Snowboarding is undoubtedly one of the most popular Winter Olympic sports. Even though there are a lot of risks involved in it, it attracts people from all over the world. After all, everyone wishes to have some good time in the mountains and snow to get rid of daily routine and office stress. Snowboarding is a perfect blend of skateboarding, skiing, surfing, and sledding, making it a perfect way to have some adventure in winters. Hence, for adventure sport lovers, snowboarding is the best thing one can do to have an awesome experience and fun.
Snowboarding becomes more challenging for beginners as they would have no clue regarding how to handle falls or reduce their impact. Amateurs may feel that they can teach themselves, but this is not a casual sport. For coping up with the risks associated with snowboarding, everyone requires adequate experience and has to offer time to learn how to deal with all the dangerous situations involved. You cannot neglect the probability of falling and injuring yourself severely. Here is where snowboarding protective gear comes into play. Though it is impossible to cancel all the risks involved in the sport, one can minimize the injuries by following certain snowboarding tricks for beginners. So, making use of snowboarding equipment such as a helmet, knee pads, face mask, and gloves are necessary to ensure your safety.
For having a memorable snowboarding experience, all you need to have is willpower, learning the fundamental tricks, and using the Nike snowboarding gear.
If you are planning to go snowboarding, then it can turn out to be the best decision of your life. But before you go ahead, make sure to learn the best methods to get started in the sport. In this guide, we are going to tell the same.
How to get started snowboarding for beginners?
Finding your stance
The first step is to find a stance so that you are comfortable while snowboarding. Stance referred to which foot you feel more comfortable putting forward. There are two popular stances which are used widely around the world. A 'regular stance' is the one where you have your left leg as the leading leg, while a 'goofy stance' is where you use the right one. Before you get started with snowboarding, decide with which leg you feel more comfortable.
Balance
If you are a beginner, then you need to know that balancing over your board is what this sport is all about. It is the key component of snowboarding. The snowboard is the base of your support, and it's your job to maintain yourself over it. So, make sure to practice by stacking the majority of your weight on the board. It will help you master the technique of maintaining a great balanced position over your snowboard. Once you get along with the skill of balancing yourself on the board, a considerable portion of the challenge becomes easier. Now, it is all about improvisation on your stance, balance, and controls.
Use snowboarding protective gear
Snowboarding protective gear should be compulsorily worn to protect you from cold as well as the injuries, which occur due to collisions or falls. Essential safety gear includes a helmet, wrist guards, goggles, warm and waterproof clothing, and snowboarding boots.
Helmets are essential gears for beginners, and of course, should be suggested to the experienced ones as well. It will prevent your head from getting injured, even if you skid accidentally. If you could save your head, you can save yourself anytime. Wrist guard is another vital protective gear to avoid one of the most common injuries faced by the snowboarders, i.e., a broken wrist. But these wrist guards can make your hands quite heavy, so try to wear mittens that fit comfortably underneath the wrist guards.
Goggles make your snowboarding experience a comfortable one. Of course, no one would want the snow to go inside their eyes while skiing. Goggles will also save your pupils from drying or causing a pinching sensation. So, make sure to avail of the top-notch goggles for snowboarding.
If you want to boost your safety level, then you can use back protectors as well; though it isn't compulsory, note that this can restrain your upper body movement.
Wear proper clothing
It is crucial to wear enough clothing so that the cold won't bother you before you start snowboarding. The weather changes very quickly in the mountains; you never know when you have to face rain or sun. So, start with a base layer to keep you dry, add a middle-layer to keep you warm and an outer layer to keep the wind and moisture out. Also, make sure you choose waterproof clothing as wetness and cold don't go well together.
Many beginners ignore wearing a hat under the helmet, but if it is severely cold, choose a warm hat or face mask or balaclava that fits your head comfortably under the helmet. These snowboarding tricks for beginners not only save you from harsh weather but also helps you improve your performance.
Check the snow
For beginners, it is dangerous to perform snowboarding without evaluation of the snow. Fresh powdery snow is the best for snowboarding for beginners. It is because this type of snow is loose enough to help your board slide smoothly. Frozen or icy snow can pose more risks, especially when you are just starting out. Also, choose an easy trail.
Stay away from crowded slopes
Snowboarding for beginners can be even more difficult if you are practicing on a crowded slope as it increases the chances of collisions. Hence, it is recommended to choose a snowboarding park away from snowy areas. Not only does it decrease the chance of accidents, but it also gives you more confidence.
Snowboard with a group
Never go alone as there is a probability of a mishap or getting lost in the snow. If you get injured, there will be someone who can handle you. Moreover, it is always better to go with someone who has gained expertise in snowboarding. An expert or instructor will guide you better, tell you your mistakes and get you acquainted with all the relevant snowboarding tricks for beginners.
