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Learning to Snowboard

62 posts & 44 voices | Started 7 months ago by thisisnotaspoon | Latest reply from ransos

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thisisnotaspoon - Member

How hard (physicaly) is it?

The local(ish) dry slope does a weekend course with 2 x 4 hour sessions and 2 hours kit hire afterwards.

How hard will it be? They say medium to high level of physical fitness required. I'm sure I'll cope but would the missus? Who (don't tell her I said this) is unfit and lazy and count's going to watch the football as an activity. So, how hard is it, and will she struggle?

Desperately trying to find some kind of sporting activity that can be combined with a holliday so I don't spend next year getting an earfull for not wanting to spend my time off work on a sunlounger drinking the all inclusive beer.

Posted 7 months ago #
CaptainFlashheart - Member

Don't do it!

Take up skiing instead.

Posted 7 months ago #
D0NK - Member

I did a few dry slope sessions but learnt properly on holiday and it was hard! Very very physical, 3rd morning was pretty difficult to drag myself out of bed. I was doing 7-8 hour days, 4hour sessions may be easier dunno how enthusiastic your mrs will be on day 2.

Having said that my mrs who isn't sporty at all (but is hard as nails) managed a week of ski lessons without too much trouble, I've never done skiing tho so dunno how it compares.

Posted 7 months ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

Thought that, but snowboarding appears more cool, and her borther and his missus snowboard so at leas there'd be old kit available, and the possibility of going on holliday with other people. And they have an uncanny knack of finding really cheep deals (£400 each, inc flights for 10 days in whistler last year!)

Posted 7 months ago #
CaptainFlashheart - Member

snowboarding appears more cool

Nope. All the "old" people are boarding now and once granddad's shredding the pow, doood, it's not cool any more!

Posted 7 months ago #
leggyblonde - Member

you will be fine, she won't. tell her to go to magaluf or somewhere and enjoy the winter holiday with your mates. Or she could learn to ski which is much less traumatic to pick up

Posted 7 months ago #
D0NK - Member

Skiing may suit some people better but with snowboarding you can always mince down stuff a novice skiier woulldn't manage. Probably better to all stick to the same if your going in group. AFAIK novice boarders hate undulating stuff (can't carry speed through flat sections) novice skiiers hate steep stuff.

Posted 7 months ago #
sharkbait - Member

Depends on the conditions quite a lot. Good snow makes it a bit easier, if it's icy you'll fall a lot more and it will hurt more than usual.

Posted 7 months ago #
catvet - Member

Have a look at Neil Mcnab's book Snowboarding and its accompanying DVD. I Learnt to board in 2 hours at the snowdome at the age of 40, still ripping up powder now 16 years later!

Posted 7 months ago #
Rusty Mac - Member

I learnt to snowboard in 1-2hr bolcks one eveing a week for 6 weeks, I am not massively fit and found this set up worked well for me.

I think I would find trying to learn for 4hrs quite tyring. When I begin to get physically tired I find I can't concentrate on stuff as well and make silly mistakes. A couple of nights i wen't to lessons strait from working a 12 hr shift and found thoes nights quite hard.

Posted 7 months ago #
The Southern Yeti - Member

It's easy. Just tell the guys at the slope you can link turns and stop in a controlled manner and you're away.

Posted 7 months ago #
Stuey01 - Member

I wouldn't learn on a dry slope personally. You fall over A LOT when learning to snowboard. Can you get to a snowdome?

When (not if) you fall, don't put your hands down! Land on your butt, your wrists will thank you for it.

Posted 7 months ago #
Stuey01 - Member

Oh, and in answer to your question - learning is extremely taxing physically.
I wouldn't recommend an intense course unless you are fit and strong-willed. If she is just going along with it because it is your idea and doesn't REALLY want it, then tantrums are likely.

Posted 7 months ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

Cheers, sounds like a non starter then.

We/she tried surfing but didn't really put any effort into it which really anoyed me as she barely even tried to stand up.

Coming round to leggy blonde's idea as the idea as the idea of spending another week in an all inclusive hotel gives me nightmares!

Posted 7 months ago #
wrightyson - Member

Never been on one but can't imagine boarding being much fun on a dry slope. I didn't think it was that tiring whilst learning, I'd definately get her to give it a go coz it's a good laugh, especially learning together! Certainly got a sweat on when I was learning tho!

Posted 7 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

Definitely recommend a few introductory lessons at a proper snowdome rather than a dry slope. You will fall a lot while learning and dry slopes can be fairly unforgiving.

Tip: Join SCUK for £15 a year and you get 20% slope time at SnoZone (and similar deals for other domes), plus 10% off buying gear.

Posted 7 months ago #
mastiles_fanylion - Member

I don't think learning need be physically hard - it all depends on how good she is at picking it up. Yes, if she spends the entire time climbing back off her arse then she will be knacked, but some people pick it up quickly.

Posted 7 months ago #
DezB - Member

I still remember how physically hard it was learning on snow. I did have a few lessons on dry slope before going, but the only thing I remember is dislocating my finger when I fell over.

Posted 7 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

tantrums are likely.

Every girl I've seen learning to snowboard has cried at some point

Blokes tend to get all huffy and decide to walk up/down the mountain instead

Posted 7 months ago #
Mark - Resident Grumpy

I learnt last year in Bulgaria.. I have a memory of repeatedly hitting myself in the face with the mountain for a week.

I was battered by the end of it but I could board. Vicki bought me a board for my 40th a few months later. Now I HAVE to go back this year and do it all over a again

It was great!

Posted 7 months ago #
nedrapier - Member

I learnt on dryslope. In the rain. In hard boots. 1st hour long lesson was one of the most knackering hours I've ever spent with a snowboard. And that's including tricky hiking through deep snow! Fun though, I really enjoyed it, learned quickly and fell in love for life.

