Skiing

The concept of skiing was derived from snow shoes. The concept was developed to provide faster means of transportation by attaching long, narrow wooden planks. Early skis were tied to the toe of the skier shoes (but not at the heels); this style of skiing is called Nordic Skiing. Alpine skiing used skis that could be attached to skier’s toe as well as to his heels providing over more control. The skiing tradition grew as skiers learned to control their speed and make sharp turns. It became a formal sport when the first official skiing event was held in 1800’s and became a part of Winter Olympics in 1924.

With the steady rise in popularity of skiing, a number of innovative designs have been introduced like wooden skis were replaced by skis made out of stiffer material. Leather made snow boots replaced plastic made boots. A number of safety measure have also been introduced to protect the rider incase an accident occurs.

Snowboarding

In contrast to skiing, snowboarding is a subset of sea surfing and skateboarding. sledges have long been used since the time of cavemen as a means of faster transportation over snow; snowboarding seems pretty similar so we can say that snowboard is a modernized version of a sledge.

The modern idea of snowboarding was cooked up by Sherman Poppen with the invention of the Snufer (first time for his daughter). Since then the popularity of snow boarding has been growing and continues to grow. Snowboarding was recognized as a sport in 1986 and later was also made a part of the Winter Olympics.

Early snowboard (the Snuffer) was simply two skis tied together with a rope attached to the nose for balancing the rider. In order to provide a firm grip, permanent feet bindings were introduced. This also provides rider ease and protects the foot joint while jibbing or performing other stunts. Use of knee, elbow pads and helmets has also become common among boarders.

A survey shows that youngster prefer snowboarding more than skiing probably because snow boarding (skate boarding and surfing as well) get more media coverage than skiing. But for those who like to show the wind how to fly, popularity of skiing has surpassed snowboarding.

Now the choice is yours, either way get yourself out there and enjoy the mountains. Happy riding.

Strap-in Bindings

This type of binding consists of a contoured base plate which a rider places his or her boots directly into, with straps that go over the top of the boots, fastening the rider to the board. At the rear of this base plate is a vertical (Highback) which comes up behind the calves/ankles. In the front you will shave 2-3 adjustable straps which are used to secure the rider to the snowboard. The sturdiness of this setup ensures a comfortable  and secure ride, with quick and easy access to get the bindings on and off.

The height of these “Highback” can vary depending on the type of riding being undertaken, taller back plates will suit the downhill alpine rider for greater control; freestyles will require a shorter, more flexible back to enable fast a varied turns. Just choose the high back thats right for you ride!

Step-in Bindings

Common in older hire boards, and to be honest are often scoffed at by a more experienced rider,  there are a few advantages which cannot be overlooked. Generally used with a slightly stiffer boot for support of the ankle, the user slides the boot in from the top and click the boot in the base plate. Once hooked in the rider is quite secure for the decent, although the main problem is the lack of responsiveness a rider receives.

When choosing a board with step in bindings, remember one thing, you will be severely limiting your options in a pair of snowboard boots!

Rear Entry Bindings (Flow Bindings)

Flow bindings are the easiest snowboard bindings on the market to get in and out of – even easier than regular step-ins. Just recline the high-back, slide your foot in and snap the high-back up and into place. They are also compatible with any soft boot – a huge advantage because it lets you choose from a wide variety of boots to find the best fit. (Regular step-in boots and bindings must be purchased in tandem to be compatible with each other.)

The only downsides of the flow in bindings are the are a little difficult to adjust, choose your stance and board position carefully because taking them off and readjusting on the board again can be a bitch! Going home and decide the roof rack is the best spot for these? Forget it they don’t fold well.

Overall, they are great in certain situations. Park riders will love them for their quick turnaround time, log hill riders may loath their inflexibility, are they really for you.

Waxing your skis:

Skis should be waxed regularly to maintain its efficiency. Before waxing the base any deep scratches should be repaired using p-tex candles.

The following are the key requirements for waxing:

• An appropriate supporting place for resting the skis.
• Proper shield for the work place.
• Proper latching of brakes to avoid disturbance during waxing.
• Contamination-free brushes.
• Right type of wax.

