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Snowmobiles Information > Snowboarding
Snowboarding
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 The
first thing to do when learning to snowboard is to dress comfortably.
Make sure you are also dressed for safety, wearing a good pair of
goggle. Flying ice can be a real danger to eyes. Don’t forget
to wear a good pair of waterproof gloves and a hat. Wrist guards
are a must especially for the beginner. The most common injury for
beginning snowboarders is wrist injury, so protect yourself with
a good pair of guards.
Here is some advice from Brandon Arnold, snowboarder, skateboarder
and all around snow and outdoor enthusiast. Brandon Arnold currently
lives in Salt Lake City, UT:
“Before getting into the bindings, make sure that your snowboard
is in a flat area in front of you. Place your front foot in the
front binding. If you have strap bindings, strap both the toe and
ankle strap until they are snug. If you have step-in bindings, step
in and roll your foot around to make sure it is properly secured.
Repeat with your back foot. Bounce around a little bit to see what
it feels like to be strapped into a snowboard. Now, take out just
your back foot (leave your front foot in its binding).”
“Take a few steps up a slight incline with your front foot
in the snowboard binding and your back foot out. For this to work
you need to start by facing your shoulders and toes directly up
the incline with your snowboard going perpendicular to the incline.
Take one step with your foot that is not attached to the snowboard,
then lift your foot with the snowboard attached to it and take a
step with the entire snowboard (keep it perpendicular to the slope).
Keep taking steps until you are a little ways up an incline.”
The Heelside Slide
“Sit down and strap both feet into the snowboard. With your
snowboard perpendicular to a small slope, stand up so you are looking
down the slope. Your weight will be mostly on your heels. Now point
your toes on both feet just a little bit and you will start to slide
down the hill. Pull back up on your toes to stop. Repeat this until
you get the hang of pulling up on your toes to come to a stop.”
Skating
“‘Skating’ is an essential skill to have for
maneuvering through flat areas and getting on the chairlift. It
refers to the way snowboarders push themselves along using their
back foot while the front foot is in the binding. Practice skating
around for 10 or 15 minutes before you go near the chairlift! Push
off the snow with your back foot and slide your front foot forward
with the snowboard. Your back foot can push from either side of
the board, so try it first on one side and then on the other to
see if one is more comfortable for you.”
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