[Closed] Learning to Snowboard

Don't do it!

Take up skiing instead. 😉

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.

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!)

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! 😉

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

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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.

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.

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!

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!

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

Tip: Join [url= http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/ ]SCUK for £15 a year[/url] and you get 20% slope time at SnoZone (and similar deals for other domes), plus 10% off buying gear.

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.

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.

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 🙂

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! 🙂

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, [i]definitely[/i] 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!

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.

2 days of pain - but lifetime of fun afterwards 😛 😛

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

Buy some bum shorts, especially on dry slope.

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.

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

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

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 🙁

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!!!!!

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.

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 [s]hand[/s]cheek:

[img] [/img]

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 🙁

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!

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

Sensible answer: [i]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.[/i]

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!

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).

windsurf

tried that, really could not get the hang of it, which is wierd as I can sail dingys without a rudder, and just about surf, but windsurfing was a great big WTF!

Have a look at Neil Mcnab's book Snowboarding

Yep, I like that one as well. It's worth the effort of trying to learn to turn properly rather than throwing your bum around as it makes it les tiring.

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

That actually might be the best bit of advice on this thread. I mean, seriously? You don't want to spend a week with your Mrs? I've been there... stop wasting both of your time.

Failing that I hear scuba diving can be done at most sea-side locations.

+1 for the dome vs dry slope, dry slopes are painful!

Skiing is better though, for the record!

if she has no fitness level whatsoever she'll struggle...

Had my first snowboarding lesson a month ago (snozone)- 3 hours with a bit of a break and it was fairly tiring - mostly because you're having to concentrate lots!
Also, I and the other girl found it really really uncomfortable - my feet were killing me by the end of it. Was great fun though, and it doesn't take long to be able to pick up what you're meant to do.

btw, is this the same missus that expects flowers and chocolate every friday? Maybe she would like to show how much she appreciates your gestures by giving an activity-holiday a proper go?

btw, is this the same missus that expects flowers and chocolate every friday?

Seriously?? WTF?

Learning to snowboard involves a week of pain. Once it clicks its the most fun you can have in snow and you will be hitting the black runs. You can learn to "ski" in three days but progression will be slow and you will spend every holiday mincing it down the green and blues.

snowboarding is generally easier to pick up than skiing. after a week you should be going down runs! skiing, to perfect, takes longer but it's far more fun than bumboarding 😈

after a week you should be going down runs!

My first experience on a board was lying to the hire shop by blagging that I could do it "set it up goofy please mate" (the only term I knew) and going straight to the top of a red in Tignes on a chairlift. I'd been on a monoski for a couple days and thought [i]it can't be much different, can it?[/i]

An hour later I got to the bottom of the run with an arse like Mike Tyson's cellmate......but.... I had managed to link a couple of turns by then and a couple of days cruising blues it felt almost in control.

My advice would be to definitely get some lesson at a snowdome and buy a [url= http://www.airgear.com/buttshield/index.php ]Buttshield[/url] - best few quid I've ever spent 😉

Is she bike fit? if so it shouldn't be that hard physically.

I leanrned in Les Deux Alpes on a one week holiday with 3 morning lessons, by the end of the week I managed to ride from the highest point of the glacier to the village at the bottom.
That was 15 years (ish) ago and I go abroad most winters now.

If your mates are getting deals like that, definitely stick with them, Canada is still on my wishlist!

I found it quite hard work, but by the third day or so the tired legs and stomach muscles are just normal and you'll be spending a lot less time falling over and getting up again so it gets a bit easier on the body over a week. Wrist guards and helmet are recommended based on my experience, I had a skier's pole smack the back of my head as he shot past me after I had fallen over, would have made a real mess without the helmet. Its very hard to override the urge to put your arms out when you catch an edge and fall, and someone in my group broke her wrist doing just that half way through the week.

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!

+1 for this book, really helped me understand what I needed to be doing when learning. Also a big +1 for getting the basics sorted at proper snow dome before you go on holiday.