Whatever be the type of wax, it should be spread evenly on to the base using a cork or hairdryer or ski specific iron. The excess wax should be scrapped off leaving the edges flat and sharp to avoid suctioning and give a proper texture to the base. A variance in the above method of applying wax is using costly brushes and cold hardening powder which provides abrasion resistance from cold conditions. Care should be taken not to inhale the smoke or fluoros that emerge out of ironing the wax. A nylon brush can be used to polish the wax. A scotch pad can be utilized to create channels on the base to allow the escape of water. A final touch with horsehair brush decreases static built up due to waxing process.

Edge maintenance:

The edge level should be maintained at the optimum level of sharpness by removing some plastic from the ski. If the edges are a bit blunt, the turning becomes easier. The metal edge should form an angle of 1 to 0.5 degrees with the base approximately.

Servicing your skis:

You can get your ski or board once a year tuned during the off-season so that the ski gets serviced better. You can give a waxing and maintenance treatment to the ski by yourself as a normal routine.

Storage:

When the skiing season is over, apply a thick layer of wax on the base and leave them on its edges to keep them rust-free. The skis should not be locked with the brakes as it may loosen their springs.

Happy tuning!

On or off-mountain?

Your first major decision when hiring gear is whether to do it on the mountain, or at one of your local stores. All mountain resorts these days have hire shops, with a similar range of ski, board and other gear to city stores, at much of the same price. There are pros and cons to both options, so you’ll just have to make a choice based on your own needs.

Local Store

• Pick up before reaching the mountain, saving more time for boarding or skiing
• Drop off at your convenience
• No waiting behind 60 tourists off the bus all wanting to hire, more time on mountain
• Often better service

On Mountain

• Easy to swap and change equipment if size or style doesn’t suit you
• Save packing the skis or snowboard in your car
• Easy to return, just drop off at the end of the day

Things to Remember When Hiring Equipment

Once you’ve decided where to hire, there are a few important notes to remember regardless of the store.

• Check the replacement fees – if you happen to lose or damage equipment, you don’t want to be paying a fortune.
• Be aware of the return window – late fees can be costly
• If hiring off-mountain, make sure the equipment will fit your size and style – there are no refunds!
• Never leave hired equipment unattended on-mountain – you’d lose both your deposit and time for boarding or skiingIf you’ve never skiied or boarded before, allocate extra time, it can take a while to find your fit

Things to Remember When Returning Equipment

• Is there any damage to the equipment – was it there before hire?
• Am I returning every item – often retail stores include wrist pads or other straps: failure to return these could mean a hefty replacement fee

Hiring Clothes

One thing that often comes up from infrequent visitors to the snow is what kind of clothing is required. Basically, all that is required is a waterproof jacket and waterproof pants. While you can hire these items, it can be costly. If you are hiring equipment, we suggest to find or borrow waterproof jackets and pants at home, to avoid extra costs for your trip. Thermals and warm clothing (jumpers, shirts, trackpants) can be worn underneath or removed depending on how cold it is.

And finally this is a nice little money saver to keep in mind, many places will offer you free chain rental if you rent their gear too, check it out and compare prices and pocket the savings.

Being a beginner is a challenging time for a snowboarder. Once you’re over those initial hurdles though, it’s time to put your new found board skills to good use, and get good! Here are 8 targets, or goals, to aim for as you progress from a beginner to an intermediate.

1. Linked turns. Linking turns should be your primary goal as a beginner, when you can do this, you’re snowboarding. But don’t stop there. Challenge yourself to link turns on progressively more difficult terrain. When you find yourself on more mellow terrain, be sure to spend time working on the perfection of your technique. Understand how your body is controlling the board. Don’t cheat on your turns.

