A Beginner’s Guide: Basic Tips for Snowboarding

The emergence of internet and social media made a revolutionary impact on extreme sports. Since the core of extreme sports is entertainment and hyper-adrenaline rushes, recording and sharing it on video makes it even more fun. This is how a lot of people discovered their passion for snowboarding, simply by seeing someone else doing it and thinking “Heck, why not?”. Today, snowboarding has become one of the most popular outdoor extreme sports since its modern reform in 1985. Here is a beginner’s guide to get you started onto some frosty action.

A Snowboard That Fits

There are two main types of snowboards; all-mountain snowboard, which is recommended for beginners thanks to its stability and versatility, can make your initiation into snowboarding easier; freestyle boards, known for their symmetry and ability to switch between regular riding and freeriding which requires more experience to handle such switches while being ridden in snow powder. As you get more involved in the sport, you’ll be able to figure out what kind of board suits you best, and the only way to do that is while you’re riding. As you get better, so will your ability to figure out what kind of board is convenient for your style of riding and level.

Time to Gear Up

Picking a snowboard isn’t the only important part in setting up your gear and outfit; you get to choose from, all the snowboarding jackets, boots, bindings and trousers. Every snow sport has a different gear setup to maintain optimum operation. This is why it is important to get your hands on some well-crafted and cheap ski gear to make sure you are safely getting the best performance out of your gear in your new found hobby without zapping your wallet. Keep in mind that quality is key because you don’t want to compromise your safety at the cost of gear that may be cheaper. It’s always a good idea to look into reviews of different gear and their brands just to be safe.

Get That Powder

If you ask any snowboarder if they’d rather ride powder or packed snow, almost every answer you get will be to ride powder. Powder basically means fresh snow that hasn’t been compacted by machines or the traffic of snowboarders and skiers. If you do not have a powder board, you may need to make a few adjustments in the bindings of your snowboard to accommodate the difference in balance shifting due to moving your stance from the center a few inches to the tail.

Learning and Falling

If you’re really interested in snowboarding then you better prepare yourself for a good number of falls in the process of learning. It is inevitable at first to fail and dive headfirst into the snow, every professional snowboarder started from somewhere. Fortunately, the learning curve is much faster in snowboarding than skiing, a few days of practice and you’ll be skidding all around the mountains. It’s definitely not a bad idea to get some knowledge about different moves and styles by watching videos online and tutorials. These are bound to give you a step up and more confidence as you learn how to snowboard. After all, knowledge is power!

Some people start with ski poles for balance while their body starts getting used to the skateboarding awkward stance of having your legs clamped together. Any exercise that involves balancing is going to be your friend if you don’t have any snowboarding experience. Keep your stance centered, not too wide or too narrow, keep your legs flexed and get closer to the ground to lessen the impact of your falls.

Always Stay Safe

It is better if you arrange for at least a lesson from a professional to get you started before you hit the slopes. Some people think they can snowboard their way into shape, that is a common mistake, you need to exercise and try to prepare your body as much as possible before you begin snowboarding. Don’t take a good diet for granted either, because that definitely contributes to how fit you are as well. Make sure to heed to warnings and signs while avoiding closed trails. Always make sure that you are in control and ride safely without endangering your fellow skiers and snowboarders.