By Danielle Weidner
You know the saying, “snowboarding is easy to learn, but harder to master. Where on the other hand, skiing is harder to learn, but easier to master.” Today on the Current OC, we will be teaching you the basics of snowboarding.
Before you even start to learn, you need the right gear. You have to dress warm, get a good jacket and snow pants so if you fall you won’t be cold. I also recommend wearing a good pair of gloves and several layers of socks. I suggest you wear a helmet, after all if it is your first time or you have gone before, you still want to protect your head in case you fall. You’ll also need ski goggles to protect your eyes from the glare of the sun. If you are snowboarding while it is snowing, it makes it easier to see while going down the mountain.
Before you head down the mountain, you’ll want to determine your stance, or your lead foot. We recommend doing the push test, where you stand with your feet together and someone lightly pushes you.
When you arrive at the mountain, you’ll take the lift to the top. To move around easily, leave your front foot strapped to your board, and your back one free to push. Your front foot will stabilize your board. It is easy to push from the heel side of your board rather than the toe side.
When getting on the lift, all you need to do is follow the lift before you to the “stop” line and wait for the next one to come to you. When getting off the lift at the top of the mountain, it requires more balance and is harder for some people more than others. All you need to do is put your board down and shift your weight mostly on your front foot, which is the one still strapped into the board. Your following foot will rest on top of the board. Keep your balance and allow the lift to push you away from it.
Once you get to the top of the mountain, you’ll want to find the slope most suitable for you, and when just learning to snowboard, green is your color.