When learning you will fall over a lot and it will hurt, and you need a fair amount of determination to persevere with it. Skiing is a lot easier from this point of view, mostly because getting it wrong is a lot less painful. From what you say about your missus skiing could be a better bet. Also if she will just be pootling around on piste then skiing is much less of a faff.

Once you get the hang of turns they are pretty much effortless

BASI 2 instructor here with some dryslope teaching experience!

4-hour sessions is a good length. Full-day is too much (you'll be wrecked!). 2 hours means you have to stop just when you're starting to get the hang of it.

At the end of 2 4-hour sessions, you [u]should[/u] be getting the hang of turning, but not everyone will achieve this. Skate/surf/windsurf/wakeboard/kitesurf experience will massively speed-up the learning process. I'd suggest 2 weekends like this, with some practise in-between, would prepare you pretty well for going on a trip to the mountains.

Butt-shorts and a helmet are a good idea, never been that fussed on wrist guards. Opinion is pretty divided on their effectiveness, even within the industry. If you don't have a background in "stuff that makes you fall over" (mountain-biking, rugby, martial arts, etc.!) then it's maybe a good idea.

Physically, it can be tough. With a good instructor and a small group, then there shouldn't be too much falling over, but a couple of falls are probably inevitable. A lot of girls really struggle to go from sitting down to getting up onto the board. We get the "I just don't have the strength!" line a lot, when actually it's technique that's important, not strength. A hand up the first few times sorts most people, but we used to keep a "booster seat" at the side of the slope for those who really struggled! Expect aching abs from lifting yourself up (until you get the technique right!) and burning thighs (until you can relax and get the balance).

As for dryslope versus snowdome versus real mountain, I don't really have a strong opinion. Dryslope is a little harder to learn on, but the difference is less than some suggest. It also encourages good technique as "cheating" doesn't work as well! There's more friction than with real snow, so things happen a bit slower, which can actually be a good thing for beginners. Learning in the mountains is awesome, but better to learn before you go and make the most of your limited holiday time.

Oh aye, and turning<>carving. 😉

I'd second what Steveomcd said, try before you go and a snowdome is a better option than dryslope.

In terms of learning on the mountain, get a good instructor, preferably from a snowboarding school rather than a ski and board one.

On average the beginners we have coming to stay with us have a Eureka moment by their third lesson and from that moment on start to have massive smiles on their faces when we pick them up at the end of the day.

A couple of other things. Firstly I'd recommend getting a helmet, rather than hiring one. You'll get a more comfortable one and they are worth it. Pretty much everyone I know out here wouldn't board without one.

Secondly I wouldn't recommend wrist guards. The first thing my instructor told me when I was learning was not to put my wrists out or I'd end up breaking them. If you fall hard enough to break your wrist, but are wearing guards, the chances are you'll end up with a break further up your arm.

Either way I'd say just get out and do it. Both of you will love it, superfit or not.

Andy

Pretty much everyone I know out here wouldn't board without one.

A risk compensation at its finest.

[i]*TJ to the thread please*[/i] 😉

Secondly I wouldn't recommend wrist guards. The first thing my instructor told me when I was learning was not to put my wrists out or I'd end up breaking them. If you fall hard enough to break your wrist, but are wearing guards, the chances are you'll end up with a break further up your arm.

Yeah this is a common statement. i felt that the number of small low speed incidents I had where I had instinctively put my arms out to land justified wearing them, as they would have been pretty painful without the guards if not breaking my wrists. maybe when I get faster I'll stop wearing them.

If you fall hard enough to break your wrist, but are wearing guards, the chances are you'll end up with a break further up your arm.

This is such crap. There are a couple of my cousins friend's brother's uncle's vicar's daughter had this happen to her stories out there and now it is repeated as fact all over the internet.
How many people fall with wristguards on and don't break their wrist or arm? We don't know because it is a non event and not reported. You can bet that it is a significant number given how many beginners wear wristguards and fall over, a lot. If this was a genuine problem it would be much more publicised and have stats to support it.