Learn to strap into your snowboard
Strap the bindings of your snowboard is essential for safety. If this is not properly done, it is more than enough to make you a victim of a mishap. Practice simple motions before you begin snowboarding to ensure that bindings are properly fastened. Make sure that there is an angle of 24-30 degrees between both bindings. In case you feel uncomfortable, or your board seems to be on backward when you look down, it means either your bindings are too loose, or you need to match your bindings that fit with your stance.
Start moving
Before you go to slopes, it is recommended to practice simple motions with your board. Even if you're not on the mountain, you can begin practicing to make your muscles memorize the weight shifts. You can always practice this out in the yard or even in your living room. It is all about how seriously you want to train yourself before facing the real scenario.
If you are going to slopes for the first time, make sure you choose a relatively flat area to practice snowboarding. As it reduces the chances of collisions, you will be able to perform with confidence in a separate place. Once you gain control over yourself and start feeling comfortable on such terrains, then you can work towards upgrading yourself to steeper terrains.
Learn to fall
Falls are part of snowboarding. But one needs to know the snowboarding tricks for beginners and learn how to fall safely and master the technique reducing the impact of a fall. Never put your hands outward as it can result in a wrist fracture. Try to make a fist or keep your hands close to the chest while falling; it will prevent your hands from bending backward. Always try not to put all the force on a single area as it will ruin your whole experience, instead of spreading the force throughout your body. Though you might get a bruise or two, severe injuries can be avoided.
While snowboarding for amateurs is definitely daring, it makes the sport all the more thrilling. While these tricks will help you to have a safe time while having fun, understand that the risk element can never be fully taken away from extreme snowboarding. Also, always invest in good safety equipment as faulty gears can be an added disadvantage. Amazon has an array of options where you can choose equipment that suits your taste and pocket.
Focus on speed
Snowboarding is an adventurous sport & you can't go slow in it. If you want to have a smooth glide with a snowboard, you have to take charge of the momentum, which comes to you when you have enough speed. You will need speed to take turns on the terrain, bring your board round when it gets stuck, and start your successive runs. That is how it is supposed to make your journey easy.
To master snowboarding, you need to master speed first. A good grip and control over your pace can help you get out of many tough situations that snowboarders usually face. The journey is rough, and speed can help you get along with it in a very efficient way. So, make sure to make speed your buddy in this adventure.
Check Piste symbols
When you go out for snowboarding, you will find that most of the mountains will be graded to indicate which one of them is suitable for beginners and which ones are ideal for experts. Generally, the flat or slightly inclined ones are preferred for beginners and are marked green. Blue slopes are the next level slopes, which are slightly steeper and are suitable for those boarders who want to transform to intermediate level from beginners.
There also exist red slopes, which are the tougher versions of blue slopes. But red slopes are marked as per the French convention. North Americans do not have red slopes. Then comes the black slopes, which are the hardest runs. They are very steep, bumpy, and reserved for experienced snowboarders only. The black slopes give you the toughest challenges.
Look where you are going
When you soar in the snowfields on your board, it's really tempting to look down at the floor. Please avoid doing so. Your eyes will lead you in this journey, so make them see where you want to head. Only your eyes can lead the rest of your body. It is the fundamental foundation of snowboarding that will help you to learn how to control your route and turn your board when needed.
Learn how to skate
Sometimes, you may halt onto a flat area of the mountain or may have to move towards a chair lift. In such situations, you will have to unstrap one foot from your bindings and skate along with the snow. Remember to take your back foot out, leaving the front foot strapped in. Bring your back foot in front of your board and push. You will notice that you have started moving forward, skating across the snow, and controlling the board with your front foot.
Skincare essentials
Snow reflects 80% of the sun's UV rays, which means sun exposure during snowboarding is nearly double to what it is usually on a normal day at your home. Thus, it becomes essential for you to protect your skin from getting tanned, leathery, and cremated. So, when going for snowboarding, make sure to keep a small tube of zinc-based mineral sunscreen and lip SPF in your pocket.
Conclusion
Snowboarding for beginners can be exhilarating, and at the same time challenging, which makes snowboarding a popular winter sport. But, always follow the safety measures and any instructions you see on signboards to prevent mishaps from happening. Also, do not forget to make use of the best snowboards for beginners. Once you thoroughly learn the above-stated tricks of snowboarding, it won't affect the fun element anymore, even if you are a newbie. It is going to offer you a wild and unique experience.
Relevant products
Author Information
Relevant articles
