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amstone
Feb 20, 2006, 4:36 PM
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Registered: Mar 28, 2004
Posts: 102
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Took a lesson yesterday to learn to snowboard. It was so much fun but boy am I tired and sore today! You all make it look so easy. I got the feel of what needs to happen, just need some mileage now. Props to you who make it look so effortless!
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girlyoutalkto
Feb 20, 2006, 11:45 PM
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Registered: Oct 13, 2005
Posts: 90
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Isn't it a blast? When I first started, my butt was so sore that it hurt to sit down, lol. It took about one season of exclusively boarding for me to be really comfortable with it... but once you get the hang of it, it's SO MUCH FUN! :D
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snoangel
Feb 21, 2006, 9:16 PM
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Registered: Jul 28, 2004
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So glad you had fun. :D The first day I tried snowboarding, my butt was so sore that I had to ski the next day. Once the bruises went away, I was right back on the board and haven't been off since.
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blonde_loves_bolts
Feb 22, 2006, 1:26 AM
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Registered: Apr 7, 2005
Posts: 2287
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I have decided that I cannot, for the life of me, learn to snowboard. My negative experiences started when I was 14 and got literally kicked out of the lesson my parents paid for - I was that bad!! I've tried a couple of times since then, but it's something I don't feel any motivation to pursue.
I think the problem is that I've always played sports that have a kind of symmetry going on, with weight distributed on two moving parts involving both my legs (figure skating, skiing, horses, golf), so the legs-strapped-to-a-board thing is extremely difficult. Plus I've noticed that I hurt myself more and land a lot harder when snowboarding rather than skiing, even in powder, and after 9 concussions and numerous spinal injuries in my life I'm hesitant to take risks like that.
I'm giving it one more shot this weekend in Tahoe, because someone who used to teach snowboarding has convinced me to try again. We'll see!
And yes, you adept snowboarders are awesome. :D
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jdouble
Feb 22, 2006, 1:53 AM
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Registered: Jun 15, 2004
Posts: 564
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Hey Ladies,
I used to teach snowboarding/skiing (ahhh, the good old days....), and from my experience I learned two things;
1. Almost anyone can learn to ride with instruction.
2. Taking terrible falls the first day is the mark of a terrible instructor. You should not be especially sore the next day.
Also, a helmet is a must.
Have fun,
Jay
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ledavis23
Feb 22, 2006, 8:34 PM
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Registered: Sep 9, 2005
Posts: 108
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First of all, way to go! We need more polite, respectful people in the sport.
Next, and this is almost completely off subject: please don't be like those crazy people that may ride hard, but constantly abuse other riders verbally and scream at them from the lift chairs to do try some unreasonable trick that they aren't ready for in between abundant, needless uses of profanity.
And please don't crowd those one-lane entrances to the snowboard park. There are usually enough places to sit and wait once you get inside.
Lastly, don't be intimidated. Know what your limits are and find out how to safely push them.
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mink
Feb 23, 2006, 6:29 PM
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Registered: Aug 17, 2005
Posts: 46
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Did you try snowboarding pants with knee pads / butt pads? If you don't have or don't want to spend the dosh on some snowboarding pants, you can actually buy thermals with extra padding on the back side. Knee pads are generally available in any sporting good store.
If you can get somewhere with fresh powder -you won't need any protective padding. Falling never felt so good!. Don't forget to bend your knees and lean into the mountain - as scary as it sounds, it makes snowboarding A LOT easier!
Snowboarding totally rocks. Its too bad you have to do a significant amount of travel to snowboard year-round, otherwise it just becomes a winter sport.
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amstone
Feb 24, 2006, 6:06 PM
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Registered: Mar 28, 2004
Posts: 102
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Mink...I noticed you are in DC..I am in MD.
I did not have any padding...will invest in some for next time. I will also invest in wrist guards. I would love to get someplace with powder and no crowds. Ski McLiberty sucks on a holiday weekend for beginners.
As far as rudeness goes...I had fallen and not within 2 seconds, some brat kid on his board uses me as a jump. Right over me. Didn't apologize or anything....I guess it is his world and I happen to live in it.
Can't wait to go again!
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mink
Feb 24, 2006, 11:01 PM
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Registered: Aug 17, 2005
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Hey Amstone!
I'm just here in DC short-term, finishing up grad school this May. Its a great area and DC is so much fun.
The powder is usually best on the west coast (CA, UT, CO etc). The runs are usually longer and the slopes seem to be wider (less narrow runs) but it is a little more expensive to ski on the west coast. I was able to get away to Austria this winter for snowboarding and the powder (over a foot!) was amazing!
For the most part, due to the humidity (combined with low night time temperatures) on the east coast, we get slopes of ice that melt by late morning resulting in a few inches of icy slush at best. So, protective padding is really useful if you're learning on the east coast! I've never been out snowboarding around DC/MD, but the slopes of VT and NH are all ice.
Another downside is the slopes do get crowded. If you can get some west coast skiing/boarding in, try to get out first thing in the morning as the first couple hours when the slopes open up are pretty quiet - having said that, it is usually colder out as well.
You can probably find some wrist guards in a sporting goods shop as well - you can also use the roller blading kind. If you find that you are falling a bit, waterproof pants and gloves are definite must-haves! And as someone earlier mentioned, a helmet is pretty important. As good as you are, you can't control the bozos who come flying down the mountain behind you (as you've probably experienced).
Congrats on finding a great new sport! You'll be great on a snowboard in no time!....and surfing is sorta similar to snowboarding (IMHO), so if you want to pick up something new to do in the summer months, I recommend renting a long board for a day and trying it out!
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