While everyone is at the beach... let's talk about taking up snowboarding for the first time - what to expect?

Typically summer is not the time when we think and talk about snowboarding - and with reason! Looking around all we see are sandy beaches, hot weather, tanned skin…

How and where do you begin? 

It’s pretty much obvious to say, but we have plenty of winter sports to choose from when it comes to adrenaline. Every movement can bring the natural chemicals of excitement to us - no matter on snow or ice. But once you’ve tried snowboarding there is a whole universe of excitement and opportunities to enjoy winter as never before, opening up before you. 

The first thing is first: the big question that everybody asks themselves (and friends, relatives, and professionals... ) is do I begin in a training center or go straight to the mountain and just work it out?

The truth is: it is all up to you and what you are feeling courageous about. Nowadays with technology, there are sports centers that can offer you snowboarding sessions and lessons all around the year. For those of you who can’t live without the favorite sport, this is a blessing. But it’s also a great opportunity for beginners to try something new in a controlled environment. 

Picture this - you get the full snowboarding experience, but without the cold, without the possibility of crashing into somebody or something, and most importantly - with less chance to injure yourself. Artificial slopes in sports centers nowadays offer just that - and more. In fact, for a lot of people, they are the perfect place for a beginner to start - usually, with a personal trainer. Moreover - they offer equipment for the lessons/sessions you take so you don’t have to invest in snowboarding gear just yet if you just want to see if this is your thing first. It’s a win-win. Especially, if you’re afraid to jump straight into the mountain snowboarding experience…

Which to be fair is nothing short of amazing! The cons: lower temperatures, a lot more people around, and a bigger chance to get yourself wet from falling on the snow trying to stay on the board. The pros, though, are not to be missed. The most important one of them is learning with practice in the real world. If the sports center is the training, then the mountain slopes are the real deal. Of course, you can get a personal trainer there too, as well as rent equipment. You have to consider the fees will probably be higher and you have to add up to the expenses day/week slope passes, fuel, etc. 

How can you prepare: first steps

No matter which one you choose - a training slope at a center or the real deal to start, you should always follow these steps!
 

First of all: dress accordingly. No, jeans and a t-shirt are not suitable attire. They get wet easily on the snow, they do not give you the movement possibilities you need and in general, they are not the best idea for a snowboarding session. 

What you should wear is something more sporty. Do your research and don’t be afraid to ask - we have never met a snowboarding fan who will refuse to give you advice or opinion on technique, gear, or how to start. Compare, read and adapt and you will be ready for the slope in no time!

Second: be prepared to fall. Snowboarding doesn’t seem effortless when you watch it from the sides and is not easy when you try it either. So one of the first things you should be in peace with is falling - a lot. One of the first lessons snowboard trainers will teach you is how to fall the right way. You may laugh at it at the beginning, but trust us - it will save your wrists and knees later. 

After you prepare these steps, the ones that follow are fairly easy to follow - listen to your trainer, observe other snowboarders and how they move, and practice and… try. 
 

And if it doesn’t work from the first time - try again. We promise - the prize is worth it with every move you accomplish and perfect! And in snowboarding practice does make perfect.

First moves
After you learn how to fall, you have to learn posture. 

Here, there are a few things you should know and remember. Most importantly – you command the board. And it is very, very responsive to your every move. This is why being stiff and scared on the snowboard is not an option. In fact, it is the true recipe for falling, if you search for a definition of one. Since it’s only natural to be afraid and out of your comfort zone the first time you strap on the snowboarding boots on the board, once again we come to the reason we learn how to fall very early on. 

Back on posture: it is important to learn to balance your weight on the board. You do that by finding the center of your bodyweight and placing it accordingly to the snowboard. Knees are bent a little to support the weight, but not putting it all on them. You should feel pressure in the muscles, not on the knees and feet. It takes a few tries – it can even take a few sessions, but usually, you’ll feel it in the first few minutes.
 

What most beginners find hard, especially if they’re training snowboarding in a sports center, is letting go of supporting equipment – usually a railing. Yes, it is helpful in the beginning, but nevertheless, it can become your doom if you can’t overcome fear and let it go after a few sessions that cover and perfect the basics. 

In fact, this is one of the things you have to overcome in this sport as soon as possible. It is also the reason a lot of people prefer to dwell into snowboarding right in the mountains – you don’t have outside support there to ensure (or “ground” you in a way) and you learn how to do it only with your own body. 
 

Don’t worry if you’re tired like you’ve been running a marathon for hours after just one snowboarding session too. It is normal because your body learns to balance on the board and move in a whole new way. But we’ll tell you a secret – it gets better every time and at one point sessions become more exciting than tiring. 

5 Common mistakes

Like every other sport, snowboarding has its fair share of mistakes you can make. Thankfully, some of them are easy to correct – like ones in posture and technique. Others, though, if you don’t learn from the beginning, may take away the joy from the sport quickly. 

Don’t try to figure it out yourself

We say this with the best intentions – snowboarding involves balance, skill, and technique, and trying to learn it without a professional can lead to injuries that may prevent you from practicing a sport – any sport for a short or long duration of time. 

Don’t be cheap on gear 

Very similar to other aspects of life, but buying cheap almost always leads to spending more money in the long haul. When it comes to your snowboarding gear, this rule applies 100%. Gear should be comfortable, safe and should have the guarantee for the quality of the brand you buy it from. Ignoring even one of these can lead to a shorter life of the gear, sprains, muscle pains, and even severe trauma when snowboarding. So better rent and save money so you can invest in good gear when the time to hit the slope more seriously comes.

Bend the knees

This is one major and really bad mistake in snowboarding a lot of beginners make. If you don’t bend the knees, your center of mass will be higher. You’ll fall. You also won’t be able to properly hold the edge of the snowboard and you’ll fall. Moreover, if you’re in the mountains, where the slope will most likely not be perfectly flat, and you don’t bend your knees, you will… well, fall.

Don’t push yourself too hard

What you should never forget in snowboarding, is that practice makes perfect. Sometimes, though, you’ll experience bad days, when your body is not in the shape that you will need it to be in order to make that curve or make that jump or spiral you did perfectly last time. It happens. And if it doesn’t end up perfect this time, don’t push yourself too hard. Better try something else instead of trying until you injure yourself out of pure stubbornness and irritation.

Don’t forget to stretch

Just like all exercise that puts the body in a state that strains parts of it that have probably not have been tested ever before, stretching is a must. And it is nothing hard – trust us! Also, it does not take that much time but it does wonders for your snowboard sessions. A few minutes before and after training will be a blessing for your muscles and will make movement both during and after the snowboard activities easier. 
 

Are you a beginner at snowboarding? Or do you prefer to be classified as an entry-level snowboarder? What is your biggest challenge as a snowboard beginner? Share with us in the comments and we will drop some advice on how to overcome your struggles and enjoy snowboarding the way you should and can!