Once you’re comfortable linking turns, start to working on the following goals…

2. Confidence using all lift types. Certain drag lifts can be a real chore for snowboarders, especially if the ride up is steep, sloping off to one side, or rutty. Don’t be afraid of using button lifts and t-bars. For sure, no one wants to fall off a lift, but if it happens, it’s not the end of the world. Most of us have done it at one point. It’s certainly not worth missing out on terrain you want to ride…

…Because that can happen. Sometimes the best terrain is accessed by a tricky drag lift, and when it comes time for you to ride that type of terrain, you don’t want to be held back by the lift. So start getting used to them early; now. Remember, if you’re nervous or afraid your body will stiffen up, which will make it harder to absorb the undulations of the lift ride, making you more likely to fall off. Stay relaxed and stay light. If the track is rutty, don’t fight it. Let your board follow the natural course. Tip: you don’t want a lot of weight over the front contact points of the board, because that will make it more likely to dig in.

3. Mountain awareness – flat sections. Having to stop and unstrap is one of the most frustrating things for a snowboarder. It just seems unfair. Stupid. If the flat area is particularly long, sometimes there’s nothing you can do about it, you’re just going to have to stop and push. But often there is something you can do about it. Be ready.

If you know the flat section is coming, be confident and keep your speed by going straight. The aim is to carry enough speed to get you over the flat. Remember, the flat part is going to slow you down a lot, so although it may seem too fast at first, you can go faster than your normal ‘turning speed’ as you approach. As your confidence increases, you can go straight from higher up. The result: you’ll get better at crossing flats, which means less unstrapping!

The other aspect of being ready requires you to look ahead. As well as preparing for flat areas you know are coming, ideally you should be keeping an eye on what’s coming ahead. If you see some flat, start thinking about building up the speed to get across…

4. Learn to ride switch. Starting to ride switch sooner, rather than later, can actually make the process easier. Once you’ve been riding for quite a while, your regular direction becomes very comfortable. Not only does this make the switch direction seem more foreign, the gap in your ability between regular and switch can make riding switch seem too regressive – and it’s all too easy to ‘quit for now’ and go back to riding normally.

If you’re just graduating from beginner status, you might actually have an advantage when it comes to learning switch. All of the exercises you used to learn to ride the normal way will be fresh in your head, which is good because you’ll need them. It also won’t seem like such a step back, so you’re less likely to be put off by not being good at it straight away…

Riding switch is important. Get ahead of the curve, impress your friends, learn at the right time, learn early.

5. Flat-boarding. Linking turns is one thing, but riding with your base flat against the snow is harder than you would think. It is however, a useful skill to possess. If you’re on a narrow trail and there’s a bit of traffic, it isn’t always possible to make the turns you’d like to, sometimes you need to go straight. And, as an extension to point 3 above, having a flat base and staying straight helps with speed over flat sections…

An easier introduction to flat-boarding is to stay, very slightly, on one edge, usually the toe edge. This has some downsides though: you might end up drifting a little, you might end up shaving off some speed, and most of all, on long trails it can be tiring on the legs. So practice keeping your board flat. You want to avoid either of the front contact points (where the board is widest) taking hold and you catching an edge. To help with this, try shifting your centre of gravity backwards a little. Don’t lean back – that will put you off balance. The aim is to take a bit of pressure off the front of the board.

6. Ollies. The ollie is a fundamental snowboard technique; it’s easy to practice and easy to learn. Even if you don’t intend to pursue that much freestyle, the ollie will still help you with board control, body position and balance. What’s more, even if your main thing is blasting around the piste, being able to ollie will add no end of fun to ripping up the slopes.

This isn’t the article to explain how to ollie; the point is that it’s a good target for the progressing beginner. Once you’ve got some pointers to work on, it’s time to practice. You can start just being strapped in, without moving. Make a habit of throwing in one or two ollies each time you set off, before you pick up too much speed. When you’re riding around, look for little bumps, rollers and side-hits to help you get that feeling of getting some air.

7. 180s. Even for a progressing begginer, it’s not too early to start woking on 180s. Similar to learning ollies, even if you’re not freestyle minded, the 180 will serve you well around the regular slopes. Being able to 180 will improve your understanding of how the head, shoulders, hips and legs contribute to controlling the snowboard. It’s also a good way to change stance direction quickly, and it will enhance your switch riding.

