Snow Tips
For any board sport, you first need to figure out your stance, regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward): Stand with both feet together and start leaning forward to see what foot you catch yourself with; that's typically your dominant foot, which is the foot you want in back.Wear a helmet: A helmet doesn't only protect you when you fall; it also protects you in case someone else on the mountain loses control of their board or skis and runs into you.
Look where you want to go: As you cruise an easy slope, pick out a tree or other object in the direction that you want to turn. By focusing on the object, your body will tend to follow your eyes. Once you are going in the direction of the object, pick out another object farther down the hill and on the opposite side of the run. This exercise will also help you keep your head up and your body aligned as you finish your turn.
Don't look down: This goes along with looking where you want to go. It's a natural instinct to want to look at your board to see what you're doing, but if you do you're going to lose your balance and fall.
Stay out of the back seat: It might seem like putting your weight on your back foot will give you more control and keep you from falling, but it will actually do the exact opposite. You need to practice leaning on your front foot, which will give you the most control.
Use your knees: Stance is crucial to good riding. Beginners and even intermediates often ride stiff-legged, but to ride with control, you need to flex deeply at the knees. The correct position is similar to rising from sitting in a chair. This mid-crouch stance, with your weight balanced evenly over both feet, cushions the bumps and allows you to keep your edge.
Keep your edge: One of the most important things to remember when you're first starting out is that you should always ride on one edge or the other. Press down with your toes to ride on your toe-side edge, and lean back on your heels to ride on your heel-side edge.
Snow Progress Checklist
- Figure out your stance, regular (left foot forward) or goofy (right foot forward)
- Practice sliding downhill on your toe-side edge
- Practice sliding downhill on your heel-side edge
- Practice toe-side edge turns
- Practice heel-side edge turns
- Practice linking your toe-side edge and heel-side edge turns
- Practice riding fakie (backwards)
Have fun!
Find a snowboarding camp or class near you.