I've got no axe to grind here, I don't wear wristguards nor do I work for a wristguard manufacturer, I just hate to see this rubbish repeated as fact.

Don't bother. You'll end up loving it, she won't enjoy it that much, you'll end up getting pi$$ed off at her for not being into it and moaning.

Avoid the hassle.

If you must though, ski-ing is a lot less painfull to learn and less off putting to unfit novices.

I do both ski and board but find i'm enjoying the ski more these days, i also think its a bit cooler and more "on trend"that boarding in the alps.

You will never know if she will struggle or not until she tries it, physically it’s tiring for ALL beginners as you will be tense which leads to muscle fatigue. You both will fall lots including the inevitable catching of an edge and face planting this will frustrate annoy the hell out you but it’s all part of learning to board.

Just remember patience is key here and keeping the weight on your front foot which will feel odd as your natural reaction is to weight the back foot, this will lead to no end of cartoon moments 😆
When linking turns you will get the I’ve cracked it moment as it all clicks, your first turns will be gentle sliding turns and once you have these down you both will have the biggest smiles on your faces.

Helmets are a definite, wrist guards your choice but my opinion for a learner is yes, boots these are the most important piece of kit you need as poor fitting boots will wreck you within 5 minutes so if hiring try on as many as possible until you find the comfiest pair.

Don't bother. You'll end up loving it, she won't enjoy it that much, you'll end up getting pi$$ed off at her for not being into it and moaning.

MrsGrahamS and I have been boarding together for more than ten years and both love it.

I learned to snowboard 2 years ago and have since been on four further boarding holidays. I'd definitley recommend that you buy either padded shorts or a marvellous little invention called an Asspad (I failed to do either of these things on my first holiday, slipped on some ice and broke my coccyx which was infinitely more painful than any injury I've received in biking. But don't let this tale of woe put you off). I'd also recommend learning on real snow; we went on a beginners' course in Bulgaria with the entire holiday costing less than a course of lessons at X-Scape.
Finally, as long as you're basically bike fit then there shouldn't be any problem. There's a bit of walking uphill involved at first, but then let the chairlift take the strain.

snowboarding appears more cool

Not a good reason. IME snowboarding had a faster learning curve to carving and off-piste (than skiing*), as long as you don't mind taking a few knocks. That's a good reason.

Deffo put a towel down your pants and use some light wrist protection when learning.

*I have no objection to skiing. In the same way I have no objection to road cycling 😉

I was pretty fit when I did the "learn in a day" at castleford and it was tough, a lot of groups don't get to level 4 (allowed to use the big drag lift on your own) which is pretty poor IMHO. I've had a couple of gos on snowflex slopes and can't say that it felt anything like real snowboarding, dendix might be better. I'd weigh the costs - taking a day out of your holiday and getting a private lesson will almost certainly get you better tuition/less time waiting for lifts/descent snow snow to learn on and you'll get some idea about mountain etiquette etc. when we went on our first holiday we all strapped in at the top of the hill and didn't have a clue what to expect next...

Looking back over the last few years I think I'd have had more fun on the slopes without my GF there, but she makes the holiday more enjoyable overall. I've seen, and been amused by some much funnier slopeside tantrums than she has ever manged to be fair, but I do keep pumping her with haribo through the day.

My kids have rip-stiks - skateboards with 2 wheels and the board twists in the middle. Once moving downhill the action is SOOO much like snowboarding - it must be a good way to learn without being on snow/dendex.

we went on a beginners' course in Bulgaria with the entire holiday costing less than a course of lessons at X-Scape

[url= http://www.snozoneuk.com/v/scotland/activities/lessons ]Xscape is £29 a lesson or a Learn to Board four lesson Beginners course for £105.[/url]

If you got flights, accommodation, lift pass, equipment and lessons for less than that then I'm seriously impressed!

I tried snowboarding. It's like skiing, except less fun. Happily, its fallen out of fashion.