There are four 180s to learn: fronstide, backside, switch frontside and switch backside. For fun, practice all of them. Use 180s as a way of changing between regular and switch direction. Without needing to go anywhere near a snowboard park, start on the flat slope, then use bumps, rollers and hits at the side of the piste. Your target is to ride smoothly around the piste, being able to ollie off little jumps, change direction using 180s and ride switch inbetween.

8. Carving. Now that you can link turns it’s important to continually improve your riding technique. Beginner linked turns can often include some bad habits. ‘Lifting’ or ‘pushing-out’ the back leg to control and steer the snowboard. Side slipping during the middle or exit of the turn to shave off speed. Pushing your bum out and bending at the waist on heel turns…

Carving represents the correct turning technique. Being able to carve well will enable you to ride with more control, and to ride faster. What’s more, the bad habits that work to get you around on easier slopes simply don’t work on more challenging terrain. Side slipping for example, breaks down on steep, icy or bumpy/cruddy terrain – the edge loses grip. To ride more advanced terrain, correct and effective edge control is required.

It may help to get some tuition, it may be enough to pick up some pointers online, from instructional material, or from some friends. Take the time to analyse your riding technique. Start to practice carving on easy/intermediate runs; look at the width of the mark that your turns leave in the snow. A good carve will be pencil-thin. Then gradually progress to more advanced terrain.

Stance

A proper stance is important when beginning to ski. Proper positioning will ensure stability and prevent falling down when one moves down the slope. For a beginner, starting with a standard stance will make learning other exercises easier. The basic standard stance for a beginner in skiing is called the snowplough position. The snowplough position offers stability for the beginner by placing the weight in the centre.

Snowplough Position

The snowplough stance is achieved by having the skis pointing inward making a “V” with the tips closer and the tails wide apart. The hands are placed above the thigh level and the knees are kept slightly bent maintaining balance and are completely relaxed. This is the starting snowplough position. Once this snowplough position on the slope is mastered it is time to move to learning other maneuvers.

Skating

Skating is an important maneuver and a basic one at that. It helps us learn how to shift weights on the skis and feel more comfortable with the skis. It also helps us learn how to change direction when the skis. The starting position is opposite of snowplough position. Here the tails are closer together and the tips are wider apart.

Drill: The start is by pushing off with one ski and gliding on the other ski shifting weight to the skating ski at the same time to maintain balance. Now the first foot that pushed forward is brought closer to the first and thus coming to the original position. The exercise is repeated on the other side and back to initial position. Once the technique is mastered on flat surfaces, it is time to try the same on slopes.

Sideslipping

Sideslipping is sliding along the slope in a controlled way or in other words it is a controlled way of losing height. It’s most beneficial in steep, narrow or icy slopes. The skill will teach the edge awareness which will help control the skis better. The starting position is by putting weight on the uphill ski and letting the edge dig into the snow.

The start is by sliding by transferring the weight on to the downhill ski and rolling off the edges. The knees roll out towards the direction of skiing and the slide downhill is begun. To slow or stop, we just need to increase the angle of the ski digging the edge into the snow and allowing the knee to roll backwards towards the mountain.

Drill: Try to accelerate by decreasing the angle of skis or laying them more flat and leaning the knee towards the direction of sideslipping and then slow down by leaning the knee back towards the slope and shifting the weight on the uphill ski and increasing the angle of the ski. This should be done alternatively to master the sideslipping and this is a very important step that every ski enthusiast should master.

Traversing

Once sideslipping is mastered, we can try to traverse across the slopes. Traversing is traveling ACROSS the slope. The uphill ski uses the outer edge and the downhill ski uses the inner edge and better balance is maintained by keeping the feet slightly apart when traversing. A destination and maintained speed are necessary to do this maneuver.

Traversing is a useful skill especially when the skier is still learning to master linking of turns (which comes later in the article). Until we can do the linking of turns smoothly, we can usually use traversing to turn. Moreover, traversing is useful when we want to travel across a slope to a café and such.

Drill: The maintained speed is required to reach the destination since the acceleration is minimum when traveling across the slope. The weight should be over the downhill ski and we can slow by shifting the weight to the uphill ski. If the momentum is lost, we can skate to increase the speed and then traverse to the destination. The maneuver should be practiced again and again.

