How to Get Started Snowboarding
Terje Haakonsen boycotted the Nagano Olympics because he thought the judging was unfair and that the snowboarded who did participate had “sold out” to the establishment. Nagano is responsible for the wave of interest in the new sport. Snowboarding’s addition to the Olympic lineup has helped make a silk purse out of sow’s ear and clean up ‘boarders defiant reputation without harming their edgy flair. If you are interested in how to snowboard take a look.
Firstly, read. Get all the information your can about safety. Snowboarding especially snowboard tricks leads in outdoor sporting injuries. This statistic is heavily debated but no matter, everyone agrees that the sport is hard on the body. You should also consider your own fitness level and whether or not you feel your body can take the abuse. Approach the sport with an eye for safety and you can minimize injuries. Look into a certified snowboarding instructor. It is well worth the money to capitalize on a certified instructor’s knowledge of the sport and his or her experience.
Secondly, consider your budget for equipment. Spend a goodly part of your budget on the safety equipment. Boards can cost upwards $600 so don’t blow your wad there and not leave money for a helmet and set of pads. You will always look at new boards but you will depend on a good helmet and set of hip and knee pads to lessen the abuse on your body. You will need a leash for your board as well. And, I cannot stress this enough, a large bottle of ibuprofen and I am sure I do not have to tell you what that is for. If you don’t know then you shouldn’t attempt learning this extreme sport
Consider your weather — that is weather in your hometown or near to you. If you live in Jamaica it might be difficult to get much snowboarding practice in. And yes, I have heard of the Jamaican Bobsled Team. But be realistic! If you don?t live somewhere that you can snowboard then maybe you can sand snowboard. Either way, you will have to devote it takes to practice and practice a lot. Travel time just cuts in on the slope time.
Snowboarding offers different methods and it would behoove you to pick one and stick with it until you excel then move on. Maybe you choose freecarve or freeride at first then move on to freestyle
Have a friend take videos of your progress and you can do the same for him/her. Who knows! Maybe you can be the next Youtube star. It is also a fun way to catalogue your personal progress. It can also be a gift for mom on Mother’s Day. Show her what she has been spending all that money on. At first you videos will be very funny since it chronicles more foibles than anything else.
Consider going to a snowboard camp for snowboard lessons. Many are offered in ?Future Snowboarding? magazine and are promoted all over the country and in other sports mags. You can learn a lot from a variety of instructors as well as other participants.
Well get on the slopes. Give freestyle snowboarding a chance. Tear them up. Don’t get hurt. It is a great sport that is here to stay.