on that foot, too, which still hurts 2 months after the orthopedic discharged me with a clean bill of health (with only a warning that my foot may still be a bit swollen by the time ski season comes around), I'm not exactly relishing the idea of getting up on the outside of my foot any time soon. Oh yeah, I have flat feet, too. I'm full of problems. :lol:

The best orthotic person in the northeast is Keith at The Pro Ski and Ride...

http://www.theproskiandride.com/

 

[SnowRider]

First off it's your personal opinion on what sports easier. I picked up snowboarding quikley, and prior to it i skiid and i was good but it took me longer to learn.

As long as your boots are tight and you edge correctly my ankles don't useally hurt. You don't bend them much at all...you just lean.

 

[bobbutts]

First off it's your personal opinion on what sports easier. I picked up snowboarding quikley, and prior to it i skiid and i was good but it took me longer to learn.

As long as your boots are tight and you edge correctly my ankles don't useally hurt. You don't bend them much at all...you just lean.

With snowboarding.. Once you learn not to let your downhill edge dig in it's smooth sailing. The first few days are tough though because the fall resulting from the previously mentioned mistake causes an over the bars body plant.
The time from total newb to cruisin' blues successfully seems much quicker than on skis imo. The other nice thing about learning to board is that the 'falling leaf' (back and forth on heel edge) is very effective for making it down too steep/difficult a slope.