Turning

Turning or linking turns is the final step for a beginner in skiing. Ask yourself? Am I familiar with traversing, rising up and bending down while traversing in order to try linking turns? If the answer is yes, then it is time to move to “turning”. But again, it is prudent to brush up the traversing skills just before trying the first turn. The important step of maintaining speed while traversing should always be first in our mind.

Drill: The first turn is started by shifting the tips of the skis more towards the slope or the fall line and then one will start gaining speed. The turn is completed by moving the ski uphill across the slope. At the same time by turning the head and the body in the direction of turn will result in a successful turn. Now, we must repeat the same maneuver on the other direction and slowly learn to smoothly link the turns.

Stopping

It is as much important to know how to control the speed, slow down and ultimately stop when skiing. Unless we are proficient in stopping, we would end up hurting oneself as well as others. Obviously we neither want to land up in hospital bed nor do we like to send someone there… do we?

The snowplough position described in the beginning is ideal way to stow down or stop. Slowing down is by just moving the tips of the skis towards each other up to when they are just about 5 cm to 10 cm apart and making the snowplough wider at the tail. Turning can also be used to stop on steeper slopes.

Drill: A useful exercise when practicing slowing down and stopping is to move the tail wider slowly until one slows down and then again moving them closer so that one again accelerates. Skier should practice this exercise repeatedly on gentle slopes to get good control.

Using chair lifts

Learning to get on and get off the chair lifts is a crucial skill. It is important to do so safely and properly. The chair lift usually slows down at the loading area which is usually marked well. Standing at the marked area, waiting and looking for the chair lift over the shoulder as it approaches is the start.
Getting on: We should just sit as the chair lift just touches the calf of the leg. The older type chair lifts may not slow down and we need to be careful with them or we shall end with a “whack” on the calf and it isn’t pleasant! After sitting, the ski tip should be pointed up.

Riding the chair lift: It is very important to keep the safety bar down. Safety bar, as the name suggest is for “safety”. Again, the ski tip should be checked to be up, the poles held tight in one hand preferably on the inner hand (if sitting on the left side of chair, then the right hand is the inner hand). And enjoy the scenery!

Getting off: Getting down is much easier than getting up. 1-2-3….

• Raising the safety bar COMPLETELY.
• Slowly shuffling to the edge
• Getting off in a direction AWAY from the line of chair lift at the point marked or when the signal is shown.

When no signals are shown or when there is no marking, we stand up as soon as the ski is felt flat on the snow. We should remember to steer clear of the way of upcoming chair lifts to avoid being hit.

Summary

Snowplough position

• The snowplough position is a balanced and key position that we should always try to get into while starting.

Sideslipping

• Sideslipping is a traveling along the slope or fall line.
• This is a key maneuver that one must master especially when dealing with steep slopes that are narrow with little space for turning.
• One can lose height with more control with sideslipping.

Traversing

• Traversing is traveling across the slope and maintaining the speed is of utmost importance.
• A destination to reach is equally important.
• Traversing is also an essential skill that is useful in turning until one is proficient with the process of linking the turns. Until then, one uses traversing to link the turns.

Skating

• Skating is a basic skill and it is just pushing ahead with one ski and then the other alternatively in different direction.
• The ski position is opposite to that of snowplough position.

Turning

• Turning is the epitome of the beginner’s skills.
• Turning is accomplished by turning the ski, the head and the torso to the direction that one wants to turn to.
• Linking turns is to be practiced again and again until one is proficient with it so as to be able to do it smoothly.

Slowing and stopping

• Snowploughing is an ideal way to slow down and stop on gentle slopes.
• On steeper slopes, turning to a stop is more ideal.

Chair lifts

• We should learn to use the chair lift safely.
• Getting on, at the marked point when it slows, and keeping the ski tip pointed up is important.
• The safety bar should be down, ski tip pointed up, poles held tight on inner hand and one can safely enjoy the scenery until one is ready to get down.
• Getting off is accomplished in the same manner with the ski tip pointed up and standing up when the ski is flat on the snow or at the marked place.
• It is important to steer away from the line of chair lift to avoid being hit by the upcoming chair lift.

So what are the things you need? The following are the key ingredients to making a great jump

• Great snow! This is a given and without doubt the most important. Trust me, landing on hard, thin snow cover is not a lot of fun. Neither is trying to scrape snow together for a jump when in doing so you expose the dirt beneath.
• Your hands or a shovel. Either will do really. A shovel will make things a little quicker but to be honest, it’s not so practical to carry a shovel down the mountain or a lift.
• Courage. While making a jump it might not seem so big, but when you are flying down the mountain and hit the lip-you may find the air you get is bigger than you think. On the low down, a little liquid courage can sometimes be of assistance for some of the really high jumps!

So you have the tools, now what? Simple, but in case you are still wondering, we’ve laid them out below:

• Scout a location. Don’t build a jump right on a tight corner or right before you get on chairlift! Be smart about it and build it in a position which allows for maximum momentum, a clear run towards the jump and a nice long landing.
• Dig. That right, dig the snow and compact it in a large heap (Forming the jump) Look it’s not brain science, it’s simple – use as much or as little snow as you like
• Pack it down. You really cant fly over a soft pile of snow, you will just run into it and crash. Compact the snow so it’s ready for you to hit it at speed and take flight
• Wear a brain bucket. Going over jumps? Get a helmet. No excuses. You can great some great helmets now with cool features like internal beanie or inbuilt headphones. Take advantage of this coolness and protect your most valuable assets (Well only some of us should bother I guess)

Have fun, get air, but be safe. Building jumps is a great way to spend a day on the slopes with friends and will vastly improve your technique and confidence. Just remember one simple thing – don’t forget your helmet!

Determining stance

Whatever one is comfortable is the right stance is for the beginner. Technically speaking there are basically two stances- regular footed and goofy footed. Regular footed is with left leg forward and goofy footed is with right leg forward. To be regular or not to be. That is the question! We can know our preferred stance by snowboarding downhill and finding which is most comfortable initially. Whichever leg instinctively moves forward to balance when falling forward, or the leg that leads when trying to slide on smooth floor while wearing socks can indicate what the preferred foot is. However, we should master both stances if we are to excel in snowboarding though we still will have a preference and use one stance more than the other.

Angling Toes

The front foot is angled at 10 to 30 degrees. This is called front binding. There are values mentioned for different styles and terrain but the most comfortable angle is the right angle for you. This applies to the back leg too whose toes are technically said to point between -15 to +10 degrees. This is called rear binding.

How wide is just right and how wide is too wide?

Next issue with stance is the separation of the feet! How wide should I place the feet apart? Again, the same answer- As wide as comfortable and balanced. There are tables which give values for a person’s height and the preferred separation. Others give value to be slightly more than the shoulder width when one is comfortable. It is good to start with separation of 19” to 24” and then adjust by trial and error at the most comfortable position. What is grand about the beginning stance is that your stance is like you! In other words, the riding stance is UNIQUE like you! The exact stance for me is when I am completely comfortable and balanced.

Standing up and strapping in.

The stance deserved such an extensive discussion and now we move on to the real action. To strap in to get ready for snowboarding fun. We find a flat place with soft packed snow and low traffic, attaching a leash to the snowboard and to the front foot. This is just to prevent the snowboard from slipping and sliding off!  After stabilizing the board using the other foot or the knee, we strap the ankle strap and then the toe strap for the front foot. Once the foot is strapped, we should “get used” to the snowboard by moving the front leg up and down in front and lifting it at the back with the other foot (back foot) on the snow. The rear foot is NOT strapped until we are accustomed to the various maneuvers to save time and energy.

Skating.

I have strapped and stood up. Now what? Skating is the basic skill that we should master before we try all others. Skating is simple skill. We skate from one place to another with one back foot used as the “propeller”. Obviously the back foot is NOT strapped. By bending the front knee a little and putting in most of the weight on the front foot, we achieve a balanced position. Now, the back foot is used to push us forward with small steps initially. The back foot is never allowed to lead the front foot. Slowly we can increase the step length and push with the foot to gain more speed. That is skating… simple isn’t it.

Side Slipping.

This is traveling down along the slope line in a controlled manner. The sideslipping can be done on “toe side” or “heel side” and we can choose either first (preferably heel-side), master it and then proceed to the other. We begin by sitting on the ground on a gentle slope with the heel side of the board digging into the snow. Now we should use hands to support the body and slowly rise up from the ground with balance. Finally we are standing but in an awkward position and with practice we can find the right position of the knees and body to be balanced. Now, we begin! It is like using the accelerator of a car. We press down and we increase in speed. Similarly by decreasing the angle of the snowboard with the snow, we can increase speed or accelerate or in simpler words by “pushing down” we accelerate. By increasing the angle of the snowboard we can slow down eventually coming to a stop. We slowly lower our body and come to the initial starting position at the end.

Sideslipping (toe-side)

It is just the reverse of the previous maneuver. Here, we are facing the slope and the heel side is the leading edge. We accelerate and slow down just as described above in the “car accelerator” manner.

Traversing

Traversing is traveling across the fall line or slope. After placing the board across the fall line you should get into kneeling position with body uphill from the board. Then you should get into standing position by pushing yourself up with your hands and balance on the toe edge. Now you are ready to traverse. You can traverse now by looking in the direction in which you wish to traverse and shifting some weight on the front foot. Maintaining your balance and by steering the board so you move across and slightly downhill. With practice we can slowly increase the angle of attack. To stop, you should just push downward with your rear foot so that the board is across the hill and tilt the board higher on its edge. Once completely across the hill, kneel, roll over and stand at the heel edge. Again look in the direction you want to move and put the weight on your front foot and traverse to the other side.

Turning.

Turning is essentially traversing, changing edge and traversing again. But while learning it is ideal to learn the basic turn and then learning to link the turns later.

Basic Turns.

The choice spot is a place with gentle slope and less traffic. Get into the traversing position with toe/heel edge and putting weight on the front foot looking in the direction you wish to turn. You should use your feet and legs to steer in the direction with the front foot twisting in the direction you want to turn and the rear foot in the opposite direction. As the turn is executed, we approach the fall line angle and then one should roll gradually to the other edge and steer across the hill. This exercise should be repeated and with both toe edge and heel edge. Once this is mastered, then it is time to start learning how to link turns.

Linking Turns.

For linking turns, we should be able to rise to upright position and then sink down to flexed position again while traversing. This movement will be incorporated into the turns. During the middle of the turn and towards the end of the turn we should flex the body, continue traversing while flexed and rise up again to begin a new turn. Rising just before the beginning of the next turn makes steering easier to move to the next turn. The cycle repeats again and again.

Stopping.

Stopping is the most ignored skill while teaching snowboarding whereas it is the most essential skill while snowboarding. The principle is simple-breaking the line of gravity. In other words, one just needs to turn horizontal across the slope to slow down. You should learn to do this stopping in both toe-side and heel-side turns. The maneuver itself is simple-> turn by steering with the front foot and pushing with the rear foot and slowly the board comes to stop. To turn on heel-side is tricky but essentially the movements are the same as above with the difference being that the opposite edges are used than in toe-side turning and stopping. The heel-side turning and stopping is useful while the rear foot is strapped in.

Using the lifts

There are many types of lift systems, the most common in Australia are:

• Gondola
• Chair lifts
• Rope tow
• T bar
• Poma

The first is the most simplist so we wont even go into this one, a gondola is a small capsule that runs along a wire. Get in. Sit down. And enjoy the ride.

The Chair Lift:

Learning to get on and get off the chair lifts is a crucial skill. It is important to do so safely and properly. The chair lift usually slows down at the loading area which is usually marked well. Standing at the marked area, waiting and looking for the chair lift over the shoulder as it approaches, is the start.

Getting on:Skate toward the loading spot when instructed to by the lift operator. As the chairlift approaches you from behind, you should reach out with one hand to grab the chair and slowly settle down into the seat. After sitting, the snowboard tip should be pointed up.

