Doing sports makes you feel better and look amazing. When we do something we enjoy, we feel free, happy and we forget about anything that might be troubling us. The fact that you are doing physical exercise, means that you are not working only on your body, but on your mind as well. Our brain is a muscle that we need to train, and when we learn a new skill, we are helping it evolve. Learning a new sport requires patience and commitment, and we need to learn it right the first time, so we don’t end up with the wrong knowledge.
Snowboarding is one of the most popular winter sports, and thousands, maybe even millions of people around the world love jumping on that board and letting the mountain take away their problems.
If you are new to snowboarding, then you are wondering what you could do to improve your skills and tackle the issues with ease. If you want to be better, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we are going to talk about the common mistakes beginners make when they are learning how to snowboard. We will tell you how to avoid them, and we will mention the things that you need to pay attention to if you want to learn how to be the best.
1. Not having enough patience
The process of mastering a new skill is not an easy one. Everything will be trial and error and you are bound to make mistakes. Trying to skip these things is not possible, and you need to have patience. If you decide to rush through the training, you will not have the experience you need to go down a slope or try to learn new tricks.
The main thing you need to do when you start is to trust your instructor and take things one step at a time. If your main goal is to learn how to do tricks, then you first need to learn how to stand on the board, how to go down a narrow slope and how to stand, and how to turn. Once you master the basics, it is going to be easy for you to tackle the rest of the skills.
2. Different types of snowboards and how to avoid using the wrong equipment?
There are three main types of boards – all-mountain, freestyle, and Alpine. The most popular one is the first type, all-mountain, and the users love it because there are different shapes and sizes you can choose from. It is the best one for beginners and you can easily learn new things using it. The freestyle ones are shorter boards, they are really light and flexible. The best and the worst thing about them is that you have a limited edge grip, so you can do different jumps, but they are not fit for new people. The alpine type is not made to perform tricks, and with it, you will just be able to ride it downhill. Choose the type depending on your needs and skill level.
When buying a board, you need to pay attention to the additional equipment as well. This will make the difference between being safe and protected, and injuring yourself. According to Surfer-World, when you think of the equipment, you will need to get the right boots and think about the bag that will protect the board itself. Don’t forget that you will need to clean and maintain your board if you want it to last and if you want it to withstand all the falls and learning mistakes you are bound to make.
3. Not timing the turns correctly
This is something that you need to learn right from the start. The timing is crucial when you make the turns and it will make the difference between you managing to continue standing and boarding, and you falling down every time there is a turn to make. You should never rush, and you should be aware of your surroundings. Turn slowly and center your weight with both feet. Don’t kick one foot or the other, and know that if you go for comfort at the beginning, you will make mistakes. It is not about being comfortable, it is about doing the right movements. Control the board and don’t swing your arms to make the turn. Your feet and legs should do all the work, so forget about your upper body.
4. Leaning the wrong way when making a turn
Last but not least, this is another really common mistake people make when tasking the boarding skills. When you need to make the turn, you should never rest all your weight on your back leg, and you should never lean back to make it easier for your whole body. This will lead to you losing your balance, and chances are, you will fall down. This is one of the rare cases when you can use your upper body to position yourself in the right way. If you have the urge to rest your weight on your back foot, then use your shoulders and upper body, to distribute your weight to the front so that it is easier for you to balance on both feet.
Know that this is not going to be easy or comfortable at the start, and that it will go against your instincts. However, when you pay attention to it, and when you learn the right way to make a turn, you will finish the process faster and you are going to be ready to start learning different things.
Another thing that you should pay attention to is leaning too forward. If you do that, you risk letting gravity pull you down, and you risk falling. You need to find the right balance and stay in between. Know that you should not board too far from the edge, or too close to it. With the right equipment and the right instructor, you will be able to master the basics fast. Once again, trial and error are a must every time we start doing something new. You will feel tired, you will want to get up and give up, but once the hard beginning ends, snowboarding will give you the freedom and adrenaline you crave. Trust in yourself and know that you will be able to do it if you want it.
