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Original poster

How hard is snowboarding?

42 replies

Flower777 · 06/12/2018 12:54

My son wants to try and I want to try with him.

I’m overweight and not especially fit.

I want to learn with him but I don’t want to feel like a complete tit.

TIA!

OP posts:
halfwitpicker · 06/12/2018 12:56

Easier than skiing, apparently

lastqueenofscotland · 06/12/2018 12:57

I found it impossible and I’m a very very good skier.

TeeBee · 06/12/2018 12:58

Much harder than skiing.

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General sports
AnchorDownDeepBreath · 06/12/2018 12:59

Not easier than skiing, by any stretch. It's bloody hard work, requires a lot more leg control because you've got a single board to move in different directions...

I love it but it is hard; I found it much harder than skiing and I'm a pretty good skier now; I even tried the blacks last time I was out.

Notquiteagandt · 06/12/2018 13:01

I think youre a boarder or skier never met anyone who was fantastic at both.

I could skate board as a child but not inline skate. Im ok on a snowboard and rubbish at sking. So guess theres some link.

The local fake snow slope here does a course. Guaranteed to know basics of sking or boarding in a day. Worth a look for something simular. I keep saying im going to give the ski one a go and try sking again.

Original poster
Flower777 · 06/12/2018 13:01

Oh really? Is skiing easier?

We could do skiing I think.

Thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Flower777 · 06/12/2018 13:03

I want to encourage my son because he has had a tough year and is not always interested in things.

So I want to do this.

But I’m also pretty intimidated by the whole scene!

OP posts:
Original poster
Flower777 · 06/12/2018 13:03

I can’t ski either, just for clarification!!

OP posts:
TanteRose · 06/12/2018 13:03

I’ve never skied but went snowboarding last winter for the first time (I’m 50)
I would say take it slow and don’t expect much progress. I had one private lesson and one group lesson and then practiced by myself and could slide slowly down the baby slopes after a couple of days.
Don’t have lessons with your son because he’ll get it much quicker than you and be whizzing down the mountain in no time!
I was very much a “grey on a tray” (older snowboarder Grin but it was fun, and because I was being so careful, I didn’t fall down much.
My instructor was brilliant too.
Get some padded wear and some wrist protectors for peace of mind.
Have fun!

Original poster
Flower777 · 06/12/2018 13:04

Grey on a tray 🤣

OP posts:
Djchickpea · 06/12/2018 13:04

I do both and I would say snowboarding is easier to pick up but harder to become really good at. You need to be prepared to spend a lot of time on your arse, and I've found especially as I get older all the faffing about with putting your feet in and out of the bindings and pushing along where it's flat all rather exhausting!! Skiing is more civilized, but snowboarding is a lot of fun!!

halfwitpicker · 06/12/2018 13:05

Sorry, got it the wrong way round Blush

legalseagull · 06/12/2018 13:05

Skiing is much easier to learn the basics. Snowboarding is really hard to start off but once you get to an intermediate level you improve quickly

Djchickpea · 06/12/2018 13:06

Also, even if you decide to ski and your son snowboards you can still go down the mountain together, but you won't be in the same lessons while you're learning

Eve · 06/12/2018 13:06

If you have natural balance and can skateboard etc snowboarding will be easier.

I found it harder learning to snowboard than ski.

TanteRose · 06/12/2018 13:07

I’m going to go again next year and hopefully be able to get all the way down the mountain

Needallthesleep · 06/12/2018 13:07

Snowboarding is less easy if you are overweight as it takes a bit of oomph to get you up, which you end up doing a fair amount as you have to take a foot out of your board a lot.

It’s also a bit more difficult to get your head around than skiing I think.

Most kids start with skiing as it’s easier to describe the movements (the whole french fry thing for example). And I think you end up on your bum a lot more when snowboarding.

I’m a snowboarder, my husband is a skier and a snowboarder. So perfectly possible to learn one then switch!

NonaGrey · 06/12/2018 13:10

I’ve had lessons. It’s hard to get the hang of standing up on the board without falling over (took me hours Grin) because it requires a bit of upper body strength but once you’ve got that bit it’s fairly easy.

I learned in a mixed group. All the men got the standing up bit pretty quickly while the women we still struggling but by the end of the day we were all equally able to get ourselves down the slopes.

The ski tow is hard though.

It’s fun but be prepared for a lot of falling over.

popcornwizard · 06/12/2018 13:14

Prepare at home by sticking your feet under the sofa/bed (to pin them down) and get up from the floor repeatedly. And yes, I am being serious.

tablelegs · 06/12/2018 13:17

I found skiing much easier.

Preeeep · 06/12/2018 13:23

I found snowboarding much easier, I couldnt get to grips with skiing, but I skateboard regularly so had that background going into it.

Penguinsetpandas · 06/12/2018 13:31

DD had a snowboarding birthday party at local ski centre - most found it hard. DD could do it but said harder than skiing which she picked up very easily.

I didn't try it after having made a fool of myself trying wakeboarding with the kids Grin

When we go skiing I just go with DS to cable car and hot chocolating and let DH and DD ski. If you are in same lesson it does take a lot of time away from them, I actually came out of wakeboarding one to give DD more time and because DH was filming me

JaneR0chester · 06/12/2018 13:38

popcornwizard

Prepare at home by sticking your feet under the sofa/bed (to pin them down) and get up from the floor repeatedly. And yes, I am being serious.

Ha! That's put me right off! My abdominal muscles just don't work... Best to stick to skiing then Smile

Fashionista101 · 06/12/2018 14:01

Snowboarding is so hard!

Santababyclaus · 06/12/2018 14:01

I tried to learn in my early thirties, I found it really difficult. My DP is a proficient snowboarder, he always says snowboarding is easier to initially pick up in comparison to skiing but snowboarding is much harder to progress with. I should have done skiing! (imo you need strong core muscles for snowboarding, I really struggled getting up off the floor)