Riding the chair lift: It is very important to keep the safety bar down. Safety bar, as the name suggest is for “safety”. Again, the snowboard tip should be checked to be up. And enjoy the scenery!

Getting off: Getting down is much easier than getting up. 1-2-3….

1. Raising the safety bar COMPLETELY. Look for the signs as to when it is safe to do as opening early can be dangerous.
2. Slowly shuffling to the edge and adjust your board or ski’s into a position as if you were riding down a hill.
3. At the indicated point, stand up and slide away from the chair. Boarders you will only have one foot strapped in (your front one) so make sure its sturdy up against your back binding and resting on your stomp pad for traction.

Rope Tow

This is simply a rope loop that pulls a person uphill. One just grabs the rope and skate along the lift trail until reaching the top of the slope. Then gently letting go off the rope loop and skate away. Boarders you can take your back foot out of its binding but its generally easier to keep it strapped in.

T-Bar

Given its name thanks to its physical “T” shape, often these are riden in pairs. If its your first time, go it alone! Basically you grab the T-Bar and get pulled along the ground. T’s are often shorter distances than Chair Lifts. Boarders you can ride this strapped in or back foot out, your choice. I found it easier to learn with my back foot out.

Poma

This is the same concept as the T-Bar only a different shape. Same rules apply though, grab on and be pulled up the hill.

Now get out there and enjoy your riding!

A good quality wax for your board is an excellent investment, as it will guarantee the longevity of your board, whilst the reverse is true. Boards that are not properly maintained with a decent wax will quickly develop a rough, uneven texture, which will in turn cause further damage to be caused to the board.  Honestly, with a small amount of time committed to cleaning and waxing your board will ensure long-term dividends.

As a safety precaution, ensure that whenever you are applying wax to your snowboard that you do so in a well-ventilated area because some of the wax products have toxic fumes, so if you begin to feel dizzy/nauseous/light headed at any time whilst applying the wax then take a break.  Snowboard wax whilst being a lifeline for your board, is not so kind to clothing or furniture so to safeguard against any accidents, make sure you carry out your waxing on a old cloth. Other basic precautions include wearing some rubber gloves to prevent the wax getting onto your arms and hands and thereby causing an adverse reaction, and propping the board on a hard surface such as a couple of bricks.

Snowboarding wax is typically sold in the form of a bar, very much like a bar of soap and you will need to melt the wax and then once the wax has liquidised, drip it onto the surface of your board and then spread it evenly over the surface.

There are a number of different waxes to choose from,  some snowboard waxes already come in liquid form meaning you can simply apply the wax direct to the board. Other waxes come in a bottle and spray, much  like a hair spray again meaning you do not have to melt them. Spray waxes are especially excellent in terms of quickly drying.

The different coloured waxes are for different temperatures, so make sure you choose a wax that has a temperature closest to the conditions on the day that you intend to ride.

Perhaps the memories aren’t quite so special, but instead would be better suited for a funny video clips show, for bloopers and mistakes. Hey, why not make some money out of your video? Nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Whilst there is the old adage of “The camera never lies”, you can certainly manipulate scenery and the location of where you are recording your tape. What this means is that you do not need to climb up the highest possible mountains to take a good snowboarding video, you can take a decent quality recording anywhere there is enough snow to competently snowboard.

As a general precaution though, the camera tends to flatten everything so even the steepest of hills look much tamer than they actually are.  Try to make use of visual effects, so if there is plenty of snow around, whenever you pull off a trick, try to make a big splash with the snow and spray it everywhere. A real crowd pleaser.

Don’t forget though, even with the excitement of the camera rolling and the adrenaline coursing through your body, you are not invulnerable. Remember to take all basic safety precautions, so goggles, helmets and kneepads should all be on your list.

Homemade snowboarding videos are not just the bored productions of amateurs, but are looked upon by talent scouts as something akin to gold dust, talent scouts are always on the lookout for new, fresh talent to promote and cultivate, so  your own home made video is an excellent way to promote yourself.

With so many social networking sites such as youtube, Bebo and facebook, you can also get peoples feedback as to the quality of your videos, all of whom will be brutally honest.