Learning is similar to surfing in a way. You need to put a lot of effort in before you get the rewards. Very confidence based: If you're not sure, not enjoying, hurt a bit, you lean backwards, hurt more repeat. But it you WANT it, and you're confident, you listen, commit, lean forward, get truning properly and you're away.

I'd say options are:
a) try her with it
b) try it in a snowdome. It's genuinely easier, the surface is quicker and it takes less time for the board to turn in response to your inputs (but you don't get the "wow this is amazing!" feeling when you first hit snow after learning on carpet!)

if, based on the responses here and what you know of her, you think it isn't going to work:

c) try her on skis
d) see leggyblonde's plan.

But what ever you do, definitely stick with these guys:
they have an uncanny knack of finding really cheep deals (£400 each, inc flights for 10 days in whistler last year!)

Have fun!

Posted 7 months ago #
muppetWrangler - Member

Looks like I'm going to be swimming against the tide a bit here but just for a bit of balance.

Mrs mW and I both learnt on dry slopes. She was on work placement in Whitechapel at the time and we though we'd give it a go purely for something to do on Autumn Sunday afternoons. We went to Beckton Alps dryslope for a few (3 or 4) successive Sundays for about two hours at a time. You do fall over, but there were no tantrums or crying from either of us and it got us hooked enough to buy our own kit before heading out to Morzine during the following Winter.

Mrs mW is not of a particularly athletic build at just 5 foot tall and she managed perfectly well. I think the key was to focus on technique and let the board flow through turns rather than trying to muscle your way through them which is poor but what a lot of fellas tend to do. Once you get the hang of turns they are pretty much effortless unless you are constantly trying to scrub speed.

If you've access and finances to an indoor snow centre then it will certainly be easier as there is a difference in how a board flows over snow compared to dendex, but if a dry slope is more convenient (and cheaper) then use that. You'll be fine.

Posted 7 months ago #
freeridenick - Member

2 days of pain - but lifetime of fun afterwards :P

some sweet powder turns by me a few years back
http://www.flickr.com/photos/71958789@N00/sets/72157615068396670/show/

Posted 7 months ago #
MRanger156 - Member

Buy some bum shorts, especially on dry slope.

Posted 7 months ago #
Rio - Member

If you do decide to try it on a dry slope and you've got any biking armour/pads/protection then use it because you WILL fall over and hurt yourself a lot. Don't worry about looking stupid - everyone looks stupid on a dry slope.

But personally I'd see if you can get some sort of taster session first just to see if she's got any inclination. One thing I would guarantee is that if you/she like the dry slope or a snowdome you'll love the real thing - it's 100 times better. Oh, and skiing's where it's at these days but boarding's a good second best.

Posted 7 months ago #
Roblilly - Member

I had some lessons that lasted 2 hrs and that was plenty. after 4 hrs I would have been fried!

Posted 7 months ago #
whatnobeer - Member

I never felt tired when actually on the slope but afterwards I felt totally knackered. You will fall over lots so arse and wrist protect is a must I reckon. I'd recommend it but its a lot trickier to get the hang of initially compared to skiing imo

Posted 7 months ago #
sweepy - Member

Whatever you do dont think 'We wont bother with wrist braces first time out, we can get them if we decide to come again'
That was the worst £20 I ever saved

Posted 7 months ago #
smiththemainman - Member

Don`t bother with the dry slope, book a board in a day course at one of the domes, about £130 not quite sure now, you will both have fun together, midweek only small groups. Hopefully both get your card stamped giving you access to the slope alone another 3/4 2 hour sessions and you will be well away.Then start enjoying a hobby that makes mountain biking look cheap.Happy days!!!!!

Posted 7 months ago #
sharkbait - Member

I learnt on a dry slope with my brother. We were told by the instructor it was harder on dry slope and it can punish mistakes - my brother ended up with a dislocated shoulder!
Snowdome is a better idea. You should also defo wear a helmet and wrist guards.

Posted 7 months ago #
GrahamS - Member

Never seen the point in wrist protection - don't stick your hands out, just tuck and roll. Surely this is pretty much second nature to most mountain bikers (though granted, I may have had more experience of falling over than most).

Arse protection on the other ~~hand~~cheek:

Posted 7 months ago #
whatnobeer - Member

Whatever you do dont think 'We wont bother with wrist braces first time out, we can get them if we decide to come again'

I made this mistake too. By the 3rd day I couldnt pick myself up off the snow anymore

Posted 7 months ago #
xiphon - Member

Did you skateboard when you were younger?

Took me 5mins to get used to being strapped on, and away I went down the slope... jammy bastard, I know!

Posted 7 months ago #
jfletch - Member

Sounds like it might be better to get a new missus!

Sensible answer: I did a learn to ski in a day at the Manchester snow dome. It was relatively easy and people a lot less fit than me got though the day fine. Judging from the sweaty mess that was the snowboarding group doing the course next to us it looked a lot harder. They seemed to spend all day either face down in the snow or undoing bindings to get back up the slope.

But even if she does learn a skiing/boarding holiday is quite tiring so if you aren't that into sporty holidays I imagine it would be not be enjoyable. (If you are it will be the best week of your life). Also there is nothing to do in ski resorts if you aren't out on the snow so you may end up with a cranky missus and next year in an all inclusive by the bar anyway. Which brings me back to the first option!

Posted 7 months ago #
aracer - Member

Go somewhere windy for winter sun like Fuerteventura - she can lie on the sunlounger, you learn to kitesurf (which is way cooler than snowboarding - and I'm not saying that because I do it, I windsurf, which is now completely uncool as all the old blokes like me do it).

Posted 7 months ago #