Two of the most common winter sports are skiing and snowboarding. While both involve traversing snow, skiing is a sport that involves a pair of skis attached to boots and poles to travel over the surface while with snowboarding, no poles are used; the rider stands on a special board (known as a snowboard). Snowboarding is like surfing, just on snow instead of water.
The folk at Salt Lake City’s Canyon Sports say that those who wish to learn how to snowboard should consider snowboard rental before jumping straight in to buy their own board. This will save them splashing out on costly equipment if they are not going to continue with it. Renting a board is a terrific way to find out whether snowboarding is something that you really like or not.
It is important to remember though that when learning to snowboard, you are bound to fall over time and again as it is just the nature of the sport. There are some mistakes that you should try to avoid in order to stay on your feet for longer. Below are a few examples.
Trying to Rush Things
It is natural to want to master the art of snowboarding as quickly as possible, but you really do need to take your time and avoid rushing things. Snowboarding requires plenty of practice, and some aspects of it take longer to master than others. For example, one of the hardest parts of snowboarding to get the hang of initially is turning. Many people are tempted to lift their back leg to make the turn. The correct way to turn is to keep all your weight centered on the board and use the lower half of the body to make the turn rather than swinging your upper body.
Worrying About Falling
You may as well accept the fact that falling is part and parcel of snowboarding. If you are too worried about it or fear that it will make you look like a beginner, you are never going to get the hang of it. As you practice turning the board you are likely to fall off over and over as you will need to learn how to balance on the edge. Avoid leaning backwards when turning to prevent falling as this will then result in the front of the board lifting. It is important to use your upper body to push your weight onto the front foot. This will help you learn how to balance quicker and make those turns without falling.
Leaning Forwards from the Waist
It might feel natural to lean forward from the waist, but this is a common mistake that newbies make when learning how to snowboard. You need to push into the board with your heels and feet and stay in a kind of sitting position, with your knees leaning forward. Your back should be straight rather than leaning forwards. This can feel uncomfortable and unnatural at first but is the best way to avoid finding yourself face first in the snow.
Conclusion
If you are learning how to snowboard, be aware that it is a difficult sport to master initially and falling down is just part of the process. You are likely to find some of the positions uncomfortable at first but learning the correct way to ride the board and make the turns will ensure you get the hang of it as quickly as possible.
Make sure to take your time and go with the flow. Falling over is just part of the fun, so embrace